Chapbook: Research Yes Man by Danny Wallace

 

Yes Man (2006) By Danny Wallace

Before I launch into writing my own story (title yet to be decided) I will analyse the writing of Danny Wallace's Yes Man (2006).  This story is about a man who has broken up with his girlfriend and then fallen into a rut and just keeps saying no until he meets a man on a bus who suggests that he say Yes more.  After this, the story is about his adventures in saying Yes to everything.  It begins with a day and ends up being for a year. The book is about that year. I chose this to look at as the book is humourous, contains well-told stories of his adventures and includes quite a bit of dialogue which in my timed writing I realised I had used much more than I had in other writing. Teen Ink states of the stories that; 'the only thing that bothered me about the book is its lack of fluidity. It isn’t that the writing wasn’t good, it’s more that the plot consisted of disconnected episodes. Although the things that Wallace does are fun and interesting, they don’t really make up a story as a whole. They are a series of smaller stories that are loosely tied together.' (Kimbel Sannit, 2009).  I tend to disagree with this only as I think that life is many small stories loosely tied together that end being your life! Wallace himself who speaks in first person also explains this: 

'Now, conventional storytelling dictates that, if I were doing this properly, I would now tell you everything that happened over the course of the next few days, in the correct order and one at a time.  I'd tell you what happened on Monday (which was great) and then on Tuesday (similarly great) and then I'd tell you what happened on Wednesday (which I really rather enjoyed)

But this isn't a conventional story.  And if we were down the pub, you and me, and you asked me to tell you what happened next, it would take all my concentration and willpower not to skip straight to this next bit, tell you it, and grab your shoulders, and shake you, and say 'so what d'you think of that?!' I know I shouldn't do it, but believe me, I've told the story in pubs to friends who bear more than a passing resemblance to you since this happened, and this is the way a story like this should be told.  So I want to skip forward slightly. Only to the end of my week of Yes.  To Friday.  Because what happened on Friday was incredible.' (Wallace, 2008:43)

This extract gives a good sense of the writing of Wallace, he write in a very British style and using long sentences or run -on sentences.  These can give more detail but they also affect the pace of the writing so the reader feels they are moving along more quickly through the words. The style is also conversational, very informal as if he is a bloke you do know from the pub.  Wallace himself has stated: 'I like to test my stuff out on actual people. I write in quite a conversational manner, and I always thought of those books as the way I would tell you the story if I was in the pub with you.' (Beadle, 2015)

The use of the long sentence also can engage a reader more in the story, drawing the reader in like a secret, it uses anticipation as the end is not certain.  Farnsworth argues that; 'the short sentence can become boring. Breathtakingly boring. It can become repetitive. Monotonous. Monotone. Routine. And dry. Which frustrates the reader.' (Farnworth, 2017).  The reason that Wallace's long sentences are interesting is that they are not made up of a lot of 'ands' or coupling clauses they are called polysyndeton (a literary device) - there are some of these but there is a run on pace that is very conversational and engaging, I want to know what happened on Friday with all heat when he gets to the end of this. 

I am only looking here at a small extract and the style but this reminds me of the kind of pace I want to build up and makes me consider further how I will be engaging the reader if I have taken a God's eye view, I think that is perhaps why I have used more dialogue in my timed writing as this is immediate and engaging. 

I will be looking at further writing and literary devices in this project but for now I will go back and explore the possibilities of my own story and see what develops....

References

Beadle, C. (2015). Danny Wallace: Ten Years of Yes Man. [online] British Comedy Guide. Available at: https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/danny_wallace_ten_years_of_yes_man/ [Accessed 8 Feb. 2025].

Farnworth, D. (2017). How to Write a Brilliant Long Sentence. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@demianfarnworth/how-to-write-a-brilliant-long-sentence-5f006e85db3#id [Accessed 8 Feb. 2025].

Kimbel Sannit, A. (2009). Yes Man by Danny Wallace | Teen Ink. [online] Teenink.com. Available at: https://www.teenink.com/reviews/book_reviews/article/157793/Yes-Man-by-Danny-Wallace/ [Accessed 8 Feb. 2025].

Wallace, D. (2008) Yes Man, Random House, Ebury Press, Berkshire UK.

Further Research; Pippi Lotti Rist - Wicked Game

 This video of Pippi Lotti Rist's version of 'Wicked Game' I chose as it is haunting and violent and the screaming in pain is something that we all feel like sometimes...

Pippi Lotti Rist (1996/7) Ever is Over All (Wicked Game)

Pippi Lotti Rist's work excited me since I lay on the floor in the Hayward and was engulfed in a sensual, feminine and mildly erotic video that filled the ceiling.  Jessica Lack writes of Rist that her work is; 'Hilarious and anarchic, Rist's art swings erratically from eroticism to violence, fantasy to fear, constantly pushing the limits of what is possible.' (Lack, 2008) I also felt this with her work, when looking into videos that are of eyes in a handbag or selfless in a Bath of Lava (1994) I am excited that these things have been brought into existence.  While I have been pondering the making of my own work 'silent scream' which is my reaction to the inauguration of Trump, I think about the violence in my heart as I can see that these disturbing events are painful for the world and my scream will be silent because pain often is writhing within.  In Wicked Game, Rist lets it all out, and Art Forum suggests that; '[the work] suggests an ambivalence about using sex or violence to satisfy our need for communion: As the Isaak song says, maybe we “don’t want to fall in love,” and the destruction of property, while an expression of agency and refusal, is here neither communal nor strategic.' (Ryan, 2017) This idea that it is not communal and there is no strategy, wanton destruction is more like a need, an expression and that is what I am really aiming for in my own work. I need to do something, it may have no effect on anything but it will be satisfying. 

Another crucial reason for discussing the work of Rist is that is essentially, unashamedly feminine.  The works are all woman; 'Ever Is Over All’s slow-mo car-smashing is paired with images of large, dewy flowers, suggesting innocence and serving as emblems of femininity. That’s the Pipilotti Rist artistic universe, right there: transgression doesn’t exist, or is suspended. The law of this land is feminine, and it is non-judgmental.' (Davis, 2016) It Rist's world and it is always a pleasure to visit.  All her work is Performance and Rist was strongly influenced by the work of Yoko Ono in her early days  Not all her work is praised and her piece 'Blood Clip' which 'featured copious flows of menstrual blood (simulated) [...] made some viewers think that she was taking feminism too far"' (The Art Story, 2008) Rist is not the first Performance artist to use menstrual blood, Carolee Schneemann made paintings with her menstrual blood, it is funny how the male-dominated art world still finds menstrual blood still a bit icky. I suspect that menstrual blood, which is pure woman, can seem to them hostile and offensive. Yet men can use their own blood, consider Marc Quinn's Blood Head (Self, 2006) people found it fascinating, and shocking but he was still revered.  

Pippi Lotti Rist is  an artist who is brave, bold, entirely singular and I am hoping to continue to enjoy her work, and be moved by her spirit when creating my own work.

References

Davis, B. (2016). Pipilotti Rist’s New Museum Show is Absolutely Shameless | Artnet News. [online] Artnet News. Available at: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/pipilotti-rist-pixel-forest-new-museum-722027 [Accessed 7 Feb. 2025].

Lack, J. (2008). Artist of the Week No 3: Pipilotti Rist. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/aug/20/art [Accessed 7 Feb. 2025].

Ryan, T.R. (2017). Pipilotti Rist. [online] Artforum. Available at: https://www.artforum.com/events/pipilotti-rist-16-226924/ [Accessed 7 Feb. 2025].

The Art Story (2008). Pipilotti Rist Paintings, Bio, Ideas. [online] The Art Story. Available at: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/rist-pipilotti/.

Digital Workshop: Clipchamp

 I collected some clips from Pexels, these clips were a dance for an art performance to practice for my project.

I then opened Clipchamp and I clicked on 'Create a new video'

I then clicked on 'import media' in the left hand top corner of my dashboard. I imported all my clips for my video

My next step was to add the title and my name at the beginning of the film.  I clicked on the 'T' icon in the left hand tools menu and then I chose my title text which was 'Tidal', I then dragged this into my timeline, I clicked on this and then went to the right hand menu and added my title, I changed the font to Bricolage Grotesque.  I then used the slider to enlarge the text .  I then dragged the section backwards on teh timeline so that it was 3 seconds long.  I then repeated this process for my name. 

I then started to drag my clips from 'my media' section on the left hand side into my timeline. 

I used the cutting tool above timeline to cut my clips to the length I wanted and then just moved through each clip to the rough cuts that I wanted.

I then added a voice over with the beginning of my narrative, I chose Arabella Multilingual, I then typed in my text ensuring I had left the right gaps for the words.  I then went to advanced and changed the pace to slower to around 0.7 x  and then I changed the vocal pitch to low

I then added music from the free music archive, this was free to use and use on Youtube videos.  This is an mp4 and I upoloaded to 'my media' in clipchamp.  I then just added the remainder of the clips and voice and I used the tranistion tool on the left hand tools menu to add cross fades between each clip.

Lastly I added the credits so I clicked on 'T' icon and chose the credits roll, I then changed the font to the same font as my titles Bricolage Grotesque.  I then faded the music out at the end, checked the video and then exported this to my computer and I also added to YouTube and saved to my drive. 

Reflection

I enjoyed making this short video practice, the cuts and transitions are really smooth and the music and words remind me of a kind if 70s performance piece, I could imagine this on a stage and the words being expressed through dance!  Very useful and fun.

Project Plan: Silent Scream

 This is my project plan which I made on Visme.

Visme Project Plan

Chapbook: Timed Writing 2

 This writing is based upon my idea of an old man going to Canada - a journey that will change his life/death.

It was the day the sun exploded, he had awoken to a low droning sound, that seemed to be coming from inside him.  That morning he had grumpily forced his eyes to open and as he did so the light seemed to be extra bright from the window oppoite teh bed, he hauled his aching body up and shuffled over to the window to look out properly.  The droning seemed to be getting louder as he aproached the light and then a blast, the sun seemed to detonate, a violent ringing in his ears made him put his hands over them in an attempt to make it stop and then a flash of light accross the sky like a nuclear catastrophe and then utter blackness, the last thing he remebered was the sound of his last breath.  

'I think he's dead!' Little Tommy peered over the prone body of his grandfather and then just to check he poked him in the ribs.

'Muuuuumm! I think he's dead!' Tommy called out, while poking him again, this time harder.  Tommy's mother, Janice came running in still carrying half the shpping bags she was getting out the car.  She groaned upon seeing her father on the floor and dropped to her knees.  She gently shook his shoulders and whispered loudly, 'Dad..Dad...' she then put her hand on his heart and turned her face to see if he was breathing.

'Grandad is dead, dead, dead!' Tommy started chanting.  'Tommy ...please!' Janice, worn and tired, looked up; 'Grandad is fine, he is not dead' At this point Grandad, actaully his name is George, George Fox, but rarely now did he hear his own name, opened his eyes suddenly and shouted - 'What the F...' 

'Dad!' Janice jumped back, Tommy laughed and started chanting; 'Grandad said a swear word, naughty Grandad!' 

'Dad, are you okay, what happened?' Janice had her best 'concerned' look on her face which George has startws rto recognise as a bad sign, as talk of care homes and hospitals always followed. 

 

Chapbook: Planning

 

Danny Wallace (2004) Random Acts of Kindness

This is the plan for my writing, I will answer the questions below to assist me in finalising and visualising what my final book will be. 

What is your final idea? Please explain in two sentences the theme and the form your writing will take.

My final ideas is to create a story on the theme of change.  The form it will take will be prose probably three chapters of a larger story.

Considering the form, how do you intend to layout your book pages?

I will be using conventional book chapters and will also use images to illustrate the text. 

How many pages do you expect there will be?

My book will be between 30-40 pages (no longer) 

Are you going to use images? Are these your own images (illustrations/photographs) or copyright free images that you will source?

Yes I will be using my own photos and I will also be soucing copyright free images to illustrate my text. All artists will be credited in the final work 

What is the plan of your time and how much you will need to spend on this?
Remember writing is something that you will need time and concentration without disturbance - you must make sure that you plan time to do this.

Week One - Sat/Sun - Initial structure of the work and plan for the three chapters.  Aim to complete first draft of chapter One

Week Two - Sat/Sun - Draft chapters two and three

Week Three - Edit and proofread and redraft all chapters 

What do you imagine the final book will look like?

Will be A5 or slightly larger depending on Blurb sizes.  I may choose a square format rather than rectangular as this will be different from previous books and may make it more interesting as I will be buying a physical copy.

Have you considered the cover page/contents page/back cover with blurb?

• Cover Page we will be designing in class/ however I will draft out ideas once I have started the writing
• Contents Page - I will include a contents page for my three chapters
• Back cover I will want to illustrate with an uimage and I do want the blurb on the back in the conventions of a book

Drafting and redrafting will need to be done? Who would you get to proofread your work?

Will ask a colleague of my partner to proofread after my final checks to ensure there are no mistakes before publication.

Write down any other thoughts or comments related to your plan on your blog post.

For this book I will need to be strict about the time taken over the weekend so I will put aside 3 hours to make sure I have a long length of time and then I will review later that day or on Sunday evening and spend another hour on review and structure/layout.  

I will also need to research which I will try to do during the week so I have this at hand when I am writing.

Creating a Website: About Me Page

 Zoe is an artist, photographer and writer, who disappeared to Germany and then reemerged years later with no explanation.  Some say she joined a commune in the mountains of Switzerland, and there is evidence that she resided in Basel for some time, but no one knows for sure. Zoe's performance and artwork are obscure and for some challenging, but sublime. Zoe works on themes of feminism, memory/remembrance and identity.  her work is influenced by the Neo-Dadaist Carl Laszlo, the writings of Colin Wilson and the photography of Robert Mapplethorpe and Corrine Day. Zoe lives high above Leicester city and every day considers her next creation. 

Zoe also teaches art, design, and media at DMU International College.  Zoe has a first degree in English and Media She also achieved an MA with Distinction in Creative Media Arts (Photography) from the London South Bank University. Zoe's film 'Let's Eat Hair' was shown at the Phoenix Cinema in Leicester.

I proofread and improved grammar/spelling and then checked mobile view