Surviving on Projects

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(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr.  Find out more at my newsletter.)

I regularly complain about how the Pandemic has affected my projects -writing, coding, etc. You, my readers, get a front-row seat to that more than you or I would like. But I must note that having projects kept me sane during the Pandemic.

The Pandemic disrupted everything in our lives. We could not do anything as we once did without the threat of infection. We watched many of our fellow citizens fail us, and we watch them continue to fail us. Nothing is the same, and humans like at least a little sameness.

But having projects – a book, a website, a podcast – gives one structure and stability. These at least act as an anchor for one’s sense of self, a place that reminds you of who you are. Writing, art, charity, and other deep passionate activities can be expressions of who you are. Projects help us survive by letting us actively be who we are.

Every time you write, or draw or phone bank, about something that matters, that’s you being you. Maintaining these projects throughout the chaos of the Pandemic keeps you from losing who you are.

I recently realized how important this was when I assessed the impact of the Pandemic on people. In discussions with friends and family, I saw how having any project kept people mentally healthy. People without projects often faired worse.

There are lessons here for us to learn about ourselves, but for others as well. As we try to move forward in the changing Pandemic, we can maintain our projects. We can also involve others who need a focus to join our projects – or start their own.

The Pandemic has a ways to go in the US, and farther to go in the world. Socializing and society is changing. Having something that matters is going to be critical for the well-being of many.

Steven Savage

Tool as Discipline

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(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr.  Find out more at my newsletter.)

I use several tools to help my writing, from simple spellcheck to ht power of Grammarly. I don’t consider them tools just for finding problems – I think of them as tools for learning. This might be an approach that works for you as well.

English is an odd language, and it’s easy to make mistakes when we’re spelling knife with “k,” and people argue about commas (Oxford always). There are also different ways to write about separate subjects, and lessons in one don’t always carry over to others. Even a writer with good editors is facing several challenges unless you write all the time.

Books can help and should be used, but writing is something best learned by doing. So that’s where tools come in – they’re my obstacle course.

Tools like Grammarly and spellcheck show what I’m doing wrong immediately. As I’m writing, mistakes come up, and I catch myself. Each revealed mistake is a pinprick reminder of my errors, and I get into the habit of looking for them.

I become aware conscious of my problems. Then I start seeking them before I make them. This effort develops new, better habits.

I also run checks on documents – I don’t write everything in Grammarly or with every single checker turned on for the sake of sanity. When the same error keeps appearing, I stop and start looking for it on my own. If I keep making recognizable mistakes, then I can learn to see them earlier.

A pattern makes itself apparent. I repair it on my own before counting on the tool. By fixing the same problem multiple times, I learn more about my flaws and address them.

By using tools as learning experiences, I’ve improved my writing over the last two years. It requires a conscious decision, but it may help you as well.

(Yes, I’m serious enough about my writing I pay for Grammarly. I recommend it if you’re serious about your writing.)

Steven Savage

Godzilla Singular Point: Go Big and Go Confident

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(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr.  Find out more at my newsletter.)

Godzilla Singular Point (GSP) starts with a simple idea: What if we did a Ghostbusters/X-files take on Godzilla? That concise summary is the last simple thing about it, resulting in a complicated and glorious take on kaiju.

It’s 2030, and strange happenings are afoot in Japan. Members of the freelance techno-troubleshooters Otaki Factory investigate mysterious music in a mansion. Rising science genius Mei finds alarms going off in a science station. Monsterous birds suddenly appear out of nowhere. A strange, powerful agency skulks in the shadows.

That’s episode one. Before things get more complicated.

Over time other kaiju appear, but GSP brings its own twist on each one. Though you might find a favorite kaiju sidelined or radically re-interpreted, the creators put thought into each take. Rodan becomes a flock of creatures, but their numbers make them terrifying. Armored Angurius is smaller, but the writers have a unique take on the creature’s defensive abilities.

Dedicated Kaiju fans may question a choice or two, but you can’t question the creators’ love of the source material. Even monsters that don’t stomp down streets may get a side mention or appear as merchandise.

While monsters battle military forces and Otaki’s familiar mecha Jet Jaguar, other heroes and antiheroes race to discover the source of the kaiju. GSP soon introduces a loveable AI, extradimensional molecules, a computer displaced in time, and more. The strange technologies and spiraling conspiracies come as fast as a flock of re-interpreted kaiju.

Godzilla shows up eventually, with plenty of teases and slow build-up. When we finally see the Big Guy, the show goes out of its way to honor different takes on him. He’s also a pure force of nature, and we see him from the viewpoint of the people trying to escape him or stop him. He’s one big apocalypse in a multi-sided end-of-the-world meltdown.

When we get to the inevitable final battle, there’s a lot more than kaiju throwdown. Other timelines, more shout-outs, and a surprising-yet-not season 2 hint all come together. You have to watch through the credits to understand everything you just saw – and may still be confused as well as delighted. Not every show requires you to watch to the last few minutes.

If it sounds like GSP is too complex, crazy, and “re-interpretive,” that’s understandable. You’ll notice I shied away from describing much of the plot, which I did. I would need a series of flowcharts to explain what goes on between creatures and conspiracies.

In many ways GSP is “too much.” Too much science fiction craziness. Too many kaiju (often re-interpreted). Too many characters to keep track of. It should fall apart, yet instead, it’s intriguing and entertaining as you have to see what happens next.

What makes GSP work is that it proceeds with utter confidence in what it’s doing.

GSP’s creators have committed to their takes on famous kaiju and the genre. They embrace the twisting plots and strange technologies passionately and without apology. They’re ready to throw in silly humor, bloody horror, and whatever they think fits the story. GSP isn’t just a show – it’s a vision.

If you like kaiju stories, give it a try. Let yourself live inside a creative vision for awhile – it may inspire you to follow your own.

Steven Savage