Thursday, November 20, 2008

Blogging About What I'm Writing..and Don Quixote.

A lot of what I write is creative but it isn't. That is, the whole "staff news writer" thing at Nintendo World Report.
I spend a lot of my free time writing news, writing reviews, or playing games for that site. You can see a lot of my work up there. I'd very much argue that that is creative, but very structured.
Pretty much anything that you write could technically be considered creative writing. Even note taking can be creative. It's all about what kind of spin you put on it. What you do to make it your own. Hopefully my work at NWR is unique and wholly my own. If not, then my tenure in video games journalism will be brief.
I'd like to think I'm on my way to having a unique voice at NWR.

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In one of my literature classes I'm reading Don Quixote. I won't lie, I'm not reading it with my class.
I was in a production of the musical based on Cervantes' work, Man of La Mancha, in high school. I thought it was a really awesome story and then made it my business to find it and read it. At the library where I worked, we had two different English translations of Don Quixote. Sadly, both of them sucked. I've been very negative towards ever reading a translated version since.
I'd sooner rather read the Spanish version than read a shoddy translation.
I should probably stop being so damn stubborn.

3 comments:

Deirdre O. said...

I will definitely agree with you that any writing is creative!!! the brain is one big ole' muscle that we need to work....

as for don quixote though....why don't you rent the movie? the original with sophia loren & peter o'toole....it's a really good version, i think. =)

A Quinlan said...

Movie of Don Q! That's a terrible idea. Don't do that. Get the new translation by Edith Grossman, which is supposed to be brilliant. I've been reading it for a year or so--I keep it by my bed.

Also. Post a little bit more, whydoncha.

A Quinlan said...

Neal--I've been trying to email you but you might not be on the WPU server any more. So here goes:

Subject: Re: Neal Ronaghan Final Portfolio

Okay.

Essay: thanks. I bet you’ll find ways to keep writing creatively. Nintendo World is not the only magazine out there.

Brother poem: I don’t recall the original version. Hmm. No problem.

Hitchhiker remains exceedingly strange and yet intriguing.

Sly remains witty and funny with postmodern touches and allusions to sci fi genre and even to my ocarina. (Yes I take that personally in a good way.) Yet the story is a bit too confusing—it needed more of your time, I fear. Yet Dave Eggers has occasionally gotten away with the same, and he is revered.

Hmm. This has been an A- class for you, I believe. Your participation was excellent. You are, as you realize, a good editor.

Best, AQ

PS: My husband is enjoying V for Vendetta.