It's Been a Long Time Since...
...I wrote anything in this blog. I'm taking a screenplay writing class this semester, with Greg Mellott, and it's kicking my ass. Writing to show is so completely different from the work I do five days a week and all of the creative writing I've done in the past.
I have wanted to quit so many times this past 12 weeks (4 more to go). I've been completely blocked and so very frustrated.
My daughter (the 20 year old) is taking the class with me. She put it all into perspective for me. "Mom, just get through this semester. It will all come together after this class is over." Ah, my perfectionism rears its ugly head - I want to be perfect in every way (the first draft out) - I want to blow my professor's mind with characters so deep and so profound that he'll stop writing for Hollywood and come worship at my feet. THAT ain't gonna happen.
I think the daughter is right. I also know I have to go back to writing something everyday to clear this creative blockage. Writers write, right? We've been talking about writing something together (we ping ideas off of each other very well) and Greg is willing to read it when we're ready. This is a really, really cool thing.
And it feels really good to write in this place, again.
I have wanted to quit so many times this past 12 weeks (4 more to go). I've been completely blocked and so very frustrated.
My daughter (the 20 year old) is taking the class with me. She put it all into perspective for me. "Mom, just get through this semester. It will all come together after this class is over." Ah, my perfectionism rears its ugly head - I want to be perfect in every way (the first draft out) - I want to blow my professor's mind with characters so deep and so profound that he'll stop writing for Hollywood and come worship at my feet. THAT ain't gonna happen.
I think the daughter is right. I also know I have to go back to writing something everyday to clear this creative blockage. Writers write, right? We've been talking about writing something together (we ping ideas off of each other very well) and Greg is willing to read it when we're ready. This is a really, really cool thing.
And it feels really good to write in this place, again.
posted by Vicky Hawthorne at 10:53 AM
2 Comments:
Hey Vicky,
Nice to see you back again! I think your daughter's right too. Of course, you could say exactly the same thing about me -- my blog has been on a bit of a hiatus the past couple of months, because I've been busy (on a related project, funnily enough -- I've been directing a play for our local group, rather than writing one -- as well as things like home improvement). Like you, I will get back to my blog. Just need to find the time to draw something!!
Jeez, where the heck have you been?
Good luck with the class. If you keep having trouble with going back all the time and retyping something, then here's my advice:
Buy an old-fashioned typewriter with no erasing abilities. Then start typing like mad and never let yourself. Use a computer word processor for the final draft.
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