Fictive Dialogues from Playwright Point of View (III)

 by Laura Lai/Uncategorized

On the 20^th of February 2010, ‘The Guardian’ published an article containing valuable advice from consecrated writers of different genres. To construct my creative writing exercise for this ‘Writing Break Blog’ I used some of the advice to build this personalized fictive dialogue from a playwright point of view.

 

Geoff Dyer:

1 Never worry about the commercial possibilities of a project. That stuff is for agents and editors to fret over – or not. Conversation with my American publisher. Me: "I'm writing a book so boring, of such limited commercial appeal, that if you publish it, it will probably cost you your job." Publisher: "That's exactly what makes me want to stay in my job."

The content is one way to look at ‘commercial possibilities.’ When I read this sentence, I thought of another aspect – that of writing what trending is. What the audience demands, what the writer can best sell. Lucky those who can write what trending is! I prefer working and writing what I like regardless of the trend. Even the type of drama I write isn’t very popular, let alone trendy. It’s mentioned in theory books, though – not at length, true! It might be the ‘ugly duck’ of the drama, but it offers the best opportunity to entertain while clarifying. I took this course at Harvard to make it more beautiful, more artistic. I do not worry about commercial possibilities; I am concerned and focused on style, clarity, some fun and objectivity. And even if theory allows me to focus only on topic and not on characters, I’m committed to care about characters as much as the topic allows. Somebody needs to write this type of drama, too. I’ll try to make it trendy, but I don’t promise anything! J

 

2 If you use a computer, constantly refine and expand your autocorrect settings. The only reason I stay loyal to my piece-of-shit computer is that I have invested so much ingenuity into building one of the great auto correct files in literary history…

I downloaded ‘Grammarly’ once. I subscribe to those who wrote in the comments that it doesn’t always work. Somebody suggested to copy-paste fragment by fragment on their website for correction. I tried, but it didn’t work. But as advice, it is very good. Thank you!

 

3 Keep a diary. The biggest regret of my writing life is that I have never kept a journal or a diary.

I already started one. It’s during my ‘Drama Writing’ course at Oxford that our tutor advised us to keep a writer diary for the WIP. Although my course is over, I still add things about my writings to remember all my writing processes – the joys and the hardships. Now, I am at the hardship step – finding a sponsor to publish my book in German. I found a Swiss publisher – one step done – but, unsurprisingly, I don’t have the money. I heard George Clooney offered suitcases with one million dollars each to each of his friends who helped him at some point. I wrote some failed sponsorship letters, I foresee the third failed one coming… but it was to Clooney that I should have asked from the very beginning! He might still have a few thousands change left to help me with the publication of my book in German!

 

4 Have regrets. They are fuel. On the page they flare into desire.

I’m not sure that regrets are a fuel. I don’t have any. I’ve always done everything possible – no procrastination. And everything according to my conscience – that’s crystal clear.

 

5 (…) If it's a choice between writing a book and doing nothing I will always choose the latter. It's only if I have an idea for two books that I choose one rather than the other…

Does ‘doing nothing’ really exist? Even if one sits is still doing something. When one thinks is doing something, etc. If doing nothing really exists, I would choose the former, because I cannot simply stay and do nothing. There is always something to do. And then, when you find time to write it’s so great!

 

6 Beware of clichés… There are clichés of response as well as expression. There are clichés of observation and of thought – even of conception. Many novels, even quite a few adequately written ones, are clichés of form which conform to clichés of expectation.

I wonder if this list of clichés exists also in drama writing… I wrote them down, but the best way would be if you tell me more about it. Probably at your next book launch you’ll tell us the way you avoided them. That would be interesting. You can also tell me on Twitter @LaiWriter or picture it better for me on Instagram at Laura_Lai_Writer J I’ve never been, so far, the person to take pictures, but I learned to edit for my picture books – as I said, I like different writing adventures – and the fantasy edited pictures I feel like uploading – they might be fun for followers. Besides, making an account on Instagram is something relatively easy to do – so, it was on my to-do list while I study for my course at Harvard in which I was motivated to commit most of my time. This way, the reader will already have a relatively good general picture about the writer.

 

7 Do it every day. Make a habit of putting your observations into words and gradually this will become instinct. This is the most important rule of all and, naturally, I don't follow it.

Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

8 … writing is all about perseverance. You've got to stick at it. In my 30s I used to go to the gym even though I hated it. The purpose of going to the gym was to postpone the day when I would stop going. That's what writing is to me: a way of postponing the day when I won't do it any more, the day when I will sink into a depression so profound it will be indistinguishable from perfect bliss.

And how did you call the going to the gym: doing something or doing nothing? J I hope Quentin Tarantino’s method helps: he said that he would make ten movies. I think he meant it, but I hope he joked.

 

Anne Enright:

1 The first 12 years are the worst.

It depends. But if you mean of life… mine were under communism and we were not from the privileged class. My first 11 years were of hunger, darkness, coldness, of fear that someone might say that you said about the party what you never did and you were sentenced a tough sentence, everything rationalized, including cartoons – 5 minute of cartoon per week – something I’ve never understood why. It’s not fiction, but reality. It was though the golden era of theater – the best generation ever! It is generally said that nothing is irreplaceable. That golden truly gifted generation is irreplaceable! When I was born they were already performing. That was my great innate privilege.

 

2 The way to write a book is to actually write a book. A pen is useful, typing is also good. Keep putting words on the page.

Yeah… I use both. I think a lot before I put dialogue and words on the page.

 

3 Description is hard. Remember that all description is an opinion about the world. Find a place to stand.

In drama I do not make descriptions, but I like different writing experiences and I will definitely keep this in mind when I try different genres.

 

4 Write whatever way you like. Fiction is made of words on a page; reality is made of something else. It doesn't matter how "real" your story is, or how "made up": what matters is its necessity.

That’s an interesting point of view. I agree on the necessity… I pick up political and historical topics that are necessary to be debated. I try to add some fun spice, too – where I can. But I would like the dialogue to sound ‘real’, casual, like people usually talk more or less because while they talk, the author must fill up the genre’s conventions.

 

5 Try to be accurate about stuff.

And consistent! At my ‘Drama Writing’ course I learned about an ‘iceberg principle’: 70 percent of the research will stay unused, while 30 percent will be used in a play. However, 70 percent help the writer to understand the whole context and write an accurate dialogue.

 

6 You can also do all that with whiskey.

No, not me! I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t take drugs – boring, I know! I also prefer the company of those who don’t smoke, don’t drink and don’t take drugs – boring, I know, but not to me!

 

7 Have fun.

Most writers don’t make much money from writing. They have a job and they write. You can call it ‘for fun’. I did a book for youngsters – a volunteer project whose manager I was and the book, translated in over ten languages, was non-profit. It was a great success. I still write. You, too, have fun with your writing! (To Be Continued)