Shakespeare and Snorri by Leanne Dyck

For a while now I've planned to do some research on famous authors for my blog. Recently I followed through on this plan and I'd like to present, for your reading pleasure, want I've found.

In a nutshell, I found conspiracy and greed.

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language'

born:  1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
Occupation:  Playwright
wrote from  1590 to 1613
wrote 37 plays, 160 poems and Sonnets
Conspiracy:  but did he write them all by himself? Or did Marlow help him?
died:  1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
how:  it's a mystery, but there is some speculation that he drank himself to death

Century upon century later, his work still charms us...

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival (BC)

Shakespeare in the Ruins (Manitoba)

Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan)

Stratford Festival (Ontario)

(Illustration of Thor and his eight legged horse--a story by Snorri Sturluson)

Snorri Sturluson

His genius lay in his power to present all that he perceived critically as a historian with the immediacy of drama

born:  1179 in Dalasysla, Iceland
Occupation:  Historian, Poet, Politician (Chieftan)
wrote from 1223 to 1235
wrote the Prose Edda and Heimskringla

Using his considerable literary talent, Snorri gained favour with the Norwegian king. The Prose Edda repopularized figures from Norse mythology -- Thor (the god of war), Odin (all father) and Loki (the trickster). 

Through the Prose Edda, I hear Snorri say to the Norwegian king, "Remember this, your people and my people we're the same."

The Heimskringla is a history of the Norwegian kings from Odin to Magnus Erlongsson (1184).

Here, I hear Snorri say, "I know how powerful you are. Iceland knows how powerful you are. We don't want our independence. Why would we? It's just talk."

And thus Snorri feathered his own nest while selling out his country.

Did it work? Well...

died:  1241
how:  King Haakon ordered Snorri's assassination

Next post:  Book review:  Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Room by Emma Donoghue -- Target reader
Published:  Sunday, July 23 at approximately 5 PM PT

Read on to discover the dog part to this story...

How to write a play by Leanne Dyck

In 2014, I won the right to have my short play staged. Here I document the journey--including what I learned from this experience.

photos by Leanne Dyck

The MayneNews blog announced the Mayne Island Little Theater's Play Writing Contest 

Members of the community were invited to submit a one-act play with an island theme. Characters were limited to three and props were to be minimal. 

I didn't know what I could enter but I knew I had to find something. 

I'd just finished milking all the 'thriller' out of a thriller to transform it into a literary novella. So I thought I should be able to write a play.

With the deadline hanging over my head, I sat down to write something new but nothing was as good as that novella. 

The novella fit the criteria--it was set on an island. Could I transform it into a play? 

I searched the novella looking for the perfect part. It had to involve no more than three characters, have strong dialogue and action. 

I re-read the rules. Minimal to no props, I read. I took this information seriously and thought creatively. Chairs can be a ferry bench or a car. Gosh, you're brilliant, Leanne. 

But what was I going to do with all the internal dialogue. A friend pointed out that much can be conveyed by facial expressions and gestures. And I knew she was right. But I also knew that it wouldn't be enough for the type of internal drama I wanted to build. I can let my characters talk to the audience. And once again I told myself I was brilliant. 

My pen flew and soon I'd finished writing my play. Worried that I was too dazzled by my own brilliance I sought out feedback and brought the play to my writing group. Other members were working on submissions.  So we workshopped our plays. This resulted in one of the most enjoyable meetings we've had. I received lots of helpful feedback. My play was further strengthened when I shared it with my husband. 

"This doesn't make sense... What does this mean?... Why did you include this?..." He was very helpful--I'm not kidding, he was.

Feeling confident that I was sending my best work, I clicked send on July 24th (about three weeks before the deadline). 

Playwriting tips...

1)fall in love with the story

2)vital ingredients:  strong dialogue and action

3)if you are writing your play for a contest, closely follow the rules

4)once you've finished writing your play, gather feedback

-ask friends to dramatize it

5)two ways to convey internal dialogue on stage:  by letting your characters talk to the audience or through facial expressions. Pick what works for you.

B. Danesco's tips for writing a one act play

And a very helpful YouTube video 

with a lot information on the nuts and bolts

Sharing my author journey...

Guest Post? Author Sandi Johnson

I thought I was born to write. Considering the hurdles and 
delays, the challenges in finding time to write, I’ve 
sometimes wondered if it’s in this lifetime. Given a three
hundred year life expectancy, I might be brilliant and 
prolific.

I first published with the Winnipeg Free Press. In the early
1970s I was taking a course in magazine article writing at 
the University of Manitoba. The course instructor Chris Ladd
gave me the opportunity to write a full page column titled 
“Art and Artists” in which I interviewed the major Manitoba
artists for the Saturday Leisure section of the newspaper. 
In approaching the interviews, I intuitively understood that
I had to find the creative centre of the artist and write 
from there.

For me, art is a way of making order in the world. I write 
in several genres, poetry, drama and fiction. I also review
books, the arts and entertainment. The centre of the work
is its meaning. That seed provides the themes which are the
grid for the writing.

Published by Beach Holme in 1992, “The Comfort of Angels” 
is a fictional work based on my experience of working in a 
managerial capacity with Ojibwa Indians in northwestern 
Ontario. Set in an Indian Friendship Centre, the book is about 
the least, the last and the lost. The book itself asked to be 
written. I had other plans, an easier book. It’s about people 
who are hurting and it was painful to write.

A big challenge for me is how to handle my material. I wrote
“The Comfort of Angels” in prose poetry to express the spirit
of people struggling to endure. The underlying rhythm is the 
sound of the human heartbeat, or the drum, the pivotal symbol
of the culture. 

Writing is about discovery and learning. Reading’s an 
essential component of that learning. It’s a meditative 
process where I’m asking who, what, where, when, why, how, 
and in the case of  “The Comfort of Angels”, why me? 

Published by Beach Holme in 1994, “The Wonderful 
Naked Man” is a book of poetry and line drawings. 
I wanted to learn to use my imagination. The wonderful
naked man, a luminescent, purposeful champion of the
everyday possibilities in life, is fighting in the war against
inhibitions. The book quickly entered a second printing. 
It was produced with great success by Active P.A.S.S. 
Theatre, Salt Spring Island, B.C.

I’ve most recently completed “People Like Us”, a script for 
theatre. Commissioned by social activist Maggie Schubart of
 Peace Works!, Salt Spring Island, it’s the story of a Canadian 
military policeman’s return from the 1991 Gulf War. This was 
very difficult material to handle; the research was gruesome. 
It is ultimately about the human qualities that help the couple
endure as they lose everything that matters to them.

After working in the health care sector for more than a decade, 

I’m just beginning to market my writing again. I retired from 

Home Care in May 2010 and concluded my work as a medical 
office assistant in November 2011.

I think clear communication with potential readers is essential 
to marketing. To assist me in marketing I recently attended a 
seminar, ”How to be Your Own Publicist”, sponsored by 
The Writers’ Union of Canada. I’m also a member of the 
Playwrights Theatre Centre, Vancouver.

I’m interested in imaginary work that’s socially relevant. 
Ultimately the expression isn’t about the self; it’s much bigger
than the self. It’s an act of inquiry with the Mystery. It comes 
from my guts, but it’s really about the universe.

                                                                                                                                             Sandi Johnson