A common problem I find most writers have is what format to choose for a particular piece. When I go to write a fiction story, I have trouble deciding whether the idea in my head is more for adults or for young adults; perhaps it’s a mystery or, rather, a thriller. Then I wonder whether the main character will have their story told better from a first-person or a third-person perspective. Perhaps my idea would better unfold with images rather than words? I can’t decide. And it’s that indecision that often holds me back from creating something wonderful.
Indecision is not anyone’s friend.
I’ve learnt over the past few weeks of collaborating with
others that is much easier just to make a decision and watch what unfolds. The
smaller the decision, the easier it is to rework with feedback at an early
stage. In fact, there are hundreds of sources to help make decisions. The Art of
Manliness uses The Eisenhower Decision Matrix to define the difference between
what is important and what is urgent, while The Mentalists distinguish between
emotional and intellectual decisions. A study by Leiden University even
hypothesises that the conflict within group relationships can stop productivity
altogether. Through all these methods,
what comes out clearer than anything is just to make the damn decision.
There is zero productivity in contemplation.
And it is this which holds back many creative minds. Often
it is the fear of failure or the criticisms of others that secretly stop us
from making finality a reality, and so I have started to make some now.
Firstly, at the start of the project I said I wanted to see the
future of the book; so I started coming up with ideas for what I would like to
see. Not many people would have heard of them, but McSweeny’s is a unique
literary journal that constantly changes its style with each issue. Unlike receiving
a magazine with a different celebrity face each month, McSweeny’s might be a
book, but it might also be a bundle of mail with a story in each envelope, it
might be a 1940’s newspaper set in San Francisco, it could be a record or a
home barber kit complete with a free comb. Why force a journal to suggest
images of thick pages when it could evoke the possibility of a free comb?
So I have decided to forge the traditional definition of the
word “book” and focus on how a tangible story can be more fun than a literal
one. Perhaps even carve up the idea of a "book" altogether.
The Art of Manliness: http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/10/23/eisenhower-decision-matrix/
The Mentalists: http://www.theminimalists.com/deciding/
Timothy McSweeny’s: https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/mcsweeneys-issue-17
Those book sculptures are stunning!
ReplyDeleteI fall into the trap of contemplation, too. It's so easy to put off writing something because I think I need to know some writing trick, or need to read up on books in that genre (which is only ever a bad thing when you stop writing and spend all your time reading). My first drafts of stories are terrible- I've stopped thinking of it as a draft so much as an exercise in getting a feel for the story and characters. It's a dog's breakfast by the end of it, but all the playing around and experimenting means I have a pretty good idea how I want to write the story, and where the major plot holes and issues are hiding. I've no idea if it would be useful to anyone else, but it works really well for me.
Another good way to avoid over-contemplation is Nanowrimo (www.nanowrimo.org), which challenges writers to write 50k in the month of November. It's exhausting, terrifying, frustrating, and such a great way to get that first draft (or multiple shorter first drafts) churned out, ready to be improved upon. Write or Die (www.writeordie.com) is another good avenue- if you're brave enough, give the kamikaze setting a try. If you don't stay productive, it starts deleting words.
The main problem I have is I begin my story with a specific scene or dialogue and it's difficult to weave in a plot to go with it. It takes time and planning to design a story to go with a scene rather than scenes to go with the story.
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