I agree with Professor Walter. If you have to ask if you should continue to be a writer . . . I've written six novels, one work of nonfiction and four screenplays. I've had two literary agents, neither of whom could sell my work (so at my later stage in life I self published; who has time?). I've committed a million words to paper in the past twenty years, writing and rewriting and I have two more novels in the works. Yet, by any measure, I'm utterly unsuccessful as a novelist and screenwriter. I just can't stop. I don't want to stop. Creating a world in my series of novels and screenplays just gives me enormous satisfaction.
I'm curious about your need to write screenplays, what's the big deal about them? I was trained as an Animator, so I wrote many scripts for cartoons that would never be produced, because of my incompetency as an animator (I have no desire for it). I found myself writing more often than animating, and found that I enjoyed it immensely, so now I'm soon going to finish my first novel, which should be around 170k words (comedy fantasy). Writing scripts, as compared to writing novels, seems like such a low-class way of telling stories. The strict form itself strips away any real connectivity the reader may have to the characters or story, and the whole thing becomes basically dialogue that has to be read aloud to have any impact. The other parts are basically description of the setting and characters, in a matter-of-fact kind of way so that the production crew can work quicker. Is there something I'm missing with them? Is there a script that reads just as well as any novel? The best I've read is Shakespeare, of course, but like I said, it's just dialogue.
Your comment caught my eye. So I want to explain to you why I write screenplays instead of novels. I could but I don't. When I first started writing I started with a novel, it was the format I was more familiar with and the only one that I really knew because until that time I'd never been interested in writing so I didn't read screenplays by that time. When I wrote the novel I really enjoyed myself because I love writing and is one of the greatest things in my life. But I felt that something was missing and then I found out. I couldn't find my voice in the narrative, I mean I couldn't feel comfortable with my narrative. When I started writing scripts I felt much better writing than novels because in scripts you don't have to include a narrator like in a novel. You do have to tell the person who's reading the script how things are in space and what's happening in that moment. But I don't have to connect all the scenes as if they were continuous. I can go backwards and then forwards freely and in a novel, i feel I can't I feel like a have to drive it somewhere. Of course in scripts, there's a narrative but there's not (usually) a narrator in scripts with words. As if you were talking to someone that's what you do in books. So I see, scripts as a place where I have not as many boundaries as I have in novel respecting to the narrative. But I do find the novel the proper way to tell some of my stories.
sm I Thanks for your reply. I'm sorry that you see the narrative voice as a boundary, I see it more as a unique thumb print that a writer has. The narrative voice can sometimes come through in screenplays, but not nearly as easily, or as apparent, in novels. I made a transition from screenwriting (with my cartoon stories), into novel writing because I found how I could add so much more to my characters in the novel. Within a few pages I can describe an action scene (something that can be done in a screenplay), but also have a lot of internal conflict and struggle that cannot be seen.
Never give up on your dreams. That's your gift and needs to be shared with the world. Something that makes you happy and fulfilled is your life's purpose. There are many authors who made successful careers in self-publishing, so don't feel you have to go down the traditional path. Sometimes you have to create a buzz around you and your work so that the publishing houses notice you. You have more than enough product to go solo. "Build, and they will come" ;) Wishing you all the best Nicholas.
He's right though. Writing is a lonely business. It's just you and the computer. Your thoughts, your ideas, your words. Once you create the world and fill it with characters, then it becomes fun. But stepping away from your story and saying, "It's done. Finished." That's sometimes the hardest thing to do, because we all like to tinker with it, hoping that we can make it better.
I hear writers say this. That sounds too much like work to me. If you write, particularly fiction, and you can't wait to get your hours done because you feel the tension of its loneliness, and you want to rush back to the comfort of the real world for rest and recuperation...., well, that's just not remotely how I feel when I write. Writing fiction is a wonderful place to be. Hours and days can go by in dreamlands and coming up for air to sleep or to eat can be quite annoying!
I have been a professional writer for over 30 years. Let me tell you plainly: "You are good enough right now." Yes, writers always need to improve, but that only happens as you write. Age, education, background--none of these things are important. What is important is that you see writing as a craft and that your job is to continually hone your craft. You don't do that by studying about writing. You do it by actually sitting down and writing and rewriting..
VelocityWriting, So true. I never graduated high school but have been writing for 8 years, and in 2015 I finished a number of short stories engaging enough to get my straight male neighbor across the street to sit, and listen, and as result of what he heard, had me read one of the stories to him three times, one of which was when he brought me to his brother in law's house to read to that family. It truly is a matter of mastering the craft.
Hello VelocityWriting. I loved your comment. When I watch this man, I can't help recalling English Professors who basically told their students to give up. You have the credentials to give advice, being a professional. I don't know the exact context in which people would seek advice from this man, but I find the other youtube videos with young girls pleading for viewers to sit down and write, much more helpful. Discouragement is normal, but I feel too many professors feel their words are best suited to tell people to hang it up. I think you should post videos, for I like your outlook much better than this man's. God Bless and thanks for the comment.
Education is not important? So, it would stand to reason then, based on your logic, that uneducated writers do as well as educated writers? Maybe you're right, but I seriously doubt it.
Two important take-aways from this wonderful interview: 1) If you need to ask if you're a good enough writer to make it, the answer is "No." (2) Writers write not because they think they're going to 'make it'; writers write because "they can't help themselves." Thank you, Mr. Walter. xo
Some people need the support. I never had anyone who supported my dream of writing, and even though I could not live without writing, I learned to go without it. It was miserable, so when my college professor encouraged me to write, she opened the door of hope! I had never had anyone give me permission to follow my dream to write! For some reason I felt like I needed someone to support my desire to follow my dream. Today, no one can tell me not to write... it's as important as eating to me. If someone is asking you if they should continue writing, they might just need a voice of support to follow their dream. You might be the first person in their life who gives them hope.
Yea, I feel people who give these kinds of advice like 'you have to breath it, you'll die if you don't do it." They don't understand the influence of environment on human decisions.
Writing should be an intrinsic necessity in life, without it I'd feel lost & depressed. Sometimes I crave the urge to write, like artist to paint, sculptor to carve. It can obsessive, relentless, even sometimes oppressive like the sun to a delicate flower, that needs water. This just popped out of my head, hope it makes sense to those that write, even those that don't.
Personally, I deal with self-doubt by saying to myself I AM a nobody. I am a young writer, only 21 years old. I have been creatively writing since my Junior year of high school, and I've always been in love with storytelling. That's the first step that Professor Walter was talking about. You have to want to tell stories. But something I dealt with for a long time was this feeling that my stories weren't going to be any good. I have posted work on a Medium profile, on Creepypasta, on Reddit, and shown plenty of unpublished work to friends. But no matter how many little comments I got of people saying I had some talent, I always felt like I wasn't getting enough praise. Of course, that's an extremely egotistic attitude to have about anything, and it is especially egotistic in the creative world. So, it took me getting over myself. I had to say to myself in the mirror, and I still often do, that I was a nobody. No one owed me any praise, no one will ever know if I'm talented if I never put myself out there. It felt like a weight had come off my shoulders at that moment.
somecallmetim451 also your dissatisfaction with others response isn't egoistic per say, it's more of that you want to improve and keep improving. I completed my first book last year with no way to have it published, but every time I read through it, I add something, take down something. It keeps evolving. Sorry for the rant. Anyways, have a nice day.
I'm a young writer too and at this point, I've come not to be harsh on my writing. It's a subjective art and not everyone will love it. I've spent so many hours contemplating what will improve my work and I've read many help books about fiction. I have come to the conclusion that writing has more to do with me enjoying it then others. I will continue to write even if people hate it. It's just in my blood just like with you. It doesn't mean you're nobody, it just means that you aren't giving yourself enough credit for your hard work. Even if it's only you who admires it, isn't it still worth it?
I think negatively about myself at times too somecallmetim451 but a guy gave me good advice once and that was when you catch yourself doing that do the inverse and think of 5 good things about yourself. Positive affirmations help. Maybe you will receive a birthday card from someone or a letter, or I should say now days and "email" ha! where they say something nice and with tacks put that on your wall. I do that. I feel I don't need them as much any more, yet I allow diffidence to creep in on myself. I read that a fair number of famous writers did some of their best writing around the age of 21. I also read that poet Robert Frost wrote some of his best when he was elderly, in his 80's and 90's. Singer songwriter Bob Dylan said he feels he wrote better when he was younger. Try not to think of too many things where you exclude yourself, a tendency I had in the past that I try to rise above. You're capeable of rising above negativity as your mention "no one owed me any praise" which is great. Try not to rely on the comments of others to validate who you are and work on that validation coming from within. You are the sole person responsible for your happiness. Writing doesn't pay the bills for most and it depends on how much you want to focus on that. Maybe a profession where you find your niche in the working world so you don't have 101 jobs like I did for 32 years, everything from garbage man to sticking logs for 12 hour shifts in a log pond to being an aid in a nursing home and a lot more. Even though I've never been published, my writing has taken me places in the world I would not trade for anything, yet few people would ever want to live the low budget way I've lived all my life. I'm 63 and there's still a lot of adventure ahead as I cherish the present moment. So off my soap box ha! Somehow I wanted to share that.
The only one qualified to judge your work is you. Every word you put on paper has to be felt. If you don't feel it, let it go. You have to be willing to fall in love with the idea, which is something you can't force, not if you're honest with yourself. Every story is like a puzzle; it's something inside of you that is trying to figure itself out. Writers are sensitive people and one of the ways these people deal with their own riddles is by going through it in imagination and pen it down as the process is figuring itself out, but you have to stick with it and endure the pain. Art is sacrifice, same as life itself. Remember; the story itself is but a shell, a symbol to communicate an ineffable truth in motion that dwells in the primordial deep. So get in touch with that aspect of yourself and go through it. And also realize that every mistake you make is part of the whole; the mistakes will teach you, but you have to learn how to listen and discern between illusion and truth.
I think some people, including myself sometimes, want others to tell us we’re not good enough so it would give us an excuse to stop following our dreams because it’s hard.
The best truths can be very difficult and painful to accept. OTOH, they are absolutely critical to knowing oneself, and can lead to breakthroughs that would never have happened otherwise. Thanks for your wise comment!
Omgoodness I only started the video and it’s a tremendous relief to hear someone say it is Always painful 😳 I thought that maybe I was just a tragic one and/or too little experienced
How do I avoid self-doubt? I don't. I sit there and embrace it, putting my pen to paper until it's gone. And then I go to sleep, because I can finally get comfortable.
I'm happy to here it's normal to step away from what you're writing and write something else. I've been going through that lately. I've been writing two other things apart from my current script, and it's refreshing to come back to it after a little break.
I've been writing stories since first grade and have spent the last five or six years writing my first novel, polishing it little by little. My personal take on this is, at least when it comes to writing books, is that you feel you're ready to publish if you are ready to fail. Everyone loves their own creation most of the time, that's just part of the game. But over the years I've learned that a writer's worst enemy can be his own ego rather than writers writer's block. Believing in your work is one thing and important as well. But if you reached a point where you feel like there's nothing left to add and you feel confident enough to take the leap to publish but also to fall flat on your ass, then you might be ready
Your comment resonates a powerful cord with me, I appreciated your words of wisdom. Your honesty was refreshing. If I get knocked back I'll get up, dust myself off & try again, & again. An old man once told me the inventor of the spray lubricant WD40 means water displacement which took forty attempts to get right.
I stumbled upon a secret for curing writer's block a few years ago. I was writing a story and simply couldn't tell what the characters would do next. It was like they were staring at me from the page, disappointed. At that point, I took the time to delve into the backstory of the whole planet. How did society come to this? It became a story of its own and really fleshed out the world I was creating. I even had one of the characters "find" this backstory in an old book of history and read what I wrote. I didn't include all the details, but I had him come to some decisions based on this newly found knowledge. Writing the story from there was easy. There was a clear break in the tone of the story before and after reading the history book that mirrored the point of my writer's block. But that was okay because the story flowed organically from there. It made sense. Basically I gave the character my writer's block and he solved it by reading that book. If you use this "I found a book" trick, you need to make it organic as well. The book can't just teleport down from heaven because the protag hit a topping point. You can fix this rather easily. Find your most annoying character - the one the protag doesn't like. Then go back here and there in the story and have him suggest he read the Tome of Relevant Knowledge. The protag ignores him a couple times. Then right at the point of writer's block have Annoying Man say, "NOW will you humor me and read that book? What more can you lose?" And then the protag reds the book, gets inspired/motivated, and the story rolls on. You might even want to move Annoying Man closer to the protag because he was so helpful. But then quickly make it so his annoying nature repels the protag again and he's kept at arm's length. That way you don't have to change Annoying Man's character too much. Let's face it. He's never going to be cool or popular. He's Annoying Man.
Thank you so much for saying that it’s about “feeling, and feeling is hard” and also that if it’s something you can’t help but do you are a writer. Both timely bits of encouragement 🙏
I love creating worlds with my mind. The more I do it the more I bring in the sensual details of the scene and increase the authenticity of the characters. When I write, I often look back at it astonished at where it came from. It continues to propel me forward.
"You should be a writer because you can't help yourself, there's nothing else you can do, you just can't stop yourself, you just have to write" ..I came here with bunch of questions really, and yes the question "am I good enough, should I write" is always going to be amidst those questions, but I didn't start writing yesterday because I sat down and told myself "hey I want to be a writer, I will write something now", no. I sat down and started to write because i had this story in my head for years and it always excited me and I never really found anything out there that would make me say, this is similar I'm glad it's out there so that I don't have to embarrass myself by grabbing my guts and few pens and writing pages of what might be an utter crap to anyone who knows anything about books. I read only 2 by my free will and it was almost 10 years ago so...God knows how this will turn out, but now I know. I have to write it.
That really helped. I've wondered several times why I don't just give up. But I can't help it. Even if I tell myself I'm not going to do it anymore, I think of something and just have to write it down. A book I thought I'd abandoned still comes to mind and I find myself mindlessly continuing it. I just can't help myself. I have to write.
I really like this man. I will say, when I was in my 20s I was constantly seeking approval and encouragement because of low self-esteem. The truth is, I probably wasn't good enough - one teacher who liked me made me feel like the best the class, but the next one didn't and I was the worst. Now I'm in my 30s and I know myself better, and I know I can't stop writing. If I don't write I'm miserable. It's a compulsion, I need to write. I also notice though, now that I'm a better writer, people act like I've always been talented and was born good at it. It's like people can't deal that we improve at things, and "god-given talent" isn't as significant as many people seem to think.
I've been watching his videos in loop for the past 3 days, he's a real inspiration. thanks for his videos, hopefully you can make more with him soon :)
There’s this story I’ve wanted to write since September and it’s been on my mind for months, but I wanted to focus on getting through my first year of college. I’ve watched a lot of advice videos on writing. A good piece of advice I heard is that writing a story is not a straight line. It’s unrealistic for someone to write straight from chapter 1 to the end without going back and changing things. Or if you don’t know how to start the story but you know how you want a different point of the story written, then write that part and come back to it. You don’t have to start at the literal start. And if that story never sees the shelves or gets on a magazine, that’s ok. You still took the time and dedication to write it, which is more than what some people can say. Just have fun with it
You need to be careful starting a story in the middle like that. When you go to write the beginning stuff, it can tend to be "drag me by the nose" writing. It's like watching a Star Wars prequel. You know they can't kill off the Emperor or Darth Vader. It taints everything and makes the whole thing seem like we can just sit around and the protagonist magically gets to his goal. But then there's the middle part you wrote first and it all suddenly changes and feels like a real story. There's risk and excitement. The way past this is to make sure you're not married to that middle part. Go back and write the beginning stuff, but take chances. Then when you get to the middle part, some of the characters might have died in the big battle or there were other major changes that cause ripples throughout the story. Save your original middle part off somewhere and don't mess with it. But then write a new middle part using the old one as a template. Be bold. Eliminate whole sections that no longer make sense in light of the beginning stuff. When I do this I find the new thing better than what I was trying desperately to preserve. Also it feeds your need to tweak and rewrite like nothing else. There may be sections of that original middle part that you absolutely loved and were literary gold. DO NOT throw them away. You may be able to repurpose some of it for a "what if" scenario. Example: The protagonist does all the wonderful stuff he wanted to do all along, if the beginning stuff were different. But then he soon (don't drag it out) wakes up and it was just a dream. He has to face the world that is, not the one he expected. You can put your literary gold in that dream sequence. The audience will immediately sympathize with the protagonist because who hasn't had their dreams dashed by cold reality? Also, it will have that wonderful feel of realism to it because you already worked so hard on your literary gold. This will take your story from being merely hypothetical words on a page to a realistic account. The reader will assume something very much like this must have happened to you in real life for you to write it this way. Take the reader there. Drag them through your inner torture.
I find this man to be completely Adorable. h'es has such a nice personality , totally brilliant, seems like a really great professor. I like his personality. Down to earth!!
I battle my own writerly self-doubt by writing and performing at open mic nights. As for the writing, I find morning pages helpful (something I gleaned form The Artists Way), as well as exercises - most of all, doing whatever type of writing I shy away from, just as an exercise. I never tell myself I'm writing a novel at the start, I'm just playing with characters.
We get a story or an idea, or maybe we just want to share how we feel about something, so we write and we feel compelled, not just to write, but to share.
I do think the bottom line is that when you find your creative work, nobody will be able to stop you, and you won’t ask anyone for permission. The beauty of creativity-as so many have said in so many ways-is that for every timeless moment that we get lost in it, it is everything. We create ourselves. This is the only reason we need for any creative work.
My biggest fear is that I might be too old to start writing. I have a story that I would like to write about and I'm not sure anybody would want to read it , but I still want to write the book. If not one person reads it except my own family, at least I got it out of my mind and somewhere that someone will be able to read it if they want to. If I don't even get it published, at least I accomplished the task. :)
Vickie, I know your comment is over a year old, but I really hope you got to write your story, or at least start it. Age is only a concept and this world needs more people who fall in love with what they create. Go for it!
I've been screenwriting for over 20 years and have yet to sell a single thing. It's a struggle to keep going but I can't quit. Every time I want to, every time I resolve to, another idea pops up and here we go again...
This is so encouraging. I often have doubt (always) that anything I write will amount to something beyond a draft in my drawer, but that’s not the point. If I could make a living out of writing that would be fantastic, but I don’t write to be published, I write because I have to. I get what he means when he says if you have to ask you shouldn’t be writing. If it’s in your soul it’s not something that goes away because someone tells you shouldn’t do it. I’ve been writing since I was 13 years old simply as a hobby. I have a “language based learning difference” (similar to a low level form of dyslexia) that has always made me believe I could never do writing as a career, but I just can’t stop. Jobs, interests, and other hobbies come and go, but since my teenage years there has never been an moment when I don’t have a story in progress. Basically, if you have a passion for writing, you should be writing. If you don’t think you’re good enough, make sure you’re reading as much as you can, and your writing will get better with practice. Well, that was long winded. My apologies. Great interview, and thanks for the upload!
Culture and experience almost seemingly hidden and coated in humility and honesty. Thanks, mate, lovely. PS, no, for me, dreaming has nothing to do with CONSCIOUS storytelling/writing/creating, but a nice observation all the same; they are two different worlds, at least for me. PPS, daydreaming being a totally different matter, I'd say, and much more connected to the creative process(es). Right? Anyway, just thinking out loud, so thanks for that, Richard, beter to think about things than not, I suppose - for those that have that luxury! Xx
He is actually right. I am never ever satisfied with my work, EVER, yet I keep having writing success. I am a strong believer that editing skills must be excellent, and you can't edit work well without education in writing. If I stop writing I would die, I know it. I can't do anything else, but write. Writing is actually oxygen for me, when I am not writing or editing, I feel like I am stuck in a pit of darkness closing in on me.
This man just said write it, write something else, and then come back to it! All this time I thought I was doing it wrong!!!!! Let's not doubt ourselves, writers
I have never asked another writer whether or not I am wasting my time pursuing the career. But I do ask myself this question constantly. I always doubt. And from what I understand of people who have been in the career for decades, even for well-established authors like George R.R. Martin, such thoughts may never go away. That's pretty daunting. You have to be a little nuts to feel that way and keep slugging along with it.
TheUltimateGC Thanks! We were thrilled to have a second opportunity to visit with Professor Walter again. Here is the link to the full interview if you ever want more in one viewing th-cam.com/video/_tT_GjjlCLs/w-d-xo.html
When I'm under pressure I can write stuff that other people really like, but when there's no pressure it's so painful just to write a couple sentences. I don't exactly want to be a writer, but I've been told I'm good at it. So, I feel like by not writing I'm wasting my talent. And, it would be cool to write something that could make it. For one thing I think writers have to live a lot of life, but I search for life but I can't find it.
I’m only fifteen, but I have to confess that I love writing. My grandparent’s are reporters, really famous, and I just feel it in my blood. I WANT to write, but I always wonder if I’m good enough. The statistics depress me, the books that get popular even more so. But then I think that I will never be good enough, and that I’m not ever gonna be somebody. I cry about it and get over it. Truthfully, I don’t know what I want out of life. I’m unmotivated and am living in this moment I know won’t last forever. It’s just stuck at “Get good grades”, “Go to a good college”, and “Be yourself”. But beyond that, what am I to do. I’m trying to convey that feeling into writing, but writing is hard and I often feel frustrated and I just want to give up. Let me tell you that no one’s going to make you good. Audience praise is nothing, and if I could be what I wanted, I would. But I don’t think I ever will be, and that’s okay. Because pleasing others should not be my top priority, and I should write to write. I’m working up to that right now, but I hope that I can continue to write for the rest of my life. I have no idea who I am or what I want beyond high school, but I do know that writing will always be an integral part of me.
I had to find myself and I wasn't myself until recently. From the age of 1 to 18, I have just made memories(most if them only tragics) and now that I know what I want with my life; I'm collecting them one by one, decorating them in my books. You will find a way and know who you are, it'll just hit you. Yes, live in the moment and try to grasp everything that amuses,surprised you. You are just 16 or so right now, I have been at that age. This time that you are living in will not come back, you will never be 16 or 17 again. Live simple but you can always find extraordinary things in pure simple.
Keep writing you obviously have the urge to write, thats great your relations are in journalism. Have you ever discussed this with them? Their encouragement would inspire you. There's people in their 40's & 50's that struggle with career direction, don't worry too much on that score. Good luck.
John Milius told a room full of aspiring screenwriters, WRITE THE MOVIE YOU WANT TO SEE, HAVE YOUR CHARACTERS SAY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO SAY. Then it's full of emotion. Don't write what you think will sell. I listened tho my great benefit.
I began writing when I was 12. I thought I wanted to be a filmmaker. I spent about three years writing scripts that I wanted to turn into feature movies. Then I realized it wasn't the idea of being a filmmaker that I loved; it was the process of creative writing. When I realized that at about age 18 or 20, I knew writing was what I really wanted to do. It's a calling from God.
I agree totally with the Professor and as a writer that was picked up by a traditional publishing firm. I anxiously await the approval on the illustration , before we go to print . Even after several years working on this story with , I still feel if I took another “ look over “ I would probably “ tweak “ it one more time . I am habitually always , writing ! I started when I was five sketching and scripting on the back of paper bags and reading my stories to anyone that would take your out to listen ! Thankfully as a young adolescent I baby sat a greet deal ! Most of audiences were made up the children I watched , my cousins or neighborhood friends ! I can still recall my first story that I ever wrote called Boogyman” . I even incorporated my “ audience “ into my storylines. My parents always told me Ia “ vivid imagination” but they never pressed for me to pursue it . Even if my father’s sister was a illustrator for Hallmark ! I was guided by my parents to take a more “ conservative approach “ in college I conceded gaining my degree in Business that I believed taught me about life’s “ practicalities “. . I do recall once I wad up very late and wrote a piece on Hamlet in high school . That night I felt as if I had an “ out of body “ experience . My High School English teacher initially accused me of plagiarism and then changed his mind and gave me an A+++ ! Well he also called me by my cousin’s name who graduated a year earlier and he disliked her! lol I have had my moments of brilliance, I suppose ! Lol I devour reading 18th century classics and I fell in love with the renaissance era. To this day I am moving back east to purchase my very first “ Victorian “! My grammar and syntax falls short . I lagged reading in elementary school , my mother never graduating . Yet ironically my father managed later on in life to graduate college and become an engineer . My father pushed math and science and my mother was a gifted dancer so she and my art who was an amateur painter exposed me to music and art . Even with my comprehension disability , it never dissuaded me from writing. I am an abstract portrait artist as well and I began sketching at the age of four . I recall lines of people at the beach hovering over me , watching me sketch . The wonderful thing about engrossing yourself in artistic pursuits is that you are oblivious to the outside world ! I will never relinquish my need to “ script” I can’t ! More than a desire writing falls under the category of a “ need “ . Just like eating , drinking or brushing your teeth ! I could never just stop that seems almost “ unholy “ it would be liking turning away from myself ! Tizzeey.com Here is a poem I recently wrote ... Awaken my Shaman With each jounce the rhythmic beats call out the beast, As his earaches slam into the dust it resurrects the magus from its shaft , There is no time or space just a repost scent of putrefactive bloom, He glances downward as the earth releases its sulfur blue firmament , Time which was once abandoned is restored to its prior predecessor , He cups his eyes to watch as the eagles arise while the samite shivers , The progenitor sleeps no more as this young warrior calls upon his vivification, He laments and bellows to the ancestor to come back from his long torpidity, Emblematically repeating “ sleep no more your cast spilled it’s blood for you , “ Finally he falls to his sifted knees while his palliative eyes will soon behold , as the Shaman awakens .
1. Paying $15 to watch a dream is exactly what movie goers do all the time. Some times it pays off and some times it doesn't. 2. The money men who fund movies are focused on trends so it makes perfect sense to ask them what trend they are willing to back. Accepting something new is considered very risky.
I sometimes, increasingly, feel the need to write about specific topics. Often rather obscure, deeply emotional subjects. I hate it. It takes way too much time. But it organizes my thoughts and I slowly I begin to realize how I've weaved in all this symbolism. I don't know if by accident or because I am looking for it. Then I start to believe my writing is actually good. Then I think I am a genius. Then, sometimes, I publish it online. Twice it has been well received, once about sneezing and the other when I told people to (literally) go piss themselves. Like the down-the-pants business. Other stuff that I thought was much better failed miserably. Then yesterday, my magnum opus, something I started believing Jesus himself had written through me, got rejected by a newspaper. Looking back, I'm not surprised, as it has a hopeless start and doesn't really make a distinct point. Yet I still believe that is precisely why it is good, as the article itself is living out the story of the person it's talking about. So yeah, I write as self-help, it helps me, and then I get deluded that my writing can help people. That leads to disappointment and more writing. This comment is that. help
I personally don't think I'm not good enough. It's the inexperience that makes me doubt my skills and since this is my first novel and I care about it so much I don't want to screw up. Also the thought of me reading what I wrote 5,10 years from when i finish writing it and finding out I would add or change a whole lot of things, scares me more than any failure in non publishing or even not finishing it, so I'm trying to learn everything I can right now.
Duh. It's Paradoxical. Because you have doubts- perfectly normal and healthy and good for your art in no way means that you will not give it your all or continue to write because one also has the confidence, really arrogance to know that on some level if it's coming from deep inside and you feel driven to write , you know you're good enough! The question isn't really are you good enough. The question is taking in account all the different things going on in my life, ( or not) should I devote the time to writing to become good enough.
I want someone to tell me that I am not good enough so that I don't have to go through the torture of starting this writing process again. I am now retired. My family is too busy to be bothered with me. It seems as if everything has been taken from me and there is nothing left but to again attempt to be a successful writer. This strange obsession has plagued me my entire life and now it seems to be a force that I can no longer ignore. I may not be good enough but by the time that discovery is made it will matter very little.
I was searching for a method that would help me determine if I am a good writer or not. So I stumble upon this video. I think that I'm not a bad writer, compared to me as a writer yesterday, I am better of a writer today because I think I improve everyday even by a sentence or a new word. Conclusion- I'm a writer getting better every day.
Around the time I got into college I seriously decided I wanted to become a writer. When I was younger I entertained the idea, but was immature and didn't go seriously about it. But now that I'm older, I *really* have these ideas that I wanna churn out and write about but I feel very insecure because I didn't have such great education growing up; my parents were divorced, we were poor, I didn't receive much attention, I only started reading more when I was older and more independent and I was mediocre at school up until my senior year in high school. So sometimes I feel like I'm not educated nor good enough to write, and I just don't. Just recently, with the pandemic going on, I have reevaluated my way of thinking and I started writing seriously, but it's a bummer still knowing that perhaps I won't ever reach my full potential because of my upbringing. And, at 23, feeling like your window of opportunity is gone really sucks jaja
English is not my first language so in case someone read this and goes "this dude really wants to write like this?" please know that I'm much better at my first language lol
"Show me a satisfied writer and I'll show you an amateur." "Be feelingful." "Don't do it? Why? Because you had to ask me?" "Don't look to anyone but yourself." WOW! I bet the students at UCLA can really use that in the process of writing a better script. "Be feelingful." You are priceless. Of course I'm sure you can spot sarcasm when you hear it too.
I also have a difficult time with the"pain" required; the awful torture one must experience and live with constantly in order to be called a writer. Bull shit. Maybe this kind of verbiage is meant for writers who have a hard time writing but stick with it anyway. And, just because they struggle with writing, does not mean they don't produce great work. They can and do.
+Dog ribs It's pretty ridiculous to extrapolate sound bites from an interview and make assumptions about how he runs an actual class, which is a completely different animal.
As someone who writes fiction.... he is correct. I'm a perfectionist. I get responses like his from *published authors* in my circle whenever I go to them with doubt or anxiety with regard to writing (which led me to this video, ahem). Writing isn't math. The only formula they can teach you is the hero's journey and the three act structure. there's no magical answer that will make your writing the greatest on earth. And sometimes rewriting for critics can do more harm than good. You can't know until the thing is written, and even then, you have to remember that writing is the most thankless, endlessly subjective field out there. You have to have faith and fire inside you. You won't get that elsewhere, and that is the only thing that can make your work good. You HAVE to have it inside you. Even if it might take a few revisions to show those flames.
I don't have plans to write a screenplay, but I will consider the book I thought of turning a couple of my books into screenplays at one time, but have since buried myself in other writing endeavors. I like to learn, though, so it will be a good addition to my library for future use. These are excellent videos. I have enjoyed watching them, particularly Professor Walters's interview. I will be doing a presentation next month on continuing self-education through @TH-cam videos and single online classes, and I will provide links to some of these. I hope to watch more in the future.
Self education via the internet, or old school is always beneficial to future or current writing. Keep up the good work, I feel a little lost without the need to scribble.
I know this is coming years and years later, but Mr Walter has to be one of the most interesting and thoughtful and good teachers the human family has produced. His philosophy on writing can expand into all the domains people choose to spend their working lives in. What is apparent is how difficult it is to create anything that ends up being a part of the consciousness of global society.
This sounds like those stories of students who seek out the guru. The guru teaches them and they eventually ask if they've reached Nirvana. If you have to ask.....then you're not there yet.
Here are the two states in which you may exist: person who writes, or person who does not. If you write: you are a writer. If you do not write: you are not. Aspiring is a meaningless null state that romanticizes Not Writing. It’s as ludicrous as saying, “I aspire to pick up that piece of paper that fell on the floor.” Either pick it up or don’t. I don’t want to hear about how your diaper’s full. Take it off or stop talking about it. ............ .. I am a writer. Period. Do not need nobody to tell me if i am good or not. I write because I love to write. There is no age definition regarding writing....you can be a writer any time you like.
You Had the Power All Along My Dear.’ Yahrah LMAO yes very true....I have been writing ang writing ...oh I got published...but I didn't care if I did or not...I write for myself...me...not anybody.. not an audience...me
I believe people often use the term aspiring writer as a way of saying that they intend to make writing their job but still need to work elsewhere until it becomes sustainable.
I got to the point around 2:36, can relate to that quite a lot. The part of writing because of the feeling of having to, just must do it, can't breathe without it. I've been working on a series since my childhood. I'll get bored or frustrated, think the story is lame, put it off for a number of years, return to it and then it is like I can't stop writing....I couldn't even get to the end of this video before I had to finish up some paragraphs and dialogue. The question that plagues me and is kind of a problem at times of self doubt, is if what I am working on is good. I see it as interesting, but is it something people want to read? That I don't know, so I've been keeping my work to myself so far. I work a lot on it and get enjoyment out of it. I guess I can see about getting the whole series drafted out from start to finish and then think about submitting manuscripts.
How do you know if you're any good? Lots of different ways. Most everyone asks a friend or sends off a manuscript. That's usually the worst way. The best way is to write something then let it age for a couple weeks. When you go back to it you can pretty much tell if it's good or if it sucks. This only works if you're a voracious reader in your genre. That way, you have something to compare it to.
You know you're a writer when other people steal your stuff. I wrote lyrics for 37 songs and provided them to Bruce Springsteen, and Steven Van Zandt. My standing agreement with Bruce from the time I was fifteen years old was that if he used my songs he would pay me depending on how good they were. I have yet to receive one red cent from Bruce Springsteen. Steven did provide me with eight tickets to see them perform at an Amnesty International concert September 23rd 1988 at the Oakland Coliseum. I took six friends seven if you count the limo driver. Steven and I laughed because Bruce had to work on his birthday. I'm still alive Bruce and everyday I wait for you to keep your word. I bet on you.
It's like a cancer, a sickness, or some particular case of madness. It's not necessarily something you want to do, but rather something you must do. It's when theres nothing else to look forward to besides that. To quote bukowski, "it's when you're sick with it, stuck under your fingernails and stuffed under your nostrils." That, to me, seemed like a perfect way to say it. You wait for your pesky 9-5 to be over with, so you can get back to the work that really matters. Even if they developed a cure for this sickness, I cant imagine it would stop the writing one bit. It makes us whole
Hi Walter, if you're still lurking and reading these comments, I got a question: Did you ever host as an instructor an internet-based instructional course in screenwriting about 5 years ago offered by some aggregator i forgot the name of? I was one of the students with a preposterous Las Vegas Elvis theme. Thanks.
Being educated and skilled in the craft allows you to know what you are doing when you write and whether it is worthy to even be said that it is good. I am a successful and great writer and I have more than it takes. I do all that writers who fail, don't do.
Question: When someone is trying to push the procrastination and excuses aside and "just do it" or "shut up and start writing" do they getting started drafting, outlining and structuring or open up Final Draft and beat at the page? Thank you.
Cinema-Figure Isn't that for you to decide? I used to do step-outlines, and could get a good plot out of them, but character sucked. Not the way to go for me. Now I start with page one and write a page a day (for a sceenplay). Novels it's a 1,000 words. But lets say you only have an hour a day to write. Write for that hour and don't worry about pages or words. Just do what you can in an hour. Your process might be different, and the only way to know is to start writing.
Cinema-Figure I'd say whatever gets you into the process....I'd say writing is better than outlining, because outlining and character sheets and all that can be 'motion without movement'.You're fooling yourself that you are 'writing'when all you are doing often is preparing to write...IMO
+Cinema-Figure The answer is yes. My process involves starting by coming up with an idea. I arrive at these ideas in a number of ways, but ultimately it all starts with a premise. As an aspiring screenwriter, every bit of advice I have ever received has been coupled with "move to LA". Having a family, a career and not much in the way of savings to perhaps be unemployed or underemployed for the rest of my life, that is beyond my reach right now. But none the less, the idea of moving to LA has intrigued me. So, I have watched many Film Courage videos, written and dreamed of moving to LA to be perpetually rejected. One day, I happened upon a video on youtube from a man who moved to LA to become an actor. He moved there with 2000 dollars to his name, no job lined up. He moved into a shared living situation, wherein he sleeps on a bunk in a 3 bedroom apartment with 5 other aspiring actors, writers, directors... and I thought to myself, well I can't do that but my character can. So I just play that out. I think about where my protagonist is, where they want to be and I plot the course for them to get there. I sit my ass down and I write the scene. Normally, I get through 5 pages a day. If you can write one page per day, you're writing 3 feature specs per year. There's nothing more terrifying to me, than a blank page and a blinking cursor. It causes me to freeze and doubt myself. I am petrified. I'm not good enough. I'm a terrible writer. I have nothing to say. I'll be rejected. I'm wasting my life. You've just got to do it. Sit down. Bang out a page. Screw formatting. Go back and format the page. Save each scene individually. Don't waste time scrolling up, scrolling down, scrolling up, write a line... delete that line... undo deleting the line, scroll up, scroll down... nah man. Write one scene at a time. Save scene. Put scene in folder and don't go back until you hit 60+ pages. It will change your life.
![It’s All About Story And Nothing Else - UCLA Professor Richard Walter [FULL INTERVIEW]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_tT_GjjlCLs/mqdefault.jpg)
![It’s All About Story And Nothing Else - UCLA Professor Richard Walter [FULL INTERVIEW]](/img/tr.png)
I agree with Professor Walter. If you have to ask if you should continue to be a writer . . . I've written six novels, one work of nonfiction and four screenplays. I've had two literary agents, neither of whom could sell my work (so at my later stage in life I self published; who has time?). I've committed a million words to paper in the past twenty years, writing and rewriting and I have two more novels in the works. Yet, by any measure, I'm utterly unsuccessful as a novelist and screenwriter. I just can't stop. I don't want to stop. Creating a world in my series of novels and screenplays just gives me enormous satisfaction.
I'm curious about your need to write screenplays, what's the big deal about them?
I was trained as an Animator, so I wrote many scripts for cartoons that would never be produced, because of my incompetency as an animator (I have no desire for it). I found myself writing more often than animating, and found that I enjoyed it immensely, so now I'm soon going to finish my first novel, which should be around 170k words (comedy fantasy).
Writing scripts, as compared to writing novels, seems like such a low-class way of telling stories. The strict form itself strips away any real connectivity the reader may have to the characters or story, and the whole thing becomes basically dialogue that has to be read aloud to have any impact. The other parts are basically description of the setting and characters, in a matter-of-fact kind of way so that the production crew can work quicker.
Is there something I'm missing with them? Is there a script that reads just as well as any novel?
The best I've read is Shakespeare, of course, but like I said, it's just dialogue.
Your comment caught my eye. So I want to explain to you why I write screenplays instead of novels. I could but I don't. When I first started writing I started with a novel, it was the format I was more familiar with and the only one that I really knew because until that time I'd never been interested in writing so I didn't read screenplays by that time. When I wrote the novel I really enjoyed myself because I love writing and is one of the greatest things in my life. But I felt that something was missing and then I found out. I couldn't find my voice in the narrative, I mean I couldn't feel comfortable with my narrative. When I started writing scripts I felt much better writing than novels because in scripts you don't have to include a narrator like in a novel. You do have to tell the person who's reading the script how things are in space and what's happening in that moment. But I don't have to connect all the scenes as if they were continuous. I can go backwards and then forwards freely and in a novel, i feel I can't I feel like a have to drive it somewhere. Of course in scripts, there's a narrative but there's not (usually) a narrator in scripts with words. As if you were talking to someone that's what you do in books. So I see, scripts as a place where I have not as many boundaries as I have in novel respecting to the narrative. But I do find the novel the proper way to tell some of my stories.
sm I
Thanks for your reply. I'm sorry that you see the narrative voice as a boundary, I see it more as a unique thumb print that a writer has. The narrative voice can sometimes come through in screenplays, but not nearly as easily, or as apparent, in novels.
I made a transition from screenwriting (with my cartoon stories), into novel writing because I found how I could add so much more to my characters in the novel. Within a few pages I can describe an action scene (something that can be done in a screenplay), but also have a lot of internal conflict and struggle that cannot be seen.
Never give up on your dreams. That's your gift and needs to be shared with the world. Something that makes you happy and fulfilled is your life's purpose. There are many authors who made successful careers in self-publishing, so don't feel you have to go down the traditional path. Sometimes you have to create a buzz around you and your work so that the publishing houses notice you. You have more than enough product to go solo. "Build, and they will come" ;) Wishing you all the best Nicholas.
Nicholas Borelli I
Never stop writing and then never stop editing. It's a fantastic obsession.
It's not a fantastic obsession. It's the most frustrating, annoying thing I have ever or will ever experience
It's both
Spoken like a true wannabe
@@adrian-qr6zk hahaha. Bitter on the tongue -- good for you
@@seen921 👍
He's right though. Writing is a lonely business. It's just you and the computer. Your thoughts, your ideas, your words. Once you create the world and fill it with characters, then it becomes fun. But stepping away from your story and saying, "It's done. Finished." That's sometimes the hardest thing to do, because we all like to tinker with it, hoping that we can make it better.
jeez, this hits deep
It's not lonely to me, it is very peaceful. I will take writing over people any day.
@@ladybird491 For some of us, it brings us into contact with our only loyal friends.
The ones we invented.
I hear writers say this. That sounds too much like work to me. If you write, particularly fiction, and you can't wait to get your hours done because you feel the tension of its loneliness, and you want to rush back to the comfort of the real world for rest and recuperation...., well, that's just not remotely how I feel when I write. Writing fiction is a wonderful place to be. Hours and days can go by in dreamlands and coming up for air to sleep or to eat can be quite annoying!
I have been a professional writer for over 30 years. Let me tell you plainly: "You are good enough right now."
Yes, writers always need to improve, but that only happens as you write. Age, education, background--none of these things are important. What is important is that you see writing as a craft and that your job is to continually hone your craft.
You don't do that by studying about writing. You do it by actually sitting down and writing and rewriting..
VelocityWriting, So true. I never graduated high school but have been writing for 8 years, and in 2015 I finished a number of short stories engaging enough to get my straight male neighbor across the street to sit, and listen, and as result of what he heard, had me read one of the stories to him three times, one of which was when he brought me to his brother in law's house to read to that family.
It truly is a matter of mastering the craft.
Hello VelocityWriting. I loved your comment. When I watch this man, I can't help recalling English Professors who basically told their students to give up. You have the credentials to give advice, being a professional. I don't know the exact context in which people would seek advice from this man, but I find the other youtube videos with young girls pleading for viewers to sit down and write, much more helpful. Discouragement is normal, but I feel too many professors feel their words are best suited to tell people to hang it up. I think you should post videos, for I like your outlook much better than this man's. God Bless and thanks for the comment.
Thank you.
Education is not important? So, it would stand to reason then, based on your logic, that uneducated writers do as well as educated writers? Maybe you're right, but I seriously doubt it.
Thanks
Two important take-aways from this wonderful interview: 1) If you need to ask if you're a good enough writer to make it, the answer is "No." (2) Writers write not because they think they're going to 'make it'; writers write because "they can't help themselves." Thank you, Mr. Walter. xo
Some people need the support. I never had anyone who supported my dream of writing, and even though I could not live without writing, I learned to go without it. It was miserable, so when my college professor encouraged me to write, she opened the door of hope! I had never had anyone give me permission to follow my dream to write! For some reason I felt like I needed someone to support my desire to follow my dream. Today, no one can tell me not to write... it's as important as eating to me. If someone is asking you if they should continue writing, they might just need a voice of support to follow their dream. You might be the first person in their life who gives them hope.
There is no encouragement, compassion or care in my estimation. This makes me want to do it more. I'll never give up.
Yea, I feel people who give these kinds of advice like 'you have to breath it, you'll die if you don't do it." They don't understand the influence of environment on human decisions.
Writing should be an intrinsic necessity in life, without it I'd feel lost & depressed. Sometimes I crave the urge to write, like artist to paint, sculptor to carve. It can obsessive, relentless, even sometimes oppressive like the sun to a delicate flower, that needs water. This just popped out of my head, hope it makes sense to those that write, even those that don't.
Personally, I deal with self-doubt by saying to myself I AM a nobody. I am a young writer, only 21 years old. I have been creatively writing since my Junior year of high school, and I've always been in love with storytelling. That's the first step that Professor Walter was talking about. You have to want to tell stories. But something I dealt with for a long time was this feeling that my stories weren't going to be any good. I have posted work on a Medium profile, on Creepypasta, on Reddit, and shown plenty of unpublished work to friends. But no matter how many little comments I got of people saying I had some talent, I always felt like I wasn't getting enough praise. Of course, that's an extremely egotistic attitude to have about anything, and it is especially egotistic in the creative world. So, it took me getting over myself. I had to say to myself in the mirror, and I still often do, that I was a nobody. No one owed me any praise, no one will ever know if I'm talented if I never put myself out there. It felt like a weight had come off my shoulders at that moment.
somecallmetim451 God I feel ya, more than I should
somecallmetim451 also your dissatisfaction with others response isn't egoistic per say, it's more of that you want to improve and keep improving. I completed my first book last year with no way to have it published, but every time I read through it, I add something, take down something. It keeps evolving. Sorry for the rant. Anyways, have a nice day.
I'm a young writer too and at this point, I've come not to be harsh on my writing. It's a subjective art and not everyone will love it. I've spent so many hours contemplating what will improve my work and I've read many help books about fiction. I have come to the conclusion that writing has more to do with me enjoying it then others. I will continue to write even if people hate it. It's just in my blood just like with you. It doesn't mean you're nobody, it just means that you aren't giving yourself enough credit for your hard work. Even if it's only you who admires it, isn't it still worth it?
I think negatively about myself at times too somecallmetim451 but a guy gave me good advice once and that was when you catch yourself doing that do the inverse and think of 5 good things about yourself. Positive affirmations help. Maybe you will receive a birthday card from someone or a letter, or I should say now days and "email" ha! where they say something nice and with tacks put that on your wall. I do that. I feel I don't need them as much any more, yet I allow diffidence to creep in on myself. I read that a fair number of famous writers did some of their best writing around the age of 21. I also read that poet Robert Frost wrote some of his best when he was elderly, in his 80's and 90's. Singer songwriter Bob Dylan said he feels he wrote better when he was younger. Try not to think of too many things where you exclude yourself, a tendency I had in the past that I try to rise above. You're capeable of rising above negativity as your mention "no one owed me any praise" which is great. Try not to rely on the comments of others to validate who you are and work on that validation coming from within. You are the sole person responsible for your happiness. Writing doesn't pay the bills for most and it depends on how much you want to focus on that. Maybe a profession where you find your niche in the working world so you don't have 101 jobs like I did for 32 years, everything from garbage man to sticking logs for 12 hour shifts in a log pond to being an aid in a nursing home and a lot more. Even though I've never been published, my writing has taken me places in the world I would not trade for anything, yet few people would ever want to live the low budget way I've lived all my life. I'm 63 and there's still a lot of adventure ahead as I cherish the present moment. So off my soap box ha! Somehow I wanted to share that.
The only one qualified to judge your work is you. Every word you put on paper has to be felt. If you don't feel it, let it go. You have to be willing to fall in love with the idea, which is something you can't force, not if you're honest with yourself. Every story is like a puzzle; it's something inside of you that is trying to figure itself out. Writers are sensitive people and one of the ways these people deal with their own riddles is by going through it in imagination and pen it down as the process is figuring itself out, but you have to stick with it and endure the pain. Art is sacrifice, same as life itself.
Remember; the story itself is but a shell, a symbol to communicate an ineffable truth in motion that dwells in the primordial deep. So get in touch with that aspect of yourself and go through it. And also realize that every mistake you make is part of the whole; the mistakes will teach you, but you have to learn how to listen and discern between illusion and truth.
I think some people, including myself sometimes, want others to tell us we’re not good enough so it would give us an excuse to stop following our dreams because it’s hard.
Well said
At least, someone's got the courage to speak the truth! 😊
The best truths can be very difficult and painful to accept. OTOH, they are absolutely critical to knowing oneself, and can lead to breakthroughs that would never have happened otherwise.
Thanks for your wise comment!
damn that hits me hard
Can’t get enough of this interviews, simply the best content TH-cam has to offer as far as writing goes
Omgoodness I only started the video and it’s a tremendous relief to hear someone say it is Always painful 😳 I thought that maybe I was just a tragic one and/or too little experienced
How do I avoid self-doubt? I don't. I sit there and embrace it, putting my pen to paper until it's gone. And then I go to sleep, because I can finally get comfortable.
I wish I studied creative writing under him 20 years back. What an amazing professor!
I'm happy to here it's normal to step away from what you're writing and write something else. I've been going through that lately. I've been writing two other things apart from my current script, and it's refreshing to come back to it after a little break.
*Hear
@@eddiemc86 He teleports.
Let him have this one.
I've been writing stories since first grade and have spent the last five or six years writing my first novel, polishing it little by little. My personal take on this is, at least when it comes to writing books, is that you feel you're ready to publish if you are ready to fail. Everyone loves their own creation most of the time, that's just part of the game. But over the years I've learned that a writer's worst enemy can be his own ego rather than writers writer's block. Believing in your work is one thing and important as well. But if you reached a point where you feel like there's nothing left to add and you feel confident enough to take the leap to publish but also to fall flat on your ass, then you might be ready
Your comment resonates a powerful cord with me, I appreciated your words of wisdom. Your honesty was refreshing. If I get knocked back I'll get up, dust myself off & try again, & again. An old man once told me the inventor of the spray lubricant WD40 means water displacement which took forty attempts to get right.
@@hookbeak3516 indeed. Glad you liked it and I was able to help
I stumbled upon a secret for curing writer's block a few years ago.
I was writing a story and simply couldn't tell what the characters would do next. It was like they were staring at me from the page, disappointed.
At that point, I took the time to delve into the backstory of the whole planet. How did society come to this? It became a story of its own and really fleshed out the world I was creating. I even had one of the characters "find" this backstory in an old book of history and read what I wrote. I didn't include all the details, but I had him come to some decisions based on this newly found knowledge.
Writing the story from there was easy. There was a clear break in the tone of the story before and after reading the history book that mirrored the point of my writer's block. But that was okay because the story flowed organically from there. It made sense. Basically I gave the character my writer's block and he solved it by reading that book.
If you use this "I found a book" trick, you need to make it organic as well. The book can't just teleport down from heaven because the protag hit a topping point.
You can fix this rather easily. Find your most annoying character - the one the protag doesn't like. Then go back here and there in the story and have him suggest he read the Tome of Relevant Knowledge. The protag ignores him a couple times.
Then right at the point of writer's block have Annoying Man say, "NOW will you humor me and read that book? What more can you lose?"
And then the protag reds the book, gets inspired/motivated, and the story rolls on.
You might even want to move Annoying Man closer to the protag because he was so helpful. But then quickly make it so his annoying nature repels the protag again and he's kept at arm's length. That way you don't have to change Annoying Man's character too much.
Let's face it. He's never going to be cool or popular. He's Annoying Man.
Thank you so much for saying that it’s about “feeling, and feeling is hard” and also that if it’s something you can’t help but do you are a writer. Both timely bits of encouragement 🙏
I love creating worlds with my mind. The more I do it the more I bring in the sensual details of the scene and increase the authenticity of the characters. When I write, I often look back at it astonished at where it came from. It continues to propel me forward.
"You should be a writer because you can't help yourself, there's nothing else you can do, you just can't stop yourself, you just have to write" ..I came here with bunch of questions really, and yes the question "am I good enough, should I write" is always going to be amidst those questions, but I didn't start writing yesterday because I sat down and told myself "hey I want to be a writer, I will write something now", no. I sat down and started to write because i had this story in my head for years and it always excited me and I never really found anything out there that would make me say, this is similar I'm glad it's out there so that I don't have to embarrass myself by grabbing my guts and few pens and writing pages of what might be an utter crap to anyone who knows anything about books. I read only 2 by my free will and it was almost 10 years ago so...God knows how this will turn out, but now I know. I have to write it.
Good one D.R keep writing, others will thank you for it.
That really helped. I've wondered several times why I don't just give up. But I can't help it. Even if I tell myself I'm not going to do it anymore, I think of something and just have to write it down. A book I thought I'd abandoned still comes to mind and I find myself mindlessly continuing it. I just can't help myself. I have to write.
Best interview yet.
I really like this man. I will say, when I was in my 20s I was constantly seeking approval and encouragement because of low self-esteem. The truth is, I probably wasn't good enough - one teacher who liked me made me feel like the best the class, but the next one didn't and I was the worst. Now I'm in my 30s and I know myself better, and I know I can't stop writing. If I don't write I'm miserable. It's a compulsion, I need to write. I also notice though, now that I'm a better writer, people act like I've always been talented and was born good at it. It's like people can't deal that we improve at things, and "god-given talent" isn't as significant as many people seem to think.
I've been watching his videos in loop for the past 3 days, he's a real inspiration. thanks for his videos, hopefully you can make more with him soon :)
+Ali Alarcon Hi Ali, we have interviewed Professor Walter twice, each interview being 1 hour and 33 minutes. We'd love to sit down with him again.
I've watched the clips of the two interviews and them in whole. He seems pretty cool and encouraging.
Watching it again.
There’s this story I’ve wanted to write since September and it’s been on my mind for months, but I wanted to focus on getting through my first year of college. I’ve watched a lot of advice videos on writing. A good piece of advice I heard is that writing a story is not a straight line. It’s unrealistic for someone to write straight from chapter 1 to the end without going back and changing things. Or if you don’t know how to start the story but you know how you want a different point of the story written, then write that part and come back to it. You don’t have to start at the literal start. And if that story never sees the shelves or gets on a magazine, that’s ok. You still took the time and dedication to write it, which is more than what some people can say. Just have fun with it
Good advice.
You need to be careful starting a story in the middle like that.
When you go to write the beginning stuff, it can tend to be "drag me by the nose" writing. It's like watching a Star Wars prequel. You know they can't kill off the Emperor or Darth Vader. It taints everything and makes the whole thing seem like we can just sit around and the protagonist magically gets to his goal.
But then there's the middle part you wrote first and it all suddenly changes and feels like a real story. There's risk and excitement.
The way past this is to make sure you're not married to that middle part.
Go back and write the beginning stuff, but take chances. Then when you get to the middle part, some of the characters might have died in the big battle or there were other major changes that cause ripples throughout the story.
Save your original middle part off somewhere and don't mess with it. But then write a new middle part using the old one as a template. Be bold. Eliminate whole sections that no longer make sense in light of the beginning stuff.
When I do this I find the new thing better than what I was trying desperately to preserve. Also it feeds your need to tweak and rewrite like nothing else.
There may be sections of that original middle part that you absolutely loved and were literary gold. DO NOT throw them away.
You may be able to repurpose some of it for a "what if" scenario. Example:
The protagonist does all the wonderful stuff he wanted to do all along, if the beginning stuff were different. But then he soon (don't drag it out) wakes up and it was just a dream. He has to face the world that is, not the one he expected. You can put your literary gold in that dream sequence.
The audience will immediately sympathize with the protagonist because who hasn't had their dreams dashed by cold reality? Also, it will have that wonderful feel of realism to it because you already worked so hard on your literary gold.
This will take your story from being merely hypothetical words on a page to a realistic account. The reader will assume something very much like this must have happened to you in real life for you to write it this way.
Take the reader there. Drag them through your inner torture.
I find this man to be completely Adorable. h'es has such a nice personality , totally brilliant, seems like a really great professor. I like his personality. Down to earth!!
I battle my own writerly self-doubt by writing and performing at open mic nights. As for the writing, I find morning pages helpful (something I gleaned form The Artists Way), as well as exercises - most of all, doing whatever type of writing I shy away from, just as an exercise. I never tell myself I'm writing a novel at the start, I'm just playing with characters.
How do I battle self-doubt? By writing. By showing up every day to do justice to the story.
We get a story or an idea, or maybe we just want to share how we feel about something, so we write and we feel compelled, not just to write, but to share.
I do think the bottom line is that when you find your creative work, nobody will be able to stop you, and you won’t ask anyone for permission. The beauty of creativity-as so many have said in so many ways-is that for every timeless moment that we get lost in it, it is everything. We create ourselves. This is the only reason we need for any creative work.
My biggest fear is that I might be too old to start writing. I have a story that I would like to write about and I'm not sure anybody would want to read it , but I still want to write the book. If not one person reads it except my own family, at least I got it out of my mind and somewhere that someone will be able to read it if they want to. If I don't even get it published, at least I accomplished the task. :)
Vickie Johnson You are not too old to start writing. :-)
Do it
That's great!
Vickie, I know your comment is over a year old, but I really hope you got to write your story, or at least start it. Age is only a concept and this world needs more people who fall in love with what they create. Go for it!
Exactly! Write that BOOK!
Wow! I love this clip! I thought I was the only one going through those questioning. It's refreshing to hear somebody else expressing it so bluntly.😊
the owner really glossed out the word "God-willing" for "gosh-willing" in the captions. Nice
This guy is extremely hilarious. I wouldn't be able to stop writing even if I wanted to.
I don't think I'm good enough, but I hope by thinking so I'll strive to continue to improve.
This helped to psyche me up for the 896,357th rewrite of the opening of my story. OK, back to it now.
I've been screenwriting for over 20 years and have yet to sell a single thing. It's a struggle to keep going but I can't quit. Every time I want to, every time I resolve to, another idea pops up and here we go again...
H.B., maybe you will find a connection to this one - th-cam.com/video/8RGWv8VkzcQ/w-d-xo.html
This is so encouraging. I often have doubt (always) that anything I write will amount to something beyond a draft in my drawer, but that’s not the point. If I could make a living out of writing that would be fantastic, but I don’t write to be published, I write because I have to. I get what he means when he says if you have to ask you shouldn’t be writing. If it’s in your soul it’s not something that goes away because someone tells you shouldn’t do it. I’ve been writing since I was 13 years old simply as a hobby. I have a “language based learning difference” (similar to a low level form of dyslexia) that has always made me believe I could never do writing as a career, but I just can’t stop. Jobs, interests, and other hobbies come and go, but since my teenage years there has never been an moment when I don’t have a story in progress. Basically, if you have a passion for writing, you should be writing. If you don’t think you’re good enough, make sure you’re reading as much as you can, and your writing will get better with practice. Well, that was long winded. My apologies. Great interview, and thanks for the upload!
Damn I appreciate his honesty.
A lovely and reaffirming video. Thank you for sitting down with him and if you get the chance, thank him too :)
Culture and experience almost seemingly hidden and coated in humility and honesty. Thanks, mate, lovely.
PS, no, for me, dreaming has nothing to do with CONSCIOUS storytelling/writing/creating, but a nice observation all the same; they are two different worlds, at least for me.
PPS, daydreaming being a totally different matter, I'd say, and much more connected to the creative process(es). Right? Anyway, just thinking out loud, so thanks for that, Richard, beter to think about things than not, I suppose - for those that have that luxury!
Xx
Richard has said it all
this is oddly comforting
Love Richard's insight and warmth.
He is actually right. I am never ever satisfied with my work, EVER, yet I keep having writing success. I am a strong believer that editing skills must be excellent, and you can't edit work well without education in writing. If I stop writing I would die, I know it. I can't do anything else, but write. Writing is actually oxygen for me, when I am not writing or editing, I feel like I am stuck in a pit of darkness closing in on me.
It was just dreams and ideas of what if?I love to be a writer but I realized that it wasn't easy and I have to study more from square one.Wish me Luck
This man just said write it, write something else, and then come back to it! All this time I thought I was doing it wrong!!!!! Let's not doubt ourselves, writers
I would pay just to listen to his lectures.
I have never asked another writer whether or not I am wasting my time pursuing the career. But I do ask myself this question constantly. I always doubt. And from what I understand of people who have been in the career for decades, even for well-established authors like George R.R. Martin, such thoughts may never go away. That's pretty daunting. You have to be a little nuts to feel that way and keep slugging along with it.
This man is brilliant, I love watching all the clips from this interview. Thank you for sharing.
TheUltimateGC Thanks! We were thrilled to have a second opportunity to visit with Professor Walter again. Here is the link to the full interview if you ever want more in one viewing th-cam.com/video/_tT_GjjlCLs/w-d-xo.html
When I'm under pressure I can write stuff that other people really like, but when there's no pressure it's so painful just to write a couple sentences. I don't exactly want to be a writer, but I've been told I'm good at it. So, I feel like by not writing I'm wasting my talent. And, it would be cool to write something that could make it. For one thing I think writers have to live a lot of life, but I search for life but I can't find it.
Powerful interview!
"I'm not going to say, oh pleease be a writer! There's nothing in it FOR THE WRITER for me to tell him that." Beautiful, non-egotistical words.
I’m only fifteen, but I have to confess that I love writing. My grandparent’s are reporters, really famous, and I just feel it in my blood. I WANT to write, but I always wonder if I’m good enough. The statistics depress me, the books that get popular even more so. But then I think that I will never be good enough, and that I’m not ever gonna be somebody.
I cry about it and get over it. Truthfully, I don’t know what I want out of life. I’m unmotivated and am living in this moment I know won’t last forever. It’s just stuck at “Get good grades”, “Go to a good college”, and “Be yourself”. But beyond that, what am I to do. I’m trying to convey that feeling into writing, but writing is hard and I often feel frustrated and I just want to give up.
Let me tell you that no one’s going to make you good. Audience praise is nothing, and if I could be what I wanted, I would. But I don’t think I ever will be, and that’s okay. Because pleasing others should not be my top priority, and I should write to write. I’m working up to that right now, but I hope that I can continue to write for the rest of my life. I have no idea who I am or what I want beyond high school, but I do know that writing will always be an integral part of me.
I had to find myself and I wasn't myself until recently. From the age of 1 to 18, I have just made memories(most if them only tragics) and now that I know what I want with my life; I'm collecting them one by one, decorating them in my books.
You will find a way and know who you are, it'll just hit you. Yes, live in the moment and try to grasp everything that amuses,surprised you. You are just 16 or so right now, I have been at that age. This time that you are living in will not come back, you will never be 16 or 17 again. Live simple but you can always find extraordinary things in pure simple.
Keep writing you obviously have the urge to write, thats great your relations are in journalism. Have you ever discussed this with them? Their encouragement would inspire you. There's people in their 40's & 50's that struggle with career direction, don't worry too much on that score. Good luck.
So what are you doing now?
John Milius told a room full of aspiring screenwriters, WRITE THE MOVIE YOU WANT TO SEE, HAVE YOUR CHARACTERS SAY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO SAY. Then it's full of emotion. Don't write what you think will sell. I listened tho my great benefit.
I don’t have a choice but write. Even when I’m not writing it’s on my mind. It’s a hate/love relationship for sure.
Writers is fulfilled with imaginations and realizations.
I so needed to hear his advice!
Wanted to quit writing again and ended up here again. Happens every year.
I began writing when I was 12. I thought I wanted to be a filmmaker. I spent about three years writing scripts that I wanted to turn into feature movies. Then I realized it wasn't the idea of being a filmmaker that I loved; it was the process of creative writing. When I realized that at about age 18 or 20, I knew writing was what I really wanted to do. It's a calling from God.
I agree totally with the Professor and as a writer that was picked up by a traditional publishing firm. I anxiously await the approval on the illustration , before we go to print . Even after several years working on this story with , I still feel if I took another “ look over “ I would probably “ tweak “ it one more time . I am habitually always , writing ! I
started when I was five sketching and scripting on the back of paper bags and reading my stories to anyone that would take your out to listen ! Thankfully as a young adolescent I baby sat a greet deal ! Most of audiences were made up the children I watched , my cousins or neighborhood friends ! I can still recall my first story that I ever wrote called Boogyman” . I even incorporated my “ audience “ into my storylines. My parents always told me Ia “ vivid imagination” but they never pressed for me to pursue it . Even if my father’s sister was a illustrator for Hallmark ! I was guided by my parents to take a more “
conservative approach “ in college I conceded gaining my degree in Business that I believed taught me about life’s “ practicalities “. . I do recall once I wad up very late and wrote a piece on Hamlet in high school . That night I felt as if I had an “ out of body “ experience . My High School English teacher initially accused me of plagiarism and then changed his mind and gave me an A+++ ! Well he also called me by my cousin’s name who graduated a year earlier and he disliked her! lol
I have had my moments of brilliance, I suppose ! Lol I devour reading 18th century classics and I fell in love with the renaissance era. To this day I am moving back east to purchase my very first “ Victorian “!
My grammar and syntax falls short . I lagged reading in elementary school , my mother never graduating . Yet ironically my father managed later on in life to graduate college and become an engineer . My father pushed math and science and my mother was a gifted dancer so she and my art who was an amateur painter exposed me to music and art . Even with my comprehension disability , it never dissuaded me from writing. I am an abstract portrait artist as well and I began sketching at the age of four . I recall lines of people at the beach hovering over me , watching me sketch . The wonderful thing about engrossing yourself in artistic pursuits is that you are oblivious to the outside world !
I will never relinquish my need to “ script” I can’t ! More than a desire writing falls under the category of a “ need “ . Just like eating , drinking or brushing your teeth ! I could never just stop that seems almost “ unholy “ it would be liking turning away from myself !
Tizzeey.com
Here is a poem I recently wrote ...
Awaken my Shaman
With each jounce the rhythmic beats call out the beast,
As his earaches slam into the dust it resurrects the magus from its shaft ,
There is no time or space just a repost scent of putrefactive bloom,
He glances downward as the earth releases its sulfur blue firmament ,
Time which was once abandoned is restored to its prior predecessor ,
He cups his eyes to watch as the eagles arise while the samite shivers ,
The progenitor sleeps no more as this young warrior calls upon his vivification,
He laments and bellows to the ancestor to come back from his long torpidity,
Emblematically repeating “ sleep no more your cast spilled it’s blood for you , “
Finally he falls to his sifted knees while his palliative eyes will soon behold , as the Shaman awakens .
1. Paying $15 to watch a dream is exactly what movie goers do all the time. Some times it pays off and some times it doesn't.
2. The money men who fund movies are focused on trends so it makes perfect sense to ask them what trend they are willing to back. Accepting something new is considered very risky.
I sometimes, increasingly, feel the need to write about specific topics. Often rather obscure, deeply emotional subjects. I hate it. It takes way too much time. But it organizes my thoughts and I slowly I begin to realize how I've weaved in all this symbolism. I don't know if by accident or because I am looking for it. Then I start to believe my writing is actually good. Then I think I am a genius. Then, sometimes, I publish it online. Twice it has been well received, once about sneezing and the other when I told people to (literally) go piss themselves. Like the down-the-pants business. Other stuff that I thought was much better failed miserably. Then yesterday, my magnum opus, something I started believing Jesus himself had written through me, got rejected by a newspaper. Looking back, I'm not surprised, as it has a hopeless start and doesn't really make a distinct point. Yet I still believe that is precisely why it is good, as the article itself is living out the story of the person it's talking about.
So yeah, I write as self-help, it helps me, and then I get deluded that my writing can help people. That leads to disappointment and more writing. This comment is that. help
Love it!
Great segment!
It's very likely that anyone who, by the fact that they are watching this video, suspects they are not good enough.
I personally don't think I'm not good enough. It's the inexperience that makes me doubt my skills and since this is my first novel and I care about it so much I don't want to screw up. Also the thought of me reading what I wrote 5,10 years from when i finish writing it and finding out I would add or change a whole lot of things, scares me more than any failure in non publishing or even not finishing it, so I'm trying to learn everything I can right now.
I spent $26k on a Writing degree at university and I still don't feel I'm good enough. In fact, I feel less confident post degree than pre degree
Duh. It's Paradoxical. Because you have doubts- perfectly normal and healthy and good for your art in no way means that you will not give it your all or continue to write because one also has the confidence, really arrogance to know that on some level if it's coming from deep inside and you feel driven to write , you know you're good enough! The question isn't really are you good enough. The question is taking in account all the different things going on in my life, ( or not) should I devote the time to writing to become good enough.
I want someone to tell me that I am not good enough so that I don't have to go through the torture of starting this writing
process again. I am now retired. My family is too busy to be bothered with me. It seems as if everything has been
taken from me and there is nothing left but to again attempt to be a successful writer. This strange obsession has
plagued me my entire life and now it seems to be a force that I can no longer ignore. I may not be good enough but
by the time that discovery is made it will matter very little.
I was searching for a method that would help me determine if I am a good writer or not. So I stumble upon this video. I think that I'm not a bad writer, compared to me as a writer yesterday, I am better of a writer today because I think I improve everyday even by a sentence or a new word.
Conclusion- I'm a writer getting better every day.
Around the time I got into college I seriously decided I wanted to become a writer. When I was younger I entertained the idea, but was immature and didn't go seriously about it. But now that I'm older, I *really* have these ideas that I wanna churn out and write about but I feel very insecure because I didn't have such great education growing up; my parents were divorced, we were poor, I didn't receive much attention, I only started reading more when I was older and more independent and I was mediocre at school up until my senior year in high school. So sometimes I feel like I'm not educated nor good enough to write, and I just don't. Just recently, with the pandemic going on, I have reevaluated my way of thinking and I started writing seriously, but it's a bummer still knowing that perhaps I won't ever reach my full potential because of my upbringing. And, at 23, feeling like your window of opportunity is gone really sucks jaja
English is not my first language so in case someone read this and goes "this dude really wants to write like this?" please know that I'm much better at my first language lol
El Buki, all you need to write is pen and paper or a phone or a computer. Don't overthink it. If you have stories to write, then start writing.
Thank you.
Screenwriting book recommendation.
"Show me a satisfied writer and I'll show you an amateur." "Be feelingful." "Don't do it? Why? Because you had to ask me?" "Don't look to anyone but yourself." WOW! I bet the students at UCLA can really use that in the process of writing a better script. "Be feelingful." You are priceless. Of course I'm sure you can spot sarcasm when you hear it too.
I also have a difficult time with the"pain" required; the awful torture one must experience and live with constantly in order to be called a writer. Bull shit. Maybe this kind of verbiage is meant for writers who have a hard time writing but stick with it anyway. And, just because they struggle with writing, does not mean they don't produce great work. They can and do.
+Dog ribs It's pretty ridiculous to extrapolate sound bites from an interview and make assumptions about how he runs an actual class, which is a completely different animal.
Useful or not, priceless or not...he's correct.
I don't think he said be feelingful. I heard it as 'be feeling full', as in be full of feeling.
As someone who writes fiction.... he is correct.
I'm a perfectionist. I get responses like his from *published authors* in my circle whenever I go to them with doubt or anxiety with regard to writing (which led me to this video, ahem). Writing isn't math. The only formula they can teach you is the hero's journey and the three act structure. there's no magical answer that will make your writing the greatest on earth. And sometimes rewriting for critics can do more harm than good. You can't know until the thing is written, and even then, you have to remember that writing is the most thankless, endlessly subjective field out there. You have to have faith and fire inside you. You won't get that elsewhere, and that is the only thing that can make your work good. You HAVE to have it inside you. Even if it might take a few revisions to show those flames.
I don't have plans to write a screenplay, but I will consider the book I thought of turning a couple of my books into screenplays at one time, but have since buried myself in other writing endeavors. I like to learn, though, so it will be a good addition to my library for future use.
These are excellent videos. I have enjoyed watching them, particularly Professor Walters's interview. I will be doing a presentation next month on continuing self-education through @TH-cam videos and single online classes, and I will provide links to some of these. I hope to watch more in the future.
Self education via the internet, or old school is always beneficial to future or current writing. Keep up the good work, I feel a little lost without the need to scribble.
I know this is coming years and years later, but Mr Walter has to be one of the most interesting and thoughtful and good teachers the human family has produced. His philosophy on writing can expand into all the domains people choose to spend their working lives in. What is apparent is how difficult it is to create anything that ends up being a part of the consciousness of global society.
This sounds like those stories of students who seek out the guru. The guru teaches them and they eventually ask if they've reached Nirvana. If you have to ask.....then you're not there yet.
Here are the two states in which you may exist: person who writes, or person who does not. If you write: you are a writer. If you do not write: you are not. Aspiring is a meaningless null state that romanticizes Not Writing. It’s as ludicrous as saying, “I aspire to pick up that piece of paper that fell on the floor.” Either pick it up or don’t. I don’t want to hear about how your diaper’s full. Take it off or stop talking about it.
............
..
I am a writer. Period.
Do not need nobody to tell me if i am good or not. I write because I love to write. There is no age definition regarding writing....you can be a writer any time you like.
Yup. " A writer writes." - Stephen King. Those that can, do. Those that can't ... teach.
You Had the Power All Along My Dear.’ Yahrah LMAO yes very true....I have been writing ang writing ...oh I got published...but I didn't care if I did or not...I write for myself...me...not anybody.. not an audience...me
I believe people often use the term aspiring writer as a way of saying that they intend to make writing their job but still need to work elsewhere until it becomes sustainable.
loved this!!
What great advice
I got to the point around 2:36, can relate to that quite a lot. The part of writing because of the feeling of having to, just must do it, can't breathe without it. I've been working on a series since my childhood. I'll get bored or frustrated, think the story is lame, put it off for a number of years, return to it and then it is like I can't stop writing....I couldn't even get to the end of this video before I had to finish up some paragraphs and dialogue.
The question that plagues me and is kind of a problem at times of self doubt, is if what I am working on is good. I see it as interesting, but is it something people want to read? That I don't know, so I've been keeping my work to myself so far. I work a lot on it and get enjoyment out of it. I guess I can see about getting the whole series drafted out from start to finish and then think about submitting manuscripts.
He looks like he never goes out. I know am always off topic but would take him for a walk on a sunny day.
When I see this guy I can't help but hear " DunDun Durant-Dun Dunnananana...." followed by the sound of saxophone.
smart guy.
Write because it is your air, you need to breathe. That is writing content there.
Woah never knew Gollum had such depth.
How do you know if you're any good?
Lots of different ways.
Most everyone asks a friend or sends off a manuscript. That's usually the worst way.
The best way is to write something then let it age for a couple weeks. When you go back to it you can pretty much tell if it's good or if it sucks.
This only works if you're a voracious reader in your genre. That way, you have something to compare it to.
To boil it down to one point: Just Write It!
this is very helpful thanks
It's a hard balance because you want people to like your work but if you only write to be validated.....
You know you're a writer when other people steal your stuff. I wrote lyrics
for 37 songs and provided them to Bruce Springsteen, and Steven Van Zandt. My standing agreement with Bruce from the time I was fifteen years old was that if he used my songs he would pay me depending on how good they were. I have yet to receive one red cent from Bruce Springsteen. Steven did provide me with eight tickets to see them perform at an Amnesty International concert September 23rd 1988 at the Oakland Coliseum. I took six friends seven if you count the limo driver. Steven and I laughed because Bruce had to work on his birthday. I'm still alive Bruce and everyday I wait for you to keep your word. I bet on you.
Face for radio and a voice for print.
Wasn't this guy in the movie The Princess Bride?
The cream always rises to the top.
It's like a cancer, a sickness, or some particular case of madness. It's not necessarily something you want to do, but rather something you must do. It's when theres nothing else to look forward to besides that. To quote bukowski, "it's when you're sick with it, stuck under your fingernails and stuffed under your nostrils." That, to me, seemed like a perfect way to say it. You wait for your pesky 9-5 to be over with, so you can get back to the work that really matters. Even if they developed a cure for this sickness, I cant imagine it would stop the writing one bit.
It makes us whole
Guess what, I'm not good enough and I don't care!
I've got 2 kindle books on Amazon and another on the way.
Good for you, James!
Good vid.
Hi Walter, if you're still lurking and reading these comments, I got a question: Did you ever host as an instructor an internet-based instructional course in screenwriting about 5 years ago offered by some aggregator i forgot the name of? I was one of the students with a preposterous Las Vegas Elvis theme. Thanks.
Being educated and skilled in the craft allows you to know what you are doing when you write and whether it is worthy to even be said that it is good. I am a successful and great writer and I have more than it takes. I do all that writers who fail, don't do.
Good vid
Question: When someone is trying to push the procrastination and excuses aside and "just do it" or "shut up and start writing" do they getting started drafting, outlining and structuring or open up Final Draft and beat at the page? Thank you.
Cinema-Figure Isn't that for you to decide? I used to do step-outlines, and could get a good plot out of them, but character sucked. Not the way to go for me. Now I start with page one and write a page a day (for a sceenplay). Novels it's a 1,000 words. But lets say you only have an hour a day to write. Write for that hour and don't worry about pages or words. Just do what you can in an hour. Your process might be different, and the only way to know is to start writing.
Silvie Monk We love when we see others helping and answering questions. Thank you.
Cinema-Figure I'd say whatever gets you into the process....I'd say writing is better than outlining, because outlining and character sheets and all that can be 'motion without movement'.You're fooling yourself that you are 'writing'when all you are doing often is preparing to write...IMO
Write to discover what you don't know. Write badly and eventually it will flow.
+Cinema-Figure The answer is yes. My process involves starting by coming up with an idea. I arrive at these ideas in a number of ways, but ultimately it all starts with a premise. As an aspiring screenwriter, every bit of advice I have ever received has been coupled with "move to LA". Having a family, a career and not much in the way of savings to perhaps be unemployed or underemployed for the rest of my life, that is beyond my reach right now.
But none the less, the idea of moving to LA has intrigued me. So, I have watched many Film Courage videos, written and dreamed of moving to LA to be perpetually rejected. One day, I happened upon a video on youtube from a man who moved to LA to become an actor. He moved there with 2000 dollars to his name, no job lined up. He moved into a shared living situation, wherein he sleeps on a bunk in a 3 bedroom apartment with 5 other aspiring actors, writers, directors... and I thought to myself, well I can't do that but my character can.
So I just play that out. I think about where my protagonist is, where they want to be and I plot the course for them to get there. I sit my ass down and I write the scene. Normally, I get through 5 pages a day. If you can write one page per day, you're writing 3 feature specs per year.
There's nothing more terrifying to me, than a blank page and a blinking cursor. It causes me to freeze and doubt myself. I am petrified. I'm not good enough. I'm a terrible writer. I have nothing to say. I'll be rejected. I'm wasting my life.
You've just got to do it. Sit down. Bang out a page. Screw formatting. Go back and format the page. Save each scene individually. Don't waste time scrolling up, scrolling down, scrolling up, write a line... delete that line... undo deleting the line, scroll up, scroll down... nah man. Write one scene at a time. Save scene. Put scene in folder and don't go back until you hit 60+ pages. It will change your life.
I guess if you have to ask...
When your text changes a person's life.
For one thing, one elementary thing, they don't make simple grammatical mistakes: "How does a writer know they're good enough?"