Time to Write

The paradox of creativity we have to accept

There is a paradox inherent in any creative act. It's only when you accept this paradoxn that you will feel comfortable and create with greater ease.  The two parts:

1. More often than not, we fail to achieve our creative vision. Seldom does the thing we want to create turn out to be as good as we hope.

2. Each time we create, we have to assume success or at least the strong likelihood of success, because without that we will not have the energy to persist.

Another way of saying this is that we have to learn to accept "good enough" while never stopping striving for perfection.

Well, if it was easy, everybody would do it...

(for help being more productive, see my book, "Focus: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done," published by Pearson and available from Amazon and other online and bricks and mortar book sellers.)

How a fountain pen can make a difference (be nice to yourself)

I was intrigued by this quote from Orhan Pamuk, author of The Museum of Innocence:

“I’m happy when I’m alone in a room and inventing. More than a commitment to the art or to the craft, which I am devoted to, it is a commitment to being alone in a room. I continue to have this ritual, believing that what I am doing now will one day be published, legitimizing my daydreams. I need solitary hours at a desk with good paper and a fountain pen like some people need a pill for their health.”

What caught my attention was the reference to good paper and a fountain pen. Not because it's unusual for an author to write longhand these days, which it is, of course, but because it reminded me of the great feeling of buying a special notebook when you start a project (I'm also a fan of fountain pens).

Are you valuing your writing enough to splurge a little? No, I'm not selling anything--it's up to you to decide what would represent a fitting acknowledgement of what writing means to you. It could be buying a Moleskin notebook rather than a cheaper one (yes, I know Moleskin is bit of a marketing con but they're still kind of cool)...or a fountain pen instead of a Bic...or even a stapler that looks good on your desk. Or maybe a nice looking set of box files to replace the ratty ones you've had for years.

The point isn't how expensive any of these are (you don't have to go for a Mont Blanc pen) but rather that they represent the special position writing holds in your life. Sometimes you're the only one who DOES value your writing at this point, so why not go for it?

Interview your characters (but don't BE them)

In his Hollywood Notebook column in The Fresno Bee, Rick Bentley writes about two memorable interviews:

“A few years ago, for the release of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" on video, I thought I would either be talking with Adriana Caselotti, the voice of Snow White in the animated film, or someone who plays Snow White at a theme park.

Nope. The woman sitting across the table from me was Snow White. Once I had asked about living with seven short men and 101 uses for apples, the interview went dead.

Recently, HBO created a similarly impossible situation with Pee-wee Herman for his Broadway show that will air on the cable channel. It wasn't Paul Reubens --the man behind Pee-wee -- fielding questions. It was Pee-wee. Efforts to talk to Reubens didn't go well.

Question: Pee-wee, if I could address the Paul Reubens side of you for just a minute ...

Pee-wee: Good luck.

Did you want to distance yourself from Pee-wee for a while?

I never felt like that.

You always wanted to be Pee-wee?

Never. Yeah. Well, I mean, it didn't matter.

What happened that is allowing you to be Pee-wee again?

I don't know.

Snow White's answers were a lot better.”

I met Paul Reubens years ago when I was studying improv with the Groundlings and he had recently come up with the Pee Wee character, and a friend at the time worked for him. Despite the raucus Pee Wee character, Reubens was actually quite shy. Maybe coming up with the Pee Wee persona allowed him permission to do and say things he wouldn’t do or say himself.

Anyway, interviewing your characters, or getting into character and pretending to be interviewed is a great way to get to know them. Just don’t forget to return to yourself at the end.

(There are lots of writing tips at http://www.TimeToWrite.com--go have a look!)

What to do when it's raining in your brain

On Lisa Tener’s writing blog she conducted an interview with therapist Dr. Carrie Barron about creativity. One thing Dr. Barron said was:

“Over the years, I have treated many people who suffer from depression or anxiety.  I learned that traditional treatments, psychotherapy, cognitive therapy and medication are not very effective for certain people. For some, the only thing that works is to be involved in a creative process.”

I’ve suffered from depression at various times in my life, and I think she’s right, but I also know that when you are really down, it’s hard to find the energy to commit to a creative project. There are a few strategies I’ve found useful:

• Commit to a creative project that you can achieve in a relatively short period of time—not a novel or screenplay, but a short story, a film, an essay or article, even a haiku.
  
  
• Take away the pressure to come up with something that will impress people. You may even want to promise yourself that you won’t even show the finished project to anybody. You are doing it for yourself, to enjoy the process.
  
  
• Set time goals but give yourself some leeway. If you set hard deadlines and miss them, you have just given yourself another reason to beat yourself up.
  
  
• Follow any signs of joy. If you set out to write a short story but in the middle of the process get more excited about using some element of it to make a one-minute film or write a song, go ahead. Again, it’s not about the product, it’s about the process.
• Be kind to yourself. Tell your Inner Critic that he or she has the day off. Pretend that you are five years old again, playing with finger paints or building sand castles. Listen to music while you work, something that has good associations for you. Treat yourself to a candy bar or some expensive fresh berries. If it feels like the world is giving you a kicking, you don’t have to join them.

If you don’t need this right now, print it out and tuck it away for a rainy day, I hope it will help.

(There are lots more useful tips at: www.TimeToWrite.com--check it out.)

 

Cart. Horse. Rearrange. (Or, should writers use social media?)

A writer emailed me the other day asking whether she should use Twitter. 

I said that depends. What did she want to accomplish?

She responded that she really wasn't sure, but it seems like lots of writers are using it and she doesn't want to miss out.

This is one of the great dangers of new technology (I speak from experience). Some hot new thing comes out and we want to be among the first to use it.

What we forget to ask sometimes is why.

What is the outcome we want?

Will this new thing really help us achieve it, or will it just be a distraction?

It's like picking up a wrench and then looking around for something to use it on.

We need to start with the problem. If it's a leaking pipe, a wrench might be good. If it's a protruding nail, a hammer would be better.

 Social media and all the other technological devices or programs are tools. When a shiny new one comes out, I keep having to remind myself of what I'm trying to achieve rather than being dazzled by the light. Is that true for you, too?

 

 

The man who FINISHED reading Ulysses

What can you take away?

On his Creativizer blog for advertising and business creativity, Dave Dumanis points out that people often assume that creativity is all about adding things--"What can we add to this device or this service to make it better?" However, often genius lies in taking something away. He gives these three examples:

 Jackson Pollack took away form and representation, and got abstract expressionism.

 Beckett took away plot and got the masterpiece Waiting for Godot.

 John Cage took away music itself, and got arguably the most influential composition of the 20th century, 33’33″.

 I would add that what geniuses take away is the rules or the conventional wisdom about what they are doing.

Picasso took away the old rules about how to paint a portrait.

James Dyson took away the rules about how a vacuum cleaner sucks up dirt.

Nelson Mandela took away the conventional ideas about how an oppressed group responds when it defeats its oppressors.

It can be fun and productive to play with this in the context of what you do. For instance, let's think for a moment about books and what we might take away:

The table of contents. Yes, people like to know where to find what, but sometimes they also like being surprised. What about a book that does away with the table of contents, the acknowledgements, the introduction and throws you right into the content? The format could be enhanced to emphasize this is a journey of discovery.

Taking this one step further:

The cover. Usually the cover is designed to tell people the name of the book and what it's about, the name of the author, and sometimes a quote. Would people buy a book that had a totally white or black cover with no printing on it or the back cover, and shrink-wrapped so they couldn't see inside it? All they would know is that it's a novel and they'd have to buy it sight unseen. Certainly that would be hugely promotable in the media... Obviously this would work better if the storyline had something to do with secrets or anonymity.

 This is fun! What could you take away from what you do?

(For more ideas on how to maximize your creativity, see my book "Creativity Now!" It's published by Pearson and available from Amazon and other online and offline booksellers.)

A publisher to beware? (And why honesty works better)

This items is from the ever-useful MediaBistro site and is self-explanatory:

Dorchester Publishing Boycott Launched

By Jason Boog on March 25, 2011 3:26 PM

Yesterday novelist Brian Keene detailed his long struggle with Dorchester Publishing, calling on readers and writers to boycott the publisher. More than 100 authors have already signed on to his campaign.

Last year the Mystery Writers of America de-listed the publisher, writing: “We have been hearing an unusually high number of reports from our members of unpaid advances and withheld royalties on their Dorchester books.” The publisher switched to an eBook and print-on-demand model in August, and a number of authors have complained about payment and rights problems. Keene has added the graphic embedded above to his Twitter feed.

Here’s an excerpt from Keene’s boycott essay: “someone asked me why we (the authors) didn’t just seek legal means. Well, I can’t speak for any of the other authors involved, but I’ll tell you why I haven’t — because I’m broke. I’m broke because Dorchester didn’t pay me what was owed, and then I gambled to get my rights back, and then they continued to f*** me.”

***

This reminds me of a dealing I had with with a producer a few years ago. He wasn't paying the money he owed me and every time I inquired there was a new excuse: the bank made an error, we have a new accountant who didn't realize you were supposed to be paid, and on and on. Finally I threatened legal action and that worked but I decided never to work with that company again.

Contrast that with another production company I worked for. They also owed me money and they explained their cash-flow problem. I offered to delay taking payment until the start of the next calendar year, when they would be getting a new tranche of funding. They gratefully accepted and paid me the money the next January and I have worked with them again.

A little honesty goes a long way. Stonewalling or pretending a problem ends up in lawsuits and boycotts. I don't know what's really happening at Dorchester but from the sound of it they are not being open with their authors. That can only escalate their problems, not solve them. 

What do you want to get from writing?

One of the newsletters i like to read comes from a man using the pen name Michael Masterson. The other day he wrote about a conversation he had with a friend who'd given up the rat race. Masterson, who has been very successful, said his adult feelings about wealth--that it brings you tranquility and safety--stemmed from the feelings of anxiety and fear he experienced as the chid in a poor family. 

Masterson has spent a lot of time in the pursuit of wealth, but acknowledged that it didn't always bring him the feelings he desired. His friend asked whether he'd spent any time trying to feel wealthy--seeking the feelings rather than the trappings. No, Masterson admitted. 

What brings him those feelings? A long lunch with a friend without thinking about what tasks to do when he gets back to the office. In other words, slowing down.Looking through foreign magazines at a news stand to see what's going on in the rest of the world--the acquisition of knowledge rather than stuff. Also, not spending more than you have, so you can enjoy what you have rather than being distracted by the quest for more. 

If we look at the lives of rwealthy people it's obvious that many of them aren't very happy--whatever they thought fortune and/or fame would bring them hasn't arrived.

It prompted me to think about what I associate with writing success. Play along--what would major writing success bring you? I'm talking about a spot on the New York Times best-seller list, huge royalty checks, and maybe a movie version of your book. If that's part of what's driving you, jot down what those would bring you. Here's part of my list:

Wealth

Security

Justification (it was worth the time I invested)

When you have your list, jot down some alternative ways to get at least some of those feelings even before you get on the best-seller list (or if you never do). Again, here are mine:

Wealth - enjoying luxuries, but without necessarily owning them. As someone once said, "I don't want to have a yacht. I want to have a friend who has a yacht." We can enjoy great art at our local museum or gallery without shelling out thousands or millions for it.

Security - I define this as being able to spend your time the way you want to. Some people already have this full time, most have it only part-time. But how do we choose to use that time? Do we really enjoy it fully? Or do we spend too much time doing what we "should" do?

Justification - Many of us continue the quest for approval from Mom and Dad long after they are gone. We transfer that onto the world at large. I think this is especially true for people whose parents kept moving the goalposts--nothing was ever quite enough. Now we move the goalposts ourselves. Writing a novel isn't enough, it has to be published. Getting it published isn't enough, it has to be with a major publisher. That's not enough, it has to be a best-seller--and on and on.

That approval has to come from inside, from ourselves: we have to believe we are enough, book or no book, best-seller or no best-seller. Writing is worth the time invested because we are expressing ourselves. If the rest of the world approves, that's gravy. 

It could be interesting to spend some more time pondering why you are writing and how to get those feelings now, rather than later. It won't stop you from writing; in fact, it may transform your writing to something deeper and more satisfying.

(For guidance on how to write your book, see "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other online and offline booksellers. Find out more atwww.YourWritingCoach.com.)

 

What keeps unpublished writers writing

The Atlantic Wire did a feature on why unpublished novelists keep writing. The main reasons;

 1. Mastering the craft. Ray Bradbury said the first million words don't count.

 2. Telling your story with the hope that someday someone will want to listen.

 3. Committing an act of artistic courage, writing what matters to you whether or not anybody listens.

 To these I would add:

 4. The power of writing to clarify your own thoughts, values, and experiences.

 5. The sheer joy of writing.

 Don't fear the questions "Have you been published?" or "Have you written anything I would have heard of?"

 The correct answer is, "Not yet!"

(For tips on writing and getting published, see my book, "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other online and offline booksellers.)

 

Sometimes your writing is broken and you do need to fix it

I don't know whether you have been following the story of the Spiderman musical. It has set a new record: the longest running preview on Broadway.

Because the opening night was postponed so often, some of the critics went ahead and reviewed the show anyway, and their judgments were not kind. Most of them agreed that the production is visually spectacular but the story doesn't flow well.

 The original director, Julie Taymor, has now been replaced and a new playwright has been brought in to work on the book. Bono and The Edge have announced they are writing new songs. 

 The moral of the story: when it ain't working, it makes sense to make changes even if it's painful. From all reports, Julie Taymor insisted that everything was fine as it was and that's why she was forced out.

 Sometimes we face the same decision in our own efforts and there's nobody to kick us out--except ourselves. 

 If you have a project that just refuses to work, it's worth considering whether more of the same will help or--more likely--you need to take a fresh look and be open to big changes.

It's difficult admit that what you've done so far isn't working and fire yourself (or at least the current incarnation of yourself), and make big changes but sometimes that's the only way forward.

 Are there any aspects of your life where this might make sense?

 (There are a lot of tips for how to reboot your life in my book, "Focus: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done," published by Pearson and available from Amazon and other online and offline booksellers.)

 

Does your writing imply status?

I'm a big fan of Keith Johnstone and his book, "Impro," and have been lucky enough to study with him personally, briefly. One of his core concepts is that the key to human transactions is the quest for status. Some people want high status--to feel superior to others. Some are more comfortable feeling low status. I'm sure you've met some strong examples of both kinds.

Talk about your last vacation. The high status person will have been there already and imply that it was much better then. The low status person will be express envy that you can go to such a wonderful place.

Of course status can change according to circumstance. A man may be high status at work but low status in relation to his spouse. 

We can even express status relative to an object--like a computer or a ticket machine at at train station.

In the first paragraph, was I trying to be high status by mentioning that I've studied with Johnstone? Maybe. But then did a lower status impulse prompt me to add that it was only briefly? Hmmm.

Johnstone writes, "Once you understand that every sound and posture implies a status, then you perceive the world quite differently, and the change is probably permanent. In my view, really accomplished actors, directors and playwrights are people with an intuitive understanding of the status transactions that govern human relationships. This ability to perceive the underlying motives of casual behavior can also be taught."

He adds, "A good play is one which ingeniously displays and reverses the status between the characters. Many writers with great talent have failed to write successful plays because of a failure to understand that drama is not primarily a literary art."

It can be very helpful to think about your characters in this way.

Almost any Shakespeare play is worth studying in this light. For instance, in MacBeth, it's Lady McB's desire for higher status that starts them on their doomed path. In King Lear it's Lear's feeling that Cordelia isn't willing to give him the high status he thinks he deserves from her. In both plays, the protagonists' status fluctuates and each change moves the story forward.

In the situations in your story, do they feel high or low status? What happens that reverses their status? How does that shift create action that moves the story along?

 

Why your head isn't necessarily the best place to get your ideas

In his excellent book, "The Art of Fiction," John Gardner writes, "Art depends heavily on feeling, intuition, taste. It is a feeling, not some rule, that tells the abstract painter to put his yellow here and there, not there, and may later tell him that it should have been brown or pea-green."

As the rest of his book makes clear, Gardner certainly isn't against learning the craft of writing and he knows intuition isn't the only thing you need.  But it seems to me that more than ever people are looking for templates, formulas, and prescriptions that will relieve them of the risk of writing something that doesn't work. Just the other day I saw there's yet another book out that promises to spell out for you the EXACT formula for a winning screenplay. Hey, if that author has the secret sauce, why isn't he cranking out screenplays with it? Wait, maybe he's a humanitarian who just wants to share his wisdom with the world rather than selfishly benefitting from it himself. 

Naah.

I wonder whether it's the crazy pace of change that freaks us out and makes us want an easy answer for predictable success. Of course the greater the pace of change, the less predictable anything is.

Getting to the practical, I just want to suggest that at least at the start of your writing project you give a bit of attention to your gut as well as your head. One technique for this is completing a sentence really fast--so fast that you don't have time to think it over. Blurting is what you're going for. Here are a few that might help you if you're writing a novel or screenplay or story:

What is most interesting about my protagonist is...

My protagonist's biggest secret is....

When people see or read what I've written, I want them to feel...

The thing that scares me about writing this story is...

This story will be better than anything else I've written if I...

Give it a try. It's a guaranteed formula for success! 

OK, it's not.

But it could help.

(You'll find lots of tips but no formulas in my book, "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other online and offline booksellers.)

Looking for screenplay contests?

I've written before that I'm ambivalent about screenplay contests, but there's no doubt that winning one of the major ones can give your career a boost. If you're interested in seeing what contests are out there for you, check out the website www.screenplaycontests.com.

At this writing, they have information about the Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship, the DC Shorts Screenplay Competition, the Fresh Voices contest, and many more. Just to give you a quick recap of my guidelines about contests:

1. Make sure the prizes are substantially more than the entry fees;

2. Check the history of the contest and get in touch with previous winners to find out what they think now about their experiences (you can probably find them via Facebook or using Google);

3. Make sure that you're not giving up your copyright by entering or by winning;

4. Make sure that if you win your script is not tied to the sponsors in a way that doesn't serve you (for instance, winning $500 is not a good trade for giving someone an exclusive option on your script for a year or two unless you feel very confident in their ability to get the script made);

5. Make sure you have read all the fine print. If any of the clauses confuse you, get clarification.

Good luck!

(There's a lot more good information about screenwriting at my other blog: www.ScreenwritingSuccess.com)

Robin Williams thanks the lad who talked him out of taking another dramatic role