[RE]mixología

Is anything original ever created?

Some, like DJ Spooky, would argue that nothing is. According to principles of remix culture, we are constantly reusing, referencing and recycling what’s already been done by someone or something else. This week I blogged about using a nightmare I had as a basis for a new short story, and I’d argue that I am remixing my dream as I put the words down on the page, using the creepy elements I dreamt about to make a story that is all new. When I write, I remix. I take my experiences, images buried in the sediment of my mind, and reassemble it on the page. By the way, I still have about 2,000 words to go on that dark story. I hope to write those 2,000 words this weekend and begin a rewrite.

Of course, to say that writing is remixing is probably not all that accurate. Though writers re-use structures (such as the hero quest) and other elements of previous narratives, what we call a remix might be closer to fan fiction. Yeah, you know, where some kid writes about Harry Potter’s “other” adventures and J.K. Rowling gets irritated about the use of her characters and settings. However, how do we account for Dan Simmons’ “Drood,” an excellent blend of Charles Dickens’ biography and fictions? Or the excellent “The Red Tree” by Caitlin R. Kiernan, which swirls like a spiral in its references to “Alice in Wonderland,” “Dracula,” Algernon Blackwood, Borges and more? These novels (and many more) make reference to characters, settings and even language from other sources, yet they juxtapose against their original creations, as envisioned by the writer.

Is fiction ever truly original on its own? You decide. My job is to write the stories. Though I have some opinions, I must admit I have bigger questions than answers when it comes to this area of artistic creation.

Here’s some good reference material on the structures of narrative:

• The Elements and Structures of Narrative
• Story and Discourse: Narrative Structure in Fiction and Film
• What is Originality?
• Culture of Influence

I love a good remix. Mashups are even more interesting, and are made possible nowadays because of more sophisticated digital technologies than we had in the 80s and early 90s. A mashup is a true melding of two tracks, nowadays aided by video. It’s as if two songs made love. For a few brief minutes, they become one body, one being, intertwined and penetrating each other. Erotic, ain’t it?

If you follow me on Twitter you’ll see I’m posting myriad links to mashups and remixes all day today. I love sharing the music with you all, even if I know it’s not always your cup of tea. For me, music is deeply connected to writing, and I hope you get some joy out of the tunes. I get lots.

Hey, don’t forget Outer Alliance Pride Day is happening September 1. I will post a cool banner here soon.

I’m also prepping for writing my novel-length project “Rotnacht” starting in September.

I close out with PJ Harvey, whose song “Good Fortune” (a bombastic hymn about the joys of falling in love) gets mixed up disco style with “The Music Sounds Better With You,” which samples Madonna’s “Holiday.” Fuck yeah.