All I need to know about writing I learned from a cartoon cow!

Mermaid CarleneWell, maybe not everything, but what I did learn was HUGE!

It was Sunday morning and ahem, I was watching Nick Toons. 🙂 Back at the Barnyard was on with an episode called “Cowdyshack”. For the record, I did not plan to come away with this writing nugget but I’m pretty much convinced that I was meant to receive it. And share with you.

So, Otis (the main character, a boy cow) is out with his posse of barnyard buddies and wrangles them a day on a golf course from his friend, a human named Crazy Louie, who sneaks them in. Once they’re all on the golf course, Crazy Louie bids them adieu. Otis and his buddies are practicing their swings when Pig takes a whack. He lets it rip and the golf club goes flying. It travels through the air and lands smack in Crazy Louie’s back, knocking him to the ground! Otis and friends run to his side. Crazy Louie is in udder 😉 agony and says his appendix has been hit. He vows he’ll be a goner within hours but is happy with the life he’s led. The animal posse are distraught for their human friend and feverishly brainstorm for ideas on how to save Crazy Louie. It’s then when they spot a sign posted on the golf course. The “Appendix Golf Classic” just so happens to be taking place there today and the prize? Did you guess? Yep- one shiny new appendix! All hope is not lost for Crazy Louie after all. At this point, you shouldn’t be surprised…Of course the barnyard animals best the human pro-golfers to win Crazy Louie his new lifesaving organ.

What I loved about this preposterous episode was how the writers asked and trusted me to enter their world of fiction. 300_DSCN2296

However improbable these particular circumstances would be in my everyday life, they invited me to play in their world for those twenty minutes where it WAS possible. They asked me to forget the fact that if you lose your appendix, you don’t need it replaced!

I took a second to ask myself, why with all the ridiculousness, was I willing to overlook the insanity hatching up 😉 all over this episode?

It was because of the highly loveable and entertaining characters. I wanted to hitch a ride on their unbelievable adventure, no matter how far-fetched because I cared about their uniqueness and their plight.

Three cheers to writing AWESOME characters who bring us our audience and then allow us to entertain. And three cheers to the readers who are willing to jump on the Barnyard band wagon with them, no matter how crazy the ride.

Life is short. Write what YOU want to write. Have fun and your readers will too.

Fishy kisses,

Carlene Mermaid xoxo

 

5 thoughts on “All I need to know about writing I learned from a cartoon cow!

  1. Yay, Carlene, for sending a great message in a fun way. Again. 🙂 That cartoon sounds hilarious, and I thought the same thing about not needing an appendix. Sometimes I have to think like a kid again when I’m watching their shows, otherwise the writer starts coming out in me. I’ll start picking it apart, telling why something isn’t really realistic. Sometimes it’s not supposed to be real. Lol.
    We should definitely write what we want to write, and just create fabulous characters who can carry ANY scene. Even one where barnyard animals are playing golf to win an appendix. 🙂

    1. Hi Kim! Thank you for always leaving such thoughtful feedback on our posts too. I really appreciate it. Yeah, I just wanted to put a little reminder out there in the world that we’re writing fiction and it should be as fantastical as we want. Break the rules and have some fun!

  2. Love this, Carlene – and that’s why you’re MY hero! Reading this little story just gave me some mojo for my own writing today. Thanks! 😉

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