fingers + keys
I’ve been thinking a lot about the writing process…
Let me back up a bit. If you are unaware I am involved with a number of webseries and web video content creation. This has led to me to try my hand at what more or less can be called screenwriting. The only problem is that I hate re-doing work.
Ever since I can remember I have been a one draft pony. I consider myself fairly smart and able to think well on my feet. Therefore I usualy over look the need to make sure what I have said is clear and well thought through. Most of the time it is just a battle to get the words out of my head and onto paper or keys before I forget what I was going to say. To stop and review what I have said would almost make me lose track of where I was going next with my thoughts.
All through elementary school, I would do my assignments and turn them in, with out checking them and receive excellent marks. This quickly led to me not developing study habits that came around to haunt me all throughout middle school, high school and on through college. I had set the precedence that my intelligence was enough to get me through and to not ever have to stop and think about what I was doing and how it was coming out. I can hold an intelligent conversation and communicate my point, but what I think translates well in my verbal communication skills has never quite transferred over to my written skills.
And written communication is an art. There is something about someone who can command words so well to ilicit emotion and feelings that are not even expressed directly by the words that are written.
All this leads me back to my current endeavors. I am in the middle of writing a few different things. A full 12 episode webseries. A small short that is dramatic in nature and has sublties to it. And then another comedic short. I am striving personally to really push myself to make words count and not just put words out there for any reason. I still hate the idea of editing and revising, but I am smart enough to know that if I actually apply myself I can hopefully achieve something better than just what I blurt out on the first try.
Structure, patience, direction, planning, plot, pace, humor, and so many more things are now flooding my mind as I have to carefully express my goal, yet be able to capture the attention of my audience not only through the words but also what will be expressed visually.
I feel extremely fortunate to have met some amazing writers over the past few months, who have more skills that I do, in their little finger, that I can learn from and are willing to assist me in my quest to produce exciting and thoughtful content.
I’d like to publicly thank, Bernie Su (his web gritty dramatic webseries Compulsions is one of my personal favorites of last year) for his advice and inspiration to become a better writer. Also David Nett (creator and writer of Gold the Series) for his friendship and encouragement to get out there and create content. Then there’s Sean Becker, who’s comedic timing and off the wall antics have help me grasp and better understanding of comedic timing and the creative process. Lastly I want to thank my co-creator/c0-producer/writing partner Jared Hoy for his friendship and his help in giving me fresh eyes and direction when I get stuck on many of my projects.
I still have a very long way to go in my writing. I’ve spent enough time in journalism, reading great writers and trying to hold my own as a writer to know that there’s always room for improvement. I’m excited to see where the act of discipline and a desire to become a better writer will take me. And I’m excited for you my reader to reap the benefits of this as well, not only here on the blog but also in the video content I plan to produce.
Final note: as you can tell by this blog post, much of my thoughts are long strings of rambling trying to make a point that probably could be made much more succinctly and eloquently.
Question for you? What do you do to help your writing progress? What patterns do you fall into and how do you break yourself free from them? Sound off in the comments.
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