Creative Energies
Superb interview with filmmaker Brad Rushing on Film Courage (YouTube)
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about the creative process, specifically my process for writing.
I’m struggling with this, not least because I find it tough to FOCUS, which is the one thing almost everyone says you should do.
I’m in the middle of writing a novel, destined to be the first one I publish. I’ve written 70,000 words so far, with probably another 25,000 to go. It begins well and I have an exciting ending planned, but the middle is a royal mess at the moment, which is kind of depressing.
Most days I believe I can fix this, but on off days I am troubled that I can’t, and so my brain looks for other things to do.
Recently I took a ‘holiday’, a 1,300 mile road trip to see friends and family. Of course, being me, I couldn’t just do nothing. So, I…
listened to a lecture series on ‘How To Write Best-Selling Fiction’.
started reading a book called ‘Method Writing’ (based on the Stanislavsky technique of method acting).
started a short story for a friend of mine who is sick.
rewrote a 5,000 word contribution to a steampunk wiki called The Association of Ishtar (I’ll post a link when this is up).
wrote some song lyrics (on commission from a singer friend of mine who’s been asked to revoice a blissed out dance track).
came up with an idea for a TV show, wrote a pitch and ran it by a TV contact of mine.
agreed to interview the creator of a new Netflix animation show ‘Q-Force’ for the website www.animationforadults.com which I’ve written for previously.
So yeah, this is me ‘on holiday’.
If this seems like ‘a lot’, I agree. It is a LOT.
Trouble is, it isn’t advancing the novel, except tangentially. I know this. At every second of doing all this stuff I have known I could be working on the book and yet…
So is this elaborate procrastination or something else? Some would say the attention to a variety of creative tasks is ‘all good’ when it comes to the book. But to the part of my brain which seems determined to sabotage me, that’s a neat way of explaining away never getting to the finish line.
It has a point. This creative kaleidoscope isn’t getting the book finished. And I ain’t gettin’ any younger…
Being me, I’ve looked online for thoughts and advice to get me through, talked to writer friends for morale boosts and discussions I hope will KICK ME UP THE ASS to get the damned book finished.
The answer is obvious. Ice, complete or blow off all of the above list and just get on with the DAMNED BOOK. I’m advising myself to do this right now. I have the time. I have the space. I have the peace and quiet. I’m not starving.
But mastering my creative process is the most challenging thing I’ve ever tried.
I don’t have an answer, currently. I don’t know which techniques will get me to the finish line. I can only experiment.
Filmmaker Brad Rushing says “everyone wants the formula, the roadmap, the A, B, C + D. I think humans are hardwired for that. I want that, but guess what, I’ver never found it…it’s a moving target. You learn as you go, you take your best guess and try it, if it doesn’t work then you go ‘ok, it’s not working’, but you don’t quit, you try another way. It’s not about stopping it’s about reinventing.”
You can see the great interview with Brad here, on the superb YouTube channel Film Courage. It’s well worth the watch.
So for today, I’m not beating myself up for not believing in myself. I’m going to stop my brain zipping off on the Fear Bus to Distraction Town and write the damned novel. Reinvent. Baby steps.
Ultimately, it’s all I can do. Wish me luck.
Better yet, wish me FOCUS…