Tag: writing

Writing Tip of the Week: The Power of Doing Nothing

Posted on by Ian Dawson

A lot of us today feel the need to always be doing something.  Anything.  Whether reading, doom-scrolling on our phones, talking, exercising, or any number of activities, the lack of doing something can make us anxious or feel unproductive.  And while there is a case to be made that being productive is a good thing, there is also a strong argument about doing the exact opposite…

Nothing.

I know; it sounds like a crazy concept.  But author Neil Gaiman uses doing nothing as part of his creative tool kit, and it’s definitely something to consider using when you sit down to write.

So, let’s talk about it!

Why Do Nothing?

Giving your mind a chance to relax can help you focus on your creativity.  This is especially true when you are in the process of writing.  It’s a way to free your mind and create a safe space for ideas to flow and float to the surface of your consciousness. 

It can be a challenge to do this, but if you are already writing, taking a moment to stop and think instead of panicking about not having an idea or next sentence in mind can be a great way to give yourself permission to take a creative breath before moving forward.

The hard part will be not doing something else, but with practice, you can train yourself to decide when you sit down to write to either write or do nothing.

Would this Work If I Was Doing Something Else?

Short answer: Yes!  I often come up with ideas or new concepts for stories or chapters when I’m on a walk at work or working out, even when relaxing at the end of a long day.  Allowing yourself to be creative while not feeling pressured to create can help you develop ideas.

Just make sure you have a notepad or phone handy to jot any ideas down.

This is my personal view, and it works well for me.  It is important to find creative tactics that work best for you and stick with them.  

Neil Gaiman: In His Own Words

But you don’t have to take my word for it.  Here’s Neil Gaiman, in his own words, speaking about allowing himself to do “absolutely nothing, or write.”

Final Thoughts

While it’s easy for us to become overly distracted by everything in and outside our lives, giving yourself permission to do nothing can have great creative benefits.  Taking this concept into an activity that doesn’t require much thought can allow your brain to work out creative concepts.  

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: An Audience of One

Posted on by Ian Dawson
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When you start to work on any writing project, whether it’s a novel, screenplay, poem, or short story, it’s important to remember that you are the initial audience for the project. This may seem obvious, but often we can get so wrapped up in trying to figure out what others want, what the anonymous readers or viewers may want, that we can get off track when writing something meaningful to ourselves.

The key to creating something that resonates with others is ensuring it resonates with you as you develop and write it.

Let’s talk about it!

Remember, You’re Your #1 Customer

You. Yes, you, The Writer, are the first to read your novel, screenplay, or other written work. Does it make you laugh? Does it generate the right emotional beats as you read? Are you drawn into the story? Can you relate to the characters?  

These are all great things to consider as you write and work on subsequent drafts.  

Every published novel and produced screenplay had to, at some point, connect with the writer of that work to make them confident enough to share it with others. If you are pleased with what you’ve written and feel it’s ready to share, that may indicate you’re on the right track.

What If I’m Not Happy with What I’ve Written?

If you’re having issues connecting with the story and the characters or are not enjoying what you’re writing, STOP!

Especially if it’s not a writing assignment, there’s no reason why you need to slog through a creative endeavor that feels like a punishment. 

Some stories can be more challenging to craft and assemble than others. However, even the challenges should be a positive endeavor, not one fraught with agony or frustration. And while you will always have to contend with various story problems, those shouldn’t make you want to quit writing altogether.

My suggestion if you dread working on a writing project: Walk Away. Work on something else. Working on another unrelated project can free your mind to work through the issues you’re having with the other story.  

Then, if I decide to go back to that problematic project, I may have the answers I need to get it done.

Enjoy the Whole Process

Writing takes time, and it takes patience. And it takes your creative effort to make your story a reality. From idea to final draft, you must find ways to enjoy what you’re working on since you will live with this story and its character for several months, if not years.

Because of this, you need to think of yourself as the primary audience for your work. You’re writing a story you want to read or see on the screen. Your excitement and energy will help invigorate the story and keep you and the project going.

Allow Yourself to Focus on Y-O-U

In our ever-present social media-obsessed, 24-hour news cycle, 1000 new shows streaming per day world, it can be a challenge to sit down and focus on your own creative needs. But we need to shut out the noise and nurture our creativity and stories to find sanity and balance in our everyday lives.

Yes, eventually, your stories will be consumed by others. But today, at this moment, as you sit and write and create, it’s all yours. Yours to build, to change, to evolve. Don’t let negativity from inside your mind or the outside world take that away from you.

You owe it to yourself to create.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Exercise of the Week: Pick a Favorite Movie

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Last time, we played around with movie visuals, working to see if we could figure out what was happening in a movie without sound or dialogue.  In that exercise, you picked a movie you’d never seen.

This time, pick one of your favorite movies.  Old or new.  Any genre.  Doesn’t matter.  Once you have one or a few in mind, you’ll be ready for this exercise.

Let’s get started.

Watch the Movie

You love and enjoy it, so watching it again shouldn’t be a big deal.  But this time, as you watch, make notes about why you like this particular film.  Is it the story?  The characters?  The dialogue?  The visuals?  The film score?  What draws you into the film and holds your interest time and time again?

Are there specific scenes that are memorable to you?  Why?  What makes those scenes or sequences stand out in your mind above the others?

Read the Script

Find the script online and read through it.  Does the script give you similar emotions or feelings to the film?  Are there any changes you notice between the text of the screenplay and the completed film?  If so, why do you think these changes were made?

Watch the Movie Again with a Critical Eye

I’m not asking you to change your opinion or enjoyment of the movie you’ve chosen.  Watch the film in this exercise and analyze what works and doesn’t.  What are the strong points of the story, characters, etc.?  What are some of the weaker moments in the film?  

Would the film still work without them, or are they needed to move the story forward?

Re-read the script.  Were these scenes in there, or were they added later?

Why Am I Doing This?

By digging deeper and analyzing your favorite films, you can learn how these screenwriters crafted a narrative and how the filmmakers interpreted the words into a completed film.  Your task as a screenwriter is to create a compelling world on the page that can be elevated by other creative talents to become something still representative of what’s written.  

Final Thoughts

A screenplay is a blueprint for a massive construction project that becomes a beehive of creativity populated by actors, production designers, directors, costume designers, digital artists, composures, and hundreds – if not thousands – more.  

Taking the time to dig deeper into the initial creative process and the text that was turned into the film, learning from in its original form, can help you understand the screenwriting process and the work needed to bring those words to life.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: So, You Want to Write a Movie?

Posted on by Ian Dawson

We’ve all told ourselves or a group of friends at once in our lives, “I could write something better than that!” And, while that may be true, few people ever act on that proposition in a way that proves they can craft a compelling 110-page story for the big -or, in today’s world, streaming – screen.

If you are curious about how to get started, let’s talk about ways to familiarize yourself with screenplays and scriptwriting.

READ Screenplays

Much like a novelist should read books, an aspiring screenwriter should take the time to read many screenplays from different genres and decades.  Screenplays for movies you’ve seen and ones for movies you haven’t seen.  

By doing this, you’ll notice how screenplay formatting has evolved over the years.  Camera angles were typed into screenplays for decades, but now they are added sparingly, if at all.  You’ll see how different writers in various decades incorporate flashbacks or dream sequences and how they introduce a character or setting.  

A screenplay is an amazing piece of art, acting as a blueprint for a larger entity – a film – but also delivering a compelling and complete story in a limited number of pages and page space.  There’s no room to elaborate or explain; get in, deliver the info, and get out.

And despite these limitations, screenwriters can keep you turning the page as fast as any novel can. 

There are many, many websites available that offer up .pdf versions of screenplays.  One of them is www.thescriptlab.com which constantly adds scripts to its library.

Watch-Along

Once you’ve read several scripts, find a few for current movies – preferably the SHOOTING SCRIPT – and watch the film as you follow along with the screenplay.  How did the creative team, the director, and the actors bring the words on the page to life?  If you haven’t seen the film before, is what you envisioned when you first read the script what ended up in the film?

Learn the Structure

How is a screen story told?  How is it different than a novel?  Many books are available that break down screenplay structure, along with websites that present methodologies that can help you take your story and craft it into a screenplay.  From Robert McKee’s Story to Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, and Eric Edson’s The Story Solution, find what works best for you and try it out.  

Learn the Formatting

The basics of screenplay formatting have remained fairly constant over the past few decades.  However, minor changes have been made that can mean the difference between your script looking amateur and like a pro’s.  

I recommend reading the Best Screenplay nominated scripts from a previous couple of years to see what these writers did regarding formatting.  It’s also important to seek out produced screenplays that give examples of how to format text messaging or social media-related items in a script if you plan to use them in your story.  

Do I Need Special Software?

You can find free screenwriting software online if you’re dabbling in the screenwriting playground.  If you want to take it seriously, software like Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter is available and is considered the industry standard.  Both can be a bit pricey, so if you want to try writing a script for fun, find a free program first.

Final Thoughts

I love screenwriting.  I love reading scripts.  I love the process of developing and writing a screenplay.  It’s a fun, creative experience.  Learning from the masters, exploring how stories are crafted, and comparing the script to the finished film are great ways to get excited and energized about the process.  

Happy Screenwriting, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Exercise of the Week: Describe an Object

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Description. When it comes to a story, it can immerse a reader, giving them the sights, sounds, and smells of the world you’ve created. From modern cityscapes to medieval villages, describing what you want the reader to see can have a significant impact.

But let’s start smaller than a city or village. Let’s start with something simple: an object.

The Assignment

Pick an object, any object. It can be something on your desk or table, something in the room; pick something out.  

Examine it. Really get to know this object. If you can hold it, like a coffee mug, feel the weight and texture of the item.

Take notes about the object. Jot down the basics using your five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel (you may skip taste if you didn’t choose a food or beverage as your object). How does it look from different angles?

Once you have your notes, write a descriptive paragraph about the object. How detailed can you get and still craft a compelling paragraph about this random item?

Bonus Assignment #1

Describe the same object in a few words or a single sentence, but give the reader enough detail to know the exact object. 

Bonus Assignment #2

Get technical. Research precisely what materials were used to make the object and give the reader an in-depth profile of its components. Plastics, metals, rubber, and wire. Get into the nuts and bolts that make the object what it is.

Final Thoughts

While not all objects and items mentioned in a story have meaning, there are times when you’ll want the reader to focus on something particular for a specific reason. Practicing descriptions of basic objects can help you strengthen your writing skills and give you another creative tool to work with.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: Scratch Pad Drafting

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Rewriting can seem like a daunting task, one often more of a challenge than the initial first draft of your manuscript.  Now that your ideas are on the page, you can begin crafting and fine-tuning them into a stronger narrative.  Making these changes in a work this is tens- or hundreds of thousands of words can also be overwhelming.

That’s why I recommend what I call Scratch Pad Drafting.

This Old Date

I highly recommend that you keep multiple dated drafts of all your manuscripts.  From the first to the last, having a historical record of your story’s evolution is crucial.  This is also important if something happens and you must go back in time to retrieve something you omitted from subsequent drafts.

Free Your Mind

Cutting and adding paragraphs or chapters in a seemingly completed manuscript can be tricky, especially if you’re writing on the fly.  There will be times – many of them – when you’ll be reading through and find that a section doesn’t work.  

What to do?

Have another document open that you can use to workshop fresh ideas.  This blank canvas allows you to try new things, work out ideas, and punch up dialogue without fear of reformatting or other issues that can crop up when working on the manuscript.  Now you have free reign to play around and work things out until you are satisfied with the new version.  

Then, copy and paste the new material and add it to the manuscript.

Punching Things Up

The Scratch Pad can also be helpful when working out a character or location description.  You can work to create the most descriptive sentence using the least number of words.  Or, you can embellish and weave an intricate tapestry of sights, smells, sounds, and more to describe a person, place, or thing.

This is the best place to try those things out.  You’re not affecting the manuscript while you work, and once you have the best version available, you can add it to the draft you’re working on.

This is also good as a place to punch up dialogue.  You can work out important exchanges, jokes, and other moments to make them more realistic and truer to your characters.  Again, the Scratch Pad is the place to play around and find the best version to serve your story and enhance the reader’s experience.

Final Thoughts

There’s always room to fine-tune and refine your work as you craft your next draft.  Using a separate document to work on new sequences, descriptions, and dialogue gives you an open space to play and create without the burden of affecting the manuscript before the time comes to do so.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: Taking Notes While Drafting Your Manuscript

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Writing a manuscript for a novel can be a challenging but rewarding process.  Crafting a compelling narrative with dimensional characters and clever dialogue allows creativity to soar out of your imagination and onto that page.  

Even with a strong outline, you may find yourself second-guessing a choice you made, rethinking a chapter, or needing more information about a location or other details.  All of these can be important to creating the world of your story.

After completing my writing session for the day (or late at night, which is my preferred writing time), my brain will run through what I wrote and find new ways or ideas to strengthen my writing.  The trick is NOT to go back and start rewriting what you already wrote.

No.  Your initial goal with your first/rough draft is the get the story on the page, from Chapter One to THE END.  Only then should you scroll back up to the top of your Word document and begin the rewriting process.

What I do is take notes post-writing sessions about what I worked on.  That way, I have the information and ideas available for use later if I decide to incorporate them.  You can use your Notes app on your phone or tablet, a journal, or just a piece of paper to jot things down. 

Here are some notes topics to consider (you can also jot down notes as you’re writing, but don’t go back and fix things yet):

Ask Yourself Questions?

After taking some time to reflect, write down some questions about the section of your manuscript, you worked on today.  What worked?  What didn’t work?  Were there chapters that lost momentum or lacked important information?  What chapters dragged on for too long and why?  Were there character moments that elevated the main characters?  Did story elements get lost at any point?

This is a constructive way to think about possible issues and changes that might pop up during the rewrite phase and allows you to have a reference point once you begin.  It can also help make the rewrite process less overwhelming since you’ve already started thinking about what’s been working and what needs improvement.

Things to Add

Maybe you wrote a great scene with two characters talking in a park.  You realize during your reflection that it was all dialogue and no action or description of the park or what the two characters might be doing.

This is a good place to comment that you must add these elements into the chapter to give the reader more information.

I often find myself introducing characters, then realizing that they are non-descript voids with names and dialogue but no physical traits or clothing descriptions.  This is another thing that can be placed in this category as a friendly reminder to make sure ALL named characters are described in some way.

Things to Cut

Even in a solid outline, things can sometimes not work as well once they’re fleshed out on the page.  Before you highlight and delete these items, note that there may be something that should be cut.

This can also be used if a subplot isn’t working, doesn’t add to the story or character development, or if you feel a chapter drags on for too long and should be cut down.

Things to Develop

If you find that a character takes on a life of their own in your manuscript and you want to give them more page time, make a note to develop the character further.  

You can also include developing the setting and character descriptions here.  When you’re in the zone and writing fast, things can get left out or mentioned and not given more detail.  Anything you want or need the reader to know must be fully realized on the page, so include that aspect here.

Things to Research

Your main character is going to Columbia University!  Great!  What do you know about it?  Nothing!  Time to get on the Google machine or the Columbia University website and start researching.

This can be for anything that needs more information or detail to make things real for your reader.  “Steph got into her car.”  What’s the make and model?  Color?  “He put on boots.” Ugg boots?  Ski boots?  Cowboy boots?  

Doing a little research and fine-tuning can further bring your reader into the story.  Find pictures of the clothing items you’d like your characters to wear and use them for your descriptions.  Same with houses, restaurants, furniture, etc.  Paint a picture with words and bring the reader into that home or campus.

Final Thoughts

This tactic can help you not get sidetracked while you’re doing the work of writing your manuscript.  You will be ahead of the game by taking some time – since you’ll be thinking about it anyway – to reflect and jot down what things to improve, add, cut, or research.  Now, you can dive into your next draft with the necessary knowledge to succeed.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: Take the Brakes Off When Writing Your First Draft

Posted on by Ian Dawson

When you sit down to write, do you find yourself self-censoring, second-guessing, or worrying about how a fictional group of people might view your work? Do these thoughts cause you anxiety, which creates a sense of creative paralysis that prevents you from writing, and instead, you run to your favorite streaming service to binge something safe and comforting?

It’s time to end this madness in 2023.

Let’s talk about it.

A Rough Draft is Your Playground

The initial draft of your work is for you and you alone. It’s your playground to develop and hone ideas for your story, which means this is a no-fear zone. It also means that you shouldn’t censor yourself, edit things you feel might offend a future reader, or fear what your third-grade teacher might think of you if they read something objectionable in your book.

This draft is your time to let it all out. Every crazy idea, line of dialogue, and over-the-top moment should be allowed to live in this space. You’re the only person who will see these things and the only person who knows what will work and not work once you begin editing and working on the next draft.  

Have fun with it without the fear of scrutiny, criticism, or being committed.

Don’t Write to Appease Others

I’ve noticed this trend in Hollywood, where studios attempt to pander or target a specific demographic based on what people on social media demand they include in a film or TV show. The result is a product that isn’t great because they have sacrificed creativity to appease a group of anonymous people.

You can’t rely on social media to guide how you write, what you write, or how you might be perceived by faceless Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram accounts. If you are working on a story that may have content that could offend others, then that’s the way it will be.

Attempting to make 8 billion people happy with your work is delusional. It will only result in your writing becoming neutered and mediocre. Don’t allow that to happen. You have a story you want to tell; tell it your way.

Don’t Just Silence Your Inner Critic, Bury It!

Your rough/first draft is your time to play, and really enjoy the creative process.  This is not the place to worry, overthink, or cast doubt about your material.  That irritating voice inside our heads that wants to destroy our creative mojo must be stopped at all costs.

Fight it.  Run from it.  Push through and keep writing when it creeps into your thoughts.  You can beat the inner critic by not letting it defeat you are you pound away at the keys or write your story down on paper.  Your inner critic is your toughest foe when it comes to your creativity.  Greater than any tweet, review, or feedback.

If you can fight against it and win, you can write more confidently.  Those projects your inner critic has been preventing you from starting or completing will finally get out on the page.  In turn, this will allow you to increase your productivity and output. 

Don’t be your own worst enemy in the battle for creative autonomy.  Fight back and make that inner critic wish they had never reared their ugly head!

Final Thoughts

Writing should be fun, and creating should be fun.  We should feel zero restraint when delving into a rough story draft and feel free to go as outrageous as we feel.  This also means being free to experiment with new ideas that may not make it past this stage but are worth exploring. 

We shouldn’t allow ourselves to fall prey to what social media dictates: good and bad content.  We should always follow our instincts about what works best for us and our story.  You can’t please everyone.

Finally, do everything you can to fight and destroy your inner critic.  It’s time for it to lose its control over you as a creative person. 

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: The Nagging Idea

Posted on by Ian Dawson

You think about it all the time.  It replays in your head over and over and over again.  It seeps into your thoughts in traffic, in a meeting, or in line at the store.  And it won’t go away.

It’s a nagging idea.  A story idea or a little snippet of a story that lives in your brain 24/7.  You add to it, subtract from it, and fine-tune it, but it remains locked inside your head.  

Time to let that nagging idea escape.

Let’s talk about it.

When in Doubt, Write it Out

The time has come to let your nagging idea find a new home.  It’s time for you to write it down.  Just sit down with a pad and paper or at a computer and write it out.  It can be a seemingly incoherent mess at this stage, but you have to get it down on paper.

By doing this, other ideas may be linked to the initial thought.  Suddenly you have a basic story idea, a character or two.  The main thing is to give the idea space to breathe and roam free.  Seeing it visually in front of you can go a long way to making the idea more than just a nagging thought in your head.

Talk About It

“So, I have this story idea…” 

You can tell yourself about it when you’re alone or pitch the idea to a trusted friend or relative.  Verbally expressing the idea can help gauge if it’s a solid concept or if it is just something your brain has become fixated on for no reason.

Talk it out, and if you like what you’re hearing, write it down.  

Ideas Are Like Legos

Ideas are the building blocks of a complete story.  Even if the nagging idea is a small piece of what could be a larger work, it should be given a chance to connect with other ideas.  Think about the millions of ideas we encounter in films, tv, books, and podcasts.  All of these started with someone having a small idea they added to, built upon, and eventually used to create a project now out in the world.

Final Thoughts

Ideas can come and go, but a nagging idea is worth paying attention to.  By writing it out, talking it through, and building on it, you may be able to take a small idea that’s been living in your head and create something larger and more significant.  Only when you decide to act upon that small idea can bigger things emerge.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Book Review: Chasing Failure: How Falling Short Sets You Up for Success by Ryan Leak

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Failure.  It’s a concept that most people hate, and everyone tries to avoid it in their personal and professional lives.  While most of us strive for success, we often do our best to circumvent any situation or outcome that could be seen as us failing at those attempts toward success.

But what if we did the opposite?  What if we embraced failure instead of avoiding it?  This is the premise of Ryan Leak’s book, Chasing Failure.  

Leak presents to us that famous people many see as “overnight successes” actually struggled and grew through a series of failures that made them the person we know today.  He makes it clear that the only real pathway to true success is filled with failures.  Failure can make us better people and better at ultimately achieving our goals.

Chasing failure is an excellent idea for a New Year’s resolution since it encourages you to go for your goals even if there is the possibility of failure at the start.  You’ll never know what you can achieve until you embark on the journey toward your goal, so why not take the opportunity to chase after it?  Even if you stumble and fall on the first few tries, Leak explains that those missteps and failures contain valuable lessons that you can use to recalibrate and continue your journey toward your ultimate goal.

The author, Ryan Leak, also uses his personal stories about chasing failure when he tried out for the NBA. The methods he used, the failures he encountered, and the lessons he learned helped make him a better person and more courageous when setting out to achieve future goals.

Chasing Failure is a great book, a quick read.  It is filled with encouragement for anyone afraid of the looming specter of failure.  Leak’s solution is to laugh in failure’s face and not quit if it happens.  Only by failing can one find the strength to succeed.

Grab a copy of Chasing Failure by Ryan Leak and learn more about the author at the link below:

https://www.ryanleak.com/chasingfailure

How can you embrace the concept of chasing failure when it comes to your creative goals in 2023?