Why the new stories lately? May 25, 2021 Writing Notes If you are a regular visitor, I’m sure you’ve noticed that something new has been happening around here. There’s been two new stories that have The Rule of Threes, Conflict, and Starting Your Story Mar 11, 2021 Writing Notes I have a student who works in comedy, and we recently had a nice conversation about the rule of threes. The essence of the rule is that any slogan, More than One Want Mar 1, 2021 Writing Notes Story is driven by a character wanting something. But that doesn’t mean they have only one want. They can have multiple wants and the pursuit of Why is this particular character on this journey? Feb 26, 2021 Writing Notes “A story is unique to your protagonist. There is a unique journey—a reason why you, the master of the universe here, has put this character on this Story Maps Feb 19, 2021 Writing Notes This week, I began reading Maps of the Imagination: The Writer as Cartographer by Peter Turchi. I really like his idea of considering how “artistic You’ll get through it Feb 16, 2021 Writing Notes For a long time I’ve said that writer’s block is BS. It is simply fear and uncertainty and not some impenetrable barrier that can’t be breached. But Make your story (and marketing) rhyme Feb 9, 2021 Writing Notes The audience you choose wants the structure of your story to rhyme. In The Practice , Seth Godin call this genre: The people you bring your work to Reader Error Feb 7, 2021 Writing Notes Early on when I was writing fiction, I never wanted to write to on-the-nose. I wanted to be subtle and not explain my point to the reader. When Listen for the music Feb 5, 2021 Writing Notes As a follow-up to The Calculus of Grit, this article in The New York Times from author S. Kirk Walsh caught my attention. He talks about becoming a Notes on “The Calculus of Grit” Feb 5, 2021 Writing Notes I recently got around to reading Venkatesh Rao’s essay about his understanding of working towards mastery. In it, he tries to define the Log Jams and the Creativity Faucet Feb 2, 2021 Writing Notes Photo by Kamala Saraswathi Nearly 20 years ago, when I first got past my fear and started writing again, I had nearly 15 years of ideas piled up The Harold Jan 20, 2021 Writing Notes I was recently told by a student about the Harold, a structured improv game. Although much of it word-of-mouth, the Improv Wiki describes it as Forced constraints Dec 19, 2020 Writing Notes Earlier this morning, I was trying to write a post on why I keep changing the look of this blog, but it became unruly. I had too many ideas and no Ludwig Dec 14, 2020 Writing Notes is a Twitch Streamer and he did a video where he set up a Shopify store, added a shirt/logo maker, and then within a few hours had started to Found this in a local store today Dec 8, 2020 Writing Notes It’s always great to see your books in the wild Metaphor Trees Nov 26, 2020 Writing Notes Recently, I discovered metaphor trees. I explained them as such: When you are constructing a novel, you should keep all your metaphors connected A city is not a tree and WOARO Nov 20, 2020 Writing Notes I really was interested in this post from Austin Kleon for two reasons. The first is about Joseph Meeker’s The Comedy of Survival, which I haven’t An exercise in values Nov 19, 2020 Writing Notes My students are working on theme this week. I said how theme isn’t just war or love or jealousy but must include a value statement: (Topic) is A Slip-box for Fiction Nov 17, 2020 Writing Notes When I’ve been playing with the DDJ, I’m thinking a lot about the idea of a slip-box, which is a note-taking system also known as zettelkasten, Creating a Satisfying and Artistic Reveal Nov 14, 2020 Writing Notes Yesterday’s problem and essay got me thinking about Keith Johnstone’s 1979 book Impro. He talks about reincorporation and the idea of reintroducing Recognition and action Nov 13, 2020 Writing Notes This week, I’ve been trying to work through a reveal, where one character has to discover information that they weren’t even aware existed. The Story Gardening Sep 27, 2020 Writing Notes A favourite topic of discussion amongst the #writingcommunity on Twitter is whether you are a pantser or a plotter. A pantser writes with no plan, Marketing Failures Aug 23, 2020 Writing Notes Over the years, my writing partner Angie and I have tried many strategies to create brand awareness about Counios and Gane. Although we’ve had a few The Source Aug 16, 2020 Writing Notes If you’ve read my bio, you’ll know that I struggled for nearly fifteen years trying to write. You’ll also see that I think the entire concept of What’s left behind Aug 9, 2020 Writing Notes A couple of years ago, my family and I went on a camping trip down to the United States (back when such a thing was possible). As one does, we A Tool Against Writer’s Block Aug 2, 2020 Writing Notes For a long time, I’ve railed against writer’s block. I think it’s stupid and one of the dumbest things we as writers have ever invented1. WOARO Jul 26, 2020 Writing Notes Summary: Let’s talk about the heart of all story. As I mentioned last week, a lot of my writing and teaching practice was shaped by Jerry Cleaver’s Why Immediate Fiction is one of the best writing books of all time Jul 19, 2020 Writing Notes One of my favourite books on writing story is Jerry Cleaver’s Immediate Fiction, yet sadly, I rarely hear it recommended to emerging authors. I Why we left Amazon Jul 12, 2020 Writing Notes Over a month ago, Angie and I pulled our books off the Amazon store. If you look, there are only a few copies available from some resellers. All the Four Reflections on Craft Dec 5, 2014 Writing Notes Near the end of the book, The Craftsman by Richard Sennett, he talks about vocation, which he calls a “sustaining narrative.” He discusses Max Word Count and Benchmarks Jan 13, 2014 Writing Notes I love word counts because they give such useful information. For example, after a week of writing, I am able to average about 445 words (or 1.25 Considering New Rules for Scriptwriting Feb 11, 2012 Writing Notes Go in without a plan. Allow for a natural, organic shape to emerge. Don’t worry about theme. Follow Nirav Christophe’s belief that “Theme is the Don’t Make it Suck: Clarity and the Reader Oct 29, 2011 Writing Notes Via Natasha: Recently, I was talking to a classmate who said that, regardless of the many different readings and analyses of stories that are made, Clean lines of action Oct 22, 2011 Writing Notes I push my students to think about cause and effect in their scenes and scripts. When the action we read is convoluted, we stop and go back to try Writing is an action Oct 21, 2011 Writing Notes So a recap: In a blog post about what defines one as a “Writer”, Natasha said: I would say that I am a person who enjoys creative writing, but no What makes a writer? Oct 17, 2011 Writing Notes A girl in our class said she had a painting on display in a cafe somewhere, so did that make her an artist? “No.” His opinion is that the closer Dr. Peter King on the Chronotope Oct 10, 2011 Writing Notes The chronotope: the singular linkage of time and place — how place is always a place in time — and how this creates the significance of memories of Bakhtin on the Chronotope Oct 10, 2011 Writing Notes Time, as it were, thickens, takes on flesh, becomes artistically visible; likewise, space becomes charged and responsive to the movements of time, Hemingway on trying Oct 8, 2011 Writing Notes For a true writer each book should be a new beginning where he tries again for something that is beyond attainment. He should always try for Writing is a response to life Oct 7, 2011 Writing Notes Reading Kelli’s blog, I came across this: My Honour’s project supervisor believes that writing is at its best when it comes from a place of The devil is in the details Oct 7, 2011 Writing Notes Simply stating it’s a glass of wine is not enough. There’s a big difference between a $500 bottle of Haut Brion and two-dollar Night Train. The On subtext Oct 6, 2011 Writing Notes The more you believe that no one can read the subtext of your actions, the more likely they have figured you out spot on Jared Gyoerick on the moment Oct 5, 2011 Writing Notes Stories can begin and end within small units — a short story can be contained within a singular moment. -Jared Gyoerick Nirav Christophe on the moment Sep 27, 2011 Writing Notes I will be working on the basis of the small units, the event, the moment, the conversation, the monologue. — Nirav Christophe, Writing in the Raw Writing from reality Sep 24, 2011 Writing Notes Does writing drawn from reality lessen the quality of the writing? Does writer seem less talented than when they invent situation and character? It Readings Sep 20, 2011 Writing Notes No matter how hard you try, you reader won’t get all the ideas, plot, and intentions that you put into your story. This can be dangerous. It can Kent Nichols on audience May 10, 2011 Writing Notes The first and biggest hurdle today is actually finding an audience and building a relationship with them so that they will On anticipating the reader May 9, 2011 Writing Notes One bit of feedback the publisher gave us: “It will be important to anticipate readers’ objections and head them off.” So we’ve been building in an On craft May 9, 2011 Writing Notes If you practice the art of making things, that’s just as important as making anything worthwhile. I like the craft of making; it’s important to On theme Apr 28, 2011 Writing Notes Your main character should not be aware of the full dimensions of the theme at the beginning of the story, but he/she will learn. Via Your Hero: On ramifications Apr 28, 2011 Writing Notes RAMIFICATIONS: It is important to show the ramification of the attempts, which must result in an increase in complications. via The Script Lab Screenwriting Tip #601 Apr 19, 2011 Writing Notes Never work on somebody else’s darling pet project. If they don’t allow you any control, you’ll wind up resenting them. If they do allow you control, Genius Mar 26, 2011 Writing Notes What is the little stroke of genius that makes you different from all the other artists Be the one to tell your story. Mar 26, 2011 Writing Notes Don’t let someone else tell it for you Ask yourself… Mar 26, 2011 Writing Notes A producer once asked me: Why do you want to tell this story and why would anyone want to see it? Could anyone learn something from it? Could they Rubber Duck Outlining Mar 24, 2011 Writing Notes I saw this quote from Andrew Errington on what he calls the “Rubber Duck method of debugging”: Beg, borrow, steal, buy, fabricate or otherwise On Competence Mar 24, 2011 Writing Notes Competence in tools does not equate to competence in design. via 8164.org Again, replace design for writing or filmmaking On Fiction and Documentaries Mar 22, 2011 Writing Notes Morris’ films aren’t about The Truth; they’re about our personal, private truths, as well as the lies and rationalizations we create for our On Edwidge Danticat’s rewrite method Mar 21, 2011 Writing Notes Finally, she makes a tape recording of herself reading the entire novel aloud—a trick she learned from Walter Mosley—and revises passages that cause Mystery Man on writing action Feb 28, 2011 Writing Notes “Action paragraphs should be 4 lines or fewer. You typically write one paragraph per beat of action, and they should be important actions. I loved Frank Darabont’s description in Shawshank Redemption Feb 28, 2011 Writing Notes “Dark as midnight. Concrete walls rise on both sides. If you imagine them as two huge slices of bread, the meat of this particular sandwich is about Writing Tip Feb 26, 2011 Writing Notes Ask yourself what each of your characters feels towards the other characters. How do the main characters relate to the minor characters? And how Essay Writing Nov 28, 2010 Writing Notes If you have a few good thoughts, you can write a few good sentences. If you have a few good sentences, you can write a few good paragraphs. If you Damon Lindelof on writing the Star Trek Sequel Jul 2, 2010 Writing Notes “They have a story and that “the next phase is to get together and try to destroy it.” — Damon Lindelof via /Film What is your lineage? Jun 10, 2010 Writing Notes The lineage that I’m trying to follow starts with Preston Sturges, Billy Wilder, goes to Hal Ashby, and then goes to James L. Brooks, Cameron Crowe, Maxim Zhestkov May 19, 2010 Writing Notes In an interview with Motiongrapher, Maxim Zhestkov talks about his process: It is important to preserve the opportunity to surprise yourself and to Donald Miller on Story Apr 16, 2010 Writing Notes If you aren’t telling a good story to the people you love, who is? What I mean is, everybody loves a story. We simply can’t live without a good David Mamet’s Master Class Memo Mar 24, 2010 Writing Notes SO: WE, THE WRITERS, MUST ASK OURSELVES OF EVERY SCENE THESE THREE QUESTIONS. WHO WANTS WHAT? WHAT HAPPENS IF HER DON’T GET IT? WHY NOW? David You Ain’t Going to Need It Mar 9, 2010 Writing Notes 37signals (damn them for the good links) talk about YAGNI: “It’s easy to get carried away discussing how you could possibly do this, that, or the The Adventure Sep 5, 2009 Writing Notes To face your fear of writing, right now, is to break though the personal jail cell that you have created. It will release you from the insecurity Sacrifice Aug 30, 2009 Writing Notes The best part in Malcom Gladwell’s book Outliers: The Story of Success is tucked at the back, well after his chapter about mastery and the 10,000 Sketching with a Sharpie Aug 27, 2009 Writing Notes Fun for me is building the first vision of a new script with a marker and a big pad of paper. Jason Fried, from 37signals, reminded me how it also 2. Confidently start work. Aug 24, 2009 Writing Notes I love this list of ten “mental rules” for solving puzzles that Andrew Bonventre found in the book Solve it! by James F. Fixx. I think numbers 2, 5, Too Much May 14, 2009 Writing Notes There is a line you have to be careful not to cross once you move past writer’s block and get going again. It is the line of doing too much. Once Knowing Your Limits May 1, 2009 Writing Notes So often, the talk that surrounds writing is about doing the work and extending your skill, craft, and abilities. Something freeing that I have Good Journeys May 1, 2009 Writing Notes I have been thinking about you, my reader, a lot lately. I want you to be writing. I want you to be overcoming the fears that may be holding you The Genius of Later Apr 27, 2009 Writing Notes Your first pass of a story is the closed-door session. It is the story session. It is about you listening and writing what you hear. The challenge To you, the one not writing Apr 15, 2009 Writing Notes There are no tricks. You likely know the basic rules. Reading a bunch of books won’t help you start. You need to start writing. Do it lots and do it Priorities and Sacrafice Apr 7, 2009 Writing Notes What do you sacrifice when you get too busy? A lot of people make the excuse that they don’t have the time to write but find plenty of time to do Get Out of Your Own Way Apr 2, 2009 Writing Notes The worst thing you can do as a writer is to start second-guessing your decisions. It leads to fear, worry, and eventually blocking up. When The Most Important Step Mar 27, 2009 Writing Notes The biggest challenge when you begin to write is to get past the notion that things are supposed to look a certain way. Often, the questions Remarkable Stories Mar 24, 2009 Writing Notes Be willing to dream big. Push out the incredible stories that you have locked inside. Don’t let your remarkable stories be lost. Write today When we lose faith, we forget Mar 23, 2009 Writing Notes If you are a writer, one of the best feelings in the world amounts to either one of these: Tapping at the keys on your keyboard Moving a pen over The Only Choice Mar 19, 2009 Writing Notes Here is your choice: Write or don’t write. If you want to be a writer, this is a no-brainer but why is it people who say they want to write don’t do Timing Mar 15, 2009 Writing Notes When the stories are not going, it may not be the time for to write it. It could also be that you are avoiding it because you are scared of screwing The Right Time Mar 10, 2009 Writing Notes Are you waiting for the right time to pursue your creativity? How about more time? Or more money? Maybe, you are waiting for a different job? Are Finishing Mar 9, 2009 Writing Notes Not finishing the script, story, or book is almost the same as having an idea that you never write. It takes up space in your head as you think and Sink or Swim Mar 4, 2009 Writing Notes You want to write but you aren’t writing. You’re in the water and not getting out but you aren’t swimming either. You’re sitting in the shallow end, Your one big, huge talent Mar 3, 2009 Writing Notes If you truly feel that writing is your talent but you are not doing the work, then quit making excuses. Don’t waste another second. Sit down and The Greatest Fail Mar 2, 2009 Writing Notes No one sets out to suck. You try your best and you see where you end up. But what if you flipped it and tried to do the worst story possible. Toss “It’s not there” Feb 28, 2009 Writing Notes The question is never: “Do you have anything to write?” It is: “Do you want to write?” If you do, sit down at the page and write. Starting out, Reiterate and Refine Feb 27, 2009 Writing Notes Whatever you are working on right now is not your final version. The only final version that exists is the one that is bought, paid for, and is Write Bad Stuff Feb 26, 2009 Writing Notes The stakes of creating bad stuff are zero. No one gets harmed and there are a couple advantages in creating it. It no longer takes up mental energy Enjoy It Feb 25, 2009 Writing Notes Don’t be a slave to your creativity. It doesn’t own you. It doesn’t define you. It doesn’t make you more or less of who you are. Don’t be in fear of What’s your reason for not writing? Feb 14, 2009 Writing Notes (Before you read, here is a note from David in Feb 2021.) I want to toss this out and I am hoping you participate. What is your reason you aren’t The Simple Fact Feb 13, 2009 Writing Notes The original goal of this blog is simple: I want you to write. My belief is that the reason you’re not writing is an excuse. Every time I write a Writing and Writing Well Feb 12, 2009 Writing Notes (Before you read, here is a note from David in Feb 2021.) It’s easy to confuse these two. When you want to tell a story, you want to write, and you “I don’t think it’s working” Feb 10, 2009 Writing Notes (Before you read, here is a note from David in Feb 2021.) How often have you started a script and it doesn’t feel quite right and you feel Possibility Feb 1, 2009 Writing Notes Yes, someone could hate your work. They might tell you it stinks, that you have no understanding of story, structure, character, plot, or dialogue. I am telling you what you already know Feb 1, 2009 Writing Notes (Before you read, here is a note from David in Feb 2021.) You already know that you should be writing. You already know that you are making excuses. Stop Being an Idiot Jan 30, 2009 Writing Notes (Before you read, here is a note from David in Feb 2021.) Do you want to write? Then do it. Quit making excuses. Quit telling yourself and the Stop Being an Idiot Jan 30, 2009 Writing Notes (Before you read, here is a note from David in Feb 2021.) Do you want to write? Then do it. Quit making excuses. Quit telling yourself and the Writing Books Jan 30, 2009 Writing Notes How many writing books have you read? How about blogs? How much help have they been? Have you written more because of them? Have you started writing Why are you writing? Jan 29, 2009 Writing Notes List ten reasons why you write and be honest. Rank them in importance from 1 to 10, with #1 being the most important. Now, take #1 away. Where does Your Next Action Jan 20, 2009 Writing Notes You read a quote that you like, that tells you to write. It excites you and catches your passion. You star it, you heart it, you favorite it, you Now Jan 20, 2009 Writing Notes Write today. Write tomorrow. Write every day. Don’t make excuses anymore. Don’t stop after the first week, the first month, the first year, or the The In-Between Time Jan 19, 2009 Writing Notes When you are done your writing for the day, stop. Don’t carry your computer or notepad around with the hope that you will be blessed with that The Void Jan 9, 2009 Writing Notes “I want to write.” You think about it all the time. You write it in your journal, you think about when you are unhappy at work, and you tell those The Creative Habit Jan 8, 2009 Writing Notes I just finished Twyla Tharp’s book The Creative Habit where I found this: “Being blocked is most often a failure of nerve, with only one solution: Let’s Bake a Cake Jan 5, 2009 Writing Notes Let’s bake a cake. We’ll be a little bit more specific and make it a basic chocolate one. Out of the five recipes I look up, one uses just over a Today (part 2) Jan 1, 2009 Writing Notes Start with one page. If you you want to write, then write. Quit lying to yourself. The reason you tell yourself you can’t write is an excuse. Cut 1 Page equals 3 Scripts Dec 31, 2008 Writing Notes If you aren’t writing and you want to be, this is what you need to do. Tomorrow, start the new year by writing one page of a story. It will take 15 Just Write Dec 29, 2008 Writing Notes If I have one goal, it is for you to write. There are no real secrets anymore. The information can be found online and free. If you don’t trust it, Resisting Structure Dec 24, 2008 Writing Notes Acts are containers to hold your story. If you are using Classical Act form, you have 4 containers. Now add another container or take one away. You Quit Making Excuses Dec 23, 2008 Writing Notes Which of these would you rather be? The person who has a “Great Idea” and tells everyone about it and says that one day he is going to write it. or Your Choice Dec 18, 2008 Writing Notes There is no simpler way for me to tell you this: If you want to write, you can do it. It’s up to you. I hear a lot of reasons why people don’t Breaking the Story Dec 16, 2008 Writing Notes Here are two resources to break your story and get writing: Blake Snyder’s 15 Point Beat Sheet Pilar Alessandra’s On the Page Another one is to map The Irving Dec 15, 2008 Writing Notes You can write a script in a week but it doesn’t mean you should. The in-between time of a writing session are often your most creative. You push 2 Years Dec 11, 2008 Writing Notes You have an idea. Great. Get to work. Give yourself a 10 day deadline to build the structure. As Derek Sivers, CD Baby founder said, “If you’ve got The First Thing to Go Dec 9, 2008 Writing Notes If you are writing every day, the first thing that happens is that you go very quickly through all those wonderful ideas that you have been holding Why are you still trying to write? Dec 8, 2008 Writing Notes Maybe you weren’t meant to write. That’s alright. I understand. Just pack up your stuff and go home. “But…” “Wait.” “No.” “It’s what I dream about This is for when there is nothing Dec 4, 2008 Writing Notes Write. Do the work. This is a part of the practice of becoming a writer. It is about making the mistakes and writing ugly stuff. It is about Why the Writer Crossed the Road Dec 3, 2008 Writing Notes Wil Shipley said on MacBreak Weekly that while he was listening to Malcolm Gladwell’s new book “Outliers”that he wondered when he passed his 10 A Part of the Process Dec 2, 2008 Writing Notes How do you know when it’s not working? How do you know when you are struggling and you just need to get out of your own way to make it work? Life Work Dec 1, 2008 Writing Notes I am starting to feel like a broken record but I am going to keep at it while I know that there are the stragglers out there. Why aren’t you doing The Stakes Nov 30, 2008 Writing Notes From Blake Snyder: “If you are not getting 4-10 responses for every 100 email or query letter you send — it’s not the agent, it’s your pitch!” 10,000 Hours Nov 27, 2008 Writing Notes Malcolm Gladwell says in his new book Outliers that researchers believe that takes about 10,000 hours or 10 years of hard practice to develop Why aren’t you writing? Nov 26, 2008 Writing Notes That is the question that has been on my mind a lot lately. I hope to find some reasons and solutions over the next little while More Sep 3, 2008 Writing Notes Here is the deadline I want you to keep in your head. What do you really want to be doing with your life? Is it the job you are in or is there more? What is an Action? Aug 28, 2008 Writing Notes It is what is required to obtain the character’s want, goal, or need. In the end, they may not obtain it. They may lose it, they may realize their My Definition of an Act… Aug 27, 2008 Writing Notes …is an action. Complete from beginning to end. What’s yours Don’t Make it Difficult Aug 23, 2008 Writing Notes I wanted to do a few posts on what I have figured out about structure. I wanted to draw my pretty line drawing that I use all the time to show One of those days… Aug 13, 2008 Writing Notes When you are feeling down on the writing, think about “Gearheads don’t get it” from 37signals: “Figure out what you have to say that’s interesting Old Projects Aug 12, 2008 Writing Notes What do you do with the the writing that never made it to the end? How long do you hold onto it? If you lost it, if it disappeared, or if you threw Flights of the Imagination Aug 12, 2008 Writing Notes Dead stories are like concept products. Writing dead stories is an act of pretending and without the real constraint of having to publicly release Results Aug 7, 2008 Writing Notes From Seth Godin’s blog today: “I reserve “architect” to describe the intentional arrangement of design elements to get a certain result.” That’s Architectural Change Aug 5, 2008 Writing Notes I was watching How Buildings Learn, a BBC documentary based on Steward Brand’s book of the same name, when they talked about the relationship Sounds like a writer’s problem Aug 4, 2008 Writing Notes “Taking a new step, uttering a new word is what they fear most…. But I am talking too much. It’s because I chatter that I do nothing. Or perhaps it Scammy Jul 30, 2008 Writing Notes A word I apply to most books about writing. (Originally posted on 8secondsofawesome.com.) Action Jul 30, 2008 Writing Notes A character has an intention and a goal and she pursues it through action. She makes a choice to pursue the action. She meets resistance, obstacles, One-Eighty Jul 29, 2008 Writing Notes Someone commented the other day how I have taken a 180 degree reversal on structure but there is more to it than that. I have changed how I do Advice to the Amateur Writer Jul 28, 2008 Writing Notes Mystery Man on Film posted some advice for amateur writers. My favourites are: Chances are that you won’t sell a screenplay until you’ve made a Why Aren’t you Doing the Work Jul 28, 2008 Writing Notes Are you waiting for permission? You have my permission. Do you fear the task? Push through — it’s a marathon. Or how about this one from The More Don’t Be this Beaver Jul 28, 2008 Writing Notes From The Onion: “Beaver Overthinking Dam”: “Local beaver Dennis Messner is spending an inordinate amount of time and effort in the planning and The Work Week Jul 28, 2008 Writing Notes Stephen King says in his book On Writing that he writes every day, including Christmas, the Fourth of July, and his birthday. When I am working on a How to Find the Time to Write Jul 27, 2008 Writing Notes Wake up 15 minutes earlier. In 15 minutes you can write 2-3 pages of a script and in 40-60 days you would have a first draft. Wake up 30 minutes Numbers Jul 27, 2008 Writing Notes Tomorrow is a special day. Tomorrow my writing partner and I complete the outline of our next story. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, right? But it Fill it with Discoveries Jun 25, 2008 Writing Notes When you quit dreaming about your passions and start doing them, what happens? You uncover the hole that you once filled with excuses and busy-ness Every Day Jun 20, 2008 Writing Notes The other night, a gentleman in my writer’s group told me that he was there because he hadn’t written in seven years. A friend of mine was told the (This is not) The Test Jun 7, 2008 Writing Notes The Real Test is big. The choice is always hard and is often (but not always) a Turning Point. It attacks us deep and pits our heart against our Noise and Signal Jun 4, 2008 Writing Notes During the construction of a story, how often do you allow the noise to hide the signal: How much sensory input do you allow in (RSS, email, social The Rules Jun 3, 2008 Writing Notes The thing I like is that I can break the rules, especially when they are my own. After everything that I have posted about lately, I am beginning to Not Writing Jun 2, 2008 Writing Notes What if you didn’t have a well to pull ideas from? Where would they come from? Would you continue to write, forcing ideas to come no matter what? Or Tricks and Rules May 28, 2008 Writing Notes There are rules, formulas, recipes, outlines, tricks, methods, systems, ways, guidelines, hacks, habits, techniques, secrets, shortcuts, sketches, Delays May 27, 2008 Writing Notes Do you ever think either of these: You need another book to tell you how to write You need to work on your outline some more. Stop it. You know it. 20 Handy Excuses for Any Writer to Use May 23, 2008 Writing Notes My alarm never went off. My computer was on the fritz. I just don’t know where to begin. I was really busy but I’ll do it tomorrow. I forgot that it 0 to 120 May 22, 2008 Writing Notes Seth Godin’s post “How to read a business book” talks about the difference between business books and other how-to books. He says: “The gap is Mistakes May 21, 2008 Writing Notes Accept it. You will make them. The only mistake you should never make is avoiding the risk of making them. Often, out of those moments come the best Fuzzy Lines May 19, 2008 Writing Notes The post, You say Tomarto from Thought for the Week, a blog from the London design consultancy, johnson banks, says: “designers themselves often My King Dilemma May 16, 2008 Writing Notes Stephen King and I have a problem. He keeps stealing my ideas. This has been happening since I was a teenager. Every time I came up with a great Connecting the Dots May 15, 2008 Writing Notes There is nothing wrong with creating an outline before you write your story, as long as you write the story. But if you aren’t writing, then you Writing, and Rewriting, and Rewriting May 12, 2008 Writing Notes Listen to what Alex Epstein offers in his blog Complications Ensue: The Crafty TV and Screenwriting Blog: “I don’t think you need to read any more Today May 12, 2008 Writing Notes is your day to start. It wasn’t yesterday (or you would have started already) and it isn’t tomorrow (because you’ll never get there). Now is Bubbling Up May 11, 2008 Writing Notes I think of ideas as lost object. Immediately, at the point of their creation, they are at risk of being lost, forgotten, and never remembered. To Pen and Paper May 9, 2008 Writing Notes My favorite pen, a blue Bic Cristal ballpoint, can be purchased on Amazon in a box of 12 for $2.55. They fit nicely into the pocket, a bag, or a What is Next May 8, 2008 Writing Notes What’s holding you back? Things are moving forward, faster than you expected. Do you think something is missing? Something doesn’t feel quite right? Process and Structure May 6, 2008 Writing Notes I found this quote through Jurgen Wolff’s Time to Write article: Rewriting, Re-Editing and Finding the Right Structure for Your Story: “That whole Cleanse the Palate May 1, 2008 Writing Notes I thought it would be appropriate with the previous post to add one more to the mix. I am in the process of editing a script and moving through the Picking the Scene Apr 21, 2008 Writing Notes For a while now, I have been fascinated with the ideas that stream out of 37signals and their blog. I read through Getting Real: The book knowing Beekeeper’s Block Apr 14, 2008 Writing Notes A beekeeper never skips a day of work in the beeyard because he wasn’t in the mood or the work was too hard or the bees were stinging too much. Why Look at that tree… Jul 31, 2007 Writing Notes ” …it is the protagonist of all arts; it is an ideal structure of an action. Upward movement sideways resistance balance and growth.” Imagine Script Frenzy May 27, 2007 Writing Notes is looking for someone to do 20,000 words. I am at 3779 words at the moment and starting page 20. So they are asking for 100 pages The Peter Elbow Challenge May 23, 2007 Writing Notes Peter Elbow discusses in “Writing Without Teachers” the developmental model on the writing process. His thought is to write it four times, not once,