Arts and craft weekend is over and it’s time to get back into school before the Holidays at the end of the week. We’re going over Lesson 17 and talking about the writing process with David Mamet. In this lesson, he talks about his writing environment, dealing with writer’s block, and his inspiration on how to begin writing.
While he doesn’t like sharing his writing process because each person should have their own, he begins with sitting down. Remove all your distractions and just let it bleed out onto the paper. Keep what you think works and test it out on an audience. It’s the only way you’re going to learn.
David also choses to write at a typewriter just like Hemingway because of the tactile feel. He’s tried a computer but it didn’t make the same sound. I would have to agree. There are many writers that wear certain clothing or sit in the same spot when they write. As a writer, you need to find a routine, or a trigger that will prompt your brain to go into writing mode. When you form this habit, it’s easier to get through writer’s block. Forming a routine can also help you get started faster.
Think about your audience following you along through the writing process. Often, your audience will feel the same emotions and feel your process. They feel the elation in your scenes and they feel the struggles.
When it comes to writer’s block, David talks about moments of bewilderment. He takes naps or writes about something else. He said his wife can tell when he’s having good days and bad days. The trick to writing is to return back to the process after you have a moment when you need a break.
After following this lesson, I have to agree with David. I have “triggers” that help me write no matter where I am. I formed those triggers because I’ve experienced writer’s block when I ran into a wall in my story. Most of the time I use the exercise of reading a different genre or writing something else. I have about 4 different stories going at the same time for this process. If I’m really having a moment of bewilderment, I do something physical like exercise or go for a walk.
I have to admit, there are times when I struggle to return to the keyboard but I always find my way back. Finding your own methods might help you finally finish your novel. I know it’s help me finish mine, so that I can move off the some day island.
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~Yoon Ju
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Writer's Block Inc 