by Laura Lai/Uncategorized
On
the 20th 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.
Neil Gaiman:
1 Write.
2 Put one word after
another. Find the right word, put it down.
Finding the right word or the right
words to express a thought or a feeling is not always an easy task. And the
challenge is higher when the author writes also in foreign languages. For the
type of drama I write, it is not the finding of the right word that I’m
challenged by, but finding the right setting. For example, for the play on
Brexit (that was also the WIP for my drama course at Oxford) the setting is in
a train that goes back to London.
3 Finish what you're
writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.
4 Put it aside. Read
it pretending you've never read it before. Show it to friends whose opinion you
respect and who like the kind of thing that this is.
I fully agree with you on the necessity
to finish the writing and then putting it aside for a shorter or a longer period
of time to reread it with fresh eyes. As for opinions it is very important that
they come from people who understand and who like the type of genre one writes.
5 Remember:
when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are
almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and
how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.
Very interesting point of view on the
relationship author-reader! Thank you for sharing!
6 Fix it. Remember
that, sooner or later, before it ever reaches perfection, you will have to let
it go and move on and start to write the next thing. Perfection is like chasing
the horizon. Keep moving.
All perfectionist writers have
difficulties to let go. I want to insert what I learned at Harvard in terms of
writing skills – it’s not going to change structure, characters, arches,
anything, but it will add quality to the written lines. Then, I let go. I
promise! J
7 […] The main rule of
writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you're allowed
to do whatever you like…So write your story as it needs to be written. Write it
honestly, and tell it as best you can. I'm not sure that there are any other
rules. Not ones that matter.
Right! I guess by ‘honesty’ you mean
‘objectivity’. I like to write my plays objectively and the best I can to teach
and to entertain. The confidence is given by the amount of research done and by
your own full picture of the topic. When the author writes with honesty or
objectivity, the reader can be assured that it’s for improvement and progress.
David Hare:
1 Write only when you
have something to say.
Indeed, I pick up a topic through which
I want to say something, point something, clarify something, bring a positive
contribution somehow.
2 Never take advice
from anyone with no investment in the outcome.
I sense a lot of reservations among
experienced writers and playwrights on advice, reviews and opinions. Thank you!
I’ll keep that in mind.
3 Style is the art of
getting yourself out of the way, not putting yourself in it.
This definitely sounds like one of those
inspirational quotes: ‘Style is the art of getting yourself out of the way, not
putting yourself in’, David Hare.
4 If nobody will put
your play on, put it on yourself.
It’s a nice way of saying not to get
discouraged.
5 […] Theatre
primarily belongs to the young.
And playwrights are always young. I
agree! J
6 No one has ever
achieved consistency as a screenwriter.
7 Never go to a TV personality
festival masquerading as a literary festival.
Personally, I’m not thinking that far.
My main focus is now content, cover that I’ll do myself, organize it in
different formats because audience has different reading or listening preferences.
8 Never complain of
being misunderstood. You can choose to be understood, or you can choose not to.
My opinion is that all writers start
from the idea that they want to be understood. Just that sometimes, it may
happen that some are not. The reasons are different: sometimes is the word
choice that was not the most perfect, some other times is about something clear
in the writer’s mind that is described too quickly and is not clear for the one
who reads; it may also happen that the reader is not familiar with a topic,
etc. So what I’m basically trying to say is that it may not be an issue of
choice.
9 The two most
depressing words in the English language are "literary fiction".
Maybe! I don’t know. But even if it is
so, the longest word in English, is ‘smile’. So, David, smile!
PD James:
1 Increase your word
power. Words are the raw material of our craft. The greater your vocabulary the
more effective your writing. We who write in English are fortunate to have the
richest and most versatile language in the world. Respect it.
And even more fortunate when you’re a
native speaker or a foreigner living in an English-speaking country.
2 Read widely and with
discrimination. Bad writing is contagious.
To discriminate against bad writing – a
very interesting association of terms.
3 Don't just plan to
write – write. It is only by writing, not dreaming about it, that we develop
our own style.
Right!
4 Write what you need
to write, not what is currently popular or what you think will sell.
A general great and (writing)
encouraging advice.
5 Open your mind to
new experiences, particularly to the study of other people. Nothing that
happens to a writer – however happy, however tragic – is ever wasted.
It’s not wasted but becomes art. J
AL Kennedy:
1 Have humility. Older/more
experienced/more convincing writers may offer rules and varieties of advice. Consider
what they say. However, don't automatically give them charge of your brain, or
anything else – they might be bitter, twisted, burned-out, manipulative, or
just not very like you.
This is another (honest and frank) advice
from a more experienced writer on the advice from others. It subscribes to what
was previously said about opinions, recommendations, suggestions, etc.
2 Have more humility …
3 Defend others …
4 Defend your work.
Organisations, institutions and individuals will often think they know best
about your work – especially if they are paying you. When you genuinely believe
their decisions would damage your work – walk away. Run away. The money doesn't
matter that much.
I guess that when one is paid, there is
also some expectancy on behalf of the one who pays. Sometimes the advice can be
beneficial in improving your work, sometimes it may damage it, you’re right.
5 Defend yourself.
Find out what keeps you happy, motivated and creative.
6 Write… Writers
write. On you go.
7 Read…
8 Be without fear.
This is impossible, but let the small fears drive your rewriting and set aside
the large ones until they behave – then use them, maybe even write them. Too
much fear and all you'll get is silence.
Nobody should be afraid of writing! It
doesn’t bite! And writing can only be improved.
9 Remember you love
writing. It wouldn't be worth it if you didn't. If the love fades, do what you
need to and get it back.
10 Remember writing
doesn't love you. It doesn't care. Nevertheless, it can behave with remarkable
generosity. Speak well of it, encourage others, pass it on.
I will not forget! J (To Be Continued)
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