I have been trying to get on some sort of schedule for writing for the last couple of months. I have brainstormed my ass off, bought magazine subscriptions and books about the subject (writing that is), done some back story for scripts and even started about a dozen short stories but I CAN'T FINISH A DAMN THING. I don't know how or why I constructed this huge blockage but it's been a worthy and impressive opponent.
I was fairly diligent about writing my Myspace blog but in a fabulous fit of hissy I deleted all of my writings from there. I think that all that nonsense was making me feel self-conscious. I would pour tons of energy and thought into those damn gurglings but they never amounted to anything.
Look Ma, I'm changing my ways. I'm about to do a Madonna and reinvent myself as a dedicated, tenacious writing-dynamo. I will write daily, for a couple of hours. I will take my laptop to coffee shops and not leave until I've done several pages of my script while looking and feeling earnest. I will start smoking and drinking heavily to get into the swing of things..ok, maybe not smoking. I will construct little tiny altars for my writing gods and light candles and incense.
Watch out world, if I had a hat on I'd run into traffic to fling it up to the heavens in solidarity for miss Mary Tyler Moore.
There are as many books on writing as there are on diets and self help. They all boil down to a few elements that are universal: Write! Write! Write!
Don't think about it, just write.
Two more books for you:
Steven Kings 'On Writing.'
Strunk 'Elements of Style.'
I've tried the drinking and smoking (god knows what) and the bohemian lifestyle but it all comes down to dedication and perseverance.
Jack Kerouac and Robert Ruork did the bohemian thing and succeeded. Rare. Most of us creative types already view the world through jaded eyes, reddened by the three a.m. creative call to arms.
Read King. It doesn't matter whether you like his fiction or not. This book (while a bit long) has an intimate insight visited by few other 'I'll help you be that successful and talented writer' types.
Intern somewhere as a writer. Get the deadline thing down.
Good Luck!
I have the Strunk book and will order the SK book. I used to read his stuff growing up so he is a childhood hero, even if we haven't been friends for a while..i appreciate the input, it's very helpful.
Of course, I haven't attempted anything larger than an article at this point and time; however, I find that I have to forget about writing. Then when the inspiration strikes in the middle of the night.. get up and put it all down. Once you start putting it down, it flows out of you and hours have passed.
Yes, this is old advice that everyone spews out, but it is the only thing that works for me sometimes.
~Judy
thanks judy. it must be old advice because it works-you rock.
