The Pyrenees---Southern France

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Sunday, August 18, 2013

The Power of Ad-Libbing

          This morning I saw the story of George Raveling on the "CBS Sunday Morning News" show. Decades ago, Raveling showed up--at the last minute--to the march on Washington, volunteered to help with security (there were lots of celebrities, like Marian Anderson and Sammy Davis, Jr. in the front rows) and when Dr. King stepped away from the podium and was beginning to ball up the copy of his I Have a Dream speech, Raveling asked if he could have it. At that moment, a rabbi stepped up to introduce himself, and King handed George Raveling the three typewritten pages and the moment was over.



         For several decades, the copy of the historic speech stayed where it had been stashed--tucked in the middle of an Eisenhower biography...until someone asked him how it felt to be the first black basketball coach of something-or-other (my eyes glaze over when it comes to sports) and the interviewer asked him if he had gotten involved in the Civil Rights movement. Raveling mentioned he'd heard King's famous speech, and had the copy. Ever since he realized its importance, it's been framed and is protected. He's offered it to museums, stipulating that they sign papers stating the speech belongs to him...They've refused. He's been offered 3.5 million for it. He's refused. He's since given the speech to his son, with the stipulation that it never be sold.

         Sorry. I've spent a lot of words telling the "back story" and now I'm finally to what blew me away.

      The words "I have a dream" are nowhere in those three typed pages. Nowhere.


       There are, however, several spots where an asterisk was penciled in. And those were where King took off, adlibbing, making a four-minute speech into a sixteen-minute speech...transforming a powerful piece into an unforgettable moment.


         If your story is moving along, in a certain direction, but then veers off in another...perhaps it's a good thing. Embrace the spontaneous moments. Make use of the ideas that suddenly and unexpectedly burst in your brain.


       After all, it might transform your tale into something even better...  


          By the way, I just got word that my stories in two upcoming Chicken Soup books---Think Positive For Kids and Just Us Girls--have made it to the final round and will be included in those collections. Without my critique group, the felonious (at least in our daydreams) WWWPs, these slice-of-life stories would not have had a chance of getting published, so not only do I believe in the power of spontaneity, I also believe in the power of critique...

20 comments:

  1. Congrats! Maybe you can catch up to Miss Linda!
    Taking that 3 million for a piece of paper would be a no brainer for me!!!

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    1. Claudia--I don't think I will EVER catch up with Linda...not unless she takes off five or ten years and doesn't write a single thing.

      I know. That amount of money would be tempting to me, too.

      Delete
  2. You'd better clean off a bookshelf. Or a whole bookcase!

    I have too many spontaneous moments of veer-offedness. Don't encourage me. I guarantee they are not of a quality even approaching 3.5 million dollars.

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    1. Val--Not a whole bookshelf, but part of one, perhaps.

      I beg to differ. I think your off-road thinking is quite entertaining...

      Delete
  3. Sioux: Awesome story. I had never heard it before. And I agree, sometimes, we need to let our emotions take over our brains and just go with it. Congrats on your recent successes. I too believe in the power of critique!

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    1. Margo--I'd offer to do a duet with you, and we could sing, "I get by with a little help from my friends," but NObody wants to hear my singing voice.

      And thanks, but I'm still dreaming of someday getting a book deal, so congratulations to YOU again.

      Delete
  4. Great story. I've never heard any of that before. That's really a "wow." I ad lib in my writing all the time, and many times I end up with a character popping up that I had no idea existed, and it's a good thing. Other times a lot of the ad libbed stuff gets edited out. Alas, I am no Dr. King. His speech was divinely inspired.

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    1. Lisa--I know what you're talking about in regards to the unexpected character popping up. I once wrote a short story--serious (not my usual forte) and since it was fictional, that is also not my MO--but I was quite proud of it. Sometimes when you let yourself loose, surprises pop up.

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  5. I saw that story, too, and was amazed by Mr. Raveling's humble and non-pretentious manner. Pretty darn impressive fellow in my mind.

    Hey, congrats on your good news! You are the CS Queen!

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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    1. Pat--I'm glad I was not the only one to see it. I was beginning to think I imagined it. I agree. He was quite humble.

      Thanks, but I'm not even a CS Princess. But I AM working my way up from being a serving wench. ;)

      Delete
  6. I never heard that...amazing!

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    1. Joeh--I thought it was amazing as well. How come I'm never in that kind of place at that kind of time? ;)

      Delete
  7. I had heard that a woman (not sure but I'm thinking it was Mahalia Jackson) had said "tell them about the dream, Martin" when he was speaking. And he went off script into one of the most famous speeches ever delivered. I love the stories behind the stories!

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    1. Mary--Me, too. I also love the backstories. I think it's fascinating to hear what was happening in the writer's head or what an actor's motivation was.

      And thanks, Mary. You've just added to the story.

      Delete
  8. Great story, Sioux, and congratulations on your Chicken Soup for the Soul acceptances. You rock!

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  9. Donna--You're calling me a rock? You're insinuating I'm gray and rough around the edges? You're hinting that I'm massive? You're saying I'm ancient?

    Oh. You say I rock, not that I AM a rock.

    Never mind... ;)

    (Thanks. However, I'm standing in the shadows of some great writing friends, and you are one of them...)

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  10. You are an amazing and accomplished writer. Thanks for all your tips and tidbits on your blog.

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    1. Linda--You're welcome. And thank YOU for the superb "editing" job you did yesterday. That credit may not pay scads of dollars, but it WILL look marvelous on your resume...

      Delete
  11. Yay, you! (And I enjoyed the backstory, too!)

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