productivity

An air of authenticity -OR- That’s why God invented Wikipedia*

Maximum Z genre, guidelines, productivity, research, scenes, screenwriting, script, Wikipedia, writing , ,
Wikipedia was actually founded by this guy - Jimmy Wales - but it's not as funny
*Yes, I know Wikipedia was actually founded by this guy – Jimmy Wales – but it’s not as funny

“Write what you know” can only get you so far.

What if you want to write something you don’t know that much about?

One word: research.

Thought you were done with that when you got out of school? No such luck, my friend.

When you write, you want to make the reader/audience feel like you know what you’re talking about, or least give the impression you do. Just making stuff up or copying something used in an older movie is the lazy approach.

This isn’t saying you need a character spouting a master’s thesis on the subject, but tossing a few facts or proper terms here and there can really go a long way towards establishing credibility.

If you’re still in the outline phase, this is prime researching time. As you’re developing your story, try to find out something you can use that would make it that much more believable.  While this practice definitely applies to anything history-based, it also works with stories set in the present.

Say you’re working on a medical drama. Those characters should be able to immediately identify a certain condition, the cause (if necessary) and what the treatment is. Spending a few minutes finding this information out will make that possible.  You think the writers of HOUSE just made stuff up? Nope. The medical problem in each episode was based on facts.

Researching could also prove to be a key part of moving your story forward. Maybe a character finds something out or reveals something that suddenly changes the direction things are going.

Writing about a profession you know nothing about? Talk to someone who actually does that for a living. How would they handle this type of situation? When someone finds out you’re writing a story and want their input, they’re usually pretty enthusiastic about helping you.

Spending some time finding stuff out can even pay off when you least expect it, or aren’t expecting it all. Even if you don’t use it this time, there’s a good chance it could come in handy somewhere down the line.

This way you can solve that particular problem faster, thereby making yourself look that much more like a writing genius, impressing all who sample your craft.

And isn’t that what it’s really all about?

Start. Write. Repeat.

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Apropos of nothing. I just like Paris.
Apropos of nothing. I just wouldn’t mind being there.

With all the activity surrounding the one script these past few months, and even though I was working on some new stuff, I’d practically forgotten that I really needed to build up my arsenal of material. When somebody asks “What else have you got?”, I want to be able to say “This, this and this.”

Thus the pattern of always working on something continues. As it should for every writer.

Progress on the western spec has been pleasantly steady. And with school starting up the week after next, there’s no reason I can’t bulldoze my way to FADE OUT soon after that. When that’s done, it’s right into reworking an older script with the hope of a quick turnaround.

Changing your focus every once in a while helps keeps things fresh, both on the page and in your head. It gives your creativity a necessary recharge. If you’re working in different genres, it allows you to put yourself in a totally different mindset.

Think of it as crosstraining for the mind. You work on this for a week, then something else the next week, then another the following. Skills are sharpened while attention is spread out equally. In the end, you’ve got progress on multiple fronts.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of constantly rewriting the same thing over and over, which can quickly lead to frustration and burnout. New work can help avoid that.

Take advantage of the opportunity to switch it up, and even when you start something new, keep one eye looking just ahead to the project after that.

-Stan Lee update. Didn’t get to meet him, but took some nice pix from deep within the crowd. I also won a signed copy of Avengers #31. Both V and I had a good time despite the Giants losing 6-1.

A leaky faucet can be just as good as opened floodgates

Maximum Z creativity, productivity, scenes, screenwriting, script, time, writing
faucet
All those drips can really add up

We’ve all got busy schedules, so finding time to write can be quite the challenge.

One writer I know says he waits until his kids go to sleep. Another one gets up early and writes until he has to start getting ready for his day job.

Since I work unusual hours, my prime writing time is mid-afternoon before I head out to take care of Dad stuff.

For the past couple of weeks, circumstances have limited me to about an hour, which has been very productive. My goal on days like this is to write at least one page; two if I’m on a roll, and this is what usually happens.

But working within a set time limit has also been surprisingly liberating. Knowing you’re only producing one or two scenes really takes the pressure off, and removing that part of the equation can definitely yield positive results.

Just as an example, I had to come up with a new way to have a scene play out because it was way too similar to one earlier in the story. Since it was the last of a handful of small scenes I was doing that day, I knew I’d be done when the scene was done.

A few minutes later, that’s what happened.

Not worrying about the time allowed me to really focus on what I had to do, and since I already knew what the point of the scene was, it wasn’t too hard to come up with a solution.

The more you work at it, the easier it’ll get to be productive, even if it’s only a page or two at a time.

Looks like my get-up-and-go has got up and went

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Everybody feels like this sometimes; today just happens to be my turn.
Amazingly, not as comfy as you’d think

I’m up to page 80 of the first draft, with maybe 2-3 pages to go to hit that next major plot point, which would put me approximately 7-8 pages over. Not necessarily too bad.

But there have been times lately, especially in the past few weeks, when writing feels more like work, which it really shouldn’t.

I’m not going to call it burnout, but it feels mighty close to that. Call it the writer’s equivalent of battle fatigue.

I don’t like it, and what bothers me more is the why.

Maybe it’s from not exercising as much, so my energy levels are down. On the other hand, I did two 13-mile runs in just under a week, so maybe I’ve exhausted myself.

Or maybe it’s psychological.  The ever-present concern whether people will like the end result is shaking my confidence, which makes it hard to focus.

A lot of writers say they write because they can’t imagine doing anything else. I agree, but what do you do when it’s tough to actually write?

It’s not writer’s block. I know the material. And it’s not motivation. Believe me, I really want to get this done.

The biggest drawback to all of this is if I’m not mentally jazzed about writing, the writing’s going to reflect that.

I could have an incredibly thrilling action sequence ready to go, but it might read as sluggish, listless or, god forbid, lazy.

It’s one thing to say to yourself “Keep going! You can do it!” It’s another to actually put those words into effect.

-Movie of the Moment – MAN OF STEEL (2013) Talk about tired and listless. How can a movie about Superman feel so empty? The special effects were impressive – I’d expect nothing less – but in terms of story and characters, I was very disappointed there wasn’t more of a sense of fun to it.

A friend says they were following the Nolan/DARK KNIGHT model and going for dark and brooding, which is what Batman’s all about anyway.

For a character with the nickname of the Big Blue Boy Scout, ‘dark and brooding’ isn’t exactly what comes to mind.

V and I saw it, and there were a few times she asked “Is it almost over?” This is a child who really enjoys a good comic book movie, and she’s known about Superman since she was really little, so when she asks that, you know it’s not a good sign.

The hurry up and wait countermeasure

Maximum Z creativity, ideas, opportunity, productivity, writing
I suppose watching paint dry is an option...
I suppose watching paint dry is one option…

What a dreadful phrase.

Everybody’s been through this at one point or another. It’s an inevitability, no matter what field you’re in.

I got to experience it twice in the past couple of days. The first was mentioned by a colleague waiting to hear back about one of his numerous projects.  The other’s me waiting for a new batch of script notes.

You work and slave for countless hours, then send the finished product off, eagerly waiting for the go-ahead to move forward.  But it never happens as fast as you want at it to, and it’s killing you.

“What the hell’s taking them so long?” you think to yourself.

Fortunately, the perfect solution is always available to us folks of creativeness, and it’s not as hard as you think – focus on another project.

Doesn’t matter what. Start something new, go back to a previous one, maybe finally dive into that completely different something you’ve always wanted to try.  Productivity is always a good thing.

Worrying about that thing you just sent out isn’t going to do you any good, so you may as well redirect all that anxious energy into something positive.

The more time you spend on this new thing, the less you’ll think about that previous one. And before you know it, progress has been made.

Added bonus – building up your arsenal of material. This way you’ll be well-prepared when asked “What else have you got?”