Category
October 5, 2013
Sometimes writing can be transformative, not just in the way it’s written but in the ideas it conveys. I’m not sure if I’ve ever written anything of that caliber, but I know I’ve read plenty. Here’s one. Film Crit Hulk’s gloriously caps locked article “Film Crit Hulk Smash: HULK VS. SPOILERS AND THE 4 LEVELS OF HOW WE CONSUME ART” is, in my eyes, a must read. It discusses why some people cry out against spoilers while others maintain that...
September 23, 2013
A little update on the post I wrote about formulas a while back. In the article I linked before, which is about a scriptwriting book that is leading to even more generic Hollywood movies (as if that’s what the world needs), one of the movies referred to multiple times was Star Trek Into Darkness. This weekend I finally watched it. Hoo-boy, were they right. Now I’m a bit of an anomaly. I’m a bit too trope savvy for my own good,...
September 15, 2013
Sometimes I dream what it will be like to be an author. I dream of the freedom, the flexibility, and the total lack of a boss. I dream of waking up every morning with the main item on my to-do list being “write”, and with plenty of time to do it. I imagine what it will be like to introduce myself as an author, with no asterisk included. I think that imagining your future success is helpful. It’s a little...
September 12, 2013
Not long ago acclaimed director Miyazaki Hayao announced his retirement. It was not long after this that I came across someone expressing surprise that Mr. Miyazaki respected also-acclaimed director Anno Hideaki…or anyone, for that matter. This couldn’t be more wrong. Mr. Miyazaki stood at the top of his industry, and was widely (and deservedly, I think) considered a master director and artist. It’s easy to assume that he knows of his own fame and skill, and thinks (perhaps even rightfully) that...
August 31, 2013
The hardest thing to do is get started, each and every day. Manage that and the rest is easy. Here’s what I do: don’t focus on how much you have to do. Don’t focus on how many hours or how much effort is ahead of you. In fact, don’t even plan to do that much. Instead, plan on only doing a little. You’ll find that once you’ve gotten started, it’s easy to keep going. If you want to. I learned...
August 22, 2013
Writing is not always fun for me. As is the case with any pastime that’s turned into something more, it has become partially a job, and jobs are not traditionally fun. To be sure, it’s a great deal more fun and fulfilling than my other job, but when I’m writing I still find myself slacking sometimes. How could this be, if this is my dream? Artist Will Terrell may have given me the answer. I stumbled across his cartoon essay titled...
August 19, 2013
When I finish my book, I don’t plan on using a publisher. Whenever I mention this, many people ask why. Here’s the reason. I don’t want a boss and I don’t want a master. I don’t want anyone to tell me what I can or can’t do with my story. I very much value editors, but editors only advise; publishers can demand. I will not even humor demands. In the end my success or failure will come down to me,...
August 18, 2013
“People who found our KS campaign, but never heard of us, who think we pulled $135k out of thin air and want “some tips.”: It took a decade.” –Brian Clevinger To me, there’s nothing more heartening than hearing this. Which is funny, because to most people it’s depressing. “Ten years?” they say. “That’s a long time! Isn’t there a way to do it faster?” I hope not. True get rich schemes do not exist. The only surefire path to success...
June 26, 2013
“Mood? What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises — no matter the mood! Mood’s a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset. It’s not for fighting.” -Gurney Halleck, Frank Herbert’s Dune Replace “fighting” with “writing”, and that’s largely my opinion on the matter of inspiration. Oh sure, inspiration is nice. It’s great when it strikes and the words start flowing at double, triple, even quadruple your usual speed. When you get it,...
June 22, 2013
Would you like to know how to write interesting stories? Live an interesting life. There’s a tendency among us creative types to want to stay inside, stay safe in front of our desks as we pound away at the keyboard and create worlds in our minds. And to be sure that is necessary, as is experiencing the worlds others have created. But you must have your own experiences as well. There really is no substitute for being there yourself, even...