Time to Write

500 Steps Too Many in the Hero's Journey

There is a website that says their research has "revealed more than 510 stages of the Hero's Journey that you need to know about..."

Five hundred and ten! That's an average of about five steps per script page for a feature film.

They say "Misconceptions about the Hero's Journey abound. We have met educators that have a frightening lack of understanding of it. It is likely that you suffer from similar misconceptions. Your best bet is to unlearn what you have learned; start over. You will not be able to write a successful screenplay unless you do. Because every successful movie and story we have encountered follows this pattern.:

Wait a minute.

Let's assume that the last statement is true (which I doubt--I must be one of those ignorant educators). To go from there to "you will not be able to write a successful screenplay unless you do" is a step too far.

First, there have been many screenwriters who have written great screenplays who never heard of The Hero's Journey. I suppose you could argue that they had an intuitive awareness of it, but I doubt that this would extend to 500 steps.

Second, being able to analyze something isn't the same as being able to create it. A doctor can identify all the organs in a dead body. That doesn't mean he can make it come to life.

I don't know about you, but if I tried to remember 510 stages my head would explode.

And if I tried to apply 510 stages I'd think I was creating a jigsaw puzzle, not a script that lives and breathes and makes people feel something.

(There are loads of screenwriting tips at my other blog: www.ScreenWritingSuccess.com.)

A sneaky way to find a publisher for your book

I was just listening to an interview with a man named David Siteman Garland who told how his book "Smarter, Faster, Cheaper: non-boring, fluff-free strategies for marketing and promoting your business" came about. 

 He had a podcast on which he interviewed a lot of authors. Those authors told their publishers about the exposure they were getting. One of the publishers approached Garland and suggested that he write a book for them (see www.smarterfastercheaper.com).

 He didn't use this as a deliberate strategy but seems to me there's the seed of one in there.

 If you had one specific publisher in mind, you could even target it by interviewing their authors, or you might cut across a number of publishers but focus on the genre that is closest to your own book's.

(for more tips on writing and marketing your book, see "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey Publishing, and "Marketing for Entrepreneurs," published by Pearson. Both are available from Amazon and other online and offline booksellers.)

 

Stuff his Dad says...but doesn't mean

The other night I watched the first episode of "Stuff My Dad Says," based on a blog (the title of which was ruder than "Stuff") and book. It has been running in the States for a while but has popped up now here in Britain.  The premise is that a 30ish guy loses his job and has to move in with his father, who says funny rude things. And the father is played by William Shatner.

 As with most sitcoms, the premise is not as important as the characters and the dialogue. The latter is OK, the father's outrageous and often politically incorrect statements are sometimes quite funny. The first episode labored, as most do, under the strain of having to explain who these people are and their relationships--exposition is tough to make funny.

If the series fails, some people may conclude that it was too rude. Apparently it lost sponsors toward the end of the first season because of that. 

However, if the shows does fail (it's not clear at this point whether or not it will be renewed), I think the problem lies elsewhere: the characterization of the father. The producers were so scared that the audience wouldn't like the father that they spent too much time establishing that he's really a nice guy underneath, lonely and wanting to fix his relationship with his son.  It renders the character too harmless. 

I like William Shatner but yearned for a producer and network willing to allow the character to be closer to the edge.  Probably what made them nervous is that series with a harsher character (like the great "Buffalo Bill") sank fast. My hunch is that audiences today are much more open to enjoying seeing a funny character with a mean streak. It also doesn't help that the other characters seemed to have been pulled in from the sitcom storeroom of stock characters.

The writer of the original blog, Justin Halpren, said in an interview, "There is not much of my Dad that is allowed on basic television. We were able to work some of Dad's stuff in later in the season as Ed became more blunt." Ah yes, that takes me back to my days of writing for American TV and film. The pattern often runs like this:

1. It's a great idea! 

2. Let's change it.

3. It doesn't work.

4. It was a terrible idea.

(My book, "Successful Sitcom Writing," from St. Martin's Press is still around on Amazon; it's a bit long in the tooth now and I'm thinking of writing an updated version, but the core concepts are still totally valid and the methods work.)

 

Learn more about creativity from master photographer DeWitt Jones

Here is a link to a brief  (about 5 minute) talk on creativity by  top photographer DeWitt Jones. He shows the results of some of the ways he uses the principles of creativity when doing his shoots for National Geographic--and, as you'll hear and see, these are just as applicable to any creative endeavor. 

 When you get to the page, click on the little tab at the bottom left that says "Watch DeWitt Now." I had to pause the video for a minute or so to let it load:

 http://www.dewittjones.com/

(for practical tips on how to be more creative, see my book, "Creativity Now!" published by Pearson and available from Amazon and other online and offline booksellers.)

What if your writing partner turns into Charlie Sheen?

I had an email from a reader who is starting to collaborate with a friend and wondered whether it's necessary to have a formal, written agreement. 

The answer is not only yes, it's YES!

What can go wrong? Well:

One of you could have a breakdown (there's the Charlie Sheen connection...)

One of you could die.

One of you could lose interest or get too busy with something else and want to quit the project halfway through.

One of you could decide the other isn't doing their share of the work.

I know it can be awkward to bring this up with a friend. It's a bit like a prenuptual contract. And it may never actually be needed but in case things go wrong you will be very happy you made the effort at the start. I'm not a lawyer, so this is not legal advice but I recommend that you write a simple document that includes:

* The names and addresses of the collaborators

* The name and a brief description of the project on which you are collaborating

* A brief description of what each of you will do on the project

* The terms of the collaboration in terms of the share of profits (usually 50/50, but if, for instance, it's a screenplay based on a book one of you had already written, it might be different)

* A provision for what happens if there is a dispute you cannot settle (for instance, "In case of a dispute, we agree to arbitration by a third party acceptable to both of us and agree to be bound by the recommendations of that party")

* A provision for what happens if one party no longer wants to or is able to participate (can the other person buy that one out? On what terms?)

That doesn't cover every possible development but it does address the main things that can go wrong. If you can afford it, consult an attorney to draft the agreement--ask him or her to keep it simple or else you'll end up with a fifty page monster. Get it witnessed and put it somewhere safe.

If things go well, you'll never need to look at it again. If not, it'll be there to help.

(If you want support setting and achieving a writing goal--like finally writing that book or screenplay you have in mind--sign up for my Writing Breakthrough Strategy Program. Find full details at http://www.jurgenwolff.com.

Which two words define your character (or you)?

In an Independent article about the drama "Christopher and His Kind," actor Matt Smith talks about figuring out how to play the role of Christopher Isherwood (pictured). Isherwood's long term partner told him that one of Isherwood's most memorable qualities was the fact that he was very polite.

 Smith says, "I wrote it down..'it's about manners and lust'; and from that I sort of built upwards."

 That could also be a interesting way for a writer to build up a character: what two words are the most essential? Finding them probably is a matter of intuition rather than analysis. 

 I just tried it for the protagonist of the script I'm writing at the moment, and what came up was "justice and control." Since he's a criminal, "justice" might seem a strange choice but for him it's really about what he considers right and wrong; and although he initially comes across as easy-going and genial, his mission is to be in control even though he's facing the toughest challenge to any control freak: death. 

 It could be an interesting exercise to do with a character you are creating--or, if you're really brave, with your own life.

(If you'd like support for setting and achieving your writing goal, join my online mentoring program, the Writing Breakthrough Strategy Program --details at www.jurgenwolff.com)

 

 

Some hard truths from a successful self-published writer

Amanda Hocking has been successful self-publishing her novels, which has brought her a lot of attention, including from would-be self-publishers of fiction who want to know her secrets. In a recent post on her blog, she reveals one that probably isn't what people want to hear:

"This is literally years of work you're seeing. And hours and hours of work each day. The amount of time and energy I put into marketing is exhausting. I am continuously overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do that isn't writing a book. I hardly have time to write anymore, which sucks and terrifies me."

I'm working on a course on how to build your author platform; at the moment it's available only to members of my Writing Breakthrough Strategy Program as a bonus for membership (see http://www.jurgenwolff.com for details of that program) and what I say in that is consistent with what Amanda Hocking says above. The ratio will be about 80/20: 80% of your time will be spent on marketing, 20% on actually writing. And the percentages won't be much different if you are published traditionally. These days the publisher gets the books out there but most of the responsibility for getting people to notice them is yours.

A lot of writers don't like that split. I don't like it, either. I struggle with it, because my favorite thing is creating new stuff, both fiction and no-fiction. In fact, I haven't hit that 80/20 ratio even though I know I should. But that doesn't make it any less true, and it's a hard fact that we writers need to know.

Here's something else Hocking says on her blog: "I assumed that once I wrote a book, I would become rich and famous. This is apparently not how things work in the writing world. So I spent the next few years researching everything I could find about the publishing business and agents and models and plans." How many writers do you know who have taken the time to do that?

For her account of how it all came together, see this post: http://amandahocking.blogspot.com/2010/08/epic-tale-of-how-it-all-happened.html. If you don't have time to read it, here's her summary:

"From what I can guess, it happened because:

-the books are in a popular genre [paranormal romance, vampires]

-the covers are enjoyable

-the price is good [$.99 and $2.99--she made $10,000 in one month recently]

-the writing isn't terrible (although, believe me, some people would argue that point)

-book bloggers recommended it

-accessibility - I'm on Twitter, facebook, goodreads, Amazon, KB. I'm anywhere I can be. I always try to respond to readers, even though most of my responses are lame. I'll spend about an hour replying to fan mail and it only amounts to about 2 sentences that pretty much say thanks. I'm sorry I'm a lame writer-backer."

 A writer well worth emulating, although, as she says, luck and timing are always factors as much as hard work.

(For guidance on both writing and marketing your book,see "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey Publishing and available from Amazon and other online and offline booksellers--including that independent book store near you that's probably struggling to stay afloat.)

The day they read a Jeffrey Archer novel out loud in school

Man bites dog (author sues publisher)

Publisher's Lunch had a story about Ken Caillet, who produced the hit Fleetwood Mac album, Rumours, suing his (non) publisher, HarperCollins' It Books. He got a $555,000 advance (yes, you read that right), for "Starting Rumours," an oral history of the making of that album. Or rather he got one quarter of it after the contract was signed.

Now they want the money back. They rejected his manuscript without reading it because it didn't include new interviews with members of the band.

Caillet says his contract doesn't require new interviews but it does say that the publisher is obligated to request specific revisions if they find the manuscript unacceptable, and he never got those requests.

In today's tough climate for books, some publishers are looking for ways to get out of expensive contracts signed when conditions were better--I don't know whether that applies in this case or not. The thing that surprised me about this story is the sum involved. I know that "Rumours" is one of the best-selling rock albums of all time, but is there really a big enough market for a book like this to justify that huge advance? Or did a rock fan at HarperCollins get carried away when the rights to this book were auctioned? The book's original editor is no longer working for HarperCollins. 

Caillet wants the rest of his advance and another half million in punitive damages. These kinds of author vs. publisher cases are relatively rare and always interesting--watch this space!

 

How to deal with stuff you don't like to do

There was an interesting interview in the New York Times with Marjorie Kaplan, president of the Animal Planet and Science networks (conducted by Adam Bryant). I was struck by something she said about her husband, who is an artist:

"He does not like to be told what to do. He barely likes to be asked to do something. But he once explained to me that the most motivating thing for him was problem-solving"

It occurs to me that maybe there's a secret in there for re-framing the things we don't like to do as problems to be solved. The questions we might ask:

1. How could I do this faster?

2. What could I change to make this more pleasant?

3. Is there any way I can get someone else to do this and still get the results I want?

4. Who might know how to do this more easily and how can I get them to tell me?

(There are lots of tips on how to work more effectively 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 book stores--why not order it through your favorite independent bookshop?)

Writing a novel from several points of view

Generally novels have one person telling the story when the first person point of view is used. I read today about a novel that uses an interesting variation--haven't read the book yet but I'm planning to. It's "The Fates Will Find Their Way," by Hannah Pittard. Here's what Mary Houlihan wrote about it in the Chicago Sun-Times:

"The novel is uniquely narrated in an intimate first-person plural. When the themes of regret, loss and the difficulty of becoming an adult started playing over and over in her head, Pittard says it was in an “infinitely plural voice.”

In the first pages of the book, Pittard sets up the premise: 16-year-old Nora Lindell has gone missing on Halloween night. As the story unfolds, the boys spend so much time pondering Nora’s fate that they leave little room to imagine their own futures as they grow into men.

Throughout the book, Nora is the ghost who wafts through the boys’ lives, an ethereal being whose unknown life is obsessively forged in fantasy, rumor and speculation. Pittard fleshes out “what if” scenarios that show Nora in a series of different situations — as a kidnapping victim, a waitress, a mother in Arizona and a witness to the Mumbai bombings."

I sometimes get emails from newer writers who feel afraid to break "the rules," so I like to point out authors who come up with different ways of telling a story. The only rule is make the reader want to keep reading.

(For more on ways to write your novel, see my book, "Your Writing Coach," and for guidance in setting and achieving your writing goals, join my online Writing Breakthrough Strategy Program--see www.jurgenwolff.com for details.)

Writers (Amis, Franzen & more) on writing

Charlie Rose hosts a talk show in which he interviews fascinating people from all fields, including writing. Here's a collection of excerpts from some of his fascinating talks with writers including Malcolm Gladwell (on how he finds his stories) Jonathan Franzen (on the novelist's responsibility), Joan Didion (on writing novels vs. non-fiction), Fran Lebowitz (on the fear of writing), and Martin Amis (on the war against cliches). The video is about 14 minutes long and well worth a look.

http://www.charlierose.com/view/content/11524

 

 

 

Who owns your Tweets?

Do you use Twitter? Do you consider your Tweets your literary property, or would you be happy for them to be made public as part of a book?

OR Books has collected Tweets from the revolution in Egypt and quickly packaged them into a book, "Tweets From Tahir." The book comes out in late April, only two months after the events it chronicles. It will be issued both as a paperback and an e-book. 

 They are contacting the people who posted their thoughts in order to get permission, but not coordinating with Twitter. It raises the issue of who owns Tweets. Should they be treated as essays and subject to copyright, or does making them public this way, combined with how short they are, make it arguable that they're in the public domain? If it's a collection of one person's work then it seems reasonable to consider it subject to normal copyright, but what if it's a collection of hundreds of Tweets on a particular subject and only one or two from each individual? It's hard to cite "fair use" of an excerpt when the whole thing is only 140 characters long.

 Interesting questions that probably will come up sooner rather than later!

 

Do you have an enabler?

When the whole Charlie Sheen brouhaha (and what a pleasure it is to have an excuse to use that word...) kicked off, I saw a headline that said he's surrounded by enablers.

Usually this refers to the people who allow someone to sink to various depths of behavior, especially addiction: yes men and women who tell the star everything he does is hilarious/right/wonderful. But why does it have to pertain only to bad behavior? We should, and often do, have people who enable us to be our best. Most people might say those are people who tell us when we're doing something wrong or counterproductive, but I think as long as your circle includes some of those, you can also benefit by having at least one who approves of just about anything you do.

I have a person like that, my long-time friend Rose, who I got to know when I was starting out in Hollywood. She was working as an agent's associate and she thought everything I wrote was brilliant. I appreciated her good taste. 

After a while I realized that if Rose likes you, in her eyes everything you do is brilliant. Now, I know that some of what I do is only semi-brilliant, and I have people who are happy to point that out to me (some of them wouldn't even use the term "semi-brilliant" but I forgive them), but having one "enabler" has been a great source of comfort to me over the years. 

Ideally your parents would play this role, but sometimes they don't. I remember one time when I asked my late mother whether she'd watched the TV movie I'd written. "No," she said, "there was something else on I wanted to see." She had many other good qualities, but being an enabler was not one of them!

My advice: if you have an enabler, cherish them. If you don't, try to find one!

 

Write a book in a weekend? I have this bridge you might want to buy

One of my readers sent me this a quote from an email she got today for a weekend course:

 Not only will you get some notes down about the book, you will WRITE a book that weekend, and you will learn essential business and marketing tools...

 She wanted to know what I think about the possibility of writing a book in a weekend, so I looked up the site in question. 

 Yes, they are talking about business books not the great American (or British) novel, but still--WRITE a book in a WEEKEND? And the headline is "Wanna be a best-selling author?" OK, so not only will you write a book in a weekend but it will be best-seller? Wow! And it would cost you only a little over $600 early bird or $700 regular. (For that, they should tell you not to use "Wanna" in a headline.)

Oh wait, later on it says it'll be an AMAZON best-seller. That's where you wait for a quiet time on the publishing calendar and get all your friends to buy your book on the same day and maybe you buy a hundred copies or so yourself that day, and for an hour or so you're on the Amazon best-seller list. 

 Guess how much credibility being an Amazon best-seller has in the publishing world. No, guess lower.

 Look, I don't enjoy dissing my fellow writing coaches/teachers/authors and for all I know there is lots of useful information in this workshop, but let's get real.

 Generally for what most people mean by a "book," we're talking about 50,000 words minimum. Forget about writing, let's just think about typing. Let's say you're a good typist: 60 words per minute. That's fourteen hours of non-stop typing. How long is a weekend workshop? Two times eight hours? Hey, you could do it and have two hours left over if carpal tunnel syndrome didn't drop you first.

 I looked at the testimonials. One of them said "We recorded for an hour, I can't wait for it to be transcribed and see my book." Aha! So somebody interviews you, gets it typed up, and that's a book. The average person speaks at about 150 words a minute. Time sixty minutes is...9600 words a minute. Short book. More like a booklet.

 Here's my advice: if somebody says you can write a book in a weekend, ask them what they mean by "book." 

 If they say you can write it in 14 days...ask them whether amphetamines will be involved. 

 If they tell you it will take time, sweat, and maybe some blood and tears, shake their hand. 

 They're the ones telling you the truth.

 (You can get information about all aspects of writing a book in my book, "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey Publishing, and you can find out how to get support for setting and achieving your writing goal via my Writing Breakthrough Strategy Program at www.jurgenwolff.com.)