Learning to Strike While The Iron is Hot
One of the keys to beating procrastination, is to write whenever and wherever inspiration hits you. I believe in the philosophy of writing on whatever is available: take-out menus, bus schedules, newspapers, ATM receipts, court summons, bail agreements, audits, etc...
However, I don't believe in cocktail napkins. I don't understand how so many great inventions, investment deals, contracts, or plot outlines for novels come from napkins when I have yet to field a solid idea from one (if I can remember to take the damn thing out of my pocket before it's laundered).
I used to post on the AOL screenwriting boards and an acquaintence of mine from there had a saying that was a variation of "if you set something free..." He claimed that if you couldn't "write it down right then and there. It was no problem because if you can't remember it when you get home, it really wasn't that great an idea in the first place." I strongly disagree with that sentiment but what do I know? He's had two sales published to fanfare in "Creative Screenwriting" twice in the past twelve months and the best I've managed is an e-mail version of a form letter placing me in the semi-finals of a third-rate contest.
This year I thought I could simplify the clutter of paper odds and ends by buying an Olympus VN-240 Digital Voice Recorder. http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1078
Which has not so much as helped with my plotting, as it has helped with my dialogue. This thing is a godsend, you can dictate to yourself in a crowded subway, streetcar or bus instead of jotting everything down on the forehead of that jerk that elbowed you for two blocks straight. Even better yet, during dictation, remove just enough of the context to your pulp or thriller novel, and lo and behold, everyone will give you plenty of space. For even more space, conceal the machine and yell out your dialogue. You'll get the whole car to yourself then.
My only reservations are:
1) I should have bought a model that had WAV. file capability so that I could download the files directly to the computer.
2) That both the live and automated messages of the San Francisco Transit systems can drown out crucial dialogue.
3) Also that in rare instances, I have to talk in a code that I can hopefully remember later on because you will get some nosy-ass people that lean in on you like you're E.F. Hutton.
However, I don't believe in cocktail napkins. I don't understand how so many great inventions, investment deals, contracts, or plot outlines for novels come from napkins when I have yet to field a solid idea from one (if I can remember to take the damn thing out of my pocket before it's laundered).
I used to post on the AOL screenwriting boards and an acquaintence of mine from there had a saying that was a variation of "if you set something free..." He claimed that if you couldn't "write it down right then and there. It was no problem because if you can't remember it when you get home, it really wasn't that great an idea in the first place." I strongly disagree with that sentiment but what do I know? He's had two sales published to fanfare in "Creative Screenwriting" twice in the past twelve months and the best I've managed is an e-mail version of a form letter placing me in the semi-finals of a third-rate contest.
This year I thought I could simplify the clutter of paper odds and ends by buying an Olympus VN-240 Digital Voice Recorder. http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1078
Which has not so much as helped with my plotting, as it has helped with my dialogue. This thing is a godsend, you can dictate to yourself in a crowded subway, streetcar or bus instead of jotting everything down on the forehead of that jerk that elbowed you for two blocks straight. Even better yet, during dictation, remove just enough of the context to your pulp or thriller novel, and lo and behold, everyone will give you plenty of space. For even more space, conceal the machine and yell out your dialogue. You'll get the whole car to yourself then.
My only reservations are:
1) I should have bought a model that had WAV. file capability so that I could download the files directly to the computer.
2) That both the live and automated messages of the San Francisco Transit systems can drown out crucial dialogue.
3) Also that in rare instances, I have to talk in a code that I can hopefully remember later on because you will get some nosy-ass people that lean in on you like you're E.F. Hutton.
Labels: Writing habits
posted by Writeprocrastinator at 1:59 AM
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