Nooooo Clue!

Machel · Apr 25, 2008

I am writing a brief history of a singer who passes away several years ago. I don't really have much information to go by except dates:

1972 he began to play drums
1974 he gave up drums for guitar

I don't know how to lnk this information into something other than a boring time line. I usually only write fiction but I can't just assume how this guy felt or why he chose to switch instruments.

I'm not really sure how to do this. Any suggestions?

Tink · Apr 25, 2008

Whose the singer?

Machel · Apr 25, 2008

Layne Staley of Alice in Chains

Tink · Apr 25, 2008

Machel said:
Layne Staley of Alice in Chains

Did a quick research on the web and from what i read it seems that the transition came into play because he really wanted to be the front man of a band aka singer and he couldn't do that playing the drums. Sounds like a little drama there, maybe you could somehow fit his dream of being the frontman into the story as to why he quit the drums in excange for the guitar.
Good luck, hope it helped some....

Tink · Apr 25, 2008

Lost in the AW

Tink said:
Did a quick research on the web and from what i read it seems that the transition came into play because he really wanted to be the front man of a band aka singer and he couldn't do that playing the drums. Sounds like a little drama there, maybe you could somehow fit his dream of being the frontman into the story as to why he quit the drums in excange for the guitar.
Good luck, hope it helped some....

Did U find me?
Hey, don't worry about it, I stay lost...that-a-way I don't ever have to worry about askin' for directions cause i always know exactly where I am at at all times....Lost!!!!!!!!!!

brc23 · Apr 25, 2008

You could interview people...the other members of Alice in Chains....Fan club presidents...their record producers...I doubt it would take you long to find any shred of drama cause it's the music business after all.

I would just say 'think bigger'. You are narrowing it around one guy so that's all you can think about...think about his whole world.

Tink · Apr 25, 2008

brc23 said:
You could interview people...the other members of Alice in Chains....Fan club presidents...their record producers...I doubt it would take you long to find any shred of drama cause it's the music business after all.

I would just say 'think bigger'. You are narrowing it around one guy so that's all you can think about...think about his whole world.

Good Advice

, I may have to use it myself on my WIP if you don't mind?

brc23 · Apr 25, 2008

My friend who just loves him said there is an annual memorial service in Seattle in August. They hold one on his birthday every year.

I would start there.

brc23 · Apr 25, 2008

Machel said:
I am writing a brief history of a singer who passes away several years ago. I don't really have much information to go by except dates:
1972 he began to play drums
1974 he gave up drums for guitar

He was born in 67...so that would have made him playing drums at age 5? Or was that a typo?

Machel · Apr 25, 2008

I was just saying in general blah blah blah played drums in 19__ whatever. I have all of the information on him. His whole life. All the dates and recordings and stats. I have a ton of notes. I just dont know how to link it together to make it readable instead of just a list of dates and facts. I have only written fiction. Nothing factual. Maybe I'm not being clear on what advise I'm looking for.

Example: here is a smidge of the info I have

At the age of 12, he picked-up the drum sticks and began to play. By age 15, he and a friend had formed a small business named "Drum Beat" offering basic rock drum lessons for $5 per half hour.

In his early teens, his taste for several different forms of art began to branch out. He showed an interest in drawing, painting and working with clay.

This reads like a plotted out timeline. I need to know how to link this information into a readable paragraph. Do I just stick in filler? Since I didn't know him, I can't say

"While he loved playing the drums, he decided to expand his artistic mediums and began to dabble in drawing, paiinting and clay"

Because I have no idea why he started doing his art. Do you understand what I mean?

Tink · Apr 25, 2008

Machel said:
I was just saying in general blah blah blah played drums in 19__ whatever. I have all of the information on him. His whole life. All the dates and recordings and stats. I have a ton of notes. I just dont know how to link it together to make it readable instead of just a list of dates and facts. I have only written fiction. Nothing factual. Maybe I'm not being clear on what advise I'm looking for.

Example: here is a smidge of the info I have

At the age of 12, he picked-up the drum sticks and began to play. By age 15, he and a friend had formed a small business named "Drum Beat" offering basic rock drum lessons for $5 per half hour.

In his early teens, his taste for several different forms of art began to branch out. He showed an interest in drawing, painting and working with clay.

This reads like a plotted out timeline. I need to know how to link this information into a readable paragraph. Do I just stick in filler? Since I didn't know him, I can't say

"While he loved playing the drums, he decided to expand his artistic mediums and began to dabble in drawing, paiinting and clay"

Because I have no idea why he started doing his art. Do you understand what I mean?

Is there any autobio's. on him or anything you can get your hands on that relate/shows how he spoke? his moods? stuff of that nature...I am deff. not an expert on writing nonfiction bio's but perhaps if you could somehow get on the inside of His true-self then maybe you could add dialogue to make your story seem more real/personal.
Watch or read some bio's on some famous people and that might even help you put your book together the way you are wanting to...

brc23 · Apr 25, 2008

I see what you are saying Machel...I think to write an engaging book you need a story and use the facts/dates as your filler. I'm no expert on Bios either...BUT I do read

...if I wanted 'facts' about him I wouldn't look in a book I would google it. So you need a story that's good enough to make me want to read a 'story' about him.

Find out what you find so engaging about him...what made you do all this research. Why do you like him so much? Have you ever been to a concert? Talked to the groupies? Been to his annual funeral? You just need to find your angle. The facts will accent the story.

I would start by looking at the bios of Kurt Cobain, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles...not just the movies.

Its just like the other threads say at some point you have to ask yourself why are the person to write this book and what makes your angle different?

Machel · Apr 25, 2008

Thanks for all the help guys. I'll let you know what I come up with.

brc23 · Apr 25, 2008

Keep us posted! I know a Layne worshiper!

Machel · Apr 25, 2008

Now you know 2!!!

Nooooo Clue!

Machel

Tink

Just soaking up some R&R...

Machel

Tink

Just soaking up some R&R...

Tink

Just soaking up some R&R...

brc23

Tink

Just soaking up some R&R...

brc23

brc23

Machel

Tink

Just soaking up some R&R...

brc23

Machel

brc23

Machel