Writer's Commentary: Resistance

On Post: Resistance

Date: January 2

Find it here

I don’t think anyone would be unfair in calling Muse’s work, and this song in particular, “overblown.” Nor do I think that that is a bad thing, especially in a song above, essentially, the power of love to triumph over all.

So when I set out to write this entry that was the first thing that jumped out at me: its extravagant perspective on what love can inspire us to do. I thought about who might buy into that and immediately I thought of Romeo and Juliet. I have long joked that the best way for a teen who is in a relationship to deal with his or her overbearing parents is to quite the Shakespearean tragedy. Want to stop your parents in their tracks? Imply that you are considering a suicide pact with your significant other. So, I wanted to write a version of that joke in this piece. By the end, it was a different take—it’s actually the dad who ends up joking about it—but that’s where it started.

I also wanted to consciously, at first at least, vary my approach. Having already written a first person narrative (Christmas at Ground Zero) and a second person narrative (No Sleep Til Brooklyn), I wanted to try something different so the play/screenplay approach seemed a natural fit.

The reason for it being between a father and daughter was, essentially, me projecting myself 15 years in the future. My wife is pregnant and was at the time and the early indicators, hormone levels and such, were indicating it might be a girl. Thus, an exercise in “What would I be like as a father if we have a daughter?” I have no idea if I’m accurate or if I really even really think I “captured” me as a dad, but that was my concept for it.

By the by, the early signs were right. Earlier this week, the Thunder and I found out we are expecting a daughter. So this piece may turn out to be prescient. Check back in with me in 15 years.

Just because the Project has ended doesn't mean I still don't value your feedback. Feel free to let me know on Twitter (@UnGajje) or drop me a note at tim[dot]g[dot]stevens[at]gmail[dot]com or on Facebook. If you see anything you like, I am all over the net too, so please check out my other works at Marvel, Complaint of the Week at the Living Room Times, and New Paris Press, set to debut shortly although information may be available before then here or my various 140 character missives on that Twitter account.