Susan Johnson of The Urban Muse has done a really nice piece today on creativity, or What I Learned About Being a Fiction Writer from Musical Theater. And I’m not just saying this because I live with a musical theater buff who can sing all of The Pirates of Penzance at the drop of a hat—including impromptu lyrics (and frequently does).

Also, Mystery Man on Film kicks off his new series of appearances on the Story Department with a classic discussion of exposition. Take note, especially, of #2 under Other Considerations way down at the bottom. This is, in a nutshell, the logic behind saving backstory for Chapter 2 or 3.

And Laura at Combreviations posted a clip last November (which I am just getting around to pointing out) of Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner doing “The 2,000 Year Old Man,” which lead me to reading the interview she linked to, which lead me to Mel Brooks’ wonderful ad-libbed description of Jesus: “Always came into the store, never bought anything. Always asked for water.”

Apparently Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner, now in their eighties, are best friends and spend most evenings together having dinner and watching movies. What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall—I love Mel Brooks’ delivery. That guy could read a shopping list and make me laugh. “ONIONS!”

And he had also the incredible good sense to be married to Anne Bancroft for 41 years. Way to go, Mel!