Friends,
I’d like to introduce you to my Adult Storytelling Manifesto. It’s been a while in coming, and it’s basically all my most important thoughts on the state of adult fiction and storytelling, put into a video presentation.
AJ Manifesto – Intro, 1st Draft from Katherine M. on Vimeo.
In a series of 4-7 minute presentations, I describe what I think people need to do differently to write incomparable adult fiction. Not just good, or good enough to be published, but really and truly awesome stuff that stands out. As far as I know, no one addresses the idea of excellence in the adult genres… but why can’t it be excellent?
Romance, erotica, and pulp with graphic content can be just as lasting, just as enduring and ‘artistic’ as anything else. The trouble is, most of us have been conditioned to think that it can’t be, just because it contains explicit sex or violence. It doesn’t help that many of the standard books on writing subtly denounce anything sexual as mere titillation, and dismiss anything extremely violent as shock value scenes that carry no weight in the story.
But you know that’s bogus, right? I know it’s bogus, and so, I’ve made this Manifesto. I can’t change the prejudice against adult-oriented genres, but I can help deprogram us all from the belief that romance and erotica stories can’t reach the heights that other works do.
The embedded video should be showing up above, but here is where you can find the intro video in HD:
I need your help!
It’s just the intro, and I wasn’t going to release it until I made the first real installment. I’m putting it up now because I really need critiques! I’m so new to this video stuff, I feel like I’m doing the equivalent of fingerpainting. I have no idea what I’m doing.
Unless there are major problems with this (like everyone hates the black screens), I’m going to take what you say and apply it to the next one. So please, please tell me what you think. It’s only 4 1/2 minutes long. Leave your comments on this blog or my Vimeo page, either one is fine.
Join the update list to get notified when the next one’s up.
I’m now at work on the next presentation. Knowing me, it’ll be at least another week or two before it’s ready for release, but if you want to know when it comes out, just join the updates list here:
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Adele,
You asked for feedback…
Some nice images but I’m pretty sure people won’t stick around to see them. They’ll move on. Video is a fast and hungry medium. It devours material. Your black screens slow it down too much. We’ve been taught to take in visual stuff fast and I think you need to respect that. Some sound too would be good. Sorry if this sounds negative. It’s a fine idea.
Melody xx
Drop the first sentence or two of each section or paragraph. Jump right into the middle.
Music too loud at the beginning. You didn’t background your speech with it, though–good choice! (Older ears, especially, hate the combination.)
Get rid of your apologies about yourself or your presentation.
Your enunciation is great, except for a couple of spots (notably, in the apologetic bits) where a syllable gets swallowed up.
Now that makes more sense. I didn’t get the sound.
Melody x