Guest guest Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 I'm wondering what some of you might think about this. I like to write, mostly they're short stories or just some thoughts kind of cluttered together that I put down. Anyway, a while back I decided to take the time and effort to write what I'm hoping will be a book. It's not completely finished, but in one part a character makes some food. He makes himself a beef stew and a side of white rice. Obviously that was before my decision of going vegan. Now I'm wondering if I should take that out, rewrite it, or leave it as it is. I used beef stew because 1.) it sounded good 2.) I used it as a comfort food 3.) I don't know I just did at the time so that's what I put down. So as I still continue to think about it I suppose that part might reflect the character, but as it reflects me in a small way maybe it shouldn't be that way anymore. Though there is one spot where there's a barbecue/get together which I am going to change and I have some ideas for. But more would be welcome. It's actually this Hawaiian theme. I didn't have like a huge pig roast, but there was meat involved and now there won't be. I figure I don't need to show that you have to gather around a dead carcass to get together and have a good time with friends. Now I'm thinking like lots of fruit. Pineapple, coconut drinks, beer (because it's the thing to do and I think me, fraggle, and some others would definitely enjoy a few), maybe some corn on the cob. Who knows. Anything goes, it'll be vegan gone wild. Even if I did change that part to where he was eating some of that tasty vegan food, people wouldn't even necessarily recognize it, and I'm not going to change my whole story and character just so I can make it clear he's vegan and for a small personal statement. Not to say it's not important enough to write about, but I'm not going to change things which could also take away from the main story. I could possibly be agonizing over this. And as always I'm probably worrying over nothing, but the thought is on my mind. And my final thoughts for now is that I'd like to let you all know I like it around here and I enjoy being a part of this group with all of you. I appreciate knowing some of you and the support that goes around. Thanks, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 leave the beef stew part, but later on make him go vegan >Paul <nospam > > > could use some input >Wed, 7 Jan 2004 19:47:35 -0600 > >I'm wondering what some of you might think about this. I like to write, >mostly they're short stories or just some thoughts kind of cluttered >together >that I put down. Anyway, a while back I decided to take the time and effort >to write what I'm hoping will be a book. It's not completely finished, but >in >one part a character makes some food. He makes himself a beef stew and a >side >of white rice. Obviously that was before my decision of going vegan. Now >I'm >wondering if I should take that out, rewrite it, or leave it as it is. > >I used beef stew because 1.) it sounded good 2.) I used it as a comfort >food >3.) I don't know I just did at the time so that's what I put down. > >So as I still continue to think about it I suppose that part might reflect >the character, but as it reflects me in a small way maybe it shouldn't be >that way anymore. Though there is one spot where there's a barbecue/get >together which I am going to change and I have some ideas for. But more >would >be welcome. It's actually this Hawaiian theme. I didn't have like a huge >pig >roast, but there was meat involved and now there won't be. I figure I don't >need to show that you have to gather around a dead carcass to get together >and have a good time with friends. Now I'm thinking like lots of fruit. >Pineapple, coconut drinks, beer (because it's the thing to do and I think >me, >fraggle, and some others would definitely enjoy a few), maybe some corn on >the cob. Who knows. Anything goes, it'll be vegan gone wild. > >Even if I did change that part to where he was eating some of that tasty >vegan food, people wouldn't even necessarily recognize it, and I'm not >going >to change my whole story and character just so I can make it clear he's >vegan >and for a small personal statement. Not to say it's not important enough to >write about, but I'm not going to change things which could also take away >from the main story. > >I could possibly be agonizing over this. And as always I'm probably >worrying >over nothing, but the thought is on my mind. > >And my final thoughts for now is that I'd like to let you all know I like >it >around here and I enjoy being a part of this group with all of you. I >appreciate knowing some of you and the support that goes around. > >Thanks, >Paul > >To send an email to - > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 Hey Paul, why don't you change the beef stew to vegetable soup, with rice!Paul <nospam wrote: I'm wondering what some of you might think about this. I like to write, mostly they're short stories or just some thoughts kind of cluttered together that I put down. Anyway, a while back I decided to take the time and effort to write what I'm hoping will be a book. It's not completely finished, but in one part a character makes some food. He makes himself a beef stew and a side of white rice. Obviously that was before my decision of going vegan. Now I'm wondering if I should take that out, rewrite it, or leave it as it is.I used beef stew because 1.) it sounded good 2.) I used it as a comfort food 3.) I don't know I just did at the time so that's what I put down.So as I still continue to think about it I suppose that part might reflect the character, but as it reflects me in a small way maybe it shouldn't be that way anymore. Though there is one spot where there's a barbecue/get together which I am going to change and I have some ideas for. But more would be welcome. It's actually this Hawaiian theme. I didn't have like a huge pig roast, but there was meat involved and now there won't be. I figure I don't need to show that you have to gather around a dead carcass to get together and have a good time with friends. Now I'm thinking like lots of fruit. Pineapple, coconut drinks, beer (because it's the thing to do and I think me, fraggle, and some others would definitely enjoy a few), maybe some corn on the cob. Who knows. Anything goes, it'll be vegan gone wild. Even if I did change that part to where he was eating some of that tasty vegan food, people wouldn't even necessarily recognize it, and I'm not going to change my whole story and character just so I can make it clear he's vegan and for a small personal statement. Not to say it's not important enough to write about, but I'm not going to change things which could also take away from the main story.I could possibly be agonizing over this. And as always I'm probably worrying over nothing, but the thought is on my mind.And my final thoughts for now is that I'd like to let you all know I like it around here and I enjoy being a part of this group with all of you. I appreciate knowing some of you and the support that goes around.Thanks,PaulTo send an email to - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 Hi Paul, I think my quick answer would be that you are not your characters. I write for a living, and of the thousands of characters I have written, only one has ever been vegan. I don't feel bad about that, though, any more than I'd feel guilty if a character of mine commits a crime. However. That said, it also depends on why you are writing. If you are writing to tell a story, then try to tell as good a story as possible, and if making the stew vegan will spoil the narrative in any way, or seem false, then leave it as it is. But if you are writing to try and make a point, and one of those points is that eating meat is wrong, then perhaps you should alter it. Hope that helps a little, John - " Paul " <nospam Thursday, January 08, 2004 1:47 AM could use some input > I'm wondering what some of you might think about this. I like to write, > mostly they're short stories or just some thoughts kind of cluttered together > that I put down. Anyway, a while back I decided to take the time and effort > to write what I'm hoping will be a book. It's not completely finished, but in > one part a character makes some food. He makes himself a beef stew and a side > of white rice. Obviously that was before my decision of going vegan. Now I'm > wondering if I should take that out, rewrite it, or leave it as it is. > > I used beef stew because 1.) it sounded good 2.) I used it as a comfort food > 3.) I don't know I just did at the time so that's what I put down. > > So as I still continue to think about it I suppose that part might reflect > the character, but as it reflects me in a small way maybe it shouldn't be > that way anymore. Though there is one spot where there's a barbecue/get > together which I am going to change and I have some ideas for. But more would > be welcome. It's actually this Hawaiian theme. I didn't have like a huge pig > roast, but there was meat involved and now there won't be. I figure I don't > need to show that you have to gather around a dead carcass to get together > and have a good time with friends. Now I'm thinking like lots of fruit. > Pineapple, coconut drinks, beer (because it's the thing to do and I think me, > fraggle, and some others would definitely enjoy a few), maybe some corn on > the cob. Who knows. Anything goes, it'll be vegan gone wild. > > Even if I did change that part to where he was eating some of that tasty > vegan food, people wouldn't even necessarily recognize it, and I'm not going > to change my whole story and character just so I can make it clear he's vegan > and for a small personal statement. Not to say it's not important enough to > write about, but I'm not going to change things which could also take away > from the main story. > > I could possibly be agonizing over this. And as always I'm probably worrying > over nothing, but the thought is on my mind. > > And my final thoughts for now is that I'd like to let you all know I like it > around here and I enjoy being a part of this group with all of you. I > appreciate knowing some of you and the support that goes around. > > Thanks, > Paul > > To send an email to - > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 I don't know if I'll get any more comments, but thanks for the comments I've received so far. They have been helpful and I really like getting feedback and other thoughts from people. I do think that I'll change it but only enough so that it doesn't do anything to that part and yet enough to satisfy any of the things I was thinking about. As I think about it shouldn't be that hard. In the part I used the stew because it was thick, hearty and warm which is filling and gives you that sort of comforting feeling. However I think I can accomplish that with something else. That's right, lemon rice soup. And a neat idea I think I might use is to include a vegan recipe for it within that spot. The answer really was simple, and maybe I already knew what I needed to do. But it was just about going about the right way of doing it which I needed ideas on how to do. It's not like my story is based around food so I shouldn't let it be too important, but food is used and is important enough to help out. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 that is a great idea to actually include a recipe in your book, i'm sure that when people read it, they will try it and be like...whoa!!! this is good stuff!!! i know that when i was little and read r.l stine's goosebumps, this one was about an evil dummy that became evil by its owner reading this evil words. then my brother and i actually went out and bought dummies and read the evil words. hehe...i wonder what happened to those dummies anyway.... yah, but writing a book about veganism will hopefully open that door to people, and since you won't be nagging them to do it, they will be more likely to consider it -sheila _______________ Working moms: Find helpful tips here on managing kids, home, work — and yourself. http://special.msn.com/msnbc/workingmom.armx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2004 Report Share Posted January 8, 2004 Unless you go into detail, can't you just say stew? I'm always v disappointed when animal food is mentioned in a book I'm reading, esp if I like the character. Paul [nospam] Thursday, January 08, 2004 12:59 PM Re: could use some input I don't know if I'll get any more comments, but thanks for the comments I've received so far. They have been helpful and I really like getting feedback and other thoughts from people. I do think that I'll change it but only enough so that it doesn't do anything to that part and yet enough to satisfy any of the things I was thinking about. As I think about it shouldn't be that hard. In the part I used the stew because it was thick, hearty and warm which is filling and gives you that sort of comforting feeling. However I think I can accomplish that with something else. That's right, lemon rice soup. And a neat idea I think I might use is to include a vegan recipe for it within that spot. The answer really was simple, and maybe I already knew what I needed to do. But it was just about going about the right way of doing it which I needed ideas on how to do. It's not like my story is based around food so I shouldn't let it be too important, but food is used and is important enough to help out. Paul --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.556 / Virus Database: 348 - Release 26/12/03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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