Time to Write

How can a writer be in the right place at the right time?

Can guidelines for young artists apply to young (and not so young) writers as well? A recent post features a short video about artist John Baldessari, narrated by Tom Waits. It end with three things Baldessari thinks young artists should know. Let’s look how at the third applies to writers:

"Being at the right place at the right time"

Maybe in the 20’s, Paris was the right place for a writer. Most of the rest of the time, perhaps New York and London.

Since the advent of the internet, geography doesn’t matter as much, although having a supportive and challenging local community still counts for a lot. It’s hard to go drinking with an avatar.

The art world is small, the actions of one or two collectors can suddenly propel you into the stratosphere. If the right rich collector or the right influential gallery decides your dots or your pickled shark or your unmade bad is great art, your life changes the next day.

Certainly the right endorsement (e.g. Oprah, until recently) could propel a book onto the best-seller list but there is also the possibility of a more organic success such as Harry Potter and there isn’t one writing world but many.

So what’s the right place at the right time for a writer? My guess is that the writers who land there have several characteristics:

• Being open to, and early to adopt, new ways to tell and deliver stories
• Telling the stories which matter to them, rather than trying to copy current trends or anticipate future ones
• Having a personal story to tell, something dramatic in some way (but also true)
• Having a champion
• Not being discouraged by setbacks
• Writing, lots of writing

The rest may be down to luck.

(It can be illuminating to learn how the greatest writers went about their work and you can do that by reading "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nichoals Brealey and available from Amazon and ohter booksellers now.)

 

Do you have to be possessed to be a writer?

Can guidelines for young artists apply to young (and not so young) writers as well? A recent post features a short video about artist John Baldessari, narrated by Tom Waits. It end with three things Baldessari thinks young artists should know. Let’s look at how the second applies to writers:

"You have to be possessed, which you can’t will"

I think this is what some writers mean when they say they have to write, that if a day goes by on which they don’t write, they feel uncomfortable.

I’m sure that’s true for some writers, but I also believe there are different levels of this kind of possession. I don’t write every day, although I guess I think about it, either in terms of a current project or a new idea, just about every day.

Maybe I have “Possession Lite.”

Perhaps if I had a higher grade of possession I’d be better known or be a better writer, but it’s been enough to allow me to be a professional writer for a long time, and I’m happy with that. So if you don’t have that total drive, don’t think that means you’re not a writer, but you have to have at least some of it.

I also think while you can’t will it, you can create the conditions that make it more likely that you’ll have it. Sometimes you have to go through a period of uncertainty before the possession comes on. Maybe it’s better not to worry about it. Just get on with writing something. 

(How did the great writers of all time--Conrad, Austen, Twain, Kafka--do it? They reveal many of their secrets in my new book, Your Creative Writing Masterclass, published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

Why so many writers with talent fail

Can guidelines for young artists apply to young (and not so young) writers as well? The previous post features a short video about artist John Baldessari, narrated by Tom Waits. It end with three things Baldessari thinks young artists should know. Let’s look at how the first of these applies to writers:

"Talent is cheap"

Yep. If you’re creative and have lots of ideas, congratulations, you’ve taken the first step. But it’s only the first step. 

I’ve known lots of writers with talent but no discipline.

They talk entertainingly about what they are going to write someday.

When they hear about a new book or film sometimes they tell you, truthfully, that they had that idea, too.

Most likely they have part of a novel or screenplay in a drawer. If they show it to you, you will be impressed by their talent.

Often they affect the current version of a bohemian style. Black predominates in their wardrobe.

The only thing missing is action. Writing the book or the screenplay. Or at least finishing it—there’s always a bit of work left to do on it before they send it out.

It can be a pleasant lifestyle—some of the perks of being a writer but none of the stress and risk, plus you don't have to wash black clothes so often. No impact, though, and not much creative satisfaction.

People sometimes ask me what the definition is of a writer—that is, do you have to be published to call yourself a writer? I don’t think so. A writer is somebody who writes….and finishes what they write. And then starts on the next thing. 

(Why not listen to the writing advice of writers who had both talent and discipline--people like Dickens, Twain and Austen? You'll find it in my newest book, Your Creative Writing Masterclass, published by Nicholas Brealey and available now from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

Why you don't need to suffer to write

It's kind of a romantic notion that writers must suffer. I ran across a different perspective on that at Caroline Leavittville's blog, from author Frances Greenslade:

"I remember when I gave up the idea that writers had to live on the brink of disaster in order to be creative. Hardship, the idea goes, keeps you on your toes creatively, doesn’t allow you to grow complacent…The year my son was born was, for me, the beginning of the end of the romantic notion of the suffering artist…And once I achieved some stability, I recognized how good it was for my writing life. I could relax enough to go deeply into the world of whatever story I was working on."

So what does her non-suffering schedule look like?

"I began a writing routine that I still follow. Once I get my son off to school, I write through the morning, avoiding email and putting off telephone calls that can lead me off on day-long tangents that leave me feeling that I’ve accomplished nothing."

I suspect that the writers who actually do work better under a lot of pressure are a small minority. If you think you are one, consider the wear and tear it puts on you and consider trying to write one project under less stressful conditions and see how it goes.

(You'll find lots of tips for getting loads done with minimal stress in my book, "Focus: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done," published by Pearson and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

 

 

Do You Feel Creative? Welcome to the 25%

An international study by software company Adobe revealed some interesting beliefs about creativity, notably:

While eighty percent of respondents felt we all have the potential to be creative, they also stated that they spend only a third of their time being creative and only 25% felt they were living up to their creative potential.

So what gets in the way?

A majority felt that schools and companies don't do enough to promote creative behaviour or actually impede it.

The other big factor was lack of time. People feel so pressured to produce that they feel they can't take the time to stop and think about how to do things differently. They're on the treadmill and it won't stop.

How do you feel about whether you're living up to your creative potential? Actually, I'm not a fan of that wording--I think I'm creative, but am I living up to my potential? Probably not. I'm surprised that 25% of people said they were. A more realistic question is, do you feel you are using your creativity a significant amount of the time?

If not, here are a few tips that might help--things I try to remember to do myself (not always successfully):

* Be aware of how much of the pressure you are creating yourself by agreeing to the "rules" -- for instance, that you should be reachable via phone at all times, or that you should answer all emails within a few hours. What would happen if you broke these rules?

* Give yourself short breaks, take a deep breath, and ground yourself again.

* When you find something frustrating or annoying to do, take fifteen minutes to brainstorm how you could do it differently, convince somebody else to do it, or get the desired result by doing something else. Remember that you can apply your creativity to just about anything.

(For more tips on making the most of your time, see my book, FOCUS: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done, published by Pearson and available from Amazon or you other favorite bookseller.)

52 Tips to Writing Success - 6: phone a friend!

This is the sixth in a series of weekly tips regarding small changes you can make, one per week, to write better, write faster, and have more confidence about your writing.

Do the members of your family and your friends respect how seriously you take your writing? Do you have somebody who knows about writing with whom to talk about challenges that come up or celebrate your victories?

If not, it's time you found some support.

This is easier than it used to be. If there isn't a writing group around, you can turn to the internet and the many writing-related sites that have forums and other ways for members to connect.

I recommend joining the people who have signed up for an annual subscription to my MADs--Massive Action Days. Annual members have access to our chatroom 24/7 and there's a small group in the chatroom every day, working on their own projects and also ready to help or just chat with others working on writing projects. And ten times a year you can focus on your writing on our Massive Action Days and get the surpport of 100 or more of your peers. You can get more information here: 

http://massiveactionday.com/new-annual-mad-sign-up-page/

Wherever you find your new friends, stay in touch and make sure you don't contact them only on days you are feeling discouraged. Celebrating victories together is important, too, and not just the big ones like publishing a book. You can also congratulate each other on hittting the smaller milestones that go with every big project. 

(You can also get friendly support in print form, from having the idea right through to publication, via my book, "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from all good booksellers and a few bad ones as well.)

Video: P. G. Wodehouse talks about how he writes (the puzzle method)

The author of the "Jeeves and Wooster" novels, P. G. Wodehouse was interviewed for the BBC's Monitor program in 1958. The link below will take you to a seven minute clip from that interview. The wartime broadcasts referred to were ones he made in 1941 in Berlin. They led people to think he was a Nazi sympathiser but after the war this was investigated by MI5 and he was exonerated.

In this video he talks about his life, how he writes, and why he never lets his characters take over. 

You can watch the video here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/writers/12201.shtml (There's no sound on the first minute of shots of his home, his books, etc. The video is about 7 and a half minutes long.)

(Would would you like to have Mark Twain as your writing coach? Or how about Anton Chekhov or Jane Austen? You'll find their advice about writing in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite book seller.)

 

Inkubate? It may incubate a long time before this writing scheme works!

I had an email asking me what I think of a venture called Inkubate. 

The site (www.inkubate.com) lets writers post their work on the site and charges publishers to have access to it. 

I have a hunch that if I asked my publishers what they think of that idea I couldn't print the answer in a family blog.

There is no sifting on the part of the people running the site, which means there's no quality control. It's asking publishers to, in effect, pay to access a great big slush pile. 

The site has been in beta for quite a while--in July 2011 they were saying when the full site is launched authors will get paid when excerpts are read by publishers or agents. Now, April 2012, it says the same thing. 

I wondered whether lurking somewhere in the background is the intention to ask authors to pay for posting their material. Sure enough, the Frequently Asked Questions says "Right now, it costs you nothing to post your work."

Also the terms and conditions make reference to the writer's current annual subscription fees. 

Yes, I think we can see where this is headed. Furthermore, they stipulate that if you list your manuscript with them, you can't independently seek an agent or publisher.

I'd say at least until you see a complete list of the agents and publishers who have signed up to use the service, and confirmed at least one or two yourself, my advice is stay away.

(For friendly guidance from idea through to publication, see my book, "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

 

The increasing need for stories you can write (zombie edition)

If you want to write for money these days you need to expand your vision of how stories can be used. Award-winning novelist Naomi Alderman ("The Lessons") turned her story-telling talent to use in helping create "Zombies Run!" 

It's a phone fitness app that motivates runners by telling them that zombies are chasing them. If you go too slow, you'll hear the moans of your brains-eating pursuers. You take on the role of "Runner 5," who has to collect crucial supplies to help save non-zombie civilisation.

You'll also hear messages from fellow survivors and there is a kind of storyline, presumably featuring the gruesome deaths of a few runners who gave up too soon. 

The first "season" consists of 24 episodes as well as plot-free sessions and season two is in progress. It works on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android, through headphones. You set the speed based on your level of fitness and how far you want to run, and you can add your own custom music playlist. 

The project was funded via Kickstarter, the crowdfunding site. You can find out more at http://www.zombiesrungame.com. 

(I've heard that zombies are especially drawn to people who haven't yet bought my latest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," so if I were you I'd get it right away from Amazon or your other favourite bookseller.)

 

Author Michael Morpurgo on "War Horse" and

Michael Morpurgo has been writing children's books for 25 years, but it was the stage and film versions of his book "War Horse" that rocketed public awareness of his work.

At the end of the link below you'll find a BBC interview with him, conducted by students from a school in Plymouth. He talks about using names of people he meets,  why the stage version of "War Horse" is more intense, and being Children's Laureate. 

You can see the interview here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17382092

(Would would you like to have Mark Twain as your writing coach? How about Anton Chekhov or Jane Austen? You'll find their advice about writing in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite book seller.)