"He's not people, Tim. He's Memorex."

I think I just shorted out, that line is so good. But is it out of sequence? Is it a direct response to Tim's wanting to pour water on Angelus, and not liking himself when he wants to torture people?

I thought so. Is it not?

Right now, it's set up as a back and forth, this way:

"I can't do it, Frank.I find myself wanting to pour holy water on him to see him burn. Then I'd dance on the ashes. I don't like it when I get like that, wanting to torture people."

"So, you want to be Bad Cop?"

"Haven't you been listening?"

"He's not people, Tim. He's Memorex."

"OK, I'm Bad Cop. And...Frank?'

"Yeah?"

"Kick his ass."

But the direct response would swap them, I think. Thusly:

"I can't do it, Frank.I find myself wanting to pour holy water on him to see him burn. Then I'd dance on the ashes. I don't like it when I get like that, wanting to torture people."

"He's not people, Tim. He's Memorex. So, you want to be Bad Cop?"

"Haven't you been listening? OK, I'm Bad Cop. And...Frank?"

"Yeah?"

"Kick his ass."

Something like that, so that the "I need a Good Cop" theme flows in sequence, with "torture people" line directly and immediately responded to by Frank - and lordy, erika, that "Memorex" comment? It's so perfect, because it shows both Frank's contempt for Angelus and also that he's been thinking about it.

But, anyway. My tuppence.

Um, I think you're right. Would you believe, I've had to struggle to write males, historically? I'm not sure where this is coming from, even though I heart procedurals. Reaction to to my all Estrogen All The Time household? Would really Love the TV gigs. Seriously, when the other little girls wanted to be Brooke Shields and Princess Diana, I wanted to be Steven Bochco.

erika, I'm wondering if there's any way for you to hook up and write for TV. You have an insanely good ear for it - the structure may be all yours, but Frank's voice is Frank's, damnit, not yours. And that's not a common gift. I can't do it at all - my own phrasing wants to creep in, every time.

I don't know, Deb. I mean, I gave that up, because the dream started about the same time I thought I was gonna grow up and run a detective agency/animal rescue,you know. And I can't necessarily run around and "take a meeting" at the drop of a hat.But I'm thinking of it again, I gotta tell you. Cause I still remember being twelve, my parents squabbling over some bullshit, cause they were breaking up, but every Thursday they got together for "Hill Street". That's heavy. And you think I sound like Frank? Wow. My brother and I used to play this weird game where we used to imitate my parents talking on the phone(Which was a lot more benign when we started than it was by the time we were too old to do it. )Pissed them off, too, because a. they were usually still on the phone when we would start off and b. nobody really likes to be reminded of how they actually sound, with the hmm, and uhs, and stuff like that.

Honey, I think no one expects a woman in a chair to take a meeting at the drop of a hat - that's all done phone/internet anyway.

I wonder about maybe submitting something to a few places. Not necessarily the networks, but the smaller market and maybe even the local cable nets. Once a piece gets aired, you get seriously looked at.

No idea if it's feasible, or if you'd want to - just saying this level of being able to stay purely in the character's voice is rare, rare, rare.

I didn't know I had it. Aside from being able to "be" my mother so well, I can confuse her oldest friends. But that's genetics and proximity. I mean, my writing teachers always liked my dialogue, but I never felt like that was anything all that special.Until I found ff.net and read dialogue that would make the baby Jesus cry. That was bitchy, huh?But not as bitchy as if I did what I wanted and posted "Oh, honey, no!" a la Karen Walker.It might be worth a try. As far as "feasible" nothing in my life this far has been considered "feasible", pretty much. But sometimes I do it anyway.

I am all about the doing it anyway, including walking when they told me I wouldn't. Ass 'em in the ear, with the "you can't".

See, I think I can recognise that particular ability (pure character voice without dilution) because it's an ability I emphatically do not possess.

Wow, I'm verklempt. This is where the guys would start picking on each other, huh? "You're just saying that to get in my pants." There. All better. :)