Time to Write

Some dire predictions (hype, I hope)

Writer Nicholas Carr told National Public Radio, "Over the last couple of years, I've really noticed if I sit down with a book, after a few paragraphs, I'll say, 'You know, where's the links? Where's the e-mail? Where's all the stuff going on?' " says writer Nicholas Carr. "And it's kind of sad."

Boy, is it ever! My answer when I read something—at least something good—is that all the stuff is going on in my head. Come on, Nick, get something going in yours!

Of course he was talking about an article he wrote for The Atlantic (presumably one with old-fashioned quiet text), and I suspect that he felt a nice injection of hyperbole might help him sell it. Another quote from Carr:

“"When printed books first became popular, thanks to Gutenberg's press, you saw this great expansion of eloquence and experimentation," says Carr. "All of which came out of the fact that here was a technology that encouraged people to read deeply, with great concentration and focus. And as we move to the new technology of the screen ... it has a very different effect, an almost opposite effect, and you will see a retreat from the sophistication and eloquence that characterized the printed page."

That’s also sad.

Novelist and reviewer Lev Grossman’s prediction to NPR was a bit less dramatic and in line with a trend I’ve noticed over recent years anyway:

 “More purchases will be based on brief excerpts. ‘It will be incumbent on novelists to hook readers right away," says Grossman. "You won't be allowed to do a kind of tone poem overture, you're going to want to have blood on the wall by the end of the second paragraph. And I think that's something writers will have to adapt to, and the challenge will be to use this powerfully narrative form, this pulpy kind of mode, to say important things.’”

This phenomenon of desperate attempts to keep the reader’s (or, in this case, viewer’s) attention reaches its nadir in TV shows like “Entertainment Tonight,” in which they hype some “revelation” repeatedly: “Later we reveal the secret Tom Cruise has been keeping about his daughter!” Eventually the revelation comes: She doesn’t like asparagus! But before the banality of the secret can sink in, we’ve been invited to wait for some other startling revelation coming in a few minutes. Sadly, milder forms of this con are beginning to show up in more legitimate news and entertainment programs.

Come back, Gutenberg, all is forgiven.

(In a moment, I reveal the secret meaning of life--but first, read my book, "Your Writing Coach"...a non-hype guide to writing your book or script.)

The giant that helped the little book store (and what we can learn from it)

The Daily Telegraph tells how Eleanor Davies, manager of Linghams Bookshop in Wirral, wrote to Tesco chief executive saying that she can’t compete with Tesco’s heavy discounting of a small number of popular titles and suggesting that they put a sign above their book shelf, directing customers to her shop to find less popular titles and book-buying advice.

Tesco put up three sings to that effect and Ms Davies told the Telegraph that she’s started seeing customers come in as a result.

I hope this idea spreads but beyond that I think there’s a lesson here: dare to ask! I can imagine someone saying, “Forget it, Tesco’s would never do that!” Ms Davies realized the worst that could happen is they could say no and went ahead and got the result she was hoping for.

(Do you want to forge ahead with a goal that’s been on your mind? Join my 60-day  Breakthrough Strategy online workshop—for full information, see www.jurgenwolff.com.)

Goood advice about writing your autobiography

Amanda Ross, founder of the UK’s Richard & Judy book club, shared some advice for writers in the (London Times). One was about writing autobigraphies:

“Don’t write autobiography unless you really have led a truly unique life. I can’t tell you the number of manuscripts I have been sent by middle-aged men who think that they are incredibly fascinating. A lot are chief executives, putting their mid-life crisis down in a novel. Well, I’ve got news for you: most middle-aged men go through the same thing, so unless you are going to do a fantastic Nick Hornby twist on it, don’t do it.”

I get emails from people asking whether I think they should self-publish their autobiography. I always ask them what result they want. If they want to leave a record of their lives for their children and grandchildren, go for it. I wish my parents or grandparents had done that, if only in a journal or diary, and I bet your descendants will also be curious about your life. Using print on demand, you can have a small number of copies printed very economically to create a wonderful present.But if you want to have a book that sells well to the general public, I’m with Amanda Ross—you need to have a special story.

However, sometimes people have specialist experience (e.g., doing a certain kind of work, or being an expert in a particular hobby) that might be of interest to others in the same field. These will never become general best-sellers but they might do well within a particular niche.

(For friendly guidance writing your book, from idea through the publication, see my book, “Your Writing Coach,” published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other online and offline retailers.)

Before you pay for the secret of success, read this

I’m always amused when the media ask someone who has reached a very advanced age the secret of their longevity. Typical answers are having a drink every day or not drinking at all, eating sprouts every day or never eating sprouts, being optimistic or being realistic, etc. The real answer probably has more to do with genetics and chance but those don’t make for a good sound bite and the exercise is harmless enough.

 However, things get more serious when people start telling you (or selling you) the secrets of success. Then it becomes more important to tell the difference between coincidence and causality.

 In coincidence, two things happen at the same time or one after the other, but one does not cause the other.

 In causality, one thing causes (or at least influences) the other.

 Let’s look at an example. You read that three Oscar-winning screenplay writers all wore red hats during the process of writing their award-winning scripts. Would you go out and buy a red hat? Silly, right? (Having said that, if this were true I might go into the business of selling red hats to aspiring scriptwriters because a certain number would think ‘it can’t hurt, just in case.’)

 But suppose you find out that all three of them used Final Draft to compose their screenplays or they all had attended a particular screenwriting workshop. Would that motivate you to buy the software or enrol in the class? It’s much more likely. In fact, a couple of workshops promote themselves on the fact that some of their alumni have won Academy Awards or Emmys.

 What we’re missing is all the people who did the same thing but didn’t win any awards. How many people use Final Draft or have attended Mr. X’s workshop but never sell a script?

 The same thing applies to trying to figure out why a certain book is a massive hit. Why was Harry Potter so successful? Because it’s about wizards? Because of the style in which it was written? Because it was so long? The annoying fact is, nobody knows. That’s why Harry Potter was rejected by a dozen publishers before landing a modest deal with Bloomsbury. It was one of those things that take off and nobody can really tell you why--like Lady GaGa, George Bush, and hula hoops. (Of course there is no shortage of analysts who will claim to know, after the fact, but try getting them to be that smart in advance.)

 I’m not saying that there are no things that increase your chances of success. But before you shell out a lot of money for “the secret” of anything it’s useful to know that there isn’t one.

(One thing that's no secret is that it helps to have support when you're going for your goals--it won't guarantee success, but it usually helps--and you can get it from me in my 60-day Breakthrough Strategy online coaching program. For more information, go to www.jurgenwolff.com or email me directly at [email protected])

Finding your own voice - advice from Wim Wenders

In this Filmaka interview, director Wim Wenders talks about finding your own voice. He’s talking about film-makers, but you can just as easily apply these thoughts to writing (with short stories the equivalent of short films, and novels the equivalent of feature films). The clip is about four minutes long. Only the first 45 seconds is about Filmaka (the clip may take a few seconds to load).

Billy Wilder's ten rules of screenwriting (good for novelists, too)

Billy Wilder was the writer director of witty classics including “Some Like It Hot.” He had ten rules for screenwriting which are hugely valuable—in fact, if you really understand them and apply them, they may be the only scriptwriting course you need. Furthermore, they're great for any kind of story telling:

1. The audience is fickle.
2. Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.
3. Develop a clean line of action for your leading character.
4. Know where you’re going.
5. The more subtle and elegant you are in hiding your plot points, the better you are as a writer.
6. If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.
7. A tip from Lubitsch: Let the audience add up two plus two. They’ll love you forever.
8. In doing voice-overs, be careful not to describe what the audience already sees. Add to what they’re seeing.
9. The event that occurs at the second act curtain triggers the end of the movie.
10. The third act must build, build, build in tempo and action until the last event, and then—that’s it. Don’t hang around.

Which ones are most ignored by film-makers these days? I’d say numbers 5 and 7—what do you think?

(More useful tips are in my "Your Writing Coach" book, available from Amazon and other online and offline retailers. You might also like to take a look at my new screenwriting site, at www.ScreenWritingSuccess.com for more tips and posts.)

Norman Mailer's advice to writers

In an article in The Times (for which I haven't been able to find a link), Sue Fox told of her interview with Norman Mailer toward the end of his life. He told her this about writing:

"It's very bad to write a novel by act of will. I can do a book of nonfiction work that way--just sign the contract and do the book because, provided the topic has some meaning for me, I know I can do it. But a novel is different. A novel is more like falling in love. You don't say, 'I'm going to fall in love next Tuesday, I'm going to begin my novel.' The novel has to come to you. It has to feel just like love."

The article revealed that Mailer kept up his work habits almost to the end. His son, John Buffalo Mailer, said, "At 84, he still had his work ethic like very few people--treating his writing like a regular 9 to 5 job. You check in every day and go to work."

He also said, "One of the best pieces of advice Pop gave me about writing is to learn how to say something once. Most young writers say the same things different ways. You have to choose the best."

(Not sure how to get started writing your book? Check out "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other online and offline retailers--also see the website at www.yourwritingcoach.com)

Stark time management advice for writers (and others)

On Suite101.com, novelist Nikki Gemmell told Kate Pain, “My best tip for people struggling with time mangement is to write as if you are dying! This is a real motivator and hurries things along.”

 Gemmell practices what she preaches, managing to get in daily writing sessions despite having children aged seven, five and six months. She says she tries to work around baby nap times.

This kind of achievement doesn't just happen--you have to plan when you will make the time for the things that truly matter to you. If necessary, start small: find 15 minutes a day to dedicate to your goal. Once that's a habit, expand it to 30 minutes. Once that's easy for you, graduate to an hour and on to however much time you require and can afford.

(Right-brain time management methods are one component of my 60-day Breakthrough Strategy online coaching program. For more information, go to www.jurgenwolff.com or email me directly at [email protected])

The six writer's blocks you should know about

On Wednesdays, Steven Pressfield, author of “Gates of Fire,” and “The Legend of Bagger Vance” as well as “The War of Art,” holds forth about writing (his blog is www.stevenpressfield.com). Recently he described the sticking points (or block points) writers typically encounter:

 1) Before we begin. We’re afraid to launch, to commit.

2) An eighth of the way through. The honeymoon rush of enthusiasm wears off. We start having second thoughts. “What have I done? Where did I get the crazy idea that I could pull this thing off?”

3) In the thick of the action. We’ve committed so much that we can’t go back–but we can’t see the end either. Befuddlement strikes, the fog of war. Paralysis.

4) Nine-tenths of the way through. We suddenly discover our whole premise is faulty; we must scrap 65% and start over. Arrrggggh.

5) In sight of the end. Can we close the deal? Will we freeze? Will we choke?

6) When we’re actually done. Now we’ll be judged. We are struck by fear of failure, fear of success, “the full catastrophe,” as Zorba the Greek once said.

 Sounds about right, although fortunately we don’t hit all six every time. For some people it can be a big help to know that this is common, not something unique to them. Pressfield’s advice is to be patient, don’t panic or over-react, and apply your logic and your craft. The result may be that you move to a higher level. (By the way, the rest of the time Pressfield’s site is concerned with “war and reality in Afghanistan, and fascinating.)

(I will help you overcome your blocks when you join my Breakthrough Strategy 60-day online coaching program. For more information, see www.jurgenwolff.com or email me directly at [email protected])

8 steps to finally achieving your goals (Bonus post 8)

This is the last in a series of posts designed to help you finally achieve your most cherished goal. Step 8 is:

Stay flexible as to the means to the end.

You may not want to change the outcome you want, but you should always be ready to change how you get to it. For instance, you may have set a certain level of fitness as your goal. You decide to go jogging three mornings a week but after a couple of weeks you realize you really, really hate running in the cold weather. Don't give up on the goal, find an alternative route to it--for instance, go swimming in a nice heated swimming pool three times a week instead.

TAKE ACTION: For each of the strategies you have decided on for reaching your goals, come up with at least one alternative in case those strategies don't work. It's much better to think of these ahead of time; that way they are ready to put in place without losing any time or energy. Remember, every journey to success is a series of trials and errors. The people who reach the goal use temporary failures as a signal that they need to do something different.

That's the end of this series of bonus posts. If you have a question or would like to find out how to join my Breakthrough Strategy 60-day online coaching program, send me an email at [email protected]; I'd also love to hear about the goals you are setting and whether these tips have been useful.

How to fix your saggy middle (in your book or screenplay)

It’s not uncommon for writers to have a saggy middle, but when novelist Katie Fford used that term recently to Kate Pain on Suite101.com she was referring to the middle of books. She explained how creating a “backwards synopsis” can help:

 “The problem crops up when you have started writing. You think you have a whole book’s worth of prose then you suddenly realise you’ve run out and you don’t know what to write next. So I stop and break it all down by asking ‘Okay, where am I now and where do I want them to be?”

 

"With all my novels I know I want a happy ending and I know I want the hero and heroine to get together. So, depending on where I am – where I am starting to sag – I have to think: Have they already been together? If they have, have they made love and its gone wrong? Or have they not got that far? Or did they nearly get that far and, if so, what happened?”

In other words, she asks important questions about how the characters got to the important plot points and uses that information to flesh out the middle of the book.

 

FLASHING RED LIGHT WARNING: You have to be discerning in terms of what you include, otherwise it just adds flab. I recently attended a play reading in which the author had included all kinds of irrelevant chit-chat and it was painful to listen to.

For example, to get to the restaurant in which he proposes, maybe your character had to take a cab. But don’t tell us about the cab ride unless something happens during it that in some way influences a future scene.

 (For lots of practical, do-it-now advice on how to write your book, from idea through to publication, see my book, “Your Writing Coach,” available from Amazon and other online and offline retailers.)

8 steps to finally achieving your goals (Bonus post 7)

This is a series of posts designed to help you finally achieve your most cherished goals. Step 7 is:

Keep your goals in front of you every day.

Most of the time people don't make a conscious decision to abandon their goals, they just find that other things take over and one day they wake up and realize they haven't worked toward their goals for weeks or months. Often the response is 'what's the use?' -- and a little part of them dies.

Your job is to create the conditions in which it is impossible for you to forget about your goals on a day to day basis. There are lots of ways you can do this:

• carry with you a card with your goals written on it;
• put Post-It notes all over the place reminding you of your goals
• get a coach or a friend to whom to give a weekly update
• make appointments with yourself weekly to review your progress

What's best? Whatever works for you.

TAKE ACTION: Brainstorm the best ways for you to keep your goals in front of you at all times and then put this system into place. If you find at some point it's not as effective as it was, immediately come up with new strategies.

(For friendly support in achieving your most cherished goals, take part in my 60-day Breakthrough Strategy program. For more information, see www.jurgenwolff.com or email me directly at [email protected])

What a great idea: bookstore night (in Buenos Aires...)

Buenos Aries has a great annual event, the Noche de las Librerias—Bookstore Night. They close off a street and put out sofas and chairs and encourage people to browse books from the book stores lining the street (the city has one book store per 6000 people!). It would be cool if London would do something similar, but the street that used to be known for its book stores, Charing Cross Road, has gradually lost that identity (and as I write this, the big Border’s there has just shut its doors and Borders UK has gone bankrupt). So for now we’ll have to have our Noche de las Librerias vicariously. Here’s a five minute audio report on the event from National Public Radio:

8 steps to finally achieving your goals (Bonus post 6)

This is a series of posts designed to help you finally achieve your most cherished goals. Step 6 is:

Get some support. 

Many studies have shown that when you have support from your peers and a sense of accountability, you are more likely to achieve your goals. This could take the form of commercial ventures like Weight Watchers or classes at your gym, or participating in forums online, getting coaching, or simply teaming up with a friend with a similar goal.

TAKE ACTION: Make a list of the type of support you will get for the goals to which you have committed. Naturally I recommend my Breakthrough Strategy program (for information, go to www.jurgenwolff.com) but whether you join that or not, find support within your family and circle of friends, or an organization, or an online forum. 

This is how Peter Jackson writes & makes movies

In Australian paper The Age, Stephanie Bunbury reveals some details about how Peter Jackson makes films:

 “People talk about his passion, but fanaticism might be just as fair a description. A famous stickler for detail, he became renowned over the course of the 15-month Lord of the Rings shoot for covering every scene from innumerable angles in endless takes that would provide him with almost infinite options in the editing room."

"The real measure of his obsessive persistence is that he held on to that dream his whole life, finally making the King Kong of his dreams just five years ago. Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf in the Rings trilogy, described it fondly as ‘a sort of artistic autism’.”

Jackson says, “I think as a filmmaker, the one thing that I consciously try to avoid — because most of what I do is unconscious or subconscious, in that I make a film because I get excited about an idea — is the feeling of being stuck in a rut.”

Does such passion, persistence, and continual desire for new experiences guarantee success? No—there are any number of obsessed, passionate people grinding away at their preoccupation who never get anywhere (except, in some cases to a mental institution). But it’s quite possible that lasting success is not possible without those qualities.

(For help achieving your grand vision, join my Breakthrough Strategy 60-day online coaching program. Get more information at www.jurgenwolff.com.)