Writing Notes: Based On A True Story

Writers

10 Magazines That Pay for Fiction

Start Building Your Portfolio

My goal for this year is to take everything I've learned over the last 15 years, put it together, and start working towards publication. With that in mind, I've been doing some research into magazines that pay for fiction.

I figured it might be of interest to others, too, so I wrote a short article with links to the relevant magazines submission guidelines to streamline the process.

Some advice as a discovery writer is to outline.

I update my outline after every scene because I make everything up as I go and change everything, but I need to know where I'm going in order to know how to start a scene.

Only do the major plot beats if you really can't outline, but try it. Some benefits may include:

Strong pacing

Confidence in scenes

Knowing your subplots

Foreshadowing

Less editing

Less writer's block/easier to overcome

It can also take a bit of practice and finding what works best for you, writing doesn't have rules.

You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.

Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing

If there’s a piece of writing you love, that makes you wish you had the ability to do what it does, the tools you're looking for are inside the story itself. Fiction is rarely mysterious in how it works. All you have to do is pay attention with the right mindset.

What you’re looking for is cause and effect, set-up and pay off. What does that piece of dialogue set up a) within the scene and b) later in the narrative? What purpose does this moment serve for the story as a whole? Can you identify the turning points within the scene and the turning points in the larger narrative? How do they fit together? You’ll find these things tend to fall into general patterns. Don’t get distracted by focusing on character details, analysis, or speculation! Fandom tends to overemphasize character to the exclusion of everything else. You probably already know how to analyze characters, but how much time do you spend thinking about the mechanics of the narrative? If you can figure out what makes the stories you love work, you can teach yourself to do any kind of storytelling you want to.

Ways to un-stick a stuck story

Do an outline, whatever way works best. Get yourself out of the word soup and know where the story is headed.

Conflicts and obstacles. Hurt the protagonist, put things in their way, this keeps the story interesting. An easy journey makes the story boring and boring is hard to write.

Change the POV. Sometimes all it takes to untangle a knotted story is to look at it through different eyes, be it through the sidekick, the antagonist, a minor character, whatever.

Know the characters. You can’t write a story if the characters are strangers to you. Know their likes, dislikes, fears, and most importantly, their motivation. This makes the path clearer.

Fill in holes. Writing doesn’t have to be linear; you can always go back and fill in plotholes, and add content and context.

Have flashbacks, hallucinations, dream sequences or foreshadowing events. These stir the story up, deviations from the expected course add a feeling of urgency and uncertainty to the narrative.

Introduce a new mystery. If there’s something that just doesn’t add up, a big question mark, the story becomes more compelling. Beware: this can also cause you to sink further into the mire.

Take something from your protagonist. A weapon, asset, ally or loved one. Force him to operate without it, it can reinvigorate a stale story.

Twists and betrayal. Maybe someone isn’t who they say they are or the protagonist is betrayed by someone he thought he could trust. This can shake the story up and get it rolling again.

Secrets. If someone has a deep, dark secret that they’re forced to lie about, it’s a good way to stir up some fresh conflict. New lies to cover up the old ones, the secret being revealed, and all the resulting chaos.

Kill someone. Make a character death that is productive to the plot, but not “just because”. If done well, it affects all the characters, stirs up the story and gets it moving.

Ill-advised character actions. Tension is created when a character we love does something we hate. Identify the thing the readers don’t want to happen, then engineer it so it happens worse than they imagined.

Create cliff-hangers. Keep the readers’ attention by putting the characters into new problems and make them wait for you to write your way out of it. This challenge can really bring out your creativity.

Raise the stakes. Make the consequences of failure worse, make the journey harder. Suddenly the protagonist’s goal is more than he expected, or he has to make an important choice.

Make the hero active. You can’t always wait for external influences on the characters, sometimes you have to make the hero take actions himself. Not necessarily to be successful, but active and complicit in the narrative.

Different threat levels. Make the conflicts on a physical level (“I’m about to be killed by a demon”), an emotional level (“But that demon was my true love”) and a philosophical level (“If I’m forced to kill my true love before they kill me, how can love ever succeed in the face of evil?”).

Figure out an ending. If you know where the story is going to end, it helps get the ball rolling towards that end, even if it’s not the same ending that you actually end up writing.

What if? What if the hero kills the antagonist now, gets captured, or goes insane? When you write down different questions like these, the answer to how to continue the story will present itself.

Start fresh or skip ahead. Delete the last five thousand words and try again. It’s terrifying at first, but frees you up for a fresh start to find a proper path. Or you can skip the part that’s putting you on edge – forget about that fidgety crap, you can do it later – and write the next scene. Whatever was in-between will come with time.

Being creative isn’t always fun

I think this is one of the most difficult things to realize. Be it writing or drawing or making music or crafting – it’s not fun. Not always.

I think we all expect it to be, I mean, why do it if it isn’t fun? It looks so easy when others do it. And then we get discouraged when things inevitably turn out to be more difficult than we thought. And then we blame ourselves!

It should be easy! This should be fun! I’m such a hack, I’m doing this wrong, I will never be good at this because it isn’t fun and it’s supposed to be fun, else it’s just a stupid waste of time. 

We all feel this way sometimes. 

Allow yourself to accept this. It isn’t always fun, sometimes it’s really difficult and you have to push through to get to the other part that is more fun.

It’s not easy, it’s not always fun but that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to do it. You’re not wrong, you’re not stupid, you’re not a hack. Keep doing your thing.

I kind of suck at tagging, so I made this infographic to help make it easier.

WHAT'S TODAY'S SPECIAL?

✩ THE GREAT GATSBY

: a few luxurious vanilla bean scoops, alongside a bright pistachio scoop and a drizzle of some quintessentially american hot fudge to top it off.

I’ve seen Gatsby: An American Myth at the ART two times now, and it’s been such a pleasure both times, with it quickly becoming my favorite show I’ve ever seen or witnessed in my entire life. At this point, there’s no real breakdown of the songs or story yet, and I wanted to detail my own thoughts on the score of the musical. So, here’s my review and summary of every song from Gatsby: An American Myth, in the best way I could possibly articulate it.

— SPOILERS FOR THE GREAT GATSBY BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD AND GATSBY: AN AMERICAN MYTH AHEAD. read the better version of this on my substack !!

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD

NICK, ENSEMBLE

Welcome To The New World is our opening number, and it’s a phenomenal entrance to the story and themes of The Great Gatsby. It starts with NICK, explaining who he is, why he left for New York, and the general vibe of New York as he arrives, and transforms into a full company performance. The choreography really carries this song, but the detailing of New York and its culture at the time of the story is done so well in the lyrics, really emphasizing the passion and energy in the city and state. what i love most is that the song opens on the common people of New York, those that attend GATSBY's parties but are not a part of the “elite,” with clear references to those characters in the company being immigrants, from out of the country and from other parts of the country itself. This idea of the song being sung by the average person in New York really lends itself to the introduction of TOM, DAISY, and JORDAN, who, during the song, are watching the company dancers from a higher level of the stage. as the song concludes, TOM says something along the lines of “quiet down” or a comment about the amount of noise from the other side of the pond, forming a line of class before the show even truly begins. crazy fun beat, crazy fun choreography, and such a captivating start that really draws you into the world of the great Gatsby, despite its weakness in catchiness.

a solid opening number, being incredibly fun with fantastic and dynamic choreography, although not the best song on its own in comparison to other gatsby: an american myth tracks or other musical openings. won’t be a super interesting listen for those who only have access to the score, but will be a super fun watch for everyone who sees the show, and a great start to an even better show! 

GOLDEN GIRL

DAISY

Golden Girl is DAISY’s first solo, and it’s good. for context, the scene previous to this is DAISY confronting TOM about taking a phone call, presumably from a woman or mistress, while they are hosting dinner, and demanding he hang up. he hangs up the phone and hurts her hand in the process, to which she crumbles in pain, with TOM then telling her that she is “being a bad host,” which leads into the song. Detailing DAISY’s emotions of always feeling the need to be perfect, and feeling as though she was pushed from being a debutante directly into being a bride, Golden Girl should be incredibly emotionally touching, especially as DAISY begins to reminisce on a previous love and another possible life, but it’s just not. Golden Girl is fine, and that’s the best way to say it, and it rests a lot on the gorgeous vocals of Charlotte MacInnes. The lyrics are okay, but at this point in the story, the song reads strangely, and it’s just a bit boring to sit through. I think Golden Girl does it’s job explaining DAISY’s feelings, I wish it just did it in a more interesting way, because it feels a bit like an afterthought, and a little forced into the overall flow of the story. Golden Girl’s crime is that of being boring, and that is the real tragedy of the song.

overall, a very basic take on daisy without very compelling ideas or lyrics, that rests on the vocals and acting ability of the performer and not on its own merits. not the worst i've seen in theater before, but my own personal contender for one of my least favorite of this show’s numbers. disappointing for daisy’s first solo, but will be a genuinely great audition piece for those looking for something from the show. this is likely a controversial take, but i just didn’t enjoy it. 

VALLEY OF ASHES

MYRTLE, WILSON, ENSEMBLE

Now. We’re. Talking. MYRTLE and WILSON are so cool in this production, and Valley of Ashes only cements that further. It’s a fantastic company number with a balanced focus between MYRTLE, WILSON, and the rest of the company that centers on the working class’s view of New York and the dichotomy between them and those with money, both new and old. It introduces crucial characters, interesting plot and thematic elements, and from what I recall, it’s sound and choreography is captivating for an audience. Both Solea Phiffer and Shea Renne performed beautifully as MYRTLE, and Matthew Amira makes me actually care about WILSON in ways I didn’t think were possible. It’s just so good, and is such an edgy, interesting performance. Huge fan!

a great company performance with a variety of skills from acting to dance to vocals on display from every member of the cast performing. takes everything amazing about the opening, and dials it up now that it knows the audience is already sat and listening. i'm obsessed.

SHAKIN OFF THE DUST

MYRTLE, ENSEMBLE (FEAT. TOM & NICK)

Another banger from MYRTLE and the wildly hardworking company, that’s only made better by the acting ability and the raw comedic and dramatic timing that Cory Jeacoma and Ben Levi Ross have as TOM and NICK. Taking place in MYRTLE’s apartment, Shakin Off The Dust gives a balance of a fun, party-like atmosphere that really showcases MYRTLE’s lust for life and desire to really live, which is core to her character, alongside the genuine emotions and motives behind the speakeasies and parties of the 1920s, which came from a desire to feel loose and free after the war and diseases that hurt the country, and also deeply hurt MYRTLE and the company characters like her, who desire to emulate the luxury and freedom of the upper classes. It’s much more emotionally raw than would be expected of the flashy costumes and lights, and the gaudy set, and provides insight into TOM and MYRTLE’s relationship and MYRTLE’s difficulties with her husband, family, and life that lead her to lead this affair. It also gives us canonically gay NICK, which I could never be mad at. Fantastic choreography as always, with a special solo given to a wildly talented dancer in the company, Chris Ralph who has delighted the audience both times I’ve seen the show in an incredibly unique way.

fun, flirty, and emotionally devastating. everything that i look for in a track, only made better by those performing, with phenomenal execution of the lyrics and choreography.

NEW YORK SYMPHONY

NICK, MYRTLE, DAISY, ENSEMBLE

This one took me a second to remember, but once I did, it was hard to forget. Taking place after TOM slaps MYRTLE, telling her that he would never truly marry her, and after NICK’s realization of queerness, New York Symphony is a song detailing the experiences of NICK, DAISY, & MYRTLE as people who have moved to New York in search of something, and emphasizes their similarities. It’s not a very memorable song, but I find it touching and a strong support for the overall story. Nothing too special, but still leaves a pretty hefty impact even with just a vague memory of the emotion it evoked.

a strong addition to the story and an interesting depiction of the similarities between multiple main characters, drawing connections that are crucial, or at least helpful, to the story.

ONE HEART BEAT

GATSBY, JORDAN, ENSEMBLE

One Heart Beat is our introduction to GATSBY’s parties, alongside the man himself, and it does a great job at utilizing the skills and talents of the cast alongside the fantastically designed set to create a dynamic and fun atmosphere. Great utilization of JORDAN’s character, which this production can occasionally lack, so that’s a major plus. Reminiscent of Shakin Off The Dust, and previous company numbers, One Heart Beat shows the party scene of New York and emphasizes the characters of both old money and new money who crowd together in GATSBY’s grand parties, but in a great contrast to the desperation of Shakin Off The Dust with the amount of opulence it shows. It’s a little bit of a drag, as I feel it’s a little longer than it needs to be, but overall a great track in vocals, score, and choreography, with amazing comedic moments and a great execution of NICK and GATSBY’s first meeting, and leads perfectly into the next track.

a great party song, with a fantastic showcase of skills from the company and the lead actors and actresses. faithful to the story and the ideas of gatsby’s parties, and just such a fun song, despite possibly overstaying it’s welcome.

DEATHLESS SONG

GATSBY (FEAT. DAISY)

Gonna be real with you guys, I don’t remember this song at all. From what I recall, it happens after GATSBY solidifies plans for lunch with NICK. The song itself contains GATSBY detailing the motives behind his parties, talking about scanning every face in the crowd, obviously looking for DAISY. Towards the end of the song, DAISY enters, standing in front of the green light prop that exists on House Right, but she’s more of a vision and GATSBY does the classic reach out to her from across the pond, which is referenced in the book and the musical. It’s not a bad song, from what I remember, just very forgettable, and it has the problem of existing after a very fast paced moment. Gatsby: An American Myth’s largest issue seems to be timing and placement of songs, and this is an example of it, because it is so easily forgotten in between those that come before and after it. 

doesn’t feel fair to give this a review, but i’m gonna say it’s a little forgetable and boring, but absolutely something that would resonate with someone who is not me.

FEELS LIKE HELL

WOLFSHEIM, ENSEMBLE

We are so fucking back with this song. It’s incredible, and defies every stereotype of the “ boring old guy musical song that nobody likes,” by being just so well done. I could write a whole post on this song alone, but WOLFSHEIM as a character is just so monolithic, he takes up all the attention on stage, supported and only contested by GATSBY, who has incredibly unique blocking and choreography throughout the scene. In this song, WOLFSHEIM explains GATSBY’s rise to fortune through his help, and the idea of the American Dream in a way that feels so genuine and wildly inventive and creative. WOLFSHEIM manages to be such an amazing character, with so much personality and wit in ways that I don’t the book, the movie, or the other musical have managed to capture. While I will sing the praises of Adam Grupper all day, Isaac Powell’s performance as GATSBY is nothing to scoff at either, managing to transform himself from a young, naive man, to the GATSBY we know today, and doing so flawlessly. An amazing backstory song that blends rawness and wit into something spectacular. 

fantastic addition to the musical, and a dynamic number that never gets old and one that you always look forward to, with especially amazing performances from all cast members involved. i have a feeling that this song will turn out to be wildly underrated when the cast recording releases, but trust me, it’s great.

A SMILE LIKE THAT IS RARE

NICK, JORDAN (?)

You may notice the question mark next to JORDAN. I can’t fully remember if she has a singing role in this song, or only a speaking role, but it doesn’t really change the overall song. It is, even if JORDAN also sings, largely a NICK solo, as he comments on GATSBY’s charm. The song details GATSBY’s smile, and how his genuine joy is rare for the circles both JORDAN and NICK find themselves in, and it’s the beginning of NICK’s understanding about who DAISY is to GATSBY, as this all comes after NICK’s agreement to stage a tea meeting for the aforementioned characters to come together, which is what GATSBY wants. It leads into a larger song, as NICK’s hesitance to set up the meeting is met with JORDAN’s reassurance that it may turn out well, as she remembers GATSBY for the radiant joy he had around DAISY, and their relationship. It’s a bit of a filler song, but it’s pretty, with lyrics that show an understanding of the characters in the story’s feelings and moves the plot along in a way that doesn’t feel too forced or too slow. It’s small, it’s cute, it’s there. 

nothing too much to say. it’s a cute addition, and it does it’s job. it’s not anything special, but it’s well-written and well-performed, and has a very clean placement in the story itself.

MONTH OF LOVE

GATSBY, DAISY (FEAT. NICK & JORDAN)

Do I remember the lyrics? No. Do I remember how absolutely lovely this song was in essence and feeling? Yes! NICK and JORDAN watch on from a side of the stage as a young GATSBY and DAISY meet and fall in love, with JORDAN being implied to be telling their story to NICK. However, everyone other than DAISY and GATSBY seem to melt away during this song and the scenes within it, even if they’re still present on stage, which seems intentional and phenomenally done. DAISY and GATSBY pull the audience into their romance, with soft lyrics and a romantic backing to every word spoken and action taken, without it coming across too gaudy, fake, or unreliable to the book itself. This is a gorgeous song, and it really demonstrates the skills of the performers to be able to shift into their characters’ younger selves so well, with only a change in costume. A beautiful song, made even better by the tragedy you know will befall their romance.

dreamy, romantic, and gorgeous, everything gatsby and daisy remember their month together as seen from their and jordan’s memory. this number really makes us understand daisy and gatsby’s history in a way that wasn’t available before.

I’VE CHANGED MY MIND

DAISY, JORDAN, DAISY’S MOM (FEAT. GATSBY)

This song is so heartbreaking, it makes me physically ill. DAISY, on the day of her wedding to another man, receives a long-awaited letter from GATSBY, begging her to wait for him. So simple, yet so gut-wrenching, Daisy’s repeated lines of “I’ve changed my mind” show her youth and desperation so well, especially as her mother berates her and asks her to think of their good family name (“Love will fade, but our good name is forever.”) and the luxuries that DAISY has enjoyed her whole life. DAISY continues pleading, standing soaked in a bathtub (like, actually soaked), until the moment she is carried out and dragged to the wedding, and it’s such a deeply ruinous song that absolutely wrecks an audience. TOM is a looming, silent figure throughout this song, and JORDAN’s helpless worrying only adds to the desperation the song carries and the fear DAISY has, every element on stage working to make you see just how much DAISY is conflicted, scared, and naive. I’ve Changed My Mind shows the tragedy of The Great Gatsby that is always so delicious, and it’s nauseating how amazing this track is. The blocking, costuming, and subtle choices made (JORDAN picking up GATSBY’s letter from the bathtub where it dropped as DAISY gets carried away, before throwing it out, DAISY’s mother and JORDAN in black as though they are mourning) elevates this song to heights I’m obsessed with.

possibly one of my favorite songs of the show, with just phenomenal vocals, acting choices, blocking, and just everything that makes a song perfect. i’m obsessed with this track, and I think it’s a real showcase of the show at its best.

POURING DOWN

DAISY, GATSBY, NICK (KINDA), ENSEMBLE

I know I just spent 10 years absolutely showering I’ve Changed My Mind with praise, but Pouring Down manages to elevate to even higher heights as a track. At NICK’s house for tea, both GATSBY and DAISY are overwrought with stress and nerves, and are so awkward and tense they can find nothing to talk about but the stormy weather. It’s difficult to detail in words, because it sounds so simple, but the mixture of their voices and characters combine into something so awkwardly beautiful, emulating the true tense feelings behind reconnecting with an ex. The company aids in the vocals, especially later in the song as they move into GATSBY’s house, and NICK’s involvement in the scene is somehow both touching and incredibly comedic, adding some necessary levity without drawing too much focus to himself when unnecessary. It’s a beautiful, understated but near-perfectly constructed track, and I love it so dearly. Not to mention, the set design including led-lights that flash down in rain patterns during this scene has such visual appeal I can’t even find the right words to describe it.

a crucial addition, that shows both the comedic and tragic potential of the characters themselves, that adds such great character building and tension to the story that makes it absolutely delectable. it’s a treat for me, seeing and hearing this song. understated, simple, and yet so deeply complex and thought out, a real work of ART.

MR. NOBODY FROM NOWHERE

GATSBY, ENSEMBLE

BOOOO!!! Tomato, tomato. Okay, I joke, but in all seriousness, this song is GATSBY’s Golden Girl, if you know what I mean. It’s just so boring, especially as the Act One finale, and it’s just so disappointing because it’s obviously placed there so we can get a serious moment to end on, that centers around GATSBY himself, but it just lacks what the past two songs had and really dampers Act One’s momentum. I understand it’s neccessity, especially for setting up GATSBY’s character, and his relationship with the idea of being “nobody” and finally escaping that boudary with the love of DAISY as his crutch, because that is vital for later on, but I just find this style of ballad-esque solos very boring, basic, and uninspired, which is a shame for a show as dynamic and unique as Gatsby: An American Myth. It was okay, and it does something for GATSBY’s character, but that’s the best I can do.

again, we have another song who’s worst crime is being boring. it wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t follow multiple fantastic songs, but it does, and it’s rough. there’s not a better place to put it, and there’s no getting rid of it, so we’re stuck. still mildly disappointing, although i’m sure every high school theater boy just cheered for another audition song for them.

JUST A LITTLE PARTY

MYRTLE, ENSEMBLE

Starting off Act 2 with a quiet bang, Just a Little Party is a subtly sinister take on the party scene of 1920s New York, with “the help” at the center of the song. Highlighting the hauntedness of Gatsby's parties and the way the lower class workers are essentially invisible to the party-goers and work jobs that are completely unnoticed every night and every day, it's a dark, but incredibly captivating performance. MYRTLE’s appearance as a maid to contrast the life she wishes she had, as one being served rather than the one serving, is incredibly tragic and adds depth to her character. Her appearance in the song as a whole elevates it, and it's just such a fun way to get dragged back into the world of the show.

absolutely gorgeous re-entry to the world of gatsby: an american myth, that used the entire company to their best, and was just an amazing performance. 10/10, no notes, i’m in love.

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD (REPRISE)

GATSBY, DAISY, NICK, JORDAN, ENSEMBLE (FEAT. TOM AND MYRTLE)

DAISY’s introduction to the party world that GATSBY has created for her is within this song, and it is absolutely perfect. Before I write anything else, it’s important to know that NICK and JORDAN shine in this song, especially showing the way that NICK has evolved to mold seamlessly with the upper-echelon’s party mindset that he was once uncomfortable with. It’s such a gorgeous, fun reprise with just the right amount of sinister to remind us that GATSBY and DAISY are on borrowed time, with the threat of TOM right around the corner. Such a fun beat, and a great callback to the original song. All the characters, including MYRTLE and TOM who don’t have singing roles in this song, are utilized so well in both acting and vocal talent and skill.

so fun, so perfect, and an amazing reprise! more fun to watch then the original in my opinion, although the lyrics probably aren’t as strong, or at least don’t change much from the original.

DRIVING MY WAY

MYRTLE

This is MYRTLE incredibly ironic breakup song to TOM, although framing it that way doesn’t do her justice. Post-party, MYRTLE is incredibly frustrated with TOM, and I would describe this song as a type of angry, break-up letter to him, essentially telling him that one day, he will have lost her, and he won’t be able to drive her way anymore. It’s tragic in the context of the show, and that tragedy comes from the hope that it has as a standalone track, but it’s still incredibly powerful in the moment and represents something important for MYRTLE, and the shows overall themes and ideas. It’s a very powerful song, and while that really rests on the power of the performer, it’s just a fantastic track. The costuming of MYRTLE during this scene, in the maid dress she wore to the party, lends so much to the powerless feeling MYRTLE feels like she gains with TOM, and it gives the ending, where she clearly states her power over him, so much more punch than it would’ve otherwise.

overall, myrtle really isn’t in a single song that’s bad, especially not ones focused on her, and the stage presence that is both written into myrtle’s character, and executed flawlessly by the performers, only served to make this piece so much more emotionally fufilling and shattering for an audience.

WHAT IS THIS WORSHIP?

GATSBY, DAISY, NICK, ENSEMBLE

What Is This Worship is by far one of the most dreamy, romantic tracks in the entire score, with a slightly sinister undertone, and it’s no wonder that it comes in the seemingly blissful, but secretive, days of GATSBY and DAISY’s reigniting of their romance. The melody and music tell a far different story than the lyrics themselves though, with the music airy and cloudlike, like a fairytale, and the lyrics painting a picture of doomed devotion. According to the song, GATSBY falls into depression the moment DAISY leaves, and places his whole value on her presence, which shouldn’t need to be explained as unhealthy to be understood that way. The choreography shows they can never get their hands off of each other, with GATSBY especially clinging to DAISY and the lyrics reflect such desperation. It’s just such a gorgeous song, and everything about it reflects the love of DAISY and GATSBY without straying from the original themes and intentions behind their relationship, and the complexities with idealism and “the american dream” that litter the relationship as a whole.

showstopper, amazing, and steamy without being gaudy or graphic. one of my favorite portrayals of gatsby and daisy’s romances done, like, ever!

WHAT WILL WE DO WITH OURSELVES 

GATSBY, DAISY, NICK, JORDAN, TOM, ENSEMBLE

shirts getting thrown off, daisy regrets, gatsby asks daisy to tell tom she never loved him

This song is so fucking long, and so fucking good. The whole song is just wrought with tension and stress and it genuinely made me almost claw into my seat, it was so nailbitingly good. Beginning in GATSBY’s home, with DAISY worrying about the past and how much time they’ve both lost, and what their future will look like together (“What will we do with ourselves / Today, and the next forty years”), the song immediately brings a sense of finality that we know is coming to the affair, highlighting DAISY’s insecurities and fears. However, they move on, with the song transitioning into DAISY and TOM’s home as DAISY and GATSBY prepare to tell TOM of the affair —with JORDAN and NICK being the unfortunate bystanders. This begins the “it’s too hot” repeated lyric, which shows the way that the environmental circumstances, along with the tension, are affecting everyone but TOM, unaware of the issue. Later on, TOM becomes more conscious of the affair when DAISY decides to drive with GATSBY, leading him to also remark on the heat later on. All in all, it’s a rich, tense piece of storytelling that relies on the actors’ abilities in the best possible way, highlighting all of the strengths of the amazing performances done.

stressful, nauseating, and just so deliciously good. a fire could’ve started during this song and i would’ve had no idea. i don’t really know how they’re going to split this song and what is this worship up, or how they’ll make it into the cast recording, but that doesn’t change the intense emotion raditating out of this song.

WHAT OF LOVE, WHAT OF GOD

MYRTLE, WILSON, ENSEMBLE

I NEED THIS SONG TATTOOED ON MY BRAIN. Anyway, this is my favorite song of the whole score. MYRTLE and WILSON are fascinating characters, and they’re love and dynamic is so stressful and so beautiful and so heartbreakingly, realistically tragic. WILSON’s desperation for MYRTLE to stay despite her affair is so clear in this song, alongside the clear anger and betrayal he feels for both himself, God, and his and MYRTLE’s deceased daughter. It’s genuinely so raw with emotion that it’s palpable, and MYRTLE doesn’t pull her punches either, with her clear exhaustion with WILSON’s excuses and her pessimism contrasting his optimism, which is a swap of their earlier roles in the story. The contrast between them is what really seals this, with WILSON (And what of love, and what of God?) and MYRTLE (Love will not save you here / ... / God will not save you here) showing clear the hopes that people had in America and how those hopes eventually are crushed. The shift in their personalities is evident too, and it’s just such a realistic depiction of the kinds of struggles they would face as fully fledged people, not characters. It’s so. Fucking. Good.

a really great song to pretend you’re fighting with someone to, if that makes sense. a really great song, period. i am getting a tattoo of these lyrics, and no one can stop me.

THE DREAM FOUGHT ON

DAISY, GATSBY (FT. TOM, MYRTLE, NICK, JORDAN, & ENSEMBLE)

DAISY is going to drive. That’s important for you to know. This is the scene, as in the scene where DAISY takes control of her life, for better or worse, removing herself from being the dream debutante, the dream wife, and then GATSBY’s American dream, and in doing so, taking back both control and the keys to the car from GATSBY. The Dream Fought On is about fighting for a dream, whether this be DAISY’s dream of breaking free from expectations, GATSBY’s dream of having DAISY, and MYRTLE’s dream of truly living, and finding a new life. This is where MYRTLE dies fighting for her dream, running in front of the car as DAISY drives, and the choreography and blocking of specifically this scene is phenomenal, along with the song’s blocking as a whole. While the song can be rather basic, and a pretty common and derivative take on the story, it’s still very well done, especially on stage, and especially with the acting of all those involved.

overall, it’s a great song that has the issue of a lot of acting moments around it, and being shelved in between multiple other far better songs, but still, it’s great. i feel like i’m forgetting something about it, but i’m fairly certain this is a reliable description.

THE DAMAGE THAT YOU DO

TOM, DAISY

If there were to be any song that beats out What of Love, What of God?, it would be this one. TOM and DAISY are such rancid people in this song, and it really highlights the ways TOM and DAISY behave similarly, which calls back to similar highlighting during Act Two’s opening that showed both DAISY and TOM’s affairs in the spotlight. It’s so good in ways I can’t describe, but it’s one of the other great argument songs on this track, and there’s a piece of lighting work I also really love in this song, where the spotlight kicks up from behind them and you can see dirt and blood on the bottom of both DAISY and TOM’s clothing, highlighting the blood and grime they both have on their hands and their consciousness, and how neither of them are clean people. I think it provides a lot of insight into why DAISY and TOM end up staying together.

VIGIL

GATSBY, NICK

GATSBY is going to take the fall for DAISY, and desperately wants NICK to validate this decision, which NICK struggles immensely in doing. This is, I believe, where NICK fully beings to understand the lengths that GATSBY has gone in only the pursuit of DAISY, how the entire empire he has built is for her, and how he will tear it all down for the chance of having her call, for the chance to protect her. This song, while sung by GATSBY and NICK, is more reminiscent of NICK’s point of view on GATSBY’s tragedy, rather than a real duet. NICK remarks that GATSBY is “standing vigil over nothing,” and when GATSBY asks NICK if he thinks DAISY will call, NICK decides to lie and say yes, despite his real beliefs. It’s a truly tragic song, if only in the sheer patheticness and desperation shown in GATSBY. I have, personally, never been one to dislike DAISY as much as many other readers of the book, but this song really hits hard, and really draws a lot of sympathy for GATSBY’s struggle and desperation for something, and someone, we all know isn’t coming.

it’s raw, it’s good, it’s tragic, and it’s all one big beautiful lie, and it’s just incredibly desperate and pathetic as a song, in the most loving, sympathetic way. it’s gonna be great, and people are going to love it.

AMERICA, SHE BREAKS

GATSBY, WILSON

Oh, I’m crazy. WILSON, similar to MYRTLE, is always going to be a smoking gun —see what I did there— of a character, bright and attention-grabbing and with such a loud but welcome stage presence. America, She Breaks is a perspective on the myth of the American dream from both GATSBY and WILSON’s perspective, as they lament on what the pursuit of this dream has lost them. This song genuinely leaves me speechless, a heavy tension and desperation running through the entire thing until the death of GATSBY and WILSON by WILSON’s own hand and handgun. It’s, strangely, a magical experience of a song, with it being wildly captivating and attention-holding. It’s a fantastic commentary on the themes of the show, and genuinely could’ve been a great ending to the show that wraps up the story and the themes, although it would leave parts of the book’s ending out. It’s just such a solid and genuine performance, and it always leaves the audience gasping.

this song drives me crazy. i am crazy. 

POURING DOWN (REPRISE)

NICK, JORDAN, GATSBY’S FATHER, COMPANY

This is where, ideally, the show would’ve ended if it didn’t end after America, She Breaks. The inclusion of GATSBY’s funeral, and the few mourners, alongside NICK and GATSBY’s father is well-done, and I absolutely adore GATSBY’s father being Native-American, which adds a whole new level to GATSBY’s character and desire to fit into the 1920s American dream. I’m not well-versed enough to speak on the representation, but I do think the idea of GATSBY being Native-American adds a lot to the story and adds complex, and interesting dynamics and themes to the overall script. I think this song specifically being a reprise of Pouring Down works well, and I think it’s an emotionally fitting ending to the show. 

emotionally fitting, a perfect mourning song, and a lovely and well-done reprise. incredibly solid as both a standalone song and a closing to the score and story as a whole.

BEFORE I GET INTO THE LAST SONG... I want to say that there are two places this show could’ve ended after this that I would’ve been happy with.

After NICK mentions to GATSBY’s father that DAISY didn’t even send flowers, GATSBY's father asks NICK who DAISY is. This works as a tragic ending, as it shows that GATSBY’s pursuits were largely for nothing, and no one will ever truly remember or understand the lengths that he went to for DAISY, along with being tragic due to the reminder that DAISY was not all that important to anyone else, and that she was only a dream of GATSBY’s, and not nearly as lifechanging for others. It just ties up DAISY and GATSBY’s relationship in a tragic little bow that I think works

And I would prefer this. NICK and WOLFSHEIM have a conversation about GATSBY after WOLFSHEIM doesn’t attend GATSBY’s funeral, that generally goes with NICK saying that GATSBY should’ve meant enough to WOLFSHEIM that he be bothered to go to the funeral, and WOLFSHEIM saying that GATSBY meant everything to him. WOLFSHEIM’s monologue ends with him saying that “[GATSBY] was a beautiful fool” and I think this makes for a good ending.

I’m sure there are other places that would make for a good ending, but not the one I’m about to tell you.

WE BEAT ON

FULL COMPANY

I hate it. I’m sorry, I hate it so much. We did not need a full company number at the end, it really just ruined it. It sucks so bad, I’m so sorry. I’m sure there’s a good reason to have it, maybe, probably, but my idea is that reason was just that they wanted the whole company on stage for bows, which is not a good enough reason to have this number included. It’s a boring song, with boring choreography, and I don’t think it serves a good enough purpose, or emphasizes the message of the show in any way. I believe that this song was only included to have the entire company onstage at the end of the show to prep the stage for bows, and nothing else. Sorry, but not really.

i’m a d1 hater of this song, and will be pretending it doesn’t exist.

so, that’s the scoop!

if you enjoyed this review, let me know. if you didn’t, that’s too bad, sorry about that. please follow me for more content, and feel free to ask me any more questions about this show, my experience with it, or content in general! i’m always down to chat, and i’m open to reviewing more scores, soundtracks, and/or albums! all the love, all the kisses, and have a fantastic day or night, wherever you are.

8.12.2024🍨 eleanor

The Neurodivergent Writer’s Guide to Fun and Productivity

(Even when life beats you down)

Look, I’m a mom, I have ADHD, I’m a spoonie. To say that I don’t have heaps of energy to spare and I struggle with consistency is an understatement. For years, I tried to write consistently, but I couldn’t manage to keep up with habits I built and deadlines I set.

So fuck neurodivergent guides on building habits, fuck “eat the frog first”, fuck “it’s all in the grind”, and fuck “you just need time management”—here is how I manage to write often and a lot.

Focus on having fun, not on the outcome

This was the groundwork I had to lay before I could even start my streak. At an online writing conference, someone said: “If you push yourself and meet your goals, and you publish your book, but you haven’t enjoyed the process… What’s the point?” and hoo boy, that question hit me like a truck.

I was so caught up in the narrative of “You’ve got to show up for what’s important” and “Push through if you really want to get it done”. For a few years, I used to read all these productivity books about grinding your way to success, and along the way I started using the same language as they did. And I notice a lot of you do so, too.

But your brain doesn’t like to grind. No-one’s brain does, and especially no neurodivergent brain. If having to write gives you stress or if you put pressure on yourself for not writing (enough), your brain’s going to say: “Huh. Writing gives us stress, we’re going to try to avoid it in the future.”

So before I could even try to write regularly, I needed to teach my brain once again that writing is fun. I switched from countable goals like words or time to non-countable goals like “fun” and “flow”.

Rewire my brain: writing is fun and I’m good at it

I used everything I knew about neuroscience, psychology, and social sciences. These are some of the things I did before and during a writing session. Usually not all at once, and after a while I didn’t need these strategies anymore, although I sometimes go back to them when necessary.

I journalled all the negative thoughts I had around writing and try to reason them away, using arguments I knew in my heart were true. (The last part is the crux.) Imagine being supportive to a writer friend with crippling insecurities, only the friend is you.

Not setting any goals didn’t work for me—I still nurtured unwanted expectations. So I did set goals, but made them non-countable, like “have fun”, “get in the flow”, or “write”. Did I write? Yes. Success! Your brain doesn’t actually care about how high the goal is, it cares about meeting whatever goal you set.

I didn’t even track how many words I wrote. Not relevant.

I set an alarm for a short time (like 10 minutes) and forbade myself to exceed that time. The idea was that if I write until I run out of mojo, my brain learns that writing drains the mojo. If I write for 10 minutes and have fun, my brain learns that writing is fun and wants to do it again.

Reinforce the fact that writing makes you happy by rewarding your brain immediately afterwards. You know what works best for you: a walk, a golden sticker, chocolate, cuddle your dog, whatever makes you happy.

I conditioned myself to associate writing with specific stimuli: that album, that smell, that tea, that place. Any stimulus can work, so pick one you like. I consciously chose several stimuli so I could switch them up, and the conditioning stays active as long as I don’t muddle it with other associations.

Use a ritual to signal to your brain that Writing Time is about to begin to get into the zone easier and faster. I guess this is a kind of conditioning as well? Meditation, music, lighting a candle… Pick your stimulus and stick with it.

Specifically for rewiring my brain, I started a new WIP that had no emotional connotations attached to it, nor any pressure to get finished or, heaven forbid, meet quality norms. I don’t think these techniques above would have worked as well if I had applied them on writing my novel.

It wasn’t until I could confidently say I enjoyed writing again, that I could start building up a consistent habit. No more pushing myself.

I lowered my definition for success

When I say that nowadays I write every day, that’s literally it. I don’t set out to write 1,000 or 500 or 10 words every day (tried it, failed to keep up with it every time)—the only marker for success when it comes to my streak is to write at least one word, even on the days when my brain goes “naaahhh”. On those days, it suffices to send myself a text with a few keywords or a snippet. It’s not “success on a technicality (derogatory)”, because most of those snippets and ideas get used in actual stories later. And if they don’t, they don’t. It’s still writing. No writing is ever wasted.

A side note on high expectations, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism

Obviously, “Setting a ridiculously low goal” isn’t something I invented. I actually got it from those productivity books, only I never got it to work. I used to tell myself: “It’s okay if I don’t write for an hour, because my goal is to write for 20 minutes and if I happen to keep going for, say, an hour, that’s a bonus.” Right? So I set the goal for 20 minutes, wrote for 35 minutes, and instead of feeling like I exceeded my goal, I felt disappointed because apparently I was still hoping for the bonus scenario to happen. I didn’t know how to set a goal so low and believe it.

I think the trick to making it work this time lies more in the groundwork of training my brain to enjoy writing again than in the fact that my daily goal is ridiculously low. I believe I’m a writer, because I prove it to myself every day. Every success I hit reinforces the idea that I’m a writer. It’s an extra ward against imposter syndrome.

Knowing that I can still come up with a few lines of dialogue on the Really Bad Days—days when I struggle to brush my teeth, the day when I had a panic attack in the supermarket, or the day my kid got hit by a car—teaches me that I can write on the mere Bad-ish Days.

The more I do it, the more I do it

The irony is that setting a ridiculously low goal almost immediately led to writing more and more often. The most difficult step is to start a new habit. After just a few weeks, I noticed that I needed less time and energy to get into the zone. I no longer needed all the strategies I listed above.

Another perk I noticed, was an increased writing speed. After just a few months of writing every day, my average speed went from 600 words per hour to 1,500 wph, regularly exceeding 2,000 wph without any loss of quality.

Talking about quality: I could see myself becoming a better writer with every passing month. Writing better dialogue, interiority, chemistry, humour, descriptions, whatever: they all improved noticeably, and I wasn’t a bad writer to begin with.

The increased speed means I get more done with the same amount of energy spent. I used to write around 2,000-5,000 words per month, some months none at all. Nowadays I effortlessly write 30,000 words per month. I didn’t set out to write more, it’s just a nice perk.

Look, I’m not saying you should write every day if it doesn’t work for you. My point is: the more often you write, the easier it will be.

No pressure

Yes, I’m still working on my novel, but I’m not racing through it. I produce two or three chapters per month, and the rest of my time goes to short stories my brain keeps projecting on the inside of my eyelids when I’m trying to sleep. I might as well write them down, right?

These short stories started out as self-indulgence, and even now that I take them more seriously, they are still just for me. I don’t intend to ever publish them, no-one will ever read them, they can suck if they suck. The unintended consequence was that my short stories are some of my best writing, because there’s no pressure, it’s pure fun.

Does it make sense to spend, say, 90% of my output on stories no-one else will ever read? Wouldn’t it be better to spend all that creative energy and time on my novel? Well, yes. If you find the magic trick, let me know, because I haven’t found it yet. The short stories don’t cannibalize on the novel, because they require different mindsets. If I stopped writing the short stories, I wouldn’t produce more chapters. (I tried. Maybe in the future? Fingers crossed.)

Don’t wait for inspiration to hit

There’s a quote by Picasso: “Inspiration hits, but it has to find you working.” I strongly agree. Writing is not some mystical, muse-y gift, it’s a skill and inspiration does exist, but usually it’s brought on by doing the work. So just get started and inspiration will come to you.

Accountability and community

Having social factors in your toolbox is invaluable. I have an offline writing friend I take long walks with, I host a monthly writing club on Discord, and I have another group on Discord that holds me accountable every day. They all motivate me in different ways and it’s such a nice thing to share my successes with people who truly understand how hard it can be.

The productivity books taught me that if you want to make a big change in your life or attitude, surrounding yourself with people who already embody your ideal or your goal huuuugely helps. The fact that I have these productive people around me who also prioritize writing, makes it easier for me to stick to my own priorities.

Your toolbox

The idea is to have several techniques at your disposal to help you stay consistent. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by focussing on just one technique. Keep all of them close, and if one stops working or doesn’t inspire you today, pivot and pick another one.

After a while, most “tools” run in the background once they are established. Things like surrounding myself with my writing friends, keeping up with my daily streak, and listening to the album I conditioned myself with don’t require any energy, and they still remain hugely beneficial.

Do you have any other techniques? I’d love to hear about them!

I hope this was useful. Happy writing!

What to give a fuck about,while writing your first draft!

I`ve posted a list about things you don´t need to give a fuck about while writing your first draft. Here are things you NEED TO CARE about! (in my opinion)

Your Authentic Voice: Don't let the fear of judgment or comparison stifle your unique voice. I know it´s hard,but try to write from your heart, and don't worry about perfection in the first draft. Let your authenticity shine through your words.

Your Story, Your Way: It's your narrative, your world, and your characters. Don't let external expectations or trends dictate how your story should unfold. Write the story you want to tell.

Progress Over Perfection: Your first draft is not the final product; it's the raw material for your masterpiece. Give a fuck about making progress, not achieving perfection. Embrace imperfections and understand that editing comes later.

Consistency and Routine: Discipline matters. Make a commitment to your writing routine and stick to it.

Feedback and Growth: While it's essential to protect your creative space during the first draft, be open to constructive feedback later on. Giving a f*ck about growth means you're willing to learn from others and improve your work.

Self-Compassion: Mistakes, writer's block, and self-doubt are all part of the process. Give a f*ck about being kind to yourself. Don't beat yourself up if the words don't flow perfectly every time. Keep pushing forward and remember that writing is a journey.

Remember, the first draft is your canvas, your playground. Don't bog yourself down with unnecessary worries.