To Finish or Not to Finish? That is the Question!
There is a fine line when it comes to abandoning a writing project or choosing to finish it. Some writers will claim that there are stories they’ve tossed entirely and successfully moved on to something bigger and better. Although this notion of “abandonment” isn’t necessarily wrong, my problem is that the second I run into writing trouble, I want to forget about the project and start a new one.
This is a problem a lot of novice writers face. The moment they have a mental block about their story, they shut down and put their project away. Overwhelmed by the workload to fix the problem, they toss thier ideas in the trash heap and tell themselves they aren’t any good. Instead of picking it up again when inspiration hits, they feel the need to start something new… until they hit the wall again. This endless cycle of starting a project and never finishing one is really toxic to your craft.
Excuse me for the cheesy cooking analogy, but the right path is to keep your stubborn writing projects on simmer. You never know when a character will start speaking to you again, and it would be a shame for you to have thrown all your work away.
I learned this lesson the hard way by trying to “purge myself” of a writers block and dramatically incinerating all the work I had done. As I watched a few months work burn in our backyard firepit, I felt like a jedi… cleansing my mourning by burning a fallen colleague. It wasn’t until my story started speaking to me months later that I realized I had to start from scratch. DOH!
I should have listened to my Grandfather. He once said to me, “If you never climb the mountain, you’ll never see the view.”
Fortunately, writing can be resurrected at a moment’s notice.
If you truly cannot make creative progress with your craft, set the project aside and let it cook for a little while. If you’re anything like me, by the time you pick up a pen and write Once Upon a Time, your other project will start screaming at you.
I believe that abandoning a writing project is rarely necessary. Every writer should finish something before deciding what to do with their project. Regardless of how blocked or frustrated you might be, if you never finishing anything you’re denying yourself the satisfaction of a job well done.
Don’t let your Fiction become your Reality
A few months ago, I wrote this article about the importance of being an emotionally healthy writer. As a follow up to what I’ve said previously, today I’d like to address something that I struggle with every week, in hopes that it can shed some illumination on how to avoid letting your fiction become your reality.
I’ve always been too creative for my own good.
I don’t say this to toot my horn. Rather, I want to illustrate how my relationships with other people tend to go down hill fairly quickly. I’m a writer whose imagination won’t shut off at the blank page and tends to creep into my personal life like unwanted weeds.
It usually starts if I haven’t been writing for a while. Instead of concentrating on what my characters should do next, my brain dreams up hostile scenarios about my friends. An old acquaintance will inexplicably become the centre of my thoughts and I imagine what cruel things they must be saying about me. Never mind that I haven’t known them for years, suddenly what they think about me matters a great deal! Other days, I’ll think about what my closest friends might be saying behind my back. The problem with this, is that it’s usually grounded in some truth and I end up hurting myself in the process.
I have a difficult time dealing with this. My friends and family tell me I’m too hard on myself, so when I’m thinking up these ‘scenarios’ in my head, I feel the need to defend myself to anyone who will listen. Suddenly something I don’t approve of will become the focus of my negative emotion. Instead of being rational, I base everything I say off of what I’ve dreamed up in my head. In turn, what I’m saying comes out as complete absurdity and my friends get upset with me.
“There goes trying to defend myself! If only I wasn’t such an emotional train wreck!”, I’ll think. Whenever I do this to other people, I feel neurotic and foolish. This shame can be paralyzing and I am often so embarrassed I’ll avoid any social interaction with them until I can find a way to apologize for the way I’ve been acting. This also keeps me away from writing and I become blocked for days on end.
Additionally when I act like this, I’m creating the very drama I seek to avoid. Suddenly friends, or friends of friends start thinking less of me as I make another last ditched effort at being the attention seeker I’ve always been. It’s a learning process for everybody. It’s taken me years and many broken friendships to realize this. I hope that what I’ve told you today might aid in whatever similar struggles you might be having. Do not fret writer for there is hope.
The answer is to WRITE about it. I keep a weekly journal and it isn’t until I’ve read through them that I understand how silly I’m acting. Instead of creating drama with those around me, I should concentrate my energies in creating drama on the page. If you ever feel that you can’t get a hold of your emotions, I strongly advise seeking professional or medical help. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s something to be celebrated. Having an abundance of creativity isn’t something to be demonized either. We just need to learn how to control it and channel it into our work.
If all else fails, say what I repeat every week in my journal:
Save the Drama Fo’ Yo’ Mama Fiction!
Happy Writing~
– Daniel J. Pike
Writer’s Tool #12: Visit a Graveyard
I forget who told me this trick or where I read it, but I’m certain many people have heard of visiting graveyards as a useful writer’s practice. I have a lot of trouble being creative most of the time… at least when it comes to inventing character names. I’ll come up with something cliché like “Jason Petrowski” or “Mary Jenkins” and I almost always create a character with the last name “McCormick” for some odd reason.
I really admire authors like J.K.Rowling who can come up with memorable and unique names like Mundungus Fletcher, Tom Riddle, or Luna Lovegood. Their appearance and mannerisms instantly flash into your head at the very sound of their name.
Unfortunately I’m not as resourceful when it comes to pulling surnames out of ‘MacCreevis’.
If you visit any graveyard (especially ones that aren’t located in your hometown) you’ll find an entire crop of surnames. It’s not a bad idea to write down names that are grounded in reality. More often than not, if I try to force-invent a name, it always sticks out like a sore thumb when I re-read my work. If you try going to a graveyard, walk around and picture the type of person the name once belonged to. They won’t mind either… because they’re dead!
Is “Eileen Dubois” a beautiful young lady or a sassy old librarian?
This is something I do a couple times a year when the weather is nice. I’ll usually take my journal with me as well. It’s nice writing around dead people because they won’t distract you or judge you. I always get a sense of spiritual or creative energy when I visit a graveyard. It’s like the people there want you to tell their story.
Take an hour out of your week and visit any graveyard of your choice. Bring some flowers with you out of respect if that will put your nerves at ease. With any luck it’ll cure whatever character woes you’re having. It might also give you peace of mind that our time on this earth is limited.
Seize the day and write something before you have a grave of your own!
However, I wouldn’t recommend going at night… or on Halloween.
I tried that once and it was way too spooky.
Happy Writing~
- Daniel J. Pike
You can find other tools like this in the Writer’s Toolbox link, at the top of the page.
Writing, straight from the desktop…
Tori here.
These past couple weeks I’ve found myself catching onto a good rhythm with my writing, and in doing so I’ve also learned (or realized) a couple things I’d like to talk about:
1. Finding your Fortress of Solitude
It’s not just about finding somewhere you can feel isolated (the keyword here being feel), but also about finding somewhere that’s consistent. For me, I’ve taken to exiling myself to the basement not just to write, but also to marathon easy-viewing content that’s easy to slip in and out of (such as documentaries or TV shows – in this case Doctor Who). At the same time, I make sure to have a cup of coffee on hand to sip if I’m not busy with the keyboard. It’s all about keeping myself busy.
Essentially, consistency equals writing fuel, i.e. if I’m in the basement with my laptop at the ready, a coffee on standby, and a DVD on ‘play all’, I’m in full writing mode.
It might be different for you. Maybe you go to a local cafe or library, or maybe you have some other means of filling the void when you hit a speed bump while writing, but what’s important here is that you find somewhere that can act as your office space.
On that note —
2. Make writing a job
I’ve often said that inspiration is something that can’t be forced, and I still stand by that, but as long as you’ve got ideas or a story that needs fulfilling or fruition, you owe it to yourself to make good of your writing.
For myself, I’ve been writing Monday through Friday from 12 pm – 5 pm. In that five hour period my mind is on writing. I’ll take necessary breaks to get some fresh air, but for the most part I get a decent amount of work done (I’m averaging 1000 words a day).
Five hours is a very doable goal for me, but it doesn’t have to be that much for everyone. It can be four hours, two, one, even thirty minutes, but devoting a set amount of time to writing on a daily basis can be a big help. Even if all you accomplish is one sentence or nothing at all, you’ve at the very least committed yourself to your writing – you’ve made the sacrifice.
Everyone has their own way of doing things, some completely different to what I’ve said here today, but this is what works for me in the here and now. Perhaps it won’t tomorrow, but when it comes to writing I need to live for the moment.
-Tori Domay
Bull$hit Advice from “Would-Be Writers”
A recent conversation I had with an old coworker of mine left me feeling uneasy. Tim has always wanted to start a creative writing project and last week he finally decided to commit to writing something. Unfortunately Tim didn’t know where to begin, so he did some online research. He asked me, “Have you ever heard of the snowflake method?”
… My response was simply, “Snowflake method? WTF is that?”
If you perform a google search for the ‘snowflake method’ you’re directed to a ‘surface credible’ website running a legitimate business. They claim to have invented a scientific method that will solve all your motivational and creative writing problems.
I say, codswallop!
As a semi-novice writer, I know the dangers associated with cash-grab scams as I’ve nearly been suckered into them myself. If you type into google ‘how to write a novel’ the further down you search, the more sure-fire methods, systems, paradigms, programmes, classes, books and lessons you’ll find. It’s easy to want to buy them as well, because they often feel like the CURE to your writer’s block. Anyone seeking a magic spell to fix their craft will be drawn to these sleazy salespeople. Surely they cannot ALL be the best writing methods?
No.
The only writing advice you need, is to pick up a goddamned pen!
Take it from someone who has read well over 12 dozen books on the topic. Unless you’re grammatically inept, any fool can learn to write if he tries. I’d also like to point out as I have in the past, that buying books about writing does not = writing. Some things that are useful are a dictionary, thesaurus, grammar guide, or a tutor who has several years experience with the craft. Having professionals edit your work is an invaluable experience. I’d also listen to Stephen King’s recommendation and pick up a copy of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. I picked up this book again after watching it collect dust on my shelf and it’s startling how many grammar rules I’ve forgotten or neglected.
I’m not here to tell you that these so-called ‘magic methods’ won’t help you. They may bring some writers out of the slum they’re in. If it works for you and you’re a better writer because of it, who am I to judge? I will say that you need to be wary of them. Check out their credentials. Do your research before you plug in a credit card number. Most of these website authors have books on the market that I’ve never even heard of. Even more unsettling is how poorly their novels sold on the market. Why then, should I pay $59.99 for your writer’s seminar?
In an effort to not sound hypocritical, the reason I started this website was for people to learn from my mistakes. I haven’t had my “big success story” but that won’t stop me from writing about the craft. I’d be a real asshole though if I charged you all for what little experience I do have. Unless I became a bestselling author, (LOL) I’ll never be so arrogant as to claim I’ve invented the ‘perfect method’ for budding authors, then have the cojones to make them pay for it.
Please… if anything, pick up a book on the writers craft by CREDIBLE and SEASONED authors. Both Tori and I have professed our love of Stephen King’s On Writing. Other useful books are biographies of famous authors, or books that interview/outline their success stories.
The greatest thing Tim or anyone else could do, is to read a lot and write a lot. It starts by picking up a pen and just doing the work. The only method you’ll find that works for you, is one you’ve invented for yourself through experience.
Patience is a virtue
I can name a few occasions where people have thought less of themselves because of the success of others, more specifically “I should’ve done this much by now!”
Fellow artists… success does not come overnight.
Steven Spielberg didn’t make Jaws until 1975 … he was 29.
J.R.R. Tolkien didn’t publish The Hobbit until 1937, and then only by convenient circumstances and decades of effort … he was 45.
If you’re stopping to think that you’ve got a few years to catch up with these guys, how about this one?
The Beatles. Shea Stadium. 1965. Not far out of their teens and with years of preceding success to boot.
We all have potential to be successful in our chosen art, but it always has and always will be a gamble. What matters is to keep your expectations low and your esteem high. Don’t degrade yourself because others aren’t noticing your work, simply rejoice that you’re doing what you love.
Will you draw a profit someday? Maybe. Should it matter? Not in the slightest. Work at your own pace, and be happy you’re around to do it.
-Tori Domay
Where to begin?
A while back a friend of mine had asked me for some advice on beginning a story.
I’ll say this right now: I’m not one for treatments and outlines. I tend to utilize them in the middle of a project, but even then only briefly (just to remind myself what it is I’m writing about). Outside of writing the actual story, I only jot down important ideas for later that I don’t want to forget.
In terms of beginning a new story, this is what I told my friend:
“I figure out what story I want to tell and who I want it to be about. Then I go on the adventure with that person, discovering everything as they do.”
I tend to be spontaneous when I write. It’s always been certain of making it interesting for me; not knowing what to expect next. Granted, I do like to know the ending, and I especially know specific events that I want to detail, so my stories do bend to some sort of code, but in the end I prefer freedom with the page.
I’m still a young writer, and I may yet come to discover the perks of writing up treatments, but the way I see it, if you think too much about something, you end up getting bored of it, or maybe begin to doubt it. Like life, you won’t make a whole lot of progress sitting around thinking about what you’re going to do with yourself rather than actually doing it.
So if you’re someone who has trouble starting a story, understand these basics: What you want to tell, and who you want it to be about.
Going from there, I’m sure you might find yourself being just about as surprised as the reader.
-Tori Domay
My Top 5 Worst Writing Habits
In hopes to prevent others from making the same mistakes, I’ve decided to write a post today about some of my worst writing habits and how to avoid them.
Bad Habit 5: Drinking Too Much Coffee
Coffee, oh delicious elixir, how you complete me! You are my jump-starter and bittersweet lover! You mean the world to me. I don’t know what I’d do without you! Alright, enough of that.
Drinking too much coffee is always one of those things that tends to sneak up on me, especially if I’m out at a coffee shop writing. When I sit down to start a rewrite, it isn’t until my heart starts throbbing out of my chest that I notice the 5 empty coffee cups at my side. This is also a very bad habit for me considering I have poor heart health. Famed author Balzac literally died of caffeine poisoning. Although I don’t think I drink THAT much, it’s my hope to kick this habit eventually.
What really helps me is keeping a mental note of how many coffees I’ve had in a single day. When I get my first cup, I’ll say in my mind “number 1″. This way when my craving kicks in, I know how many I’ve had that day. Right now my limit is 3 *gulp* but it should be one, or none at all. Ah well, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Bad Habit 4: Biting My Nails
When I’m in the middle of an intense writing session and I stop to think of what to write next, without fail my digits find their way into my mouth. It’s not just nails either. It’s cuticles, knuckles, you name it. Considering that my nails are always in a state of serrated decrepitude, I’ve made a decision to try to nix this habit once and for all. Generally this is a bad habit that doesn’t have any correlation with writing, but for me this happens primarily when I write.
To stop myself from doing this, I’ve found that using surges of hand sanitizer or moisturizer on my fingers not only helps to sooth the dry flaking I’ve inflicted, but also acts as a taste-bud attacker. Believe me, this works. The second I get a taste of that sterile residue I stop biting and don’t think twice about it. I can type a lot faster, I spend less time thinking, and I spend more time writing. Trust me, your fingers will thank you.
Bad Habit 3: Driving Around
It’s unfortunate that I get a great deal of my best ideas while I’m out driving. Sometimes I’ll even get the urge to drive for several hours. I live in a very rural/boring area of Canada which provides excellent zoning out periods. It wasn’t until I started writing in public places where I noticed my ideas would flow best on the drive into town.
I don’t condone this kind of behaviour at all. Not only is it occasionally dangerous, it’s extraordinarily expensive as well. Gas prices have never been higher and a driving habit is probably one of the worst things to have right now. (Well, at least I’m not just burning or sniffing the gas, but I digress.)
To combat this habit, I’ve taken to walking instead. I’ll drive to a wooded conservation area or a nice neighbourhood, park the car and walk until the juices start flowing.
It’s also a lot better for my FAT ASS.
Bad Habit 2: Distracting Technology
Where do I even begin? Cellphones, the internet, video games, netflix, social media – they’re all so toxic for me right now. I can’t write unless I rid myself of all these things. My nostalgia for the past keeps me locked in cheasy MS:DOS games (now available on iPhone!), as well as old TV shows on Netflix that I can’t stop watching. They are all so distracting and it’s gotten to the point when I’m going nuts. Even twitter, which was once a great networking platform for me, has recently become a venomous time eater. Fear not fellow distracted writers, for there is a cure!
SHUT EVERYTHING OFF!!! (except your computer, if you need it.) As a result of my addictive tech personality, I’ve resorted to leaving my phone in the car, turning off my wifi connection and deleting addictive apps from my devices. It has helped my productivity soar in the last month. Some of you might remember my post about the gadget free day. I now stand resolute behind that statement. They are evil enemies of your craft and should be avoided at all costs.
Bad Habit 1: Feeling Sorry For Myself
I’m afraid this last habit has been the most difficult to kick. I struggle with it every day. (Hear that? That’s me feeling sorry for myself.) GUH, If I had a quarter for every time I stopped what I was doing and started feeling sorry for myself, I’d be a BAZILLIONTRILLIONQUADRILLIONAIRE. Even now, it’s not easy for me to write this because I feel like I’d be lying to myself.
When these pity parties usually start, it’s always when I’m facing a challenging rewrite. When I see the edit ahead of me, I take one look at the path ahead and turn around. Trek up a mountain just for a successful plot point? Kiss my ass! I’d rather sit on the beaches of my own lake of tears. Seriously, when will I get it into my thick skull that creative power is a result of positive personal affirmation? (Ah, there I go again. Being hard on myself.)
-No one is perfect.
-Everyone started somewhere.
-Don’t let others define your work.
-Small doable actions will take you further than big exhausting leaps.
These are all topics I’ve written about time and time again on this blog, yet I can’t seem to follow my own advice at times. I suppose that’s the nature of the beast being an artistic person. I have found however, that breaking this habit on occasion isn’t as hard as one may think. The key is to – WRITE ABOUT IT – I know that sounds silly, but writing about my problems in life both personally and creatively has always proven fruitful.
When I read through my journals, I can see my progress as a human being. I also find that I never run out of source material. There will always be challenges you’ll face as a writer. It’s best that you find a way to channel these problems creatively.
Hell, I even started a blog about it!
The point is that you DO something. Don’t just sit there and let it eat you up inside. Find like minded writers and TALK about it. The bottom line is that you must do something that is productive. Writing THROUGH these creative breakdowns is really the best thing you can do. Even if you only write a paragraph a day, what matters is that you WRITE.
I hope these crappy habits of mine have proven insightful. I realize things could be a lot worse. (I could be a coke sniffer or something!)
Sometimes, the best medicine is practicing that cliché of “getting back on the horse.”
Happy Writing~
– Daniel J. Pike
Writer’s Tool #11: Using a Timer
Lately, my motivation level has been comparable to that of an overworked donkey. Between working at the bookstore, working on a short film, preparing my house for retail showings, spending time with family, and the overall cluster-fuck known as Easter, the “I’ll write when I feel like it” mentality is all but a luxury for me right now.
When “life” starts to get in the way of my craft, I like to turn to my old friend Mr. Egg Timer. You can use any timer really, whether it be a timer on your phone, digital watch or bedside alarm. The point of using a timer is to keep yourself focused for short bursts of time.
When I set my timer for… oh, let’s say 60 minutes, I make a personal vow to myself that I’m not allowed to check my inbox, my cellphone, or any other distracting tech at my side. It’s 60 minutes focused for writing only, and the payoff is always fruitful.
It’s important to know that one hour of writing time every day (or every other day), is better than NO writing time at all. An important lesson of my young adulthood has been in learning to take responsibility for my own actions. No amount of excuse making will genuinely excuse the fact that I’m not writing. Using a timer is just one of those little things that helps keep me focused when life starts to get punishing.
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier
You can find other tools like this in the Writer’s Toolbox link, at the top of the page.
Some Friendly Reassurance, courtesy of Robert Louis Stevenson…
I imagine most of you reading this fancy yourselves creative, and you are. We’re all capable that way. We ought to count ourselves lucky that we choose to harness our creativity in a form of art … in words. But being a creative individual sometimes has its fallbacks.
We’re always thinking, both grand and minute. In this way we always have ideas circulating our minds. Today you feel like writing a suspense, tomorrow you don’t. Or maybe right now you feel like a fantasy, but in a few minutes a mystery. Short story … then novel. Script … then poetry. There are times when you can aim our focus on one thing at a time, but when inspiration strikes, don’t hesitate to embrace it; you’ll regret it if you don’t.
To quote Robert Louis Stevenson:
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.”
Nothing happens in an instant, least of all in the world of writing. Don’t rush yourself to finish the script or the novel or the story. Follow inspiration as it comes, because even if you have multiple projects on your plate, they’ll each be drenched in heart and soul.
-Tori Domay
A few more thoughts “On Writing”
Tori speaking.
A few months back Dan shared his thoughts of Stephen King’s On Writing. He has since then shared the book with me, and it’s impacted me in such a way that I can’t help but say a few things myself.
So, On Writing.
This is actually my first time reading a Stephen King novel. I’ve read The Body and dabbled into The Dark Tower (minutely), but I would consider this my first exposure to the author. I was never particular of King purely out of how mainstream he is (I’ve never been one for fads … in my childhood leastways), but I always intended to delve into his stuff someday. I suppose it makes sense that it would have to be one of my friends to get one of King’s books in my hand, but I can certainly say I’ll need no more convincing again (I’m writing this after having read Carrie).
First off, for those who’ve never been exposed to Stephen King’s work, I’d say this is an ideal place to start. On Writing is book-ended by an autobiography that details King’s life: the highs, lows and wisdom (particularly in terms of writing). When reading this I got an overwhelming sense of fraternity; I got to know the writer before the writing. What I found in these pages was a man I share much in common with, from the throes of student employment to the love of writing.
The actual “on writing” portion of the book is a pleasure to read. There were plenty of enlightening tips, though I found that most of what King talks about is sort of common sense (from what I know, that is). But what Stephen does so well is interact with the reader in a way that makes them feel like they’re sitting down for an interview in his study, so much that you might feel a lump in your throat when you arrive at the more intimate reflections of writing in the On Living portion of the book. I’ve never read any sort of “how to” books, but I gander that few of them are as casual as this – as real. King is very real with the reader.
On Writing raises the tried and true idea that writing isn’t just about knowing how to do it, nor of devoting time to it, but to live, plain and simple. In the past few months I found myself heavily inspired while reading this book; trying new things, writing sorts of stories that I never had before, and it was gushing with heart and soul. That’s what this book does to the aspiring artist: it makes them feel capable – makes them turn the grime of everyday life into something extraordinary.
If there’s one thing anybody can walk away from On Writing with, it’s a better understanding of the legendary author that is Stephen King … and the reassuring thought of how much he is just like every one of us.
-Tori Domay
Writer’s – Don’t let other people define your work.
You can’t let other people’s opinions of your work affect your identity as an artist.
A big thing many writers struggle with is embarrassment for something that they’ve created. Why is that?
I have a writer friend (let’s call him Shmaniel Shmames Shmike), who easily lets other people’s opinions affect the outcome of his story. It took me a long time to understand why I was doing this. Finally, the answer came to me one evening when I was playing the piano for a friend. I tried to hammer out a piece of music that exceeded my knowledge of the craft. I apologized for the mistakes and condemned myself as a pianist.
My friend who knew me quite well, told me not to be embarrassed. He’s heard me play marvellously, and although I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about the notes, with practice he knew I would get it. I suddenly didn’t feel so incompetent and you know what? He was right. Had I viewed myself in a positive light, I could have seen the positive future for my craft.
There are any number of reasons why the things
people say may derail us as creators.
If something isn’t written well, or has problems, it’s better for you as an artist if you accept it for what it is before letting other eyes look at it. I understand the pains of seeing room for improvement in my work, but this is not a bad thing, for now I can see the problem, and I understand the solution. Every person can nit-pick and rip something apart if they wanted to. Hell, I have plenty of colleagues who think Jurassic Park is a shitty movie! These people are also idiots, but I digress.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Having bad grammar or being a bad speller does not make you a bad artist. You don’t have to a degree in creative writing to be a writer. All that is required of you, is that you write. Sometimes you just need to sit down, and quiet the thoughts in your head. Get rid of all the negative things people have said to you and start clean.
A constructive critic knows when your grammar isn’t working. They do not however, condemn you as an artist. Great artists defend the choices of other writers. It is important to learn how to defend your own work, and if you are happy with what you’ve made, you shouldn’t let other people change how you feel about it. After all, the more you write the better you get! Sometimes it’s easy letting other people’s opinions change how we think about our ourselves, and our craft. Especially if we respect the person who is giving us their thoughts.
I’ll end this post with one last story, and a few choice words:
A few months ago I had a friend who I let control my life. This in turn affected my creative life. One night we were driving home after seeing Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, and (movie aside) this friend proceeded to lecture to me why Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN was a terrible story. I asked him in bewilderment, “you think one of the greatest novels ever written (one that has withstood the test of time) is a bad story?”
Confused, I suddenly had a moment of lightning clarity as to why I had been feeling creatively suffocated for months. Talk about one hell of a creative “red flag”.
I know everyone is entitled to their opinions, but his argument was incredibly biased:
1) He doesn’t enjoy reading.
2) He doesn’t understand the concepts outlined by Shelley.
3) He didn’t understand the story. He said to me that I was stupid if I thought that Frankenstein was a well told story.
4) His final argument was: “It isn’t finished! You don’t know what happens to the monster at the end! Who writes something and doesn’t finish it!?” … Then I understood. He had mistaken what it means to have an ‘ending’ with his own personal lack of closure.
What a fool I had been! I had let a man who was blind to art dictate to me how I should feel about many things in my life, and I let him dictate how my stories were to be written. This was a relationship that had gone on for over 6 years! Writers – Don’t let people dictate how you work: You’re always going to get criticism, negative and positive. The trick is filtering through all of the “creativity nazis” out there and finding the people who know what they’re talking about.
The artists who succeed are the ones who have a firm foundation of personal values. The artists that succeed do not take their own mistakes and lock themselves away for it. Instead we should learn and grow from them.
Maybe you should ask yourself today what it is you value as an artist? What principles will you practice to give yourself a jumping platform for your work? If you’re trying your best and working hard, there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
No amount of red pen marks, stupid idiots, or stuffy academic professors are going to stop me from writing. If anything, they’re going to make me work harder.
Best Wishes~
- Daniel J. Pike
Writing Advice from Margaret Atwood
Sometimes, I really need to take my own damn advice and just write. It’s funny how a simple task can become so difficult. Often, I forget the things I preach and I find that consulting others gives me the perspective I can’t drum up for myself.
This week I thought “ah, what the hell!” and asked bestselling author Margaret Atwood a question through the miracle social media platform of twitter.
Here was my brief but poignant answer:
Sometimes you just need to hear things from someone who is the ‘living embodiment’ of that which you strive to become. My hope is that the advice I was given is somewhat useful to you. If you’re unconvinced, try reading a biography of someone in a similar profession. Many writers also use social networking sites to keep us common people updated on their craft. If you follow or research the lives of your favourite artists, you’ll soon find that many of them suffer the same struggles as you and I.
What Ms. Atwood suggests is a great remedy for doubt, I think. This week I’m going to take my own advice, Tori’s advice, and the advice of Margaret Atwood. I’m going to concentrate on the quality of my work itself.
The second I stop to compare myself to others, or doubt that I have the ability to succeed, is the second I stop writing.
Don’t Break the Dam – A Guide to Creative Self-Discipline
A lot of artists I’ve known throughout the years suffer from the same form of creative guilt as I do. This guilt is that little voice inside of you that says:
“Daniel, you haven’t done any writing today or yesterday! You’ve been working on the same story for a month now! You gotta do something big and monumentous! You have to prove to everyone that you can do it! You gotta drop everything and write for 4 weeks straight, never stopping and not talking to anybody! Everyone is going to think you’re some sort of hack if you don’t deliver some sort of product, and FAST!”
As great as these intentions are, this usually leads to something I like to call “breaking the dam.” It’s a creative act that seeks to do something REALLY BIG, and ALL AT ONCE, like some sort of creative hiroshima massacre.
Sure you got everyone’s attention with your huge explosion of creativity, but this doesn’t give you a good foundation to build on. Instead it gives all artists a false sense of accomplishment.
Please learn from my mistakes, and know that leaps of absurd ambition do not equal productivity… or product. Haven’t you ever heard anybody say, “quality, not quantity?”
I know there is a lot to be said about setting high goals for yourself, and I’m all-for people trying to pursue their dreams. I also understand that there are some artists who can’t help but get a flush of inspiration. This is an enviable aspect of the craft. Yet it is an aspect that is strengthened by a routine, rather than a stand alone occurrence. But if you ‘break the dam’ on your craft… yes you will be doing something big with your life, but at the end of the day you’re left with a broken dam. You’ll be drowning in your own flood waters, and you won’t have any energy left to pick up the pieces.
Try to build a foundation for yourself – brick by brick; a great cement dam that holds back the demons of guilt and doubt. You need to be prepared for failures. I’m sure everyone has heard the bedtime story of the Tortoise and the Hare. Slow and steady wins this race. Don’t tucker yourself out and feel depleted every year. If you do that you won’t get anything done.
Famed director Stephen Spielberg made several made-for-TV movies, and TV-Specials before he even attempted an ambitious project like JAWS. Learn from my mistakes. Please. Small ‘doable’ actions have gotten me further than I ever thought possible.
Practice some self discipline, and map out a plan of action for yourself before making any drastic decisions. Then put your plan into action, and by all means PACE yourself.
Just try to be a doer, and NOT a doer-all-at-once.
- Daniel J. Pike
Immaterial – A Path to Creative Writing
Let’s be materialistic for one moment and get out of the way the fact that we live in an overly-materialistic world. People are stricken blind by science and technology so much that there is little room for faith for the sake of faith anymore. Now that’s not to say that there isn’t good in the sciences and that much of what it offers us isn’t fact (apparently), but I mean to point out that most people out there are too dictated by truths than they are by their dreams.
On earth we have north, east, south and west; up, down, left and right; yes, no, maybe so; life, death, and somewhere in between. But I can honestly say that the endless space that surrounds us could care less when someone says something like “Superman is impossible.” – Improbable - maybe, but never impossible. In my opinion, to be successful in creative writing is to disregard the norm and put faith into what can and might be (or perhaps already is).
A recent example of a material-driven opinion is a friend of mine commenting on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, remarking that Radagast the Brown’s giant rabbits (ala Santa’s reindeer) were out of place in the context of the movie. I suppose he’s right. Dragons, dwarves, goblins, wizards and hobbits make enough sense, but God forbid if there’s such a thing as giant rabbits in a fantasy world. It’s this sort of attitude that threatens the creative mind. If we can allow ourselves to be immersed into characters of fantastical origin, there’s no reason we should question anything that follows.
Why should we be leashed by such statements as “man can’t fly?” For one thing, we can (albeit by means of machine), but going back to the idea of Superman, why can’t such a thing be plausible? There might be no means on earth where we can actually levitate ourselves by flexing a muscle per se, but what’s to say we can’t be like Superman, land on an alien planet, and be physically advantaged?
Writers might feel lack of faith in themselves just because there’s no reason behind the nonsensical nature of our dreams, but why should there be? When in dreams we’re able to do things out of the ordinary to our everyday lives, and rarely do any of us question it when in the process of dreaming. If you maintain this mentality in writing, you’ll find yourself producing the most imaginative and inspired work you can. Granted, there’s a time and place for proper polishing and structure, but to make a fantasy (or any sort of fiction) doesn’t require background and history.
Look at Louis Carrol’s Alice books. We don’t know the origins of the white rabbit, or Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee, yet we don’t question it whatsoever on account of our immersion with the fantasy. You’re more than free to be as detailed as Tolkien, but there is never any harm in just free-writing and going without a plan of attack. To be most creative is to be immaterial, and to be immaterial is to act without rule. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from fiction and fantasy, it’s that there are no rules.
A line worth mentioning that plays into what I’m trying to convey can be found in the film Wanted in context with ‘curving a bullet’ around an object:
“It’s not a question of how. It’s a question of what. If no one told you that bullets flew straight, and I gave you a gun and told you to hit the target, what would you do? Let your instincts guide you.”
In short, if you want to fire up your creative engines and unleash your full capacity on the blank page, you first have to train yourself to think outside the box, quite literally, and make everything your own. If materialistic ideals stand in the way of your target, curve the bullet.
-Tori Domay
As a little extra support for these notions, here is a video that I watch on occassion to keep my imagination in check:
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!
Greetings fellow writers!
After a much needed holiday from this blog, I’m excited to announce the addition of a new author for this site. Some of you may recall the recent post about my friend Tori. In order to combat my increasingly busy life, Tori will be assisting me in posting content. All of us will benefit from his knowledge of the craft, as this is something he is pursuing both academically and professionally. It is my hope that you will benefit from his voice of calm reasoning, just as I have.
Please everyone give him a warm welcome. You can read more about Tori in his biography on the new “About the Authors” page at the top of the blog! Bookmark or Subscribe to this blog to keep up to date on some exciting new content as we march into 2013.
- Daniel J.
Writer’s Tool #10: Just ZIP IT!
Sometimes, writers need to learn to shut their mouths. I have a friend that enjoys blabbing about his ‘newest’ story all the time, but has he written anything? No. That’s because he’s too busy talking, and not busy writing.
Talking about your story while it’s still in the planning stage has to be one of the worst things you could do. Not only does this give your peers a false expectation of what the final product might look like, but you will find yourself sabotaging your own creativity by catering to their reactions. Sure, they might think your Inciting Incident is really cool, but what if you find out later that it doesn’t work for your story? What if the scene you pitched has a plot hole? Suddenly, your rewrites may negatively effect the opinions of those you’ve pitched to.
I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I pitched a story before I had anything written, and when that story changed, the people around me were very disappointed. I fell into a bout of writers block, because I was trying to cater to their initial reaction to something that would never work on paper.
This is a common mistake of many writers. Do yourselves a favour; learn from my mistake, and wait to reveal what you’re working on until you have a working treatment/first draft. You’ll save yourselves the guilt when people ask you: “So how about that story? Is it finished yet?” or “What ever happened to that dead-end alley scene? That was cool!”. With a first draft your close advisor can tell you what they didn’t like about it, and when you change it, you still have something that’s yours.
Don’t undermine your own efforts by pitching something you aren’t absolutely sure about. As a writer, you should exude confidence with potential publishers/producers. Your pitch should be a well oiled machine, assisted by your editors who actually have something to work off of, rather than their own expectations.
You can find other tools like this in the Writer’s Toolbox link, at the top of the page.
Top 5 Screenwriting Mistakes
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in screenwriting, I’ve compiled a short list of the most common mistakes I’ve observed in my years of editing people’s screenplays:
5) BAD SLUG LINES
You’d be surprised to know how many people make this mistake.
Slug-Lines are supposed to be read as a short transition into your action. You don’t have to describe the location in the slug-line. You should be as concise as possible, eliminating anything that isn’t necessary. Some screenwriters might tell you it’s alright to get creative with times of of the day, but I say: NOOOO!
Unless you’re writing a scene where Luke Skywalker looks off to a binary sunset, or Jordi LaForge is gazing upon a sunrise with his real eyes for the first time, very seldom are DUSK and DAWN acceptable. Use INT and EXT, instead of INTERIOR, EXTERIOR, INSIDE, or OUTSIDE. Stick to DAY or NIGHT shots. AFTERNOONS, MORNINGS, EVENINGS, and LATE EVENINGS are all unnecessary. Your transition of time should be evident in the way you tell your story. There is no physical way of showing how ‘night time’ can be ‘midnight’ on screen. The sky is dark. The shot requires that you shoot at night time. Therefore, you should just use “NIGHT”.
BAD:
INTERIOR - DOWN THE UPSTAIRS HALLWAY NEAR THE BATHROOM - MIDNIGHT
GOOD:
INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT
4) LENGTHY SETTING/SCENE/CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
This one isn’t as easy. A lot of the time, I find myself cutting out entire pages of action. If your description does nothing to reveal something about the character, or advance the plot, it isn’t necessary.
Think about it.
You only have 120 pages (on average) to work with. Why would you put in anything that isn’t important? Ever notice when books are made into movies, sometimes fans get upset that things are cut from the book? Well obviously! Otherwise a movie would be way too long, and as much as I loved Harry Potter, I don’t feel like sitting through a 22 hour movie.
(However I have a “19 hour+ Harry Potter Movie Marathon” coming up that I am GREATLY looking forward too…).
Here is an example of how you can clean up a scene of description:
BAD:
DALE, a man aged 33, sits on a plush leather couch in the middle of a fancily decorated living room, wearing dark khaki pants, a dress shirt, and a tie. He fidgets on the leather couch. Across the room, an ornately carved red door, made of mahogany opens. GEEVES the butler, dressed in a full tuxedo with a tailed suit jacket, walks toward Dale across the red and black pattered carpet. Dale looks up at Geeves and bits his lip. Geeves motions with his gloved hand toward the door. Dale gulps, stands up, and walks toward the open mahogany door.
GOOD:
DALE, a man in his early 30s, sits on a leather couch in a fancy living room. He adjusts his necktie. Across the room, a large mahogany door opens. GEEVES the old butler, enters the room and approaches Dale.Dale bites his lip.
Geeves stands up straight and motions his hand toward the open door.
Dale gulps and stands.
The two of them exit the room.
Notice how I edited the piece so that Dale’s nervous actions are on their own lines? I did this to give the scene a bit more tension. I also broke up the paragraph to make it easier to read. I also eliminated almost every piece of description. Your job isn’t to furnish rooms, dress actors, or decide what brand of eyeliner Norma Desmond wears.
In novel writing, it might be argued that can you use description until the cows come home, (Just ask J.R.R. Tolkien) but in the cutthroat business of screenwriting, you are to give just enough description to give the reader a visual. Use your best judgement. I usually like to give a bit of detail to help set the scene, but anything else is just fluff around the edges.
It should be noted that integral props, or complicated settings can use a bit more description. If it is going to play a crucial role in your story, you want your reader to be able to visualize it immediately.
3) DON’T DO THE WORK OF THE FILM CREW
If your screenplay is littered with PAN UPS, TILT DOWNS, dramatic musical cues, or excessive descriptions, you should pursue a considerable rewrite. If you believe what you’ve written will be dictating the work of the cameraman, the actor, or the film crew in anyway, you need to eliminate it. As I said before, your job isn’t to dress your actors, act for them, or decide what kind of lighting is appropriate for a scene. Film is a COLLABORATIVE MEDIUM.
Here are some common mistakes:
BAD:SARAH
(shouting)
STOP IT!BRENT
(frowning)
No! YOU stop it!
Using (whispering) is acceptable if required, as is (out of breath) or (laughing), but they really aren’t necessary. The actors job is to interpret the dialogue as it is needed for the scene. Don’t do their job for them.
GOOD:SARAH
STOP IT!BRENT
No! You stop it!
See how much simpler and to the point this is? If the actors don’t know there is anger, or maybe some shouting in this scene, then they are stupid and shouldn’t be acting anyway.
Here is another mistake:
BAD:
INTERIOR - INSIDE UPSTAIRS HALLWAY NEAR THE BATHROOM - MIDNIGHTTILT UP to Sarah standing at the end of the hallway. PAN OVER to Brent holding a knife. Dramatic music is playing, as Brent rushes over to Sarah.
GOOD:
INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY -- NIGHTSarah stands at the end of the hallway. Brent is across from her, clutching a KNIFE. Brent lunges toward her.
See how much cleaner this action is without the camera angels and shot descriptions? The way a film is shot is for the director and the cinematographer to decide in their production script. If you’re an independent filmmaker who will be writing AND directing, for the benefit of your actors and crew, just write a regular screenplay. When you litter your story with PAN-UPs, CLOSE-UPs, and what-have-yous, it takes the reader out of the story. You want your reader to get sucked into the world of your script, and never put it down until it’s finished.
2) WRITING IN THE PRESENT TENSE
Very few realize the importance of screenwriting in the present tense. It should be how every screenplay it written. Writing in past tense is wonderful for fiction, or other literary forms, but if you want your reader to follow through your script as if it is happening precisely in that moment, you gotta write in present tense. Here are some examples:
BAD:
EXTERIOR - PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL - AFTERNOONBilly was standing on a large rock in the middle of the courtyard at the back of the school. Students walked towards him. Billy looked at them, and grinned. He grabbed the toilet paper from his side, and began wrapping himself with it.
The students laughed at this.
GOOD:
EXT. - PUBLIC HIGHSCHOOL - DAYBilly stands on a large rock in the middle of the courtyard at the back of the school. Students strut toward him. Billy looks at them and grins. He grabs the toilet paper from his side, and wraps himself with it.
The students giggle.
I contest that there are no right or wrong answers at times, and one can argue that it’s not a big deal if you submit a screenplay written in the past tense. However, it is the general consensus of Hollywood producers and working screenwriters, that the present tense is not only important, but a requirement.
1) DISREGARDING YOUR AUDIENCE’S NEEDS
I can’t express the utmost importance in writing for your audience. If you aren’t writing to tell a good story, then why the hell are you writing? Let me remind you, that I’ve read many screenplays where the author feels the need to use the craft as a means of personal flattery or self therapy. This is not to be confused with self-expression.
Self-expression is important in ANY art form. You need to draw on things in your life so that you can create an original story. As far as I know, no one else is me. Therefore, I have something original to tell. However, if you feel the need to symbolize your life and use sub-par metaphors for your first world problems, you should reconsider your intentions. Why are you telling this story?
The difference, is that you should not be writing so your friends and family can see how you struggled with a relationship, but to write a story that anyone can relate to.
Do you think audiences pack into theatres so they can see how you broke up with your partner in a coffee shop?
NO!
Audiences pack into theatres, because they want to be entertained! They want to laugh and cry! They want to be scared! They want to live vicariously through characters that perservereer, or witness the horrible downfalls of a tragic lifestyle!
Your first thought should be: “How is my story going to affect my audience?” If your first thought is how you can ‘cleverly symbolize’ how you deal with things, you’re not thinking about your audience. Unless you want to pay for your own movie tickets, and see your problems on the big screen, get over yourself. Stop being so egotistical, and start TRYING TO TELL A GOOD STORY.
…………………
Finally, it should be noted that you cannot as a screenwriter show anything that you cannot see on screen. Internal thoughts or feelings should be left for the novel. You cannot say “Jake is happy when he see’s Betty.” You can however, say “Jake smiles at Betty” or “Jake spots Betty and smiles.” Just be mindful of what you’re writing. As always, writing is rewriting, so if you make mistakes, don’t worry. Keep plugging away at your craft and soon these rules will seem like nothing.
EXERCISE:
Take 15-30 minutes today to write yourself a letter. Ask yourself these 5 questions:
1) Do I need to work on my screenplay format?
2) Can I eliminate unnecessary elements that aren't important to my characters or story?
3) Am I writing for myself, or for my audience?
4) What do I want to say with this story?
5) How do I want my audience to feel at the end of my story?
Personal Reflection on Writing: A Stigmata Script Special
Dear reader,
Given some of the complaints I’ve been getting lately, I decided that it may prove valuable to write a blog post shedding light on what takes to be a writer.
Although I’ve outlined a disclaimer for any newcomer to this blog that I have very little ‘credentials‘, I can say with reasonable confidence that I do have experience.
The most valuable asset any writer can acquire is experience. When I was new to this whole process, all I did was compare myself to big name authors. These authors had obviously proven their mad skills in the literary world, who the hell am I to aspire to be the same? I never stopped to think that EVERYONE begins somewhere. No one-person starts out as an expert. How the hell can they? I know a lot of people that want to pursue a life in the creative arts, and they tend to think very little of themselves. Often, they will sell themselves short before trying a single thing. How can you know you’re not a good writer, if you aren’t WRITING anything?
I don’t like hearing people say they are a ‘write off’ when it comes to creativity. I firmly believe that everyone is creative in some way or another. There is this lingering guilt that surfaces whenever we see someone doing the thing we long to do ourselves, and they seem to be doing it better than we are! How dare they!
I have news for you. I couldn’t get over this guilt until I actually sat down, and started doing the work. I’ve said it a thousand bagillion-gazillion times, you CANNOT be afraid of writing 100 bad pages before getting 1 really good one.
Recently, I submitted a screenplay I’ve been working on for several years to the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Competition. This is a very prestigious competition, searching for the world’s newest upcoming screenwriters. Although I didn’t win, I reached the quarterfinals this year. This was a very life affirming step for my craft. It proved to me that I’m capable of doing this for a living. Reaching the top 5% in the entire globe is a sign that I’m on the right path.
Why am I telling you this? If you think my intentions are to gloat, I’m afraid you are gravely mistaken. No, my intention is to prove to you that hard work DOES pay off. I am no different than the thousands of other writers on this earth.
Malcolm Gladwell, popular philosophy and sociology writer, coins the “10,000 Hour Rule” in his book Outliers. This rule explains that any person who spends an estimated 10,000 hours doing something, becomes an expert at that particular thing. If I’ve estimated correctly, I’m about half way to that point and I’ve only been doing this for a few years now.
No fancy courses, tutorials, expensive equipment, or fancy how-to books can prove more fruitful than experience.
If you want to be a photographer, take lots of pictures.
If you want to be a filmmaker, make lots of films.
If you want to be an actor, act in lots of plays or films.
If you want to be a painter, paint lots of canvas.
If you want to be a novelist, write lots of novels.
If you want to be a screenwriter, write lots of pages.
There is no magical success story. Every great writer got to where they are today by putting in many hours of hard labour. Take some time today and start working on the whatever it is you want completed. There’s no time like the present! Carpe Diem!
Yours in earnest,
Daniel J. Pike
——————–
StigmataScript
“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few”
– Matthew 9:37
Top 10 Reasons you should STOP writing:
I’ve compiled a list of 10 reasons why many writers should stop writing.
(9) – If you haven’t gone to school to obtain a degree in creative writing or english, you can kiss your chances of success goodbye. (8) – Writing takes way too much time and effort, and will leave you feeling empty inside. (7) – When you finish a novel, or kill off important characters you’ve created, it’s the equivalent of an emotional loss if someone you loved actually died. Save yourself the grieving. (6) – Writing may lead to suicide. Remember Sylvia Plath or Virginia Woolf? These are two literary figures who had a lot of success, but couldn’t handle the rigours of their craft. (5) – Writing causes stress. Stress is a very big factor in shorting your life expectancy, and may lead to coronary heart disease, or cancer. (4) – Writing is expensive. Many beginning writers spend thousands of dollars, often going into large amounts of debt when self-publishing or marketing themselves to the public. (3) – You run the tremendous risk of spending a mountain of time and money, only to have your novel or screenplay be a complete flop. (2) – Even the most successful writers receive hundreds of rejection letters before getting published. (1) – Most writers spend their whole lives and never amount to anything. Their friends and family may never understand why you pursue something you’ll never be successful at. You may find out later in life, that you actually have no talent, and you’ve wasted years away when you could have been doing something else productive. Maybe you should quit while you’re ahead, before you waste your life? |
Now that you’ve read this list, do you still want to write?
You do?
EXCELLENT!
You’ve past the test! Real writers wouldn’t pay attention to negative things like this. You cannot be afraid of rejection. You cannot be afraid of failure. Writers write, because they have to. If you wake up every day and you think about your craft, you’re a writer. If you only write once a week, you’re a writer. You cannot be afraid of writing 100 terrible pages before getting 1 really good page.
Take a moment today to reflect on all the GOOD things you have going on in your life. Measure your success by setting personal goals for yourself. Don’t compare yourself to other writers, who have achieved many best sellers or optioned screenplays.
I leave you now with some quotes that help inspire me when I’m feeling blue about my craft. These quotes are a reminder that anything is possible.
|
“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” - Albert Einstein “I would like to be remembered as someone who did the best she could with the talent she had.” – JK Rowling. “Serious writers write, inspired or not. Over time they discover that routine is a better friend to them than inspiration.” - Ralph Keyes “The biggest thing separating people from their artistic ambitions is not a lack of talent. It’s the lack of a deadline.” – Chris Baty “It’s not the college degree that makes a writer. The great thing is to have a story to tell.” - Polly Adler “Find a good story and don’t be surprised if it takes you five years to get it off the ground.” –Brad Anderson “God doesn’t require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.” - Mother Teresa “Talent in cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” - Stephen King |
For all these quotes and MORE, please visit the INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES page at the top of this blog!
~ HAPPY WRITING
Top 10 signs you AREN’T actually writing:
If you answer ‘yes’ to anything on this list, you might want to reconsider your priorities:
|
10) If someone asks you ‘when is the last time you wrote anything’ and your answer is ‘a few months ago’. 9) One moleskin notebook has lasted you a year or more. 8) If you’re stopping to answer text messages. 7) If you’re watching television while writing. 6) If you think complaining into your diary is considered writing. 5) If you enjoy telling everybody you know about your unfinished work. 4) If you carry writing materials around with you wherever you go, but never take them out of the bag. 3) If you’re reading a ‘how to’ book on writing, and not doing the exercises. 2) If you write less then one hour a week. 1) If you write one draft and think you’re done.
|
Don’t be a talker – be a doer. Stop what you’re doing, and go write something already. Writing is rewriting. If you’ve never completed anything before, that might also be a sign you’re not actually writing. Don’t be one of those people that goes their whole lives talking about how they have a great idea for a book or a movie. Just write it.
Dear Writers, when getting feedback: BEWARE!
A lot of real fucking pricks will tell you what THEY think you should be writing, but I’m here to tell you not to listen to them. Only trusted friends or colleagues, and I mean VERY TRUSTED friends should give you feedback when you’ve finished a peice of work. They’ll be the only people who understand what you’re trying to say in your story. HOWEVER … there are those who think they know absolutely everything about writing, without ever having picked up a pen.
How many times have you heard this little gem?
“There’s already way too many movies about dolphins like yours. I think you should write about zombies instead!”
I don’t WANT to write about zombies! I want to write about freaking DOLPHINS you idiot!
WRITE WHAT YOU LOVE. Don’t let other people tell you what to do with your life. As long as you’re telling a story from your own heart, and you’re being true to yourself, that’s all that matters. In a way, everything has been done. But I don’t like to believe there is no originality left in the world. There’d be no point in writing anything new if that was the case.
I once gave someone a short script I worked on, and instead of getting feedback, I got a lesson on what to do with my life. Know what I have to say to that? EFF YOU!
Speak from your own experiences. If you find that all you can think about is how much you love baige paper – write about baige paper. If you find that all you can think about are magic spells, and humans with special powers – write about that.
Don’t let someone else’s dreams dictate how you should be living your own life. There are friends who just want to take a piece out of you to feel better about themselves.
Don’t let them.
Honest critisism and feedback is hard to come by these days. Very rarely are people honest with how they feel. If you find someone who can honestly tell you what IS working in your script or what ISN’T – you’ve found a treasure.
If you find that arrogant prick who enjoys filling your head with his own ideas, RUN. RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN! These people really suck, and will destroy your confidence. They’re too lazy to amount to anything themselves, and feel by suggesting the things THEY think are awesome, they’ll somehow help you.
On the flipside, beware of those people who think the sun shines out of your ass. They’re probably either sucking up to you, or have such low self-esteem that they are too afraid to be honest with how they feel for fear of rejection.
You want a fine balance. Find someone who knows when you’ve gotten something RIGHT. Seek confidants that AFFIRM your talents and work to lift you up. Seek friends that give you tools to improve your craft. Not to augment your writing, or undermine it. Don’t let people with low self esteem place your work on a pedestal if it’s a peice of crap.
So what’s the bottom line?
People who are honest with themeselves, will be honest with your craft.
