I'm Not Giving Up, Just Moving On
Okay. Enough is enough. I've been working on this latest script and I haven't gotten anywhere with it in a long time. I'm stuck and I'm not sure where to go with it. I honestly think I need to do some more research on my subject. But I also know there's a good possibility that I'm just procrastinating and looking for excuses not to write this story. I'm also afraid that if I start researching, I could still be researching a year from now and not have one new word written. So I think it's time to put it aside (again) and work on something else for a while. I haven't given up on this. I still think there's a story there. I just haven't fleshed it out yet, and trying to force it is becoming torturous. It's time to move on.
The next question is, what do I work on now? I got my notebook of story ideas out and read through them. One of them sparked several new ideas right away and I actually got excited about writing again. Ideas started flowing, conflicts started developing, characters started to show themselves. I'm psyched. I'm ready to write. I'm excited to see where this story will take me. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be? So, I'm on to a new project.
Meanwhile, I will read up on the other subject and see if I can figure out how to tell that story. This way, the research isn't taking the place of writing. Ha ha. I'll play a little trick on my non-writing self. We'll see how it goes.
The next question is, what do I work on now? I got my notebook of story ideas out and read through them. One of them sparked several new ideas right away and I actually got excited about writing again. Ideas started flowing, conflicts started developing, characters started to show themselves. I'm psyched. I'm ready to write. I'm excited to see where this story will take me. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be? So, I'm on to a new project.
Meanwhile, I will read up on the other subject and see if I can figure out how to tell that story. This way, the research isn't taking the place of writing. Ha ha. I'll play a little trick on my non-writing self. We'll see how it goes.
posted by Jeri at 6:34 AM
7 Comments:
If you want a hand let me know. Maybe all you need is some discussion and a different point of view.
Grab my MSN or something.
Cheers
Thanks, afonso. That's very generous. I'll keep that in mind.
I worked on the new story all day yesterday. It felt good to have ideas moving through my head again. The other story created quite a drought. Maybe a little time away from it will help.
Thanks again.
The combination of the two isn't all that simple. The idea is to allow rules to shape your creativity.
Once you know the rules and study them hard, they will become an integrant part of your knowledge, which means your ideas will be generated on top of those rules.
This is what the gurus refer to as CREATIVE LIMITATION: once you are familiar with the norms, conventions and whatnot, you have the necessary boundries around which to exercise your creativity, as if ideas already came tailor-made.
Know the rules. But then, just let it fly. It'll come.
You are very right about "going technical" when things are wrong, because that's probably the best way to find the holes in your work, except of course having someone else analyse it for you.
On the act structure issue, I think you have to figure out the best approach for your story. By the way you write about structure in the comment you left and throughout your blog, you obviously know how structure functions. There is no textbook answer to how many turning points you should have.
When the ideas come to you, see how they work. That's when you'll get your act breakdown. Don't force a structure onto your ideas. Do the opposite.
Act structure is actually a very subjective business if you ask me, so don't be bound by it. (ex: the first Indiana Jones, in theory and as explained by "the" Robert McKee, has 8 acts, yet - - - isn't it obvious there are other possible analysis of the movie?).
Anyways, good luck with your new idea (not "structure"!!!).
Cheers
Thank you so much for your comments. They have been helpful and very reassuring.
I like to think of screenwriting "rules" as curbs. I can get in my car, and go anywhere I want to go, except in people yards, on the sidewalk, or through the city park. Curbs don't prevent me from going where I want, they just keep me from going where I shouldn't. And if I get a wild hair and decide to take that shortcut through the city park, I can always jump the curb. (As long as I understand that it's not the conventional way to get across town and that there may be consequences.)
I agree with you, structure is subjective. One person could say that Indiana Jones has 8 acts, someone else could say it fits perfectly into a 3 act structure and I could find a way to show them that they're both right. If you have a good story, I don't think it matters how it's deconstructed after the fact. It's still a good story whether it has 3 acts or 8.
I think it must take a different part of the brain to construct a story. Probably the part I'm lacking, wouldn't you know. : )
I'm new at this, but so far all the stories I've written or tried to write have fallen into two categories.
1)I have a concept that interests me and I have a lot of story ideas to flesh it out. Then it becomes a matter of deciding which ideas work best and putting them in the order that works best for the story, in which case I don't worry too much about structure. The structure seems to come as a natural part of the storytelling process. And as long as the ideas are there, I don't have much trouble tweeking them, changing them or coming up with something different.
2)I have a concept I'm interested in, but I don't have enough story ideas to keep the story moving. Then I look at the structure to try to figure out where my holes are, and I say, "Yep, there's my holes. Right there in act 2." They're always in act 2. There's never enough conflict.
When this happens I get sortof hyperfocused on plugging the holes in my structure and trying to create conflict where there is none. It feels more mechanical than creative, it's no fun and, so far anyway, it doesn't work.
Yes, I know I have a post titled "Recipe for Conflict". Ignore that. That was wishful thinking. : )
The fact is, I haven't figured out how to create conflict, how to create story ideas, how to deliberately come up with something where there is nothing without it feeling forced. Either it comes naturally or it doesn't come at all.
I've never really thought about all this before, at least not in this way, so I want to thank you again for the conversation. It has made me analyze my own process, and although I still don't know how to fix it, I now have a better idea of what needs to be fixed.
Thanks again.
my current script was started last year and abandoned for same reason, I just felt that it needed a lot of research and prep work, and I wasn't about to devote that much time to it. I did another screenplay, now I am back on it with a fresh perspective...sometimes a step back is a positive
Moviequill-
Did your fresh perspective come from doing the research or from looking at the story or the characters from a different angle? I'm just courious.
Sorry only now read your reply to my comment and just wanted to make one observation: I don't know why, but you never write the word "character" in your comment...
Like you alluded to, I think we are completely different (aspiring) writer, which is a good thing I believe.
Cheers
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