Mahakali Lite: The Results

After gruelling sessions of continuous writing, Fadereu came up with his masterpiece (at least, I thought so... in that state) short fiction OpXp! It can easily be categorized amongst his best works till date. Desoumal managed 2/3rds of his screenplay, a non-linear narrative involving lives of four different people spanning three continents. The effects of the trance were felt till several days after the event...

I humbly announce the Mahakali Lite over. Now, we patiently await the Global TranceWriting Extravaganza...

Mahakali Lite

Today, 8th Feb 2005, 5:00 PM IST, at 5B-13 Takshila, Andheri E, Fadereu and Desoumal started their 24 hour Mahakali Lite(weight) write-a-thalon session. To finish a novel/screenplay by 9th Feb, 2005, 5:00 PM.

Keep tracking, writing!

Automatic Writing: How to do it

I found this at a webpage of Duke University. A how-to manual for automatic writing.

Sit at a table with pen and paper; put yourself in a 'receptive' frame of mind, and start writing. Continue writing without thinking of what is appearing beneath your pen. Write as fast as you can. If, for some reason, the flow stops,leave a space and immediately begin again by writing down the first letter of the next sentence. Choose this letter at random before you begin, for instance, a 't', and always begin this new sentence with a 't'. Although in the purest version of automatism nothing is 'corrected' or re-written the unexpected material produced by this method can be used as the basis for further composition. What is crucial is the unpremeditated free association that creates the basic text.

-- Surrealist Games (Alastair Brotchie, Redstone Press)

Ah well. I just recommend speed writing, supported by speed visualization. Eh?

This happened once before when I came to your door no reply they said it wasn't you but I saw you peek through your window I saw the light…

I'm listening to the entire output of The Beatles (most of which I've never heard before) in order to try and channel John Lennon but all I'm getting is Michael Nesmith from The Monkees. Which is weird because he is still very much alive.

Maybe California is Heaven.

No Introduction Necessary

My name is Mike and I'm a recovering writer. It's been almost seven months since my last 'episode'.

In a moment of insanity I thought I could write a novel in a weekend. It wasn't my idea - it takes a special kind of madness to come up with that - but I gave it my all. And by all I mean that I lost my fingertips, the ability to process coffee and a little part of my soul.

The one thing that I remember is counting myself lucky among the survivors and being thankful that the whole evil process was finally over.

Except it wasn't.

There was the rewrite. And then the friends I made (sharing in The Great Mahakali Write-A-Thalon scars you in a way that only others who have been through it can understand). And then the thing I wrote began to haunt me like tell tale heart.

And then I find myself here. No escape.

So to hell with it. I'm in this for the long haul. I foolishly thought that 58 hours meant 58 hours but the devil is in the details and I'm looking forward to dragging my carcass through the process all over again. And again. And again.

The first thing I should do is dig out the near-as-damn-it finished rewrite director's cut with commentary, extra scenes and exclusive interviews version of Thrill Pitcher out from under the floorboards and let it have it's wicked way with you all...