rebekah writes stuff.

Category: the writing section

  • I rewatched Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas

    I rewatched Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas

    Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (1999) is a nostalgic Disney classic. For those of you who’ve never seen it, or who last watched it on a VHS, the film is separated into three chunks, each with a different Christmas meaning.

    The first two stories ended thoughtfully with classic Christmas messages spread throughout, but it’s Mickey’s story which took me by surprise. Before I unpack Mickey’s film, here is a quick summary of the first two:

    Donald Duck: Stuck on Christmas

    Story one is about Huey, Dewey and Louie and how they wish that Christmas could be everyday. In true Disney fashion, their wish comes true and sure enough, Christmas is yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever. The novelty soon wears off and, eventually, they discover that Christmas isn’t solely about receiving presents. It’s about family and being present. Time magically restores itself and that’s that. I’d rate the moral of the story a solid 4/5.

    A Very Goofy Christmas

    Story two follows Goofy’s son Max. Their neighbour Pete (the antagonist) puts a dampener on Max’s Christmas when he postulates that Santa couldn’t possibly exist. Naturally, this dulls Max’s Christmas spirit and his love of Santa. Goofy works tirelessly to keep Max’s Christmas spirit alive, to the point where he maxes out his own Christmas joy. In the end, Max realises he doesn’t need proof and that it’s more about belief, being with your family and spreading Christmas cheer to those less fortunate. I’d give it a 3.5/5 for moral of the story.

    We have now arrived at the final story, which is Mickey and Minnie’s. Here we go:

    Mickey and Minnie’s Gift of the Magi

    Mickey and Minnie are working hard to make ends meet, Mickey selling Christmas trees and Minnie in Mortimer’s (a department store). Both Mickey and Minnie, in an effort to buy something for each other, are swindled out of their hard earned money, with Mickey’s boss Pete stealing his tips and Minnie’s Christmas bonus presented in the form of a fruit cake. That can’t be legal, can it??

    Christmas is now up in the air.

    Key thing to note here is Mickey’s harmonica. He takes it everywhere with him to get a bit of extra cash and he is incredibly talented. SO talented that the toy drive hire him on the fly to support the band and raise donations. Ok, so remember: Mickey LOVES his harmonica. It brings JOY to him and to others.

    Before the day is up, Mickey rushes to the jewellery store to buy Minnie the necklace he has been eying up for her. Unfortunately, the owner closes up the shop.

    When Mickey and Minnie reunite to exchange presents by the fire, Minnie gives Mickey a harmonica case. She reveals she exchanged the watch Mickey had bought her the year before in exchange for the case. Then, Mickey presents his gift: the necklace from the shop window. It turns out he won’t have any need for the harmonica case because he traded his harmonica in exchange for the necklace. The end. WHAT?!

    *Stunned silence*

    The pressure of Christmas time?

    Let me collect my thoughts. So, what they’re saying is, is that you should do whatever it takes to buy your partner a present at Christmas time – even if it means giving up on the thing that brings you joy?

    On reflection, does Mickey’s decision to trade in his harmonica show the pressure people feel at Christmas to have something tangible to give to someone? The fear of showing up empty handed. To one up last year’s presents. Perhaps. Even still, you shouldn’t have to sell your pet, your piano, your playstation or take out another deposit on your house just to impress your partner.

    Mickey, you should never have traded in your harmonica. Minnie, you should never have traded in the watch Mickey bought you. That’s not what Christmas is truly about.

    Moral of the story gets a 2/5 from me. It got me thinking, that’s for sure!

    Let me know your thoughts on this ending! Or any other movies you would like me to review!

    *All images belong to Disney

  • Lightbulb writing moments

    Lightbulb writing moments

    Inspiration rarely works to a schedule, but when it shows its beautiful face, whether it’s the middle of the day or night, I rarely pass up the opportunity to write it down. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’ll remember it later, only for later to arrive and the idea you thought you remembered has in fact been forgotten.

    Having a new idea for a storyline is exciting! Everyone’s writing journey is different, but here are a couple of pointers that I’ve found helpful when beginning a new story.

    Write it down!

    Have you ever had a “this could be something!” brainwave? In those moments, I always scribble it down. On your hand, on a napkin, on your phone – wherever works best for you. Could be a quote, dialogue, a plot development, whatever! When you jot it down, you can relax knowing you’ve got the idea while it’s hot, instead of microwaved and partially remembered in a couple of hours. You might not need it now, but in years to come, you might look back on it and find it’s the hidden gem you’ve been searching for. Just write it down and thank your future self later.

    Do a rough draft

    Nothing fancy, just have a go at writing the story or a plot outline. You don’t have to have all your metaphors, character names and descriptions figured out now. You don’t have to have all plot holes sorted. Remember, this is the bare bones. We’re simply free writing our way through the story, meandering towards the climax and meeting new characters and workshopping what could happen. We’re going: “cool, maybe this could happen … and then this … what about this? … hmm, maybe this works better …”

    Your first draft of anything will not be the final product. Don’t stress about it being perfect right now. So long as you’ve got the idea down and you’ve had a go fleshing it out, that’s all that matters. It’s a stepping stone. Trust the process!

    “It was a dark and stormy night” by Charles M. Schulz (July 12, 1965)

    Take a break

    It’s ok if your story poses many unanswered questions and gaps at the moment. You might have a section where you know what’s going on, a big gap in the middle and a non-existent ending. Or maybe you know exactly how it’ll end but you’re still figuring out how to get there. Or you might be completely stumped.

    Writing is a process – it happens! This is where it can be good to take time away from it and come back to your story with fresh eyes. Like I said, inspiration usually strikes when we aren’t writing. You might come across the answer to your plot conundrum when you’re out for a walk or going shopping! So, don’t stress if your story is feeling a bit like a patchwork quilt right now. Or a piece of Swiss cheese.

    Hopefully this helps you as you write your story! Give it a go, and if you’ve got any other tips or tricks, let me know! Happy writing folks!

  • Trying to write a book in your twenties

    Trying to write a book in your twenties

    Life is one big juggling act. Between family, university, working, going to the supermarket – it’s no wonder we’re all so tired.

    It’s one thing to think about writing a book, but when it comes to actually writing one, well, that’s the challenge. Writing a book is not a one step process. Far from it. So, how do people write books amidst their busy lives?

    This is my advice to you, as a twenty-something who is currently trying to factor in that all important writing time.

    Chip away at it when you can

    If you’re writing a book or have a couple of projects on the back burner, it can feel like there’s not enough time in the day. Your writing time contends with all the other stuff you’ve got going on.

    Sometimes you’ll get a day off and all you’ll want to do is relax – not write. I get that. Some days you just aren’t in the right headspace.

    My advice is to tinker at your writing when you get the chance. If you have a holiday coming up, when could you slot in some writing time? When, during your busy week, can you factor in writing time? Even if it’s not huge chunks of your week, little bits here and there can help you track towards your writing goals.

    Business, business, numbers

    Your book is both your passion project and your mini business project. Shifting your mindset can help you reframe the way you see your book as both your treasure and a product. This can help you to …

    Plan a realistic plan

    Set some realistic goals for writing and sending off your book. Factor in time to think long term. You might consider:

    • Where is my book now?
    • Where do I want my book to be at (insert specific time)? Halfway finished? Finished draft?
    • What steps do I need to take to get there? E.g. allocating this amount of time per week/month to writing etc.

    And then, somewhere down the line, consider…

    • Who do I want to send my book to?

    Do your research. Look up the publishing houses and the agents. Write a big list. Yeah, it’s a lot and it’s quite daunting, especially if you’ve never published before. Here is a great resource from Penguin to get you started: https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/work-with-us/getting-published

    I get by with a little help from my friends

    Yup, writing isn’t really a team sport, it’s more like golf, but even golfers have a support network to coach and guide them. It’s the same for writing, which can be lonely, so get your friends, family, a writing group or your work colleagues on board.

    Support comes in different forms. It might be getting advice about your book’s structure or plot. It might be checking in with your goals. It might be understanding days when you turn down hanging out to write, or helping you take a well deserved break. So, while you’re the one physically writing the book, you’re never really doing it alone.

    Remember your ‘why’

    Writing a book is a swirly up and down journey. It’s a joy and you write because you have a story to tell. All I can say is good luck and keep tinkering!

    Cover art: woman working multitask activities by Freepik