Saturday, January 12, 2008
Gifts + St. Valentine + Love + Sex = Neale Sourna's Sexy Books and Ebooks
It's coming. Hearts and flowers and long, loving kisses. St. Valentine's Day. Read aloud from my site to your partner. Surprise your partner with a new book in hand, a new ebook on their reader from Neale Sourna and PIE: Perception Is Everything, because love is everything. But you already know that.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible
"To say that a work of art is good,
but incomprehensible to the majority of men,
is the same as saying of some kind of food
that it is very good
but that most people can't eat it."
but incomprehensible to the majority of men,
is the same as saying of some kind of food
that it is very good
but that most people can't eat it."
-Leo Tolstoy (Russian Writer)
Friday, November 23, 2007
Here's a good writing prompt.
Write a character or two with elements from this article. Try romance, horror, adventure.... --Neale Sourna
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/144/story_14434.html
Stop the Energy Vampires
Who gives you energy? Who saps it? How to build vitality and stop others from draining you.
By Judith Orloff, M.D.
Adapted from "Positive Energy," published by Harmony Books.
I learned to honor my energy needs the hard way. As a psychiatrist who specializes in intuition I knew how important it was to listen to my body. Yet still I'd alternate between intense weeks of speaking tours and bouts of utter exhaustion at home. I couldn't turn down "irresistible" opportunities. Here was my dilemma--I trusted my intuition, and was committed to living by it. But I had a blind spot: Although I was quite successful at helping others trust intuition and lead high energy lives, I was ignoring my own energy crises. Finally, my fatigue was so profound I had to change.
I know first hand how important it is for us to cherish our precious energy so we don't compromise our capacity for passion. I now believe that the most profound transformations can take place only on an energetic level. I've met many patients who've spent much time and money on talk therapy hoping that intellectual insights will bring emotional freedom, but they're disappointed. As much as I love the linear mind, my approach, which I call "Energy Psychiatry," goes further to also facilitate a conscious rebuilding of our subtle energies, the most basic life force in each of us.
Do You Get Drained By Other People's Energy?
Our bodies are made of flesh and blood, but they're also composed of energy fields-though sadly I wasn't taught this in medical school. Each day we encounter a wide range of energies, both positive and negative. Positive energy includes compassion, courage, forgiveness, and faith. Negative energy includes fear, anger, hopelessness, and shame. We need to be experts at dealing with energy so we don't get demolished by draining situations or people who're energy vampires.
Like me you may be an intuitive empath, someone who's so sensitive to energy you pick it up from other people but you're also drained by it. This goes way beyond feeling sympathy for a distraught friend-we actually take on their pain either emotionally or physically. To cope, we take refuge in solitude. We empaths are so attuned to others that we can feel what's going on inside of them. This can put us on energy overload and aggravate everything from chronic fatigue to overeating.
Growing up, my girlfriends couldn't wait to MORE
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/144/story_14434.html
Stop the Energy Vampires
Who gives you energy? Who saps it? How to build vitality and stop others from draining you.
By Judith Orloff, M.D.
Adapted from "Positive Energy," published by Harmony Books.
I learned to honor my energy needs the hard way. As a psychiatrist who specializes in intuition I knew how important it was to listen to my body. Yet still I'd alternate between intense weeks of speaking tours and bouts of utter exhaustion at home. I couldn't turn down "irresistible" opportunities. Here was my dilemma--I trusted my intuition, and was committed to living by it. But I had a blind spot: Although I was quite successful at helping others trust intuition and lead high energy lives, I was ignoring my own energy crises. Finally, my fatigue was so profound I had to change.
I know first hand how important it is for us to cherish our precious energy so we don't compromise our capacity for passion. I now believe that the most profound transformations can take place only on an energetic level. I've met many patients who've spent much time and money on talk therapy hoping that intellectual insights will bring emotional freedom, but they're disappointed. As much as I love the linear mind, my approach, which I call "Energy Psychiatry," goes further to also facilitate a conscious rebuilding of our subtle energies, the most basic life force in each of us.
Do You Get Drained By Other People's Energy?
Our bodies are made of flesh and blood, but they're also composed of energy fields-though sadly I wasn't taught this in medical school. Each day we encounter a wide range of energies, both positive and negative. Positive energy includes compassion, courage, forgiveness, and faith. Negative energy includes fear, anger, hopelessness, and shame. We need to be experts at dealing with energy so we don't get demolished by draining situations or people who're energy vampires.
Like me you may be an intuitive empath, someone who's so sensitive to energy you pick it up from other people but you're also drained by it. This goes way beyond feeling sympathy for a distraught friend-we actually take on their pain either emotionally or physically. To cope, we take refuge in solitude. We empaths are so attuned to others that we can feel what's going on inside of them. This can put us on energy overload and aggravate everything from chronic fatigue to overeating.
Growing up, my girlfriends couldn't wait to MORE
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Reviewing an Old Vicious and Questionable Review That Will Not Die
New authors and publishers, and old. Chin up. "Don't let the bastards get you down." I recently reread the following review of my first to publish novel, "Hobble." I always remembered that it originally appeared alongside what that particular book review website thought was THE BEST pick. I still find it interesting and odd, to say the least.
I also find this to be one of two of my least favorite reviews: always because the reviews sounded as if the person really didn't read my work, and/or didn't have the decency to say I don't get it or I don't like this sort of thing so my review is highly skewed, or I passed it on to someone who reads this genre.
Do note that the review on my work is anonymously signed, "staff." Isn't that special and obscenely discourteous. I come naked to the party and someone hides behind "staff." I bet his staff is quite soft and inadequate or her inner staff is utterly dry and shallow. Or maybe staff has both genitalia or none. Because "staff" can say anything when too coarse and disrespectful to just place its initials on its supposed witticism.
And the bloody thing just won't die, as it always comes up on the search engines, first page often. Oh, well. My consolation is that those REAL people who read Neale Sourna's "Hobble" and who have the ability to actually read, always "get it" and can't put it down, or can't retrieve it from their lovers. That's better than one anonymous poopfest from the too inadequate to author and publish themselves.
--Neale Sourna
Other "Hobble" Reviews can be read at:
http://hobble.neale-sourna.com/
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105-6637399-1494866?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=neale+sourna&x=0&y=0
PS: One last amusing bit is the use of the other book of the name de Sade as in Marquis de Sade, with whom I shall always have something of a link, as we're both born on the same day. Hm. Radical, as they used to say back in the day.
=========================================
B O O K R E V I E W
Spring 2003
Hobble by Neale Sourna
Hobble
Neale Sourna
Infinity Publishing, Pennsylvania
291 pp. $18.95
It’s books like Neale Sourna’s Hobble: An Adult Fiction that make us seriously consider giving up the reviewing of self-published books. Though well-meaning, Sourna makes just about every mistake possible with this weakly written, amateurish yarn about sex and control. The back-cover blurb lays out the story like this (normally we'd break it down ourselves, but in cases like this, it would be a waste of time):
"BENNET GILLESPIE, a brilliant but burned out, Native American surgeon, too quickly becomes entangled in an obsessively sexual, emotional tug of war for irresistible, homicidally "insane," and ... mysteriously lamed DAY, whose body and love promises loss of soul ... and life."
Sic. Simply count the ly's in the setup and you'll begin to see the problem. Now contrary to industry standards, we at ALR are champions of muscular modifier use in fiction, but authors need to use some common sense for crying out loud. Sourna shows very little. This inattention to prose fundamentals doesn't stop at verb and noun modifiers—oh no. The author commits almost every classic beginner's error: failing to identify the speaker in dialogue for pages at a time; over-over-OVERwriting; cliché; reckless, silly, and downright incorrect usage; horrendously melodramatic dialogue and narrative; general lack of descriptive elements; a droning repetitive voice prone to redundancy and self-indulgence.
The story and characters aren't bad on a basic level. A decent professional writer could have done something with the character and relationships, but Sourna uses them so ineffectively and broadly that the reader gets bored after a page or two—every page or two. The numerous sex sections, which at least show a hint of natural spark, aren't enough to pull this self-published novel out of its self-involved spiral.
Despite all the negatives of Hobble, Sourna isn't necessarily a lost cause. As we said, her basic ideas are fairly strong. A year or five in a solid critically-based fiction writing program (which is quite different from film and video writing—Sourna's alleged areas of expertise) or a no-holds-barred, rip-the-story-apart workshop environment might just make her understand how naive she was to think this book worth publishing, especially at $18.95 softcover! Our diatribe against Publish America's policies in our review of Nathan Leslie's Rants and Raves applies to Infinity Publishing's practices as well. These online publishing “stores” are preying on the meek, the young, and the yet-to-be-talented—which would be fine if these people would just stop sending their half-told tales out for review.
Unfortunately Sourna is not alone in her folly, and it is our sincere hope that this review communicates the world-wise message to all prospective self-publishers out there: Think twice before going that route. This applies especially to those under the age of thirty (or forty) with little or no experience in writing for publication. It doesn't matter how much of a genius you are—odds are the mistakes this author made in Hobble are the ones you'll make in your book, so you had better be damned sure you know the Ten-Thousand Things about writing before you throw underdone hamburger to the big dogs. True, they may eat it, but we guarantee it's not going to look pretty when it gets vomited back at you a few hours later.
-Staff-
=========================================
B O O K R E V I E W
Spring 2002
Extraterrestrial Sex Fetish by Supervert
Extraterrestrial Sex Fetish
Supervert
New York: Supervert 32C Inc
216 pp. , $15
In ETSF, a rogue author named Supervert has offered us a bizarre literary assay into parts and orifices unknown by attempting to combine philosophy, psychology, science fiction, and serial pornography (a la Sade’s 120 Days of Sodom) into a single, sound literary work.
Sound like a difficult proposition? Like a pipe-bomb text more likely to explode in the hand of its creator than in the mind of the reader? Assuredly. Should the self-inflated tenor of the author’s nom de plume give further pause to any prospective audience? Probably. Does Supervert deserve a round of applause for this blending of discipline, subject, and raw psychic fiction?
Strangely enough, he does—as well as meriting a standing O and a curtain call or two. Extraterrestrial Sex Fetish is nothing short of brilliant. Misanthropic, satirical, informative and undoubtedly shocking to many for its ongoing examination of pedophilia and exophilia (alien sex fetish), ETSF resounds as a deft dissection of the disaffected mind in the post-postmodern period. While the protagonist, a computer programmer/philosopher/practicing pedophile named Mercury de Sade thinks he has evolved into a philosophical creature quite beyond the simple apathetic sentiments of existentialism and nihilism, the author’s controlled exposition and development of de Sade’s sickness—a fetish for something beyond the boring, disgusting human sphere— shows that despite its space age manifestation, this sickness springs from the same basic earth: a deep-seated loathing for mankind. However, the inverted posture of de Sade’s misanthropy does make for unique viewing. We seldom see distaste for one’s fellows based on their frustrating inability to be or become extraterrestrial.
The format of ETSF follows a parallel development of four precisely related lines of fantasy, plot, analysis, and dissertation. “Alien Sex Scenes” chapters (ASS) represent the imaginary encounters of Mercury de Sade’s ever stalwart erogenous accompli with just about every orifice and/or skin surface available on a series of alien worlds. Death, dismemberment, intergalactic whores, detachable genitalia, sex battles, humiliation, excretory prolapse, sexual time travel, and pedophilia of the third kind are just a few of the delights that greet the protagonist on his voyage, which must be perceived in the greater context not as pornographic science fiction per se but as the stuff of the protagonist’s boiling brain.
The plot heavy “Methods of Deterrestrialization” (MOD) chapters deal with a real time liaison between Sade and a shoplifting sixteen-year-old schoolgirl named Charlotte Goddard, who Sade (in the frustrated context of his impossible fetish) seeks to convert to an alien or more accurately an alien surrogate. As with other victims in his past, his disenchantment with the veracity of the stand-in leads him to sadistic extremes. The twisted line of plot in these chapters helps bind the book together, lending a disturbed sense and subtext to some of the more abstract and clinical sections.
Chapters marked Lessons in Exophilosophy (LIE) might read like studies from a well constructed Western Philosophy textbook were it not for their often subtle connection to the perverse action in the MOD and ASS chapters. In LIE, Supervert lays out a historical progression of argument from Anaxagoras and Heraclitus to Kant, Schopenhauer, and even Sartre on questions of extraterrestrial life and sex. The convolution and bastardization of logic in his syllogisms displays de Sade’s monomaniacal psyche perfectly, while the controlled use of fetishistic obsession as handmaid to philosophical method lends a humorous lightening hand to the material. The use of veritable philosophical works to prop up a burning desire to fornicate with aliens summons to mind the old maxim of the Devil quoting scripture for his own purposes. One is often tempted to decry the protagonist’s ill use of reason until one remembers that it is the character’s disease talking; as such, every fallacy falls perfectly in line.
“Digressions and Tangents” chapters are mostly diary entries, descriptive texts, and self analyses wherein de Sade confronts and studies his demons and their psychological / cultural /physical origins. The subtitle for ETSF is Materials for the Case Study of an ET S&M Freak; the DAT chapters expand upon this principle, feeding and being fed upon by the whole as the protagonist seeks to justify, deconstruct, and even explode the basis of his fetish.
We should castigate the author for the repeated de-capitalization of Earth (though there is perhaps some textual support for this “de-capitation”) and for one or two exceedingly minor copy-editing mistakes, but since we’re sure this gem was never sullied by a trip through the entrails of the regular publishing beast, we’ll offer a sly wink instead. In the interest of clarity, ALR isn’t especially fond of the self-published book industry—it leads too many young or under-talented writers to publish long before they understand their craft—but occasionally an author like Supervert throws his work into the press, knowing full well that no publisher would ever take the chance on his book. Marcel Proust self-published Swann’s Way due to a staid and unreceptive market; in the same vein, accomplishments like ETSF need to be printed, distributed and sold.
To sum up: Had Immanuel Kant, William Burroughs, Carl Jung, the Marquis de Sade, and an overly libidinous Captain Kirk been confined to a single spacecraft to write a book, ETSF would have been the result. That this montage of reason, disease, and literary style is the work on one writer is laudable; that it not only hangs together but spins and thrums, creating a perfect, demented cosmos is a miracle; that the author of such a fantastic work is named Supervert is hysterical. If you have philosophical and transgressive cohones large enough to appreciate it, you should buy this book.
– CAW –
I also find this to be one of two of my least favorite reviews: always because the reviews sounded as if the person really didn't read my work, and/or didn't have the decency to say I don't get it or I don't like this sort of thing so my review is highly skewed, or I passed it on to someone who reads this genre.
Do note that the review on my work is anonymously signed, "staff." Isn't that special and obscenely discourteous. I come naked to the party and someone hides behind "staff." I bet his staff is quite soft and inadequate or her inner staff is utterly dry and shallow. Or maybe staff has both genitalia or none. Because "staff" can say anything when too coarse and disrespectful to just place its initials on its supposed witticism.
And the bloody thing just won't die, as it always comes up on the search engines, first page often. Oh, well. My consolation is that those REAL people who read Neale Sourna's "Hobble" and who have the ability to actually read, always "get it" and can't put it down, or can't retrieve it from their lovers. That's better than one anonymous poopfest from the too inadequate to author and publish themselves.
--Neale Sourna
Other "Hobble" Reviews can be read at:
http://hobble.neale-sourna.com/
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105-6637399-1494866?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=neale+sourna&x=0&y=0
PS: One last amusing bit is the use of the other book of the name de Sade as in Marquis de Sade, with whom I shall always have something of a link, as we're both born on the same day. Hm. Radical, as they used to say back in the day.
=========================================
B O O K R E V I E W
Spring 2003
Hobble by Neale Sourna
Hobble
Neale Sourna
Infinity Publishing, Pennsylvania
291 pp. $18.95
It’s books like Neale Sourna’s Hobble: An Adult Fiction that make us seriously consider giving up the reviewing of self-published books. Though well-meaning, Sourna makes just about every mistake possible with this weakly written, amateurish yarn about sex and control. The back-cover blurb lays out the story like this (normally we'd break it down ourselves, but in cases like this, it would be a waste of time):
"BENNET GILLESPIE, a brilliant but burned out, Native American surgeon, too quickly becomes entangled in an obsessively sexual, emotional tug of war for irresistible, homicidally "insane," and ... mysteriously lamed DAY, whose body and love promises loss of soul ... and life."
Sic. Simply count the ly's in the setup and you'll begin to see the problem. Now contrary to industry standards, we at ALR are champions of muscular modifier use in fiction, but authors need to use some common sense for crying out loud. Sourna shows very little. This inattention to prose fundamentals doesn't stop at verb and noun modifiers—oh no. The author commits almost every classic beginner's error: failing to identify the speaker in dialogue for pages at a time; over-over-OVERwriting; cliché; reckless, silly, and downright incorrect usage; horrendously melodramatic dialogue and narrative; general lack of descriptive elements; a droning repetitive voice prone to redundancy and self-indulgence.
The story and characters aren't bad on a basic level. A decent professional writer could have done something with the character and relationships, but Sourna uses them so ineffectively and broadly that the reader gets bored after a page or two—every page or two. The numerous sex sections, which at least show a hint of natural spark, aren't enough to pull this self-published novel out of its self-involved spiral.
Despite all the negatives of Hobble, Sourna isn't necessarily a lost cause. As we said, her basic ideas are fairly strong. A year or five in a solid critically-based fiction writing program (which is quite different from film and video writing—Sourna's alleged areas of expertise) or a no-holds-barred, rip-the-story-apart workshop environment might just make her understand how naive she was to think this book worth publishing, especially at $18.95 softcover! Our diatribe against Publish America's policies in our review of Nathan Leslie's Rants and Raves applies to Infinity Publishing's practices as well. These online publishing “stores” are preying on the meek, the young, and the yet-to-be-talented—which would be fine if these people would just stop sending their half-told tales out for review.
Unfortunately Sourna is not alone in her folly, and it is our sincere hope that this review communicates the world-wise message to all prospective self-publishers out there: Think twice before going that route. This applies especially to those under the age of thirty (or forty) with little or no experience in writing for publication. It doesn't matter how much of a genius you are—odds are the mistakes this author made in Hobble are the ones you'll make in your book, so you had better be damned sure you know the Ten-Thousand Things about writing before you throw underdone hamburger to the big dogs. True, they may eat it, but we guarantee it's not going to look pretty when it gets vomited back at you a few hours later.
-Staff-
=========================================
B O O K R E V I E W
Spring 2002
Extraterrestrial Sex Fetish by Supervert
Extraterrestrial Sex Fetish
Supervert
New York: Supervert 32C Inc
216 pp. , $15
In ETSF, a rogue author named Supervert has offered us a bizarre literary assay into parts and orifices unknown by attempting to combine philosophy, psychology, science fiction, and serial pornography (a la Sade’s 120 Days of Sodom) into a single, sound literary work.
Sound like a difficult proposition? Like a pipe-bomb text more likely to explode in the hand of its creator than in the mind of the reader? Assuredly. Should the self-inflated tenor of the author’s nom de plume give further pause to any prospective audience? Probably. Does Supervert deserve a round of applause for this blending of discipline, subject, and raw psychic fiction?
Strangely enough, he does—as well as meriting a standing O and a curtain call or two. Extraterrestrial Sex Fetish is nothing short of brilliant. Misanthropic, satirical, informative and undoubtedly shocking to many for its ongoing examination of pedophilia and exophilia (alien sex fetish), ETSF resounds as a deft dissection of the disaffected mind in the post-postmodern period. While the protagonist, a computer programmer/philosopher/practicing pedophile named Mercury de Sade thinks he has evolved into a philosophical creature quite beyond the simple apathetic sentiments of existentialism and nihilism, the author’s controlled exposition and development of de Sade’s sickness—a fetish for something beyond the boring, disgusting human sphere— shows that despite its space age manifestation, this sickness springs from the same basic earth: a deep-seated loathing for mankind. However, the inverted posture of de Sade’s misanthropy does make for unique viewing. We seldom see distaste for one’s fellows based on their frustrating inability to be or become extraterrestrial.
The format of ETSF follows a parallel development of four precisely related lines of fantasy, plot, analysis, and dissertation. “Alien Sex Scenes” chapters (ASS) represent the imaginary encounters of Mercury de Sade’s ever stalwart erogenous accompli with just about every orifice and/or skin surface available on a series of alien worlds. Death, dismemberment, intergalactic whores, detachable genitalia, sex battles, humiliation, excretory prolapse, sexual time travel, and pedophilia of the third kind are just a few of the delights that greet the protagonist on his voyage, which must be perceived in the greater context not as pornographic science fiction per se but as the stuff of the protagonist’s boiling brain.
The plot heavy “Methods of Deterrestrialization” (MOD) chapters deal with a real time liaison between Sade and a shoplifting sixteen-year-old schoolgirl named Charlotte Goddard, who Sade (in the frustrated context of his impossible fetish) seeks to convert to an alien or more accurately an alien surrogate. As with other victims in his past, his disenchantment with the veracity of the stand-in leads him to sadistic extremes. The twisted line of plot in these chapters helps bind the book together, lending a disturbed sense and subtext to some of the more abstract and clinical sections.
Chapters marked Lessons in Exophilosophy (LIE) might read like studies from a well constructed Western Philosophy textbook were it not for their often subtle connection to the perverse action in the MOD and ASS chapters. In LIE, Supervert lays out a historical progression of argument from Anaxagoras and Heraclitus to Kant, Schopenhauer, and even Sartre on questions of extraterrestrial life and sex. The convolution and bastardization of logic in his syllogisms displays de Sade’s monomaniacal psyche perfectly, while the controlled use of fetishistic obsession as handmaid to philosophical method lends a humorous lightening hand to the material. The use of veritable philosophical works to prop up a burning desire to fornicate with aliens summons to mind the old maxim of the Devil quoting scripture for his own purposes. One is often tempted to decry the protagonist’s ill use of reason until one remembers that it is the character’s disease talking; as such, every fallacy falls perfectly in line.
“Digressions and Tangents” chapters are mostly diary entries, descriptive texts, and self analyses wherein de Sade confronts and studies his demons and their psychological / cultural /physical origins. The subtitle for ETSF is Materials for the Case Study of an ET S&M Freak; the DAT chapters expand upon this principle, feeding and being fed upon by the whole as the protagonist seeks to justify, deconstruct, and even explode the basis of his fetish.
We should castigate the author for the repeated de-capitalization of Earth (though there is perhaps some textual support for this “de-capitation”) and for one or two exceedingly minor copy-editing mistakes, but since we’re sure this gem was never sullied by a trip through the entrails of the regular publishing beast, we’ll offer a sly wink instead. In the interest of clarity, ALR isn’t especially fond of the self-published book industry—it leads too many young or under-talented writers to publish long before they understand their craft—but occasionally an author like Supervert throws his work into the press, knowing full well that no publisher would ever take the chance on his book. Marcel Proust self-published Swann’s Way due to a staid and unreceptive market; in the same vein, accomplishments like ETSF need to be printed, distributed and sold.
To sum up: Had Immanuel Kant, William Burroughs, Carl Jung, the Marquis de Sade, and an overly libidinous Captain Kirk been confined to a single spacecraft to write a book, ETSF would have been the result. That this montage of reason, disease, and literary style is the work on one writer is laudable; that it not only hangs together but spins and thrums, creating a perfect, demented cosmos is a miracle; that the author of such a fantastic work is named Supervert is hysterical. If you have philosophical and transgressive cohones large enough to appreciate it, you should buy this book.
– CAW –
Monday, November 05, 2007
Authors and Writers: Make Us Want to Be You!
Make Us Want to Be You!
By C. Hope Clark
Quote from the FundsforWriters Annual Essay Contest:
"Come up with a promotional plan for your writing. Whether
you are a copywriter or a romance novelist, a poet or a
fantasy author, describe how you would promote your talent
over a one-year period. Maybe you have a book coming out,
or you've decided to grow your copywriting or editing business,
or you manage a newsletter and want to expand your platform.
What is your plan...and why? Remember, amaze us with your
innovation, your drive, your creativity or your ambition.
Make us want to be you!"
I just came back from a conference where most of the people
attending wanted to write but weren't motivated. They wanted
to be a writer. They wanted to write sweet words. They wanted
to be recognized as a wordsmith, an envy to others who struggle
with telling a story.
I could count on one hand the people who were ravenously
hungry to write hard, long and intensely enough to beat the
odds of becoming traditionally published.
"I just write stories about..."
"I'd love to one day write..."
"I've been working on a story, but..."
"No way could I do what he did..."
"I have a family and a job. It's hard for me..."
Most people listened to speakers say how they achieved
success then made excuses why those methods didn't apply
to them.
Or I heard the opposite. Authors self-published a book or
two and felt they'd arrived. There were no more hurdles.
They strutted, at home with their conclusion they were
a published author, and they could rest on their laurels.
The theme of the FundsforWriters annual contest is
"Make us want to be you." I don't want to be either of the
above author-types. I don't want to reach the end of my
journey wondering if I could have published. I don't want
people remembering me as pompous and arrogant.
What I don't see in either writer is a will to touch readers.
Somehow, when you have this fabulous story to be told, the
need to publish is replaced with a need to reach readers.
The genuine author doesn't want to be adored by readers.
He or she wants to touch others with their words - alter
lives - cause laughter - produce tears. The genuine writer
makes a reader want to be the author, possess a part of
the author, understand the author.
When the thought "I want to be published" is replaced with
"I want people to love this story," magic happens. That's
when the shyness or the arrogance of a writer disappears.
That's when the only goal is to write a great story.
This message is short, but I'm hoping it's potent. We can
write for ourselves or we can write for others. Guess
which one an agent wants? Guess which one a publisher
wants? Guess which one sells?
BIO
C. Hope Clark is rewriting her novels now with the readers
in mind. www.fundsforwriters.com
By C. Hope Clark
Quote from the FundsforWriters Annual Essay Contest:
"Come up with a promotional plan for your writing. Whether
you are a copywriter or a romance novelist, a poet or a
fantasy author, describe how you would promote your talent
over a one-year period. Maybe you have a book coming out,
or you've decided to grow your copywriting or editing business,
or you manage a newsletter and want to expand your platform.
What is your plan...and why? Remember, amaze us with your
innovation, your drive, your creativity or your ambition.
Make us want to be you!"
I just came back from a conference where most of the people
attending wanted to write but weren't motivated. They wanted
to be a writer. They wanted to write sweet words. They wanted
to be recognized as a wordsmith, an envy to others who struggle
with telling a story.
I could count on one hand the people who were ravenously
hungry to write hard, long and intensely enough to beat the
odds of becoming traditionally published.
"I just write stories about..."
"I'd love to one day write..."
"I've been working on a story, but..."
"No way could I do what he did..."
"I have a family and a job. It's hard for me..."
Most people listened to speakers say how they achieved
success then made excuses why those methods didn't apply
to them.
Or I heard the opposite. Authors self-published a book or
two and felt they'd arrived. There were no more hurdles.
They strutted, at home with their conclusion they were
a published author, and they could rest on their laurels.
The theme of the FundsforWriters annual contest is
"Make us want to be you." I don't want to be either of the
above author-types. I don't want to reach the end of my
journey wondering if I could have published. I don't want
people remembering me as pompous and arrogant.
What I don't see in either writer is a will to touch readers.
Somehow, when you have this fabulous story to be told, the
need to publish is replaced with a need to reach readers.
The genuine author doesn't want to be adored by readers.
He or she wants to touch others with their words - alter
lives - cause laughter - produce tears. The genuine writer
makes a reader want to be the author, possess a part of
the author, understand the author.
When the thought "I want to be published" is replaced with
"I want people to love this story," magic happens. That's
when the shyness or the arrogance of a writer disappears.
That's when the only goal is to write a great story.
This message is short, but I'm hoping it's potent. We can
write for ourselves or we can write for others. Guess
which one an agent wants? Guess which one a publisher
wants? Guess which one sells?
BIO
C. Hope Clark is rewriting her novels now with the readers
in mind. www.fundsforwriters.com
Reviews: Neale Sourna's Hobble (An Adult Fiction)
Neale Sourna's Hobble (An Adult Fiction)
"Dipping into several genres from erotica to mystery, even sprinkling a little comedy into the mix, Sourne (Sourna) created a story like no other. This ... tale had me shaking my head in astonishment and I can honestly say I never read anything like Hobble before. Sourne (Sourna) wrote a novel with such a large supply of twist and turns it'll have you dropping your mouth in shock. But be forewarned, Hobble has a crazy mix of characters....
"Hobble is a story of lust and obsessive sex...I was so moved...I went back to my (Franklin) dictionary...hobble means to limp along ... to impede ... to tie-up, shackle or leash...all of [which] were used in this steamy story, of sex, incest and betrayal!"--Delores Thornton, BlackRefer.com Reviews
READ Delores' full review
[A www.BlackRefer.com Review]
"Dipping into several genres from erotica to mystery, even sprinkling a little comedy into the mix, Sourne (Sourna) created a story like no other. This ... tale had me shaking my head in astonishment and I can honestly say I never read anything like Hobble before. Sourne (Sourna) wrote a novel with such a large supply of twist and turns it'll have you dropping your mouth in shock. But be forewarned, Hobble has a crazy mix of characters....
Some of the sex scenes had me (a person who loves erotica) squirming. Although the book is racy, it was an interesting read and should be picked up by anyone who enjoys reading something different from the norm."
--Joy Farringdon, Nubian Sistas Review
"Hobble is a story of lust and obsessive sex...I was so moved...I went back to my (Franklin) dictionary...hobble means to limp along ... to impede ... to tie-up, shackle or leash...all of [which] were used in this steamy story, of sex, incest and betrayal!"--Delores Thornton, BlackRefer.com Reviews
READ Delores' full review
[A www.BlackRefer.com Review]
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Neale Sourna's Writing Naked Writing/Coach Services and Package Deals
Search for Provider/Consultant "Sourna" or "Writing-Naked" at:
Neale Sourna's Writing-Naked.com at Elance.com "Enter
Writing & Translation Experience
or
Neale Sourna's Writing-Naked.com at Guru.com Enter
Neale Sourna's Guru.com Writing/Coach Packaged Deals Enter
Neale Sourna's Writing-Naked.com at Elance.com "Enter
Writing & Translation Experience
| Creative Writing (6) | |
| Ghost Writing (3) | |
| Sales Writing (1) | |
| Other - Writing Services (1) |
or
Neale Sourna's Writing-Naked.com at Guru.com Enter
Neale Sourna's Guru.com Writing/Coach Packaged Deals Enter
 | Short Stories--Adult, Romance, Relation
|
 | Fiction Writing Consultation—Character Enrichment
|
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Neale Sourna mini bio
Neale won BlackRefer.com’s Best Erotica award for her first published novel, “Hobble,” published through her own company, PIE: Perception Is Everything, and ranked as a finalist for New Century Screenplay’s national contest for her script, “Frames.” Neale writes and edits for others through her writing company Writing-Naked.com and has been plotting and planning her first solid foray as author, editor, and publisher with essays and research about the symbiosis of acting and celebrity, see ProjectKeanu.com for the latest.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
About Us at Neale Sourna's Nude, Sexy, and Erotic Amazon Store
I write fiction and publish under my own aegis called PIE: Perception Is Everything [http://www.PIE-Percept.com] and give writing assistance as Writing-Naked.com at Elance.com and Guru.com.
I live in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. I love craftsmanship, in story and other life works.
Nothing invigorates and stays with us like the one story that we may call, "My Story." Which is about someone else, but resonates with us so deeply, or in such yummy perversity--on occasion--that we hold it dear, as a fundamental part of us.
How about that, dearest reader?
--Neale
Neale's Amazon Store http://astore.amazon.com/nealesourna-20
Neale's book and story catalog/catalogue--trade paperbacks and ebooks http://catalog.neale-sourna.com
I live in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. I love craftsmanship, in story and other life works.
Nothing invigorates and stays with us like the one story that we may call, "My Story." Which is about someone else, but resonates with us so deeply, or in such yummy perversity--on occasion--that we hold it dear, as a fundamental part of us.
How about that, dearest reader?
--Neale
Neale's Amazon Store http://astore.amazon.com/nealesourna-20
Neale's book and story catalog/catalogue--trade paperbacks and ebooks http://catalog.neale-sourna.com
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Open note to a request for a writer of personal abuse story
You have a lot going on here and, perhaps, others can be of writing assistance, but I find that this kind of energy and passion to tell a story is best told by the one with that energy and passion. You might not write it fast, nor perfect, but getting a journal and sitting down and writing it by hand, then keying it or having someone transcribe it later into a Word doc, will give you a better, more heartfelt story for someone to polish than someone other than yourself writing your story from basic notes. Writing is power, you should consider using it for yourself, and others who'll read it later. A good writing class can help you technique. But again, a story like this is best written by the one with the deep passion to tell it.
Neale Sourna
Neale Sourna
Saturday, September 29, 2007
From Absolute Write Forum: The actor you picture playing your characters!
I didn't use to write with a particular actor in mind, but I now have so many stories, that in order to not have "generic tall, dark, and handsome guy with the same characterization" in everything, I've taken to "casting" as I write. Yes. It would be fantastic if the guy did it, or gal, but mostly I do it for the mannerisms and quirks that only a live person and not a flat mental image or model can give.
Benjamin Bratt and Anthony Hopkins for my novel Best Erotica novel "Hobble", the lead woman is an amalgam of Jasmine Guy, Salli Richardson, Halli Berry, and my nephew added Jessica Alba. And lovely Hudson Leick as Ben's "twin" sister. [http://hobble.neale-sourna.com]
Eddie Spears--out of the loincloth--for my Victorian period novel that's wip and only in notebook, yet.
Redhead Gary Dourdan (lead), Russell Wong (lead) and Keanu Reeves (support) (these two as rich police brothers; eerily both left handed, scar on left brow, and same body type--Chinese) for "Aegis" wip novel. [http://aegis.neale-sourna.com]
An amalgam of Marton Csokas (even stole his last name) as Xena's "Borias" for look - Keith Hamilton Cobb's "Tyr Anasazi" for look and fierceness - Keanu Reeves, again, to rescale the physical size and add his widely subtle acting range. [Yeah, I said it, get over it.] (Keith and Keanu are also both Shakespearean actors)
Oddly, I don't mentally cast most of my women characters, as they seem to be naturally different, but I definitely don't want to rewrite the exact same male over and over moving and looking the same. I guess it's MY character flaw, that's now quite fun.
__________________
Neale Sourna
www.Neale-Sourna.com
www.PIE-Percept.com / Remember--PIE: Perception Is Everything
www.ProjectKeanu.com
www.Writing-Naked.com
Benjamin Bratt and Anthony Hopkins for my novel Best Erotica novel "Hobble", the lead woman is an amalgam of Jasmine Guy, Salli Richardson, Halli Berry, and my nephew added Jessica Alba. And lovely Hudson Leick as Ben's "twin" sister. [http://hobble.neale-sourna.com]
Eddie Spears--out of the loincloth--for my Victorian period novel that's wip and only in notebook, yet.
Redhead Gary Dourdan (lead), Russell Wong (lead) and Keanu Reeves (support) (these two as rich police brothers; eerily both left handed, scar on left brow, and same body type--Chinese) for "Aegis" wip novel. [http://aegis.neale-sourna.com]
An amalgam of Marton Csokas (even stole his last name) as Xena's "Borias" for look - Keith Hamilton Cobb's "Tyr Anasazi" for look and fierceness - Keanu Reeves, again, to rescale the physical size and add his widely subtle acting range. [Yeah, I said it, get over it.] (Keith and Keanu are also both Shakespearean actors)
Oddly, I don't mentally cast most of my women characters, as they seem to be naturally different, but I definitely don't want to rewrite the exact same male over and over moving and looking the same. I guess it's MY character flaw, that's now quite fun.
__________________
Neale Sourna
www.Neale-Sourna.com
www.PIE-Percept.com / Remember--PIE: Perception Is Everything
www.ProjectKeanu.com
www.Writing-Naked.com
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Study: Men Men Go for Good Looks
Well, here's something old and yet new in which to reconsider and think and feel through as you form characters whose stories you tell.
--Neale
==================
--Neale
==================
Science is confirming what most women know: When given the choice for a mate, men go for good looks.
And guys won't be surprised to learn that women are much choosier about partners than they are.
'Just because people say they're looking for a particular set of characteristics in a mate, someone like themselves, doesn't mean that is what they'll end up choosing,' Peter M. Todd, of the cognitive science program at Indiana University, Bloomington, said in a telephone interview.
Researchers led by Todd report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that their study found humans were similar to most other mammals, 'following Darwin's principle of choosy females and competitive males, even if humans say something different.'
Their study involved 26 men and 20 women in Munich, Germany.
Participants ranged in age from 26 to their early 40s and took part in 'speed dating,' short meetings of three to seven minutes in which people chat, then move on to meet another dater. Afterward, participants check off the people they'd like to meet again, and dates can be arranged between pairs who select one another.
Speed dating let researchers look at a lot of mate choices in a short time, Todd said.
In the study, participants were asked before the session to fill out a questionnaire about what they were looking for in a mate, listing such categories as wealth and status, family commitment, physical appearance, healthiness and attractiveness.
After the session, the researchers compared what the participants said they were looking for with the people they actually chose to ask for another date.
Men's choices did not reflect their stated preferences, the researchers concluded. Instead, men appeared to base their decisions mostly on the women's physical attractiveness.
The men also appeared to be much less choosy. Men tended to select nearly every woman above a certain minimum attractiveness threshold, Todd said.
Women's actual choices, like men's, did not reflect their stated preferences, but they made more discriminating choices, the researchers found.
The scientists said women were aware of the importance of their own attractiveness to men, and adjusted their expectations to select the more desirable guys.
'Women made offers to men who had overall qualities that were on a par with the women's self-rated attractiveness. They didn't greatly overshoot their attractiveness,' Todd said, 'because part of the goal for women is to choose men who would stay with them'
But, he added, 'they didn't go lower. They knew what they could get and aimed for that level.'
So, it turns out, the women's attractiveness influenced the choices of the men and the women.
___
On the Net:
PNAS: http://www.pnas.org
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Ten, Yes, 10 (Ten) of The Best and Easy, Romantic Seduction Secrets from Keanu Reeves
A Project Keanu Article
Ten, Yes, 10 (Ten) of The Best and Easy, Romantic Seduction Secrets from Keanu Reeves' Performances, And a Few of the "Bad"
by Neale Sourna
1. Ted—“Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey: Sweetness and a little goofiness are not a bad thing, dude.
2. Harker—“Bram Stoker’s Dracula”: Good guy, Victorian, romantic hero gentleman decency, personal integrity, high heroics, and respect for her counts, even against “The” Count.
3. Neo—“The Matrix”: Let her in your space, truly listen to her and heed her wise advise, and be there when she needs you to hold her up, or scoop a software virus bullet out of her heart. I don’t know about you, but I know a guy who does that everyday.
4. Jack—“Speed”: Resetting the contemporary standard of the hero, he shares her burdens, his with her and hers by him. And absolutely does not...[more at http://article.projectkeanu.com/ten.shtml]
Ten, Yes, 10 (Ten) of The Best and Easy, Romantic Seduction Secrets from Keanu Reeves' Performances, And a Few of the "Bad"
by Neale Sourna
1. Ted—“Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey: Sweetness and a little goofiness are not a bad thing, dude.
2. Harker—“Bram Stoker’s Dracula”: Good guy, Victorian, romantic hero gentleman decency, personal integrity, high heroics, and respect for her counts, even against “The” Count.
3. Neo—“The Matrix”: Let her in your space, truly listen to her and heed her wise advise, and be there when she needs you to hold her up, or scoop a software virus bullet out of her heart. I don’t know about you, but I know a guy who does that everyday.
4. Jack—“Speed”: Resetting the contemporary standard of the hero, he shares her burdens, his with her and hers by him. And absolutely does not...[more at http://article.projectkeanu.com/ten.shtml]
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Elance.com and Guru.com Question
hey,
maybe i'm too stressed or tired or whatever, but how the heck does that site [ELANCE.COM] work? i signed up for "courtesy" listings, but when i try to bid on something, it's telling me i'm not a member of that part and i need to sign up. is there anyway to do anything on there without paying? please explain to the dummy.
thanks
PS there are a lot of things on there that i think i could do. where's a good phone sex operator job when you need one????
=========
Yeah, you can receive notifications and look around but to actually place a proposal bid you have to pay into at least a month's membership of that division. So if you want to be as a voice person in the voice section, you'll have to pay that section's fee, and another's if you're bidding in another section like writing, too.
Elance is kinda tricky but it's been not to bad to me, and it's where I started, but it does have its own sense of rules. I've just seriously started at Guru and I don't really remember but I think you get like ten free bids with them so you might make some money before taking a membership, but also you have fewer opportunities than a member.
I went ahead a few months back and just got a quarterly membership at Guru and Elance, expensive but LOTS more opportunities, and it's an older site with more opps and fewer rules in some things. Like erotic writing is almost always pulled at Elance but not at Guru.
But even a month's membership can be paid for, do at it or your site fees of doing business into your proposal, don't be too afraid to bid high or higher than the bid range, if you feel it's truly not high enough for all the work you'll be doing, and explain that nicely but directly in the proposal. People are cheap sometimes or just don't know or need to be reminded that good service of quality needs more cash. Be personable, profession, and make certain you read what they ask for and address those concerns in the proposal or ask for more specific info in each project's message boards--some public, some private.
=========
Yeah, you can receive notifications and look around but to actually place a proposal bid you have to pay into at least a month's membership of that division. So if you want to be as a voice person in the voice section, you'll have to pay that section's fee, and another's if you're bidding in another section like writing, too.
Elance is kinda tricky but it's been not to bad to me, and it's where I started, but it does have its own sense of rules. I've just seriously started at Guru and I don't really remember but I think you get like ten free bids with them so you might make some money before taking a membership, but also you have fewer opportunities than a member.
I went ahead a few months back and just got a quarterly membership at Guru and Elance, expensive but LOTS more opportunities, and it's an older site with more opps and fewer rules in some things. Like erotic writing is almost always pulled at Elance but not at Guru.
But even a month's membership can be paid for, do at it or your site fees of doing business into your proposal, don't be too afraid to bid high or higher than the bid range, if you feel it's truly not high enough for all the work you'll be doing, and explain that nicely but directly in the proposal. People are cheap sometimes or just don't know or need to be reminded that good service of quality needs more cash. Be personable, profession, and make certain you read what they ask for and address those concerns in the proposal or ask for more specific info in each project's message boards--some public, some private.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
On Character: Dog Biscuits, Diapers, and Flagpoles
I observed today a few things I walked past and thought an interesting teller of character, without saying it specifically. It's trash day in that suburban neighborhood.
Some things are simple in describing a character unseen; a discarded dog biscuit box at one house, an empty Huggies(TM) diaper carton in the trash at the one beside it. Which has a dog, or had a dog until recently? Which has a baby, or had a baby, until now?
But this is telling also, at another nearby home: a sturdy, well-made, expensive flagpole in front, with a ratty, old, worn, and faded Stars and Stripes [pink, dingy, and blecch blue]. How patriotic.
All from "real" life.
Neale Sourna
Some things are simple in describing a character unseen; a discarded dog biscuit box at one house, an empty Huggies(TM) diaper carton in the trash at the one beside it. Which has a dog, or had a dog until recently? Which has a baby, or had a baby, until now?
But this is telling also, at another nearby home: a sturdy, well-made, expensive flagpole in front, with a ratty, old, worn, and faded Stars and Stripes [pink, dingy, and blecch blue]. How patriotic.
All from "real" life.
Neale Sourna
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
300 Spartans and Isn't It Interesting...
Isn’t it interesting that no one or very few someone’s who’ve viewed the film have complained or even mentioned the coercive rape (male on female, politician on queen) in “300” added to “beef up” the female/domestic storyline, which was not kept in the frame of the time and culture period?
The film’s rapist called it “adultery,” which, writing-wise, is historically neither an acceptable nor feasible concept in ancient Sparta, only for other places and times, like our own. I understand and don’t totally hate how this was inserted and worked out in the film but something more culture-centric and inventive could have been profound.
At least Queen Gorgo (a documented real person, which is a rare thing for a woman in man’s history—to be mentioned and have her name given as well), anyway, film Gorgo did have the violent privilege of getting her own saving country, face, and honor point across in the end; a rarity for women still in much fiction/historical fiction beyond TV movies.
But her activity overall in “300,” besides wonderfully expressing feminine concerns at wartime, was to expose the traitor; or in other words, to serve the man’s story of glory and manly stuff. Yes, I love the abs, yes, I love sword movies, good or amusingly done sword films.
But, really, if you want to add sex or violent sex [and both concepts in our 21st century implicitly imply man on woman activity, not man on man—which is ultimately manly] to a film about ancient Greeks this is how it’s done now, I guess, see “Troy” and Brad Pitt’s Achilles’ “cousin” who has been known for thousands of years as no cousin but as lover.
Perhaps, he was a cuz, since Gorgo was Leonidas’ blood half niece. But I guess storylines incorporating the real divergent, messy, pederasty views and bisexuality and hard violence for babies, mothers, wives, and warriors of the time still prove too interesting, topical, and problematic for Hollywood and New York graphic comic storytellers’ fun about gory glory or the tender Persian/Iranian and Greek present day psyche; Google Greek complaints of gay fears around the “Troy” film.
Neale Sourna
Remember—PIE because Perception Is Everything
Project Keanu
The film’s rapist called it “adultery,” which, writing-wise, is historically neither an acceptable nor feasible concept in ancient Sparta, only for other places and times, like our own. I understand and don’t totally hate how this was inserted and worked out in the film but something more culture-centric and inventive could have been profound.
At least Queen Gorgo (a documented real person, which is a rare thing for a woman in man’s history—to be mentioned and have her name given as well), anyway, film Gorgo did have the violent privilege of getting her own saving country, face, and honor point across in the end; a rarity for women still in much fiction/historical fiction beyond TV movies.
But her activity overall in “300,” besides wonderfully expressing feminine concerns at wartime, was to expose the traitor; or in other words, to serve the man’s story of glory and manly stuff. Yes, I love the abs, yes, I love sword movies, good or amusingly done sword films.
But, really, if you want to add sex or violent sex [and both concepts in our 21st century implicitly imply man on woman activity, not man on man—which is ultimately manly] to a film about ancient Greeks this is how it’s done now, I guess, see “Troy” and Brad Pitt’s Achilles’ “cousin” who has been known for thousands of years as no cousin but as lover.
Perhaps, he was a cuz, since Gorgo was Leonidas’ blood half niece. But I guess storylines incorporating the real divergent, messy, pederasty views and bisexuality and hard violence for babies, mothers, wives, and warriors of the time still prove too interesting, topical, and problematic for Hollywood and New York graphic comic storytellers’ fun about gory glory or the tender Persian/Iranian and Greek present day psyche; Google Greek complaints of gay fears around the “Troy” film.
Neale Sourna
Remember—PIE because Perception Is Everything
Project Keanu
Friday, March 23, 2007
300: Bitching, Reality, History, Character, and Fun
No one cares until you make a movie about it—whatever it is; a Hollywood movie; a successful, raking in the bucks and drachmas and attention film. Then, they must bitch. “Sin City’s” Frank Miller’s graphic novel turned film about the super famous battle of Thermopylae in “300” is it for now. Those who say it was done wrong, characterized and misrepresented didn’t have the forethought to make their own film of it; whether successful in cash or style or historical correctness.
It’s not completely perfect, but it’s damn good, especially the ancient pottery design [the original film motion/comic strip] battle scenes--beautiful, and BETTER THAN THE BOOK. More life, more interpersonal emotions and risks between husband and wife, king and citizen, general and hoplite. Ask any woman who’s seen Lena Headey here. This film is accessible to those not knowing of history, ancient battles, or….
Hey, am I the only person who accesses the encyclopedia after a film to see if they got it right, or changed more than liberal license?
Characterization points:
Sparta had no adultery. Really. So that’s wrong, but it suits us today still, doesn’t it? We know EVERYONE has adultery, but they don’t, or didn’t. So, how would you write a non-adulterous society through your today mental filters?
Is Gerard Butler just like the real Leonidas I? Considering we can’t get the history straight about Mr. and Mrs. William Shakespeare [Anne Hathaway, his wife not the actress, unless she’s reincarnated] or know what Leonardo DaVinci’s real, full name is…. Or historical Jesus, Cleopatra VII, and others more recent in history leaves us open to imagination, and emotional depth and truth.
--Neale Sourna
It’s not completely perfect, but it’s damn good, especially the ancient pottery design [the original film motion/comic strip] battle scenes--beautiful, and BETTER THAN THE BOOK. More life, more interpersonal emotions and risks between husband and wife, king and citizen, general and hoplite. Ask any woman who’s seen Lena Headey here. This film is accessible to those not knowing of history, ancient battles, or….
Hey, am I the only person who accesses the encyclopedia after a film to see if they got it right, or changed more than liberal license?
Characterization points:
Sparta had no adultery. Really. So that’s wrong, but it suits us today still, doesn’t it? We know EVERYONE has adultery, but they don’t, or didn’t. So, how would you write a non-adulterous society through your today mental filters?
Is Gerard Butler just like the real Leonidas I? Considering we can’t get the history straight about Mr. and Mrs. William Shakespeare [Anne Hathaway, his wife not the actress, unless she’s reincarnated] or know what Leonardo DaVinci’s real, full name is…. Or historical Jesus, Cleopatra VII, and others more recent in history leaves us open to imagination, and emotional depth and truth.
--Neale Sourna
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Neale Sourna at Cleveland Public Library
PIE: Perception is Everything's publishings of Neale Sourna's award-winning erotic romance novel "Hobble" can be loaned from the wonderful Cleveland Public Library [http://www.cpl.org/] area locations. Let them know that you want the rest of Neale's catalog of fine ebooks and printed books.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Neale Sourna's ProjectKeanu.com Article -- Seduce Her Like Keanu Reeves
A Project Keanu Article
Seduce Her Like Keanu Reeves
by Neale Sourna
Your first impression of Keanu Reeves was probably of him as Ted “Theodore” Logan of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (movie and morning cartoon), then in Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey and, whoa, dude, as far as you’re concerned, that image stuck, until a bus trip on a Santa Monica blue bus shook it a little and until The Matrix Trilogy’s Neo made it okay to say, “Yeah, he’s cool, I like him. As Neo.” You want to be that image he presented, to be Neo, but not Ted!
Sweetie Ted, though, was nearly twenty years ago, dude; seventeen to be exact. There’s nearly forty different onscreen performances from Adventure to Lake House. Yet, you still won’t let the Ted image go and wonder why she gushes over what you call his “pretty” looks and “wooden” acting.
“You’re a fan!!” you say to me. That’s not the point, as if I’m blindsided to utter truth. I love Ed Asner, Bob Hoskins, and Samuel L. Jackson and no one chastises, pities, nor condones me for being an absolute fool for my choices there. So, let he who casts the first Pam Anderson….
The Ted “Theodore” Logan Seduction.
You saw a yutz you didn’t want to be mistaken for, as if liking him would make you him. However, you didn’t feel that way about Dumb and Dumber, go figure. You didn’t see or feel any of Ted’s endearing qualities, well, she did. Hell, she sees yours. You hope. She saw in him a cute, sweet-natured, joyous guy, who’s a great friend, and who even joyfully went to Hell (Bogus!) with friend Bill. She saw that Ted lets Bill be leader although Ted often suggests their next sensible action, but lets it sink in as Bill’s idea, and then pretends to follow. Y’know like she does with you.
Don’t believe me? You have an official excuse to do critical homework by watching both comedy installments again. Say it out loud, “I’m only watching for character interaction, dear love.” Good boy.
Ted is gentle, kind, and wholly ingenuous, he doesn’t blow smoke up his lady’s ass to prove he’s smarter than she, nor hard fronts on her for the amusement of his male friends; that was nasty, inconsiderate “Robot Ted” with the “robot chubby.” Plus, Ted is utterly devoted to his lady, and never strays, well, not within each ninety or so minutes of film. Hell, he came though Time for her, and when he left in a hurry he came back for her. Believe me, his lady noticed and so did yours.
The Neo “Mr. Thomas Anderson” Seduction.
Neo. Neo. Neo. Way before stepping forward with eye extinguishing black lenses, military boots, and an urban silk, western duel duster to shoot up a government lobby, followed with the most famous onscreen, backbend limbo of all time Reeves had long dropped his wide-ranging Method Acting character defining Ted traits of the pigeon-toed shuffle and not so dumb (think Marilyn Monroe) empty-headed sweetness to be Lucifer’s favorite son; a teen prostitute (Yes, you can say “hustler,” but the job is still prostitute.) a surfing FBI agent; an action junky SWAT officer; a lovesick ex-GI; and a vamp-fighting Victorian husband; oh, and one grief-crazed Danish prince on the side.
Our dear Neo, dauntless and relentless within the manufactured delusion of the matrix, is utterly humble and deferential outside of it in the natural world. Neo, to most of us, is the fighting guy, a superman flying priest revolutionary. Keanu Reeves’ Neo is our icon of cool and accomplished.
Oh, and Neo gets the hot chick who does wicked scorpion kicks, eagle lifts, shoots pointblank, and drives anything turbocharged. Plus, his hot chick, Trinity, has no eyes, literally, with those shades on, for anyone else.
That’s what you see, man: a cool, handsome, smart guy who goes from everyman nobody to The One who’s the most powerful of anyone; an unstoppable human killing machine, killing machine programs and delusional humans, alike, with his hot chick. A man who flies, stops bullets and swords with his hand, and does surgery sans scalpel better than a Filipino healer. Neo’s a next gen, more accessible and human “Terminator,” without that perplexing what’d-he-say? Austrian guttural accent.
She sees all of what you see, too, but you know how women are, she complicates everything by seeing all that stuff you’re blind and obtuse about. She sees...[more]
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Choosing POV—Romantic Times Forum
Third may be what agents, editors and so on want. They want what they've had before. But a complete novel in first person doesn't have to be boring, it gives an insigt into the mind and heart of the character, and if crafted and told properly you can even imply that the first person narrative is telling us the truth, withholding the truth, or lying. That can be cool and more humanly tactile and flawed than the uber third person.
Reference the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon for six and more to come great novels about Clare, in first person, and Jamie and their family, with everything Clare can't witness personally coming in third. And excellent combination of both.
If doing it all in first make certain to keep the tense appropriate, be honest and lead and misdirect us, and absolutely don't say anything that the character wasn't directly there to experience, see, hear, feel, etcetera, and keep it with them even if another characters talks and adds additional information that the main did not witness.
It can be done, it's a brave writer's challenge to make it real. We live our lives in first person, and we're supposedly real.
Most important do what is best for the character's. If we only need to know what the first knows then stay there and imply and let us read into it what she hasn't told, is withholding, or fogetten.
Use a combination of both if we really need to get an über view of what she refuses to acknowledge or is hiding. Or we need to see an honest view of what another sees and thinks of her. This is what I'm doing for my novel "Aegis". People lie to themselves and us. Characters can too.
But in first person, since the main is giving out ALL the information, then it can be a surprise later when we find an assumption they implied or blatantly portrayed or said is not.
Do what is absolutely right for your characters' and their story(ies), only you can do that and preguessing strangers at an agency or pub firm will only undercut and ruin that. Be brave, make your best choice, listen to your characters and decide what is best to tell their story; they trust you tell channel them as clearly to us as possible. At least that is the way it is with me.
Reference the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon for six and more to come great novels about Clare, in first person, and Jamie and their family, with everything Clare can't witness personally coming in third. And excellent combination of both.
If doing it all in first make certain to keep the tense appropriate, be honest and lead and misdirect us, and absolutely don't say anything that the character wasn't directly there to experience, see, hear, feel, etcetera, and keep it with them even if another characters talks and adds additional information that the main did not witness.
It can be done, it's a brave writer's challenge to make it real. We live our lives in first person, and we're supposedly real.
Most important do what is best for the character's. If we only need to know what the first knows then stay there and imply and let us read into it what she hasn't told, is withholding, or fogetten.
Use a combination of both if we really need to get an über view of what she refuses to acknowledge or is hiding. Or we need to see an honest view of what another sees and thinks of her. This is what I'm doing for my novel "Aegis". People lie to themselves and us. Characters can too.
But in first person, since the main is giving out ALL the information, then it can be a surprise later when we find an assumption they implied or blatantly portrayed or said is not.
Do what is absolutely right for your characters' and their story(ies), only you can do that and preguessing strangers at an agency or pub firm will only undercut and ruin that. Be brave, make your best choice, listen to your characters and decide what is best to tell their story; they trust you tell channel them as clearly to us as possible. At least that is the way it is with me.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Neale Sourna's Audio Interview Downloads
Neale Sourna Interviewed by Maxine Thompson at On the Same Page / Voice America
http://www.neale.pie-perceptioniseverything.com/audio/VoiceAm--05-11-2004-Part1MP3.mp3
http://www.neale.pie-perceptioniseverything.com/audio/VoiceAm--05-11-2004-Part2MP3.mp3
http://www.neale.pie-perceptioniseverything.com/audio/VoiceAm--05-11-2004-Part1MP3.mp3
http://www.neale.pie-perceptioniseverything.com/audio/VoiceAm--05-11-2004-Part2MP3.mp3
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
New Spring Reads, New Summer Reads, New Fun Reads--Great Sexy Books/Ebooks, Fiction for Adults--On Sale, All Summer!! From PIE: Percept/Neale Sourna
New Spring Reads, New Summer Reads, New Fun Reads--Great Sexy Books/Ebooks, Fiction for Adults--On Sale, All Summer!! From PIE: Percept and Neale Sourna.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/6/prweb397535.htm
Available, erotica romance author Neale Sourna’s new short story series [5000 words or more] “North Coast Academies’ Diary, Volume 1, Number 1, Laila: Cozy With Daddy,” with more issues to com; “Steve’s Monkey’s Paw & MORE,” a new sampler of short stories and novels excerpts; and a reprint/update of a romance award-winner BlackRefer.com Best Erotica Winner of 2004 “Hobble”--for readers and lovers of great storytelling from and about multiracial, interracial, African, and Native American contemporary literature.
Cleveland, OH (PRWEB) June 14, 2006 -- Publisher PIE: Perception Is Everything’s all-seeing-eye logo is overseeing its primary author erotica romance writer Neale Sourna’s new and revised book and journal issue catalog releases.
Just available are:
** an exciting new short story series, each published individually or in small groups [5000 words or more] “North Coast Academies’ Diary [NCAD], Volume 1, Number 1, Laila: Cozy With Daddy” [ISBN 0-9741950-5-7, ISSN 1553-8656, erotic obsession fiction, available as ebook Adobe/MS only at present, print version later this year] Neale Sourna’s NCAD is usually one short story per issue [i.e., approx. 5000 words / approx. 15 6.14”x9.21” story issue pgs], under the theme of sexual diary/journal entries of an academic community;
** “Steve’s Monkey’s Paw & MORE” [104 pages, US$3.95 SRP; also ebook Adobe, MS Reader], a new sampler of short stories [horror, enslavement, love, romance, and more] plus new novel and novella excerpts are included; and
** a reprint/update of a romance award-winner BlackRefer.com Best Erotica Winner of 2004 “Hobble” which also has bonus story materials [novel, explicit, 291 pages trade paperback, also ebooks Adobe, MS Reader, Palm, phone orders for print only 1-877-BUY-BOOK.
All for readers and lovers of great storytelling from and about multiracial, interracial, African, and Native American contemporary literature. No loincloths here, until Neale’s western is fully published.
Neale says, “I like and or have been compared to Zane, Jaid Black, and Anne Rice, but I see more parallel with Emily Bronte’s wild, sensual, sensuous, and mildly incestuous ‘Wuthering Heights’ in my stories; highly passionate, but with more sex and lovemaking, lots more. My hip-hop artist nephew recently came up with this -- ‘sex, romance, deception, manipulation, and vindication’ -- as his take on ‘Hobble,’ which is a good standard of my work in general. I’m adding his quote to my marketing. I also love that many have commented that they can’t get the novel back from their significant other. I love when they’re passionate about my storytelling and I love writing for adults and not family-oriented only. Remember, mature-rated is good, kids should have to wait like we did for the ‘good stuff,’ but we adults shouldn’t give up all that’s mature until the kids are grown enough. That’s ridiculous. The world’s not PG-rated, so why should daily, public, adult media pretend otherwise? Besides, which is more immediately corrupting, seeing murders and assaults on screen and in life or adults doing ‘icky and stupid stuff,’ like sex?”
---------------------
“North Coast Academies’ Diary” Volume 1, Number 1-- “Laila: Cozy With Daddy” -- Brainy, multiracial, private school virgin, Laila, chooses her handsome seducer for her deflowering. 7857 words;
“Steve’s Monkey’s Paw and MORE” -- STEVE is a horrid bad boy, envious of friend ALEX’s turn-around attitude with his soon-to-be new love, KARA, but grandma’s monkey’s paw, gives Steve complete control over anyone he wants; even Alex’s sweet new lady; against her will.... Plus MORE, there are more stories published [PLAYGIRL] and fascinating excerpts from more novels soon to come.
“Hobble” -- BENNET GILLESPIE, a successful, yet burned out half Native American medical professional, a healer with psychic talent, crashes into a recuperating “innocent” beauty on the beach; beginning an obsessive and intense sexual triangle with the seductive, young African American, DAY, who’s jealously guarded by HOPKINS, her overbearing, elderly British stepfather, and lover. [Neale is the model of Hobble’s cover, in full character as the deadly beauty, DAY]
Handsome Benn’s a genius and a master manipulator, but he could, in fact, literally lose his heart, his life, and his soul to the "knife-happy," legally insane Day, who’s desperate to be free of the prison mental ward lockdown to which she will be returned when the old man dies and free of this wealthy, well-connected man, who may have crippled her, and whom Benn may yet discover that their incestuous bond is closer by blood than she says.
Who is Neale Sourna?
Neale’s first novel to publish "Hobble" won the BlackRefer.com Year's Best Erotica Award and has published with PLAYGIRL Magazine, Distant Echoes military veterans’ magazine, and around the internet.
Neale’s favorite compliments she's received as a writer include an astonished comment from rocker-publisher Johnny Temple of Akashic Books and Girls Against Boys who, after reading his first excerpt of "Hobble" said he completely believed Neale was a man, which she plainly isn't in person. She says she hopefully is "a dude, mentally, when writing from a guy’s POV; which is a gift not a fetish." Another compliment comes from Traci, a young business owner in Cleveland who says Neale’s writing to her is better than Zane’s. Wow! So do we.
Visit the publisher at http://www.PIE-Percept.com/pr.htm and most online search engines for more detailed information and excerpts of Neale's works. Search Amazon and other online stores, or ask your local brick and mortar store to order Neale’s works.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/6/prweb397535.htm
Available, erotica romance author Neale Sourna’s new short story series [5000 words or more] “North Coast Academies’ Diary, Volume 1, Number 1, Laila: Cozy With Daddy,” with more issues to com; “Steve’s Monkey’s Paw & MORE,” a new sampler of short stories and novels excerpts; and a reprint/update of a romance award-winner BlackRefer.com Best Erotica Winner of 2004 “Hobble”--for readers and lovers of great storytelling from and about multiracial, interracial, African, and Native American contemporary literature.
Cleveland, OH (PRWEB) June 14, 2006 -- Publisher PIE: Perception Is Everything’s all-seeing-eye logo is overseeing its primary author erotica romance writer Neale Sourna’s new and revised book and journal issue catalog releases.
Just available are:
** an exciting new short story series, each published individually or in small groups [5000 words or more] “North Coast Academies’ Diary [NCAD], Volume 1, Number 1, Laila: Cozy With Daddy” [ISBN 0-9741950-5-7, ISSN 1553-8656, erotic obsession fiction, available as ebook Adobe/MS only at present, print version later this year] Neale Sourna’s NCAD is usually one short story per issue [i.e., approx. 5000 words / approx. 15 6.14”x9.21” story issue pgs], under the theme of sexual diary/journal entries of an academic community;
** “Steve’s Monkey’s Paw & MORE” [104 pages, US$3.95 SRP; also ebook Adobe, MS Reader], a new sampler of short stories [horror, enslavement, love, romance, and more] plus new novel and novella excerpts are included; and
** a reprint/update of a romance award-winner BlackRefer.com Best Erotica Winner of 2004 “Hobble” which also has bonus story materials [novel, explicit, 291 pages trade paperback, also ebooks Adobe, MS Reader, Palm, phone orders for print only 1-877-BUY-BOOK.
All for readers and lovers of great storytelling from and about multiracial, interracial, African, and Native American contemporary literature. No loincloths here, until Neale’s western is fully published.
Neale says, “I like and or have been compared to Zane, Jaid Black, and Anne Rice, but I see more parallel with Emily Bronte’s wild, sensual, sensuous, and mildly incestuous ‘Wuthering Heights’ in my stories; highly passionate, but with more sex and lovemaking, lots more. My hip-hop artist nephew recently came up with this -- ‘sex, romance, deception, manipulation, and vindication’ -- as his take on ‘Hobble,’ which is a good standard of my work in general. I’m adding his quote to my marketing. I also love that many have commented that they can’t get the novel back from their significant other. I love when they’re passionate about my storytelling and I love writing for adults and not family-oriented only. Remember, mature-rated is good, kids should have to wait like we did for the ‘good stuff,’ but we adults shouldn’t give up all that’s mature until the kids are grown enough. That’s ridiculous. The world’s not PG-rated, so why should daily, public, adult media pretend otherwise? Besides, which is more immediately corrupting, seeing murders and assaults on screen and in life or adults doing ‘icky and stupid stuff,’ like sex?”
---------------------
“North Coast Academies’ Diary” Volume 1, Number 1-- “Laila: Cozy With Daddy” -- Brainy, multiracial, private school virgin, Laila, chooses her handsome seducer for her deflowering. 7857 words;
“Steve’s Monkey’s Paw and MORE” -- STEVE is a horrid bad boy, envious of friend ALEX’s turn-around attitude with his soon-to-be new love, KARA, but grandma’s monkey’s paw, gives Steve complete control over anyone he wants; even Alex’s sweet new lady; against her will.... Plus MORE, there are more stories published [PLAYGIRL] and fascinating excerpts from more novels soon to come.
“Hobble” -- BENNET GILLESPIE, a successful, yet burned out half Native American medical professional, a healer with psychic talent, crashes into a recuperating “innocent” beauty on the beach; beginning an obsessive and intense sexual triangle with the seductive, young African American, DAY, who’s jealously guarded by HOPKINS, her overbearing, elderly British stepfather, and lover. [Neale is the model of Hobble’s cover, in full character as the deadly beauty, DAY]
Handsome Benn’s a genius and a master manipulator, but he could, in fact, literally lose his heart, his life, and his soul to the "knife-happy," legally insane Day, who’s desperate to be free of the prison mental ward lockdown to which she will be returned when the old man dies and free of this wealthy, well-connected man, who may have crippled her, and whom Benn may yet discover that their incestuous bond is closer by blood than she says.
Who is Neale Sourna?
Neale’s first novel to publish "Hobble" won the BlackRefer.com Year's Best Erotica Award and has published with PLAYGIRL Magazine, Distant Echoes military veterans’ magazine, and around the internet.
Neale’s favorite compliments she's received as a writer include an astonished comment from rocker-publisher Johnny Temple of Akashic Books and Girls Against Boys who, after reading his first excerpt of "Hobble" said he completely believed Neale was a man, which she plainly isn't in person. She says she hopefully is "a dude, mentally, when writing from a guy’s POV; which is a gift not a fetish." Another compliment comes from Traci, a young business owner in Cleveland who says Neale’s writing to her is better than Zane’s. Wow! So do we.
Visit the publisher at http://www.PIE-Percept.com/pr.htm and most online search engines for more detailed information and excerpts of Neale's works. Search Amazon and other online stores, or ask your local brick and mortar store to order Neale’s works.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
On Writing a Lyric for Joss Whedon's "Angel" Series
On Writing a Lyric [Angel/Angelus] for Joss Whedon's "Angel" Series at first I hated the theme, then it grew on me, then I became OBSESSED with making a lyric for it that expressed both sides of the man/vampire. Now I love it. Miss Spike though, always.
Saturday, April 02, 2005
IMDB Msg Board Writers Shop Talk -- Re: For anyone familiar with Word...
You don't need special screenwriting software to format your script to the Hollywood standard. Word or WordPerfect is all you require.
This will sound semi-complicated, but it's not. Take your time learning the software you have, use the HELP files and PLAY with it, learn what you need to know about it. Word is your instrument, practice with it, and be patient.
This is what can be done with it.
Set up your paragraph [description, character, wryly, speech, etc.] by using the HELP files to tell you how to make double-indented paragraphs for speeches, centered CHARACTER NAMES, and the like. Save your formatting to FORMAT, STYLES. It'll show up on your regular menu ahead of FONT [Times Roman, Courier] and SIZE 10, 12]. The default style says NORMAL.
Once you've set your STYLES [description, character, etc.], whenever you click on a paragraph, then select the style, it will update that text as description, FADE IN, speech, etc. And, if you ever make changes to that style it will update throughout ALL your pages.
STYLES can be setup to AUTOMATICALLY UPDATE, too, so as long as you've changed that text to the appropriate style, it'll change without you having to supercheck.
Great for correcting or moving margins for brads and the like.
This info can be SAVED AS a master TEMPLATE, or you can just make a duplicate file, delete everything except samples of your description, speech, etc, then save it as your SCREENPLAY FORMAT file.
I hope this helps.
Neale Sourna
Remember -- PIE: Perception Is Everything
This will sound semi-complicated, but it's not. Take your time learning the software you have, use the HELP files and PLAY with it, learn what you need to know about it. Word is your instrument, practice with it, and be patient.
This is what can be done with it.
Set up your paragraph [description, character, wryly, speech, etc.] by using the HELP files to tell you how to make double-indented paragraphs for speeches, centered CHARACTER NAMES, and the like. Save your formatting to FORMAT, STYLES. It'll show up on your regular menu ahead of FONT [Times Roman, Courier] and SIZE 10, 12]. The default style says NORMAL.
Once you've set your STYLES [description, character, etc.], whenever you click on a paragraph, then select the style, it will update that text as description, FADE IN, speech, etc. And, if you ever make changes to that style it will update throughout ALL your pages.
STYLES can be setup to AUTOMATICALLY UPDATE, too, so as long as you've changed that text to the appropriate style, it'll change without you having to supercheck.
Great for correcting or moving margins for brads and the like.
This info can be SAVED AS a master TEMPLATE, or you can just make a duplicate file, delete everything except samples of your description, speech, etc, then save it as your SCREENPLAY FORMAT file.
I hope this helps.
Neale Sourna
Remember -- PIE: Perception Is Everything
Re: Putting music in your scripts. Good idea???
F--k the director, and legal's music clearance. You're writing YOUR SCRIPT not the director's, who, by the way, is a hireling, who has nothing to do until you WRITE YOUR WORLD. You are God [see Nick Kazan quotes on such] for that script. If you want everything to be pink. Carnation pink, then it is. You can't help it if they hate pink, or just Carnation pink, or just don't get it pink or no pink. You can't dance hard enough or well enough to please everyone, especially someone you don't know.
Music's the same.
If you just want general mood music -- industrial rock, country western, etc., write that, but if your characters or milieu require specific music for meaning and character reinforcement, write it. A character who listens to George Clinton's P-Funk is not necessarily an Itzhak Perlman fan, and a specific song may say something specific to that emotional moment.
If legal can get the clearance, fine; if not, then they won't and the music director (MD) not the director will find a possible buyable substitute. Contrary to Hollywood's still prevailing idea that white guys can write everything about and for everyone else, without their input or flavor, is bunk. [see white guy written "Blade" BEFORE African American Wesley Snipes retooled it, it was not pretty and quite racist]
An African American, Asian, or Sri Lankan writer will hear different tunes in their heads for their script, the same as language. So, as long as the writer can identify the specific piece so the MD can understand what you're trying to communicate, do it. [see independent films "Love Actually" and "Luminarias" DVDs about their music clearance woes and wins]
It's YOUR SCRIPT, until you sell it away.
Songs can be reperformanced in the style of your favorite piece and save tons of cash. [Luminarias] Or the exact piece you want might become available at a reasonable price for YOUR work, if your production team is persuasive enough. [Luminarias -- Aretha, Ronstadt, film clip from Sam Raimi in "Donny Darko"]
Why should everyone bow and scrape to director's, especially those who can't write or write well for what they did in pulling all the people and film together? But not the writer, who pulled together memorable characterizations and situations for the producer, the director, the actor to get excited about? This year's big Oscar shouldn't've gone just to Clint Eastwood, but also to wonderful Paul Haggis of the exquisite "Due South".
Write whatever you need to write to feel excited, complete, and regretless about your work. Write for the one person you should know well, you.
Music's the same.
If you just want general mood music -- industrial rock, country western, etc., write that, but if your characters or milieu require specific music for meaning and character reinforcement, write it. A character who listens to George Clinton's P-Funk is not necessarily an Itzhak Perlman fan, and a specific song may say something specific to that emotional moment.
If legal can get the clearance, fine; if not, then they won't and the music director (MD) not the director will find a possible buyable substitute. Contrary to Hollywood's still prevailing idea that white guys can write everything about and for everyone else, without their input or flavor, is bunk. [see white guy written "Blade" BEFORE African American Wesley Snipes retooled it, it was not pretty and quite racist]
An African American, Asian, or Sri Lankan writer will hear different tunes in their heads for their script, the same as language. So, as long as the writer can identify the specific piece so the MD can understand what you're trying to communicate, do it. [see independent films "Love Actually" and "Luminarias" DVDs about their music clearance woes and wins]
It's YOUR SCRIPT, until you sell it away.
Songs can be reperformanced in the style of your favorite piece and save tons of cash. [Luminarias] Or the exact piece you want might become available at a reasonable price for YOUR work, if your production team is persuasive enough. [Luminarias -- Aretha, Ronstadt, film clip from Sam Raimi in "Donny Darko"]
Why should everyone bow and scrape to director's, especially those who can't write or write well for what they did in pulling all the people and film together? But not the writer, who pulled together memorable characterizations and situations for the producer, the director, the actor to get excited about? This year's big Oscar shouldn't've gone just to Clint Eastwood, but also to wonderful Paul Haggis of the exquisite "Due South".
Write whatever you need to write to feel excited, complete, and regretless about your work. Write for the one person you should know well, you.
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