The filk hotline

[TPoptarts]

Wow! You sure have this filk stuff down.

Okay... I started this thread because I hope we can all like help each other so everyone who wanna write filks could "get the filk stuff down". Whatever that means. I mean of course if anyone else who "has the filk stuff down" is willing to join in and help too

You know what, when I read evcake's comment it kinda dawned on me that I don't actually know what it takes to "have the filk stuff down". If someone could like elaborate I'd really appreciate it since I honestly have no clue what I'm doing. And it would just be like way easier to help if I did.

[evcake]

I meant you're really good at it.

Whereas I'm not.

[TPoptarts]

Thanks... but what am I doing that makes me good at it though? And what are you not doing?

[Distracted]

I think that writing a filk is just like writing poetry, only easier. You've got a rhythm in your head from the original song to hang your words on. That's why I prefer writing poetry that has a set rhyme scheme and number of syllables, like a sonnet. It gives me a framework to start with. With a filk, you have the same thing. Sometimes the original song even gives you a starting idea for the subject of your filk, the way "2 AM" by Anna Nalick did for me. I heard the original, and the words "Breathe, just breathe" reminded me of neuropressure, and the filk idea just popped into my head. I think you're good at writing filks because you're a poet, T'Poptarts.

[evcake]

The creative process differs from individual to individual. When I wrote the parody of Good Night Moon, I just really, really want to write "Good night socks, Good night Phlox"

Did it take you long to write the Scorpy filk?

[TPoptarts]

^ Not at all... it was pretty much all there like a minute after I realized "grain" turned into "dren" that's what I'm saying I have no idea what I'm doing right

[evcake]

I tend to go over and over things, and lose spontaneity.
I agree with Distracted, BTW.

[TPoptarts]

Well like I said in the filk challenge thread for me it all started as a way to vent when I wasn't allowed to (I don't think there's anything in my life that isn't based on a bad experience ), kinda like if you can't talk about it, sing about it... or hum about it... just get it the frell out of your system and laugh at it so you don't feel so pathetic anymore. So my filk style is like totally different from say Distracted's "Breathe" because I write them in Modern T'Poptarts Spoken English. It's like my thoughts have a tune and they rhyme. I also write like a lot of original music and it's the same thing. I just don't know what else to call it

As for like "creative process" I think I'm gonna post that like tomorrow because I'm too dyslexic and tired to think right now sorry

[TPoptarts]

Gah sorry it's taking a while been so busy writing other stuff. Which takes really long cuz I'm so dyslexic. And now I better go to sleep because I have an audition tomorrow and I gotta get up really early. So very sorry

[TPoptarts]

Okay let's see if I can do this... I really suck in putting my thoughts into words. Well unless they have a tune and they rhyme. So apologies in advance plus it's kinda hard for me to describe my "creative process" since it's like mostly non-existent I guess I'm just not that creative. Anyway since Distracted already brought "Breathe" up I guess I'll start with that. Well my first filk to the tune of "Breathe" was kinda lost with page 6 of the "crazy weather" thread so here it is again:

Mid-late April in SoCal, it's pouring outside
Covered up to my head I am trying to hide
There's no use, gotta drag myself out of bed somehow
And this thing that I read on Triaxian Silk
Stuck the song in my head, so I'm writing this filk
'Cause my thoughts start to rhyme and I can't help myself now

And the rain keeps on pouring, the weather's insane
But it's still California, it's dumb to complain
I wish I could put on a sweatshirt or two
Though right now there's nothing to do
But freeze... just freeze

Just two days ago I took the bus into town
And the wind was so strong, nearly knocked my ass down
With a gust to my face, so intense that I stumbled
Mid-late April, it's windy and rainy and cold
I'm in short sleeves and flip-flops, how long can I hold on
Not having my socks on, it's asking for trouble

Yeah I know it's not snowing and I just sound whiny
But can't change the fact that I'm freezing my hiney
Wish I could put on a sweatshirt or two
Though right now there's nothing to do
But freeze... just freeze

Uhhh... creative process. Right. Well... like Distracted said it's easier when there's like a predetermined structure like a tune to place your words into, and the thing is when it comes to me if there's a tune, I'm always gonna have words to put in it. And for some reason they're never the original lyrics that came with that particular tune so after reading Distracted "Breathe" filk it got stuck in my head. For a really long time. Like seriously I didn't even mean to write that filk, it's just that I woke up and it was like April 20th, and it was raining and cold, and the weather really was crazy, 2 days earlier I had an audition and as soon as I got off the bus the wind seriously almost blew me down to the ground, and I had a tune in my head that my thoughts simply fell into on their own. That's the only way I can describe it. It was just what I thought the way I thought it. Like how weird is that. Yeah I'm like a totally weird person

My second "Breathe" filk Breathe (4 AM) didn't mean to write that one either, after all the filk challenge was the lumberjack song (by the way evcake you signed up for the filk challenge, you owe us a lumberjack filk. Where is it. I'm waiting. *arms crossed, taps foot on floor. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.* ). But "Breathe" was still stuck in my head. So I just thought why not use it for another Trek filk. And like Distracted said sometimes the original song gives you an idea for the filk subject. Well for her it was the breathe, for me for some reason the 2am thing just somehow jumped into 4am, and then 4am reminded me of Trip in "Home" and somehow poor little Trip always gets to be all sleep deprived in my fics, and I guess I'm so sleep deprived myself that a sleep deprivation rant just flows out of me so easily and again I got carried away with my thoughts and the tune just fit. Like seriously I even have like a couple more verses that I didn't use in the filk because it's just way too long, well there's really a lot to rant about when you're sleep deprived

Well how's that for a start, I guess it's not very helpful because I really have no idea what I'm doing. So much for "creative process". Like I said I guess I'm just not really a creative person

Hey I got promoted

[evcake]

The Lumberjack song. Yes. hanging around my neck like an albatross (big dead bird, starting to stink.) One problem is that the song is already a superb filk in its own right.

First, you are a creative person. You create all the time. Sounds like your medium is performance and improvisation. Improvisation, it seems to me, is what filk is all about.

I am a visual artist. Collage is my thing, mostly. In long ago days, I wrote poetry. Bad poetry. I came by this righteously - from my Mom. Painter, poet (good, if unpublished, poetry) abuser of prescription meds and nutbar. Bless her heart. No, really.

My process is to start with whatever, look at it, decide it looks stupid, take it apart, do smething else, decide it looks stupid, take it apart, do something else, decide it looks stupid, take it apart, ect., ect., ect. Well, that's a great part of it, anyway. But I seldom give up, so you can keep tapping the foot - it'll come to me eventually.

The five word challenges were an exception. The words brought to mind certain fics I had read, and these brought to mind certain other things rolling around in my head.

Creativity is elusive, but durable. And different in every individual.

[TPoptarts]

Improvisation, it seems to me, is what filk is all about.

Hmm. Never really thought of it that way. Distracted/Jadziakathryn/CX/ginamr/whoever else writes filks do you really improvise a filk? Or how do you come up with the lyrics? I'm still trying to figure out what exactly it is that I'm doing right

I am a visual artist.

Hey then now you can join my "picture & 1,000 words" challenge like this fic I wrote. No one wanna join because they say they're like visually challenged and stuff. As if my computer art is some Louvre material or something. I mean what's wrong with stick figures??

[evcake]

Ahem:

Trip 'n T'Pol
Went to the mall
To buy T'Pol a sweater

T'Pol said "Trip
I bit my lip
Kiss it and make it better"

[TPoptarts]

Ohhh cool!

[evcake]

Aw, thanks. So now I post a picture? Or what?