Ask the Author: Matt Roberts
Answered Questions (4)
Matt Roberts
Just like any art form, practice makes perfect. Write, write, write! Write letters, poems, short stories, memories, journals, and even your own scripts for popular sitcoms.
Let your writing "simmer" by setting it aside for a few days or weeks. When you return to edit the project you'll be able to read it more objectively and notice mistakes more easily.
Books can be written in a variety of ways. It can be written from beginning to end, but I would not recommend it unless the writer has a solid plan or outline for the entire story. An easier way might be to write three-page chapters which give the project a form which can be edited and expanded later.
Solicit reviews and suggestions from people you know, but accept their input graciously without argument.
Someone once described writing as being "a love affair with words." There is a lot of truth to the statement. Not only do writers need time alone away from loved ones and friends, but they strive to find the perfect words for each sentence they write. A thesaurus can be very helpful as there are several words which can mean "happy" or "angry", but one of those words will stand out as being the perfect fit for your sentence.
Let your writing "simmer" by setting it aside for a few days or weeks. When you return to edit the project you'll be able to read it more objectively and notice mistakes more easily.
Books can be written in a variety of ways. It can be written from beginning to end, but I would not recommend it unless the writer has a solid plan or outline for the entire story. An easier way might be to write three-page chapters which give the project a form which can be edited and expanded later.
Solicit reviews and suggestions from people you know, but accept their input graciously without argument.
Someone once described writing as being "a love affair with words." There is a lot of truth to the statement. Not only do writers need time alone away from loved ones and friends, but they strive to find the perfect words for each sentence they write. A thesaurus can be very helpful as there are several words which can mean "happy" or "angry", but one of those words will stand out as being the perfect fit for your sentence.
Matt Roberts
I believe inspiration typically comes from an external source through the senses and stirs both emotion and imagination of the writer.
As an example, an author by the name of Masuccio Salernitano wrote a short story which inspired Luigi da Porto to write his own version of the tale in 1531 called "Newly Found Story of Two Noble Lovers". That book inspired many other authors including Matteo Bandello whose novellas often featured as the foundation of plays written by Shakespeare. An English version of the story was written in 1562 (Arthur Brook) followed by another in 1582 (William Painter). A Spanish retelling was published in 1590 (Lope de Vega) before William Shakespeare produced his own version entitled, "Romeo and Juliet". That play enjoyed worldwide popularity and inspired others to create their own versions of the story in the form of plays, musicals, operas, ballets, and movies. Perhaps the more popular of these works is "West Side Story", but similar story themes can be seen in other works such as the movie "Grease".
I am not encouraging writers to retell the stories of others, but rather cite this example to support the idea inspiration comes from external sources. A great many people have seen or heard something which inspired them to write.
The source of inspiration can be virtually anything we see, hear, touch, taste, or smell. With this in mind, I choose to receive a large variety of sensory input. I listen to all forms of music, watch movies of every genre, enjoy food from a variety of cultures, and read news articles about numerous subjects including archaeology, science, history, current events, social issues, pop culture, politics, and religion. Every sensory input is an opportunity for inspiration which stirs the imagination and can result in an idea for a writing project.
As an example, an author by the name of Masuccio Salernitano wrote a short story which inspired Luigi da Porto to write his own version of the tale in 1531 called "Newly Found Story of Two Noble Lovers". That book inspired many other authors including Matteo Bandello whose novellas often featured as the foundation of plays written by Shakespeare. An English version of the story was written in 1562 (Arthur Brook) followed by another in 1582 (William Painter). A Spanish retelling was published in 1590 (Lope de Vega) before William Shakespeare produced his own version entitled, "Romeo and Juliet". That play enjoyed worldwide popularity and inspired others to create their own versions of the story in the form of plays, musicals, operas, ballets, and movies. Perhaps the more popular of these works is "West Side Story", but similar story themes can be seen in other works such as the movie "Grease".
I am not encouraging writers to retell the stories of others, but rather cite this example to support the idea inspiration comes from external sources. A great many people have seen or heard something which inspired them to write.
The source of inspiration can be virtually anything we see, hear, touch, taste, or smell. With this in mind, I choose to receive a large variety of sensory input. I listen to all forms of music, watch movies of every genre, enjoy food from a variety of cultures, and read news articles about numerous subjects including archaeology, science, history, current events, social issues, pop culture, politics, and religion. Every sensory input is an opportunity for inspiration which stirs the imagination and can result in an idea for a writing project.
Matt Roberts
Writer's block happens for a variety of reasons, but in my experience there are some ways to overcome it.
Writing is an art which is similar to composing and painting as the artist must first possess certain skills, but the finished work is always a product of the artist's inspiration, passion, and imagination. Therefore, be inspired when writing about passionate topics and allow the imagination to be creative.
In order to be inspired we must be willing to receive a variety of sensory inputs which stir our emotions. Be open to trying new foods, listening to different styles of music, trying new activities, watching a wide range of movies, visiting interesting places, and reading news articles about unusual topics. Any of these things can serve as a source of inspiration which stirs new ideas and motivates the writer.
Have a vision in mind for your project and create an outline for it, if necessary. If the intent is to entertain, stir emotion, or teach a lesson to the reader then clarify each goal before sitting down to write.
Be versatile. Rewrite the lyrics to a popular song just for fun, experiment with rhyming poetry, and write short stories which are scary, funny, or have a surprise ending. Sometimes the act of writing about one topic can trigger an idea which leads the author to write about something else.
Writing is an art which is similar to composing and painting as the artist must first possess certain skills, but the finished work is always a product of the artist's inspiration, passion, and imagination. Therefore, be inspired when writing about passionate topics and allow the imagination to be creative.
In order to be inspired we must be willing to receive a variety of sensory inputs which stir our emotions. Be open to trying new foods, listening to different styles of music, trying new activities, watching a wide range of movies, visiting interesting places, and reading news articles about unusual topics. Any of these things can serve as a source of inspiration which stirs new ideas and motivates the writer.
Have a vision in mind for your project and create an outline for it, if necessary. If the intent is to entertain, stir emotion, or teach a lesson to the reader then clarify each goal before sitting down to write.
Be versatile. Rewrite the lyrics to a popular song just for fun, experiment with rhyming poetry, and write short stories which are scary, funny, or have a surprise ending. Sometimes the act of writing about one topic can trigger an idea which leads the author to write about something else.
Matt Roberts
My inspiration for "The Movie Makers" came after I read the article (see link below) about scientists who had successfully displayed a person's thought on a computer screen. It was a very crude image, but so was the first photograph when it was taken in 1826. Knowing that photograph would later result in motion pictures only 63 years later I pondered how this new "brain displaying technology" might evolve over the next few decades. The result of that pondering formed the basis of "The Movie Makers".
Article: http://socyberty.com/psychology/scien...
Article: http://socyberty.com/psychology/scien...
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