Some time ago I posted about dry spells in writing. I would like to take you, if I may, into another metaphor for the things that can happen to a writer that don’t really fall into the category of ‘writer’s block’. A writer or other artist may have no shortage of work or ideas, but… Continue reading Running Out Of Steam
Tag: writer’s block
PT: Get Organized
There’s been a lot of Star Trek in my apartment lately. I’ve been introducing my wife to Deep Space 9, playing the open beta of Star Trek Online and bringing up Day Job Orchestra on YouTube when my recent negative moods have needed a little buoying. One thing that’s said quite often in Star Trek… Continue reading PT: Get Organized
Like Water Over Rock
It seems that more often than not, stories in popular media from novels to motion pictures spring fully formed from the heads of their creators. Like Athena emerging from the cranium of Zeus, except she’s a goddess and a lot of these stories are more likely to ride the short bus than a blazing chariot.… Continue reading Like Water Over Rock
About The Audience
“It’s a work of fiction. It’s a metaphor.” This is, apparently, what George Lucas says to people who criticize his work. When they bring up Jar Jar Binks, nuking the fridge or the complete dehumanization of Star Wars, he tells them something along those lines. And somewhere between his lips and my ears, the words… Continue reading About The Audience
PT: The Fine Art of Subtlety
All right, nuggets, on your feet! We’re going to talk about something near and dear to my black little heart today, and I expect it’s a subject some of you have touched on before. I know I’ve been guilty of this, very recently in fact, so let me begin with an example. In my current… Continue reading PT: The Fine Art of Subtlety
Works in Progress V: Somehow, someway
During GameX’s “Build an RPG” panel, David Hill reminded those of us gathered that those of us without the good fortune to be paid writers would be doing our writing in our spare time. And with day jobs, spare time can be difficult to come by. As frustrating as it can be to be uncertain… Continue reading Works in Progress V: Somehow, someway
"What do you mean, I'm doing it wrong?"
Human beings, being mortal creatures, are bound to mess things up sooner or later. This is true in every endeavor an individual undertakes. And sometimes, it falls to others to inform us that we’re incorrect in the manner with which we’ve been proceeding. In other words, sooner or later, you’re going to be told you’re… Continue reading "What do you mean, I'm doing it wrong?"
Works in Progress IV: Now With Pictures!
I don’t want to be the kind of writer who blames an abstract personification for their shortcomings. I know for a fact that I need to work on my time management and maintaining motivation & energy when I get home from the day job, so that my writing can continue and I’ll have more pebbles… Continue reading Works in Progress IV: Now With Pictures!
PT: Sit Down & Get Off Your Ass
Unless you’re a large business with the right sort of representation to bitch & whine to the government for a bailout, you can’t get something for nothing. You need to work to be successful. Even geckos know that. And you don’t want to be outdone by a gecko, do you? I didn’t think so. I… Continue reading PT: Sit Down & Get Off Your Ass
PT: Turning Negatives Into Positives
Nobody feels fantastic all the time, at least not without heavy drinking or severe medication. Creative people are, by and large, emotional and thus emotional blindsides getting hit can knock you right off of the rails you’d been riding towards the completion of a project. How do you deal with this sort of thing, other… Continue reading PT: Turning Negatives Into Positives