Today I Write

Storybase

2008-05-03T02:56:06Z

Storybase.net is apparently “the ultimate online dictionary of story starters and writing prompts – over 3,900 narrative Situations, each involving Characters that can be personalized with names of your choosing. The Situations are indexed in a logical framework derived from two universal vantage points: Mindset and Action.

Situations are comprised of Characters and Keywords. Mindset refers to the mental state of the character in the left-hand box at the top of this page. Action tags refer to the type of action that is happening in a given Situation.”

Can’t say I found it very useful, but then I’m not trying to outline a work of fiction right now, so how would it be? If you are, let me know how this helps.

La Cucaracha

2008-02-26T06:03:34Z

Well, we haven’t had a writer’s block cartoon here for a while, so here’s a look at the La Cucaracha comic strip.

Where is all the serious writer’s block stuff these days, you ask? It’s all in the weekly newsletter, up for which you can still sign, over there <<— in the sidebar.

Mortgage statement

2008-02-16T18:45:43Z

Here’s an interesting discussion, hosted by Emmy winner Ken Levine, of the nature and treatment of writer’s block, with contibutions from major comedy wordsmiths. I particularly like Alan (Mork & Mindy) Eisenstock’s method on page two. Take a look around the rest of the site, unless you’re writing.

Write Here, Right Now 2008

2008-02-04T15:43:50Z

BBC Radio Scotland are doing it again! The idea of Write Here, Right Now is to write 28,000 words - or 29,000 this year - in a month (guess which!). This year’s event has a crime theme, and there are daily emails of tips on that. If you want ‘em, don’t delay - go for it, anything that might help anyone get writing and might even help them write 29 kilowords is worth a try.

“Enjoy the experience. If you get it right the book will sing and everyone will love it.”
- writer Mike Ashley, in one of those emails.

Newsletter news

2008-02-02T05:34:41Z

So: the new newsletter is going well - number 5 (”The Not-to-do List”) goes out this weekend. Readership has risen 50% since the start. The absolute numbers are still too small to boast of, but with that kind of growth they won’t always be. There’s a sample issue online at http://www.todayiwrite.com/samplenewsletter.php or you can sign up right now in <—-that box over there. Go on, live dangerously.

Movies about Writer’s Block

2008-01-12T22:35:57Z

Updated from April 2005, here’s a random list of movies about writer’s block. Do you know one I haven’t mentioned? Of course you do, so click the response link at the end of the list.

8 1/2

Adaptation

Ask the Dust

Barton Fink

Cats and Dogs (no, not “The Truth About”)

Croupier

Deathtrap

Deconstructing Harry:
“make peace with your demons, and your block will pass”

Educating Rita, I think?

Finding Neverland, a reader suggested

In a Lonely Place

Secret Window

Shakespeare in Love

State and Main

The Shining

Throw Momma from the Train

Writer’s Block (there are several movies called Writer’s Block, such as this one).

Something for Twelfth Night

2008-02-02T16:44:26Z

The title is from Shakespeare in Love and I’m happy to quote from there for four reasons. Partly, I’m celebrating having just bought the new book by its writer Marc Norman. I’m celebrating that, because What Happens Next is a substantial history of American screenwriting which looks like a great resource for the chapter I’m co-writing on screenwriters for an upcoming academic book. (Afternote: if you thought that was a long sentence, wait till you read the book)

I also like to quote the movie because it played a part in one of the best moments of my own life. (Afternote: my wife says I should explain that. We saw it on our wedding night. Oh yes, how to show a girl a good time)

Also, hey, it is Twelfth Night tonight.

But mostly, the movie’s on my mind today because it’s part of the fabric of this website. I mentioned it in the earliest days of Today I Write, and I’ve used it again more than once over the four years since then. And now the fabric’s changing, because the site is ready for its next redesign. It’s showing its age. It’s hard to navigate, even when you know what you’re looking for. And above all, my work in creativity coaching is moving in a new direction and the web site has to change to support it.

For instance, I’m relaunching the Today I Write newsletter this week. I invite you to sign up, over there look <<<——. The purpose of the newsletter is to be of practical service to people who want to begin writing and keep writing. You won’t find a word about plot, structure or grammar. Just words about actually doing the work.

Try it. You can stop any time. No salesman will call.

Dreams… Reality…

2008-01-16T04:05:56Z

Talking of not opening behemoths, please take a look at Word Perhect for a flavor of the real writing experience. Even hanging around LA coffee shops these days all you see is laptops and the occasional student notebook. But this is the real thing. Don’t laugh and wander off at the first screen: use it. I found this at Kenneth W. Davis’s Manage Your Writing, an interesting blog about managers’ writing.

Happy New year again!

2008-02-02T16:47:17Z

All of 2007 I have been working on a boat on the Nile as a bellydancer in Cairo. My dreams have come true!!!!

Wait…

Wait, I got confused. Sorry, that’s not my life. I’m the Scottish country boy who got brought over here to California by an award-winning Hollywood writer-director 9 years ago. The bellydancer is… let me think… yes, one of my dearest friends from the old days, who leads a life at least as exotic and marvelous as mine.

A couple weeks ago I was in LA, talking to a well-established screenwriter who said this: “I’ve never known anyone to fail at screenwriting who had talent and perseverance.” That’s encouraging, isn’t it? The only thing the talented person needs is perseverance?

And perseverance is what I’ve been writing about on this website for close to four years and actively researching and writing papers on for five. Perseverance is doable. Why would you persevere? Because forget about those drops of blood on your forehead, that’s hyperbole, that never happened to anyone, the truth is writing is easier than bellydancing or digging ditches (take it from me, I’ve tried all three).

What’s the proof of your talent? I don’t mean what have you sold. I only mean how do you know you’re a writer?

See? - I knew you had an answer. And what’s the proof of your ability to persevere (not necessarily with writing)?

Ok then. In 2008 let’s write!

Don’t set yourself a crazy target on day 1, you know where that leads. But begin. A sentence will do. You may also dance.

Start with an email

2008-02-02T16:50:19Z

Chanpory Rith over at lifeclever.com suggests If writing stirs a panic attack in you, try this: start with an email. Instead of launching an imposing behemoth like Microsoft Word, call up your humble email program and begin your next writing piece as a simple email.

Read the article: Chanpory has a lot to say on the subject. And I like the idea. I routinely email myself notes of things I want to write, and notes on things I am writing. Including my draft of what you’re reading right now. The problem I find with that is that when you email yourself, Gmail assumes you’ve read it and doesn’t bother putting it in the inbox. So you have to put it there by hand. An annoyingly slow process that you can easily overlook, and which I haven’t found a way to automate with filters or anything else. I suppose I could just not hit Send, and let it lie in the drafts box forever (better ideas please?). (Afternote 2/2/08: that’s what I’ve been doing since I wrote this, and it works well, if you don’t leave too many things lying in there. Which we unblocked people don’t, right?)