Ian Dawson's Blog - Posts Tagged "writer-s-block"
Writing Tip of the Week: Writing a Fearless First Draft
The ominous blank page. Whether it’s a blank page flashing a taunting cursor from a screen, or a lined notebook daring you to fill its pages with ink, it can sometimes be challenging to get your brain and body moving in the same creative direction.
Every day, we see films, novels, and TV shows that move and amaze us. But what we don’t see are the hundreds of hours of hard work, gallons of coffee or energy drinks, and the multitude of drafts that went into making what you’re watching or reading available for mass consumption.
The drive for perfection of the first try can be a detriment to creativity. We demand perfection from ourselves, it doesn’t happen off the bat, so we beat ourselves up and walk away. But nothing we see or read is the first draft. Nothing we see or read didn’t start as something worthy of the recycle bin.
Everyone’s first draft sucks.
And that’s okay. If we were given insight into the early drafts of any best-seller or Oscar-winning film, we would be surprised to see that what is considered the standard of great writing starts off as mediocre at best…and unsalvageable at the very least.
I say this to tell you that writing the first draft of anything need not be a perilous and disastrous endeavor. Quite the opposite, in fact. First drafts are supposed to be bad. That’s why they’re called first/rough drafts.
So, let’s talk about them.
For Your Eyes Only
First a foremost, this draft is for you. No one else. Not your significant other. Not your Beta reader. Not your favorite child or pet. You are the sole audience for this version of your story, and that’s that.
This is a place where you can openly write ideas, dialogue, description, and more that might be pushing limits or boundaries. This is the place to test out ideas and story threads to see where they go. This is the place to have fun with what you’re writing. You are the Creator in this world; what you decide to do is what happens.
This draft should be unfiltered, unedited, and uninhibited. While you’ll want to have a basic road map guiding where the story is headed, don’t let that stop you from shifting your imagination and creativity into overdrive in this draft.
You can always change it later. The important thing here is to get everything down and out of your head so it can be fixed in subsequent drafts, because whatever you do…
Don’t Look Back!
You finished a chapter last night and woke up this morning with a new idea to change what you wrote. Great. That means your creativity is doing its job, but don’t return to that chapter and attempt to edit it. Why not write a new version of the chapter with the new material instead?
Writing a first draft is about momentum, the momentum to get from the beginning to the end without the pitfalls and hazards or going back and editing and revising. You’ll have plenty of time for that later. Plus, what if you erase what you had and then realize later there was some dialogue you deleted that would’ve worked great in the revised version? Now it’s gone.
Keep it all in the first version and do that heavy lifting later.
Write the Fun Stuff First
We all have our favorite things to write. It could be action sequences, romantic scenes, or comedy moments that really help drive the story and are fun for you to write. These moments are likely the big payoff to a long buildup, so writing them can be an enjoyable experience.
However, we shouldn’t deny ourselves the opportunity to write these when we want to. Write them when you feel like writing them. When it comes to drafting, you always have the power to rearrange and change where chapters or scenes are located in the story’s world. If you want to write the big finale first, do it. Have a romantic scene that you’re itching to write? Write it.
While there may be traditional story structures needed when you put the story out there for the world, in the drafting phase, you can write what you want, when you want. And no one can stop you.
The Creative Brain on Auto-Pilot
Sometimes your characters will begin to dictate what they want to do, what they want to say, and where they want to go. Don’t fight this feeling; let them take you there. Often your subconscious knows what’s best for your story and can take you places you didn’t initially think of.
This isn’t some weird phenomenon; it does happen. And if it does, let your characters take the wheel. Remember, if they steer the story down a wrong path, you can fix it later. If they show you something fresh and new about your story or characters, it can be a great win for you and your story.
Getting here requires you to tell that evil, no good, despicable part of your brain to shut up and go on vacation. And that part is…
The Evil Voice of Doubt and Negativity
This horrible creature likes to loom around your creativity, giving making you unsure of what you’re writing, how you’re writing it, and if you should even be writing.
I sure hate this creature!
There are 24 hours in a day. Give this monster a few hours off as your write and keep them locked out as you work on your draft. This is all for you, not anyone else, so this evil creature is wasting your time by creeping into your head as you charge forward. Even if the monster makes a good point about a scene or chapter, make a note or rewrite the chapter, but keep going.
Creativity is a big enough challenge at times without this specter of negativity floating about.
When You Feel Blocked…
Writer’s block does happen, but it’s how you handle it that makes the difference. I would suggest when you do hit a wall moving on to another part of the story or work on another project to keep the creativity flowing.
It’s very tempting – and I’ve done this – to close the laptop, lay on the couch, and watch TV instead of writing. While this is a quick fix, it doesn’t get you to your goal of finishing your draft and moving on to the next project.
Do your best to stay focused and stay on track. You may falter, but don’t let the block prevent you from writing for too long.
Have Fun!
As I said before, this draft is your time to play. It’s your time to test out ideas, see how they work or don’t work, and see if your characters take you anywhere new.
If you are bored with your story, have lost interest, or are dreading writing this draft, then there may be something wrong with your story, not you. What is the reason you aren’t excited to write? What aspect of the story is holding you back?
Unless you are writing this draft as part of an assignment, reevaluate your story and see where the issues are. Maybe you are challenging yourself to write in an unfamiliar genre, or you don’t like the main character. Whatever it is, make the changes you need to make the process enjoyable.
Writing is a journey. It’s a process. It’s a challenge. And it’s something that can become addictive in a positive way. As you begin to write your first/rough draft, remember that Stephen King, Jordan Peele, Grady Hendrix, and Maya Angelou all had to start with an idea, a blank page, and a first draft.
You can only get better once you have the first version out of your head and out on the page.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you in two weeks!
Every day, we see films, novels, and TV shows that move and amaze us. But what we don’t see are the hundreds of hours of hard work, gallons of coffee or energy drinks, and the multitude of drafts that went into making what you’re watching or reading available for mass consumption.
The drive for perfection of the first try can be a detriment to creativity. We demand perfection from ourselves, it doesn’t happen off the bat, so we beat ourselves up and walk away. But nothing we see or read is the first draft. Nothing we see or read didn’t start as something worthy of the recycle bin.
Everyone’s first draft sucks.
And that’s okay. If we were given insight into the early drafts of any best-seller or Oscar-winning film, we would be surprised to see that what is considered the standard of great writing starts off as mediocre at best…and unsalvageable at the very least.
I say this to tell you that writing the first draft of anything need not be a perilous and disastrous endeavor. Quite the opposite, in fact. First drafts are supposed to be bad. That’s why they’re called first/rough drafts.
So, let’s talk about them.
For Your Eyes Only
First a foremost, this draft is for you. No one else. Not your significant other. Not your Beta reader. Not your favorite child or pet. You are the sole audience for this version of your story, and that’s that.
This is a place where you can openly write ideas, dialogue, description, and more that might be pushing limits or boundaries. This is the place to test out ideas and story threads to see where they go. This is the place to have fun with what you’re writing. You are the Creator in this world; what you decide to do is what happens.
This draft should be unfiltered, unedited, and uninhibited. While you’ll want to have a basic road map guiding where the story is headed, don’t let that stop you from shifting your imagination and creativity into overdrive in this draft.
You can always change it later. The important thing here is to get everything down and out of your head so it can be fixed in subsequent drafts, because whatever you do…
Don’t Look Back!
You finished a chapter last night and woke up this morning with a new idea to change what you wrote. Great. That means your creativity is doing its job, but don’t return to that chapter and attempt to edit it. Why not write a new version of the chapter with the new material instead?
Writing a first draft is about momentum, the momentum to get from the beginning to the end without the pitfalls and hazards or going back and editing and revising. You’ll have plenty of time for that later. Plus, what if you erase what you had and then realize later there was some dialogue you deleted that would’ve worked great in the revised version? Now it’s gone.
Keep it all in the first version and do that heavy lifting later.
Write the Fun Stuff First
We all have our favorite things to write. It could be action sequences, romantic scenes, or comedy moments that really help drive the story and are fun for you to write. These moments are likely the big payoff to a long buildup, so writing them can be an enjoyable experience.
However, we shouldn’t deny ourselves the opportunity to write these when we want to. Write them when you feel like writing them. When it comes to drafting, you always have the power to rearrange and change where chapters or scenes are located in the story’s world. If you want to write the big finale first, do it. Have a romantic scene that you’re itching to write? Write it.
While there may be traditional story structures needed when you put the story out there for the world, in the drafting phase, you can write what you want, when you want. And no one can stop you.
The Creative Brain on Auto-Pilot
Sometimes your characters will begin to dictate what they want to do, what they want to say, and where they want to go. Don’t fight this feeling; let them take you there. Often your subconscious knows what’s best for your story and can take you places you didn’t initially think of.
This isn’t some weird phenomenon; it does happen. And if it does, let your characters take the wheel. Remember, if they steer the story down a wrong path, you can fix it later. If they show you something fresh and new about your story or characters, it can be a great win for you and your story.
Getting here requires you to tell that evil, no good, despicable part of your brain to shut up and go on vacation. And that part is…
The Evil Voice of Doubt and Negativity
This horrible creature likes to loom around your creativity, giving making you unsure of what you’re writing, how you’re writing it, and if you should even be writing.
I sure hate this creature!
There are 24 hours in a day. Give this monster a few hours off as your write and keep them locked out as you work on your draft. This is all for you, not anyone else, so this evil creature is wasting your time by creeping into your head as you charge forward. Even if the monster makes a good point about a scene or chapter, make a note or rewrite the chapter, but keep going.
Creativity is a big enough challenge at times without this specter of negativity floating about.
When You Feel Blocked…
Writer’s block does happen, but it’s how you handle it that makes the difference. I would suggest when you do hit a wall moving on to another part of the story or work on another project to keep the creativity flowing.
It’s very tempting – and I’ve done this – to close the laptop, lay on the couch, and watch TV instead of writing. While this is a quick fix, it doesn’t get you to your goal of finishing your draft and moving on to the next project.
Do your best to stay focused and stay on track. You may falter, but don’t let the block prevent you from writing for too long.
Have Fun!
As I said before, this draft is your time to play. It’s your time to test out ideas, see how they work or don’t work, and see if your characters take you anywhere new.
If you are bored with your story, have lost interest, or are dreading writing this draft, then there may be something wrong with your story, not you. What is the reason you aren’t excited to write? What aspect of the story is holding you back?
Unless you are writing this draft as part of an assignment, reevaluate your story and see where the issues are. Maybe you are challenging yourself to write in an unfamiliar genre, or you don’t like the main character. Whatever it is, make the changes you need to make the process enjoyable.
Writing is a journey. It’s a process. It’s a challenge. And it’s something that can become addictive in a positive way. As you begin to write your first/rough draft, remember that Stephen King, Jordan Peele, Grady Hendrix, and Maya Angelou all had to start with an idea, a blank page, and a first draft.
You can only get better once you have the first version out of your head and out on the page.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you in two weeks!
Writing Motivation Mondays: The Tao of Creativity, Part One
Last month, I read Benjamin Hoff’s book, The Tao of Pooh, and realized many of the concepts and ideas presented could apply to us as writers and creative individuals. So, after I was done, I went back through the book and pulled some insightful quotes to explore with you from the perspective of being a writer or other artist.
Let’s get started!
Changing Perspective
Early on in the book, Hoff explains, “[T]hrough working in harmony with life’s circumstances, Taoist understanding changes what others may perceive as negative into something positive” (6). In a world where we are constantly bombarded by negativity, hate, and pessimism, it can be a chore to push all that aside, clear our heads, and dwell in a positive and healthy space that enables us to create.
But what if we used those horrible things to our advantage? What if, instead of being a distraction, they were the reason we needed to escape and create? What if we pushed them away and allowed ourselves several hours to write, draw, dance, sculpt, and do what we want to do for the joy of doing it? What if we allowed ourselves to create something good in the world?
The world and its events are ever-present, but you have the power in your personal space to do something for the good of yourself and the enjoyment of others. When we doomscroll the headlines on our phones or listen to the news, it negatively impacts us whether we realize it or not.
Allow yourself to break free from the world's negativity and do something positive through your creativity.
Is it Writer’s Block or Something Better?
In keeping with the theme of the quoted passage above, we can also look at writer’s block from a different perspective. We usually consider it an evil force that prevents us from writing, but what if we considered it a challenge to overcome instead?
Writer’s block always has a root cause, and part of breaking through the block is discovering what that is. So, instead of focusing on the negative, explore the positive aspects of writer’s block. Yes, that’s right, the positive aspects.
What is your writer’s block trying to tell you? The easiest way to find out is to write about it. Writing about the possible causes of your writer’s block can help you find perspective and hopefully assist in getting you through the block and back to your writing.
Is the block caused by fear? Caused by a story problem? Caused by outside forces? How can you spin those into positive and productive actions that will get you back to writing?
The key here isn’t to fight against writer’s block. As the quote says, we want to be “working in harmony with life’s circumstances,” which means finding ways to positively address and overcome the block so you can move forward with your creative process.
Take the time to explore the possibilities and find a positive solution to the problem. You’ll be back into your story in no time!
Final Thoughts
It can be tough to find the good and positive in the world today, but as creative people, we must take a step back and allow ourselves the ability and opportunity to do what we enjoy. Turn the negative news into the motivation you need to escape into a positive and productive work environment. Permit yourself to take a break from the real world and indulge in the creative process you need for your sanity and mental health.
By giving in to writer’s block and exploring its causes, you can begin to break through and get back to writing sooner. Allow yourself to positively push back at this force of negativity, and see how quickly you can climb over this obstacle to creativity.
Happy Writing and Creating, and I’ll see you next time!
Let’s get started!
Changing Perspective
Early on in the book, Hoff explains, “[T]hrough working in harmony with life’s circumstances, Taoist understanding changes what others may perceive as negative into something positive” (6). In a world where we are constantly bombarded by negativity, hate, and pessimism, it can be a chore to push all that aside, clear our heads, and dwell in a positive and healthy space that enables us to create.
But what if we used those horrible things to our advantage? What if, instead of being a distraction, they were the reason we needed to escape and create? What if we pushed them away and allowed ourselves several hours to write, draw, dance, sculpt, and do what we want to do for the joy of doing it? What if we allowed ourselves to create something good in the world?
The world and its events are ever-present, but you have the power in your personal space to do something for the good of yourself and the enjoyment of others. When we doomscroll the headlines on our phones or listen to the news, it negatively impacts us whether we realize it or not.
Allow yourself to break free from the world's negativity and do something positive through your creativity.
Is it Writer’s Block or Something Better?
In keeping with the theme of the quoted passage above, we can also look at writer’s block from a different perspective. We usually consider it an evil force that prevents us from writing, but what if we considered it a challenge to overcome instead?
Writer’s block always has a root cause, and part of breaking through the block is discovering what that is. So, instead of focusing on the negative, explore the positive aspects of writer’s block. Yes, that’s right, the positive aspects.
What is your writer’s block trying to tell you? The easiest way to find out is to write about it. Writing about the possible causes of your writer’s block can help you find perspective and hopefully assist in getting you through the block and back to your writing.
Is the block caused by fear? Caused by a story problem? Caused by outside forces? How can you spin those into positive and productive actions that will get you back to writing?
The key here isn’t to fight against writer’s block. As the quote says, we want to be “working in harmony with life’s circumstances,” which means finding ways to positively address and overcome the block so you can move forward with your creative process.
Take the time to explore the possibilities and find a positive solution to the problem. You’ll be back into your story in no time!
Final Thoughts
It can be tough to find the good and positive in the world today, but as creative people, we must take a step back and allow ourselves the ability and opportunity to do what we enjoy. Turn the negative news into the motivation you need to escape into a positive and productive work environment. Permit yourself to take a break from the real world and indulge in the creative process you need for your sanity and mental health.
By giving in to writer’s block and exploring its causes, you can begin to break through and get back to writing sooner. Allow yourself to positively push back at this force of negativity, and see how quickly you can climb over this obstacle to creativity.
Happy Writing and Creating, and I’ll see you next time!
Writing Tip of the Week: Write Badly with Pride
As media consumers, we are presented with the best possible versions of products sold in stores, online, and in movie theaters. This “final product” can lead some to believe that what they’re seeing was indeed lightning in a bottle, that the project from idea to distribution was a seamless process for all involved.
And that would be 100% incorrect.
Screenplays, TV scripts, novels, short films, poetry, and all other forms of written media never start as the final version. Everyone starts from the same place: nothing. The key is to craft nothing into something that can become a final product, but you can’t do that if you haven’t written anything.
This is where writing badly with pride comes into play.
Why Write Badly?
First, you must accept that whatever you initially put down on the page will not be your best work. It just won’t be, and that’s okay. It’s essential to have it down on the page so it can be reworked, tweaked, and edited later to make it the best it can be.
When I write drafts, the first iteration of anything written is garbage. But, since the basic idea is out of my head and there’s a visual representation on my computer or paper, my mind can now work on the chapter or scene and improve it.
Even if you’re tempted to go back and change things, force yourself to keep moving forward in this poorly written draft and work to get to the end. The last thing you want to do is get into a cycle of write-rewrite-edit-rewrite-rework-rewrite-tweak, only to be on page ten six months later.
Once you have a draft that’s 10% good, your eventual goal is to work on it and help it evolve into the 100% version you’ve brainstormed and dreamed about. But if you overthink and aim for perfection from page one of your rough draft, getting to that final page and The End will be a challenge.
Why Write Badly with Pride?
You’re a writer. Writers write. Whether it’s good, bad, or mediocre, taking pride in your work and having the confidence to get it out on the page by any means necessary should be your top priority. This means no matter how poor the rough draft’s quality is, you should be confident enough in yourself as a writer to know that you will make it better over time.
It’s what all writers have to do. It’s part of the job.
Yes, even a screenplay that wins an Academy Award or a novel that becomes a New York Times bestseller had to be thrown out onto the page in some haphazard form before getting to its final form.
A Cure for Writer’s Block?
Writing badly with pride is an excellent way to destroy writer’s block from its foundation. There’s no fear of writing something that isn’t great since that’s no longer the point! Your goal is to write anything in any form so you can fix it later.
It shouldn’t be like building a house where getting it right the first time is ideal. With writing, you can always go back and revise, which means getting the ideas out on the page in whatever form is a great way to go from garbage to gold.
Final Thoughts
My screenwriting professor, Eric Edson, wrote “Write Badly with Pride” on the whiteboard on the first day of his class, and I’ve never forgotten it. It should be the motto of all writers, whether they are starting out or are pros. I encourage everyone to type the motto in big, bold letters, print it out, and hang it above their writing space.
Write Badly with Pride, and I’ll see you next time!
And that would be 100% incorrect.
Screenplays, TV scripts, novels, short films, poetry, and all other forms of written media never start as the final version. Everyone starts from the same place: nothing. The key is to craft nothing into something that can become a final product, but you can’t do that if you haven’t written anything.
This is where writing badly with pride comes into play.
Why Write Badly?
First, you must accept that whatever you initially put down on the page will not be your best work. It just won’t be, and that’s okay. It’s essential to have it down on the page so it can be reworked, tweaked, and edited later to make it the best it can be.
When I write drafts, the first iteration of anything written is garbage. But, since the basic idea is out of my head and there’s a visual representation on my computer or paper, my mind can now work on the chapter or scene and improve it.
Even if you’re tempted to go back and change things, force yourself to keep moving forward in this poorly written draft and work to get to the end. The last thing you want to do is get into a cycle of write-rewrite-edit-rewrite-rework-rewrite-tweak, only to be on page ten six months later.
Once you have a draft that’s 10% good, your eventual goal is to work on it and help it evolve into the 100% version you’ve brainstormed and dreamed about. But if you overthink and aim for perfection from page one of your rough draft, getting to that final page and The End will be a challenge.
Why Write Badly with Pride?
You’re a writer. Writers write. Whether it’s good, bad, or mediocre, taking pride in your work and having the confidence to get it out on the page by any means necessary should be your top priority. This means no matter how poor the rough draft’s quality is, you should be confident enough in yourself as a writer to know that you will make it better over time.
It’s what all writers have to do. It’s part of the job.
Yes, even a screenplay that wins an Academy Award or a novel that becomes a New York Times bestseller had to be thrown out onto the page in some haphazard form before getting to its final form.
A Cure for Writer’s Block?
Writing badly with pride is an excellent way to destroy writer’s block from its foundation. There’s no fear of writing something that isn’t great since that’s no longer the point! Your goal is to write anything in any form so you can fix it later.
It shouldn’t be like building a house where getting it right the first time is ideal. With writing, you can always go back and revise, which means getting the ideas out on the page in whatever form is a great way to go from garbage to gold.
Final Thoughts
My screenwriting professor, Eric Edson, wrote “Write Badly with Pride” on the whiteboard on the first day of his class, and I’ve never forgotten it. It should be the motto of all writers, whether they are starting out or are pros. I encourage everyone to type the motto in big, bold letters, print it out, and hang it above their writing space.
Write Badly with Pride, and I’ll see you next time!
