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In a televised documentary, J. Michael Straczynski, one of my favorite authors, stated the first question he always asks himself is:
“Will this project be fun and if not how can I make it so?” His reasoning: if the story is enjoyable then everything else will fall into
place.
Representing workaholics everywhere, I was quite perplexed by that statement. Enjoying one’s work? What is this crazy talk?
After conversing with several colleagues, I realized I wasn’t alone in this dilemma of writing stories and not enjoying the process.
What causes this dilemma? Basically the primary objective of writers who dislike the process, dislike it because they are doing whatever
is necessary to get published; even if it means producing a piece that their heart isn’t in. They are so focused on trying to please others
and to make their piece a marketable one that they forsake their voice and lose their zeal for the craft. Inevitably their
writing careers become more frustrating than their day jobs and they usually retire long before they land their first sale.
There nothing wrong with being ambitious and driven. Writing is a competitive business, but if we’re not enjoying our calling then why
exactly are we doing it?
It wasn’t until I finished my latest story “Stranger Than Fiction” that I understood exactly what Straczynski meant. Having fun in the
writing process does in fact make all the difference in the world. For “Stranger Than Fiction” I just let go and went back to a place of
wonder and innocence. By no means am I exaggerating when I state that not since I was a teenager have I enjoyed writing a story. I
simply loosened up and had fun. Everything from plot to character arcs to visual descriptions fell into place. I daresay it’s my best
piece to date.
For many of us driven and overachieving writers, rediscovering fun and “the inner kid” is quite a task in and of itself. In fact we’d
have an easier time discovering the cure for cancer or the Holy Grail.
Luckily there are a few steps we can take to find pleasure in the writing process:
- Get inspired. Watch movies, television, read books, observe life, listen to music. Do whatever it takes to ignite the passion of
being a bard. Read or re-read works from your favorite authors. What was the story that inspired you to pick up the pen and scribble
your first tale? For that matter re-read some of your earlier pieces. The pieces that you wrote after you locked yourself in your
bedroom for days because your muse had possessed you.
- Ask yourself if the prospective story idea fun and exciting. Am I going to enjoy immersing myself in this project? If it’s not an
enjoyable prospect but could be then figure out what’s preventing it from being an exciting endeavor.
- Brainstorm, outline and research. Brainstorming the concept will get you even more excited about writing the story. Researching the
elements for your piece will generate additional ideas. In doing your homework, you may learn that your plot may not be as be as
far-fetched as you initially surmised.
- Flex your storytelling muscles. Writers often lose excitement because they’re bored and there is nothing challenging them. Hone your
voice and find new avenues to tell your tale. If you’re an author that solely writes modern sci-fi tales in the third person format,
try penning a first person account of a period fantasy piece. Challenging yourself is not only gratifying but it will also elevate your
skills to the next level.
- Ignore the negative voice in the back of your head. Too often writers will develop extraordinary groundwork for a piece but will
sabotage it with worries and self doubt: “The editor of that magazine won’t like this story; readers will compare this story to that
best-selling series which has a similar premise/theme; the story itself won’t be as good as the concept.”
Don’t worry about any of that, at least not right now. If this is a story that you will enjoy writing, it will possess your distinctive
voice and the passion you put into a work you’re excited about will make it unique.
- Remember that you will not write the final polished draft of your story in your initial rough draft. Too often writers believe that
after enough experience, their writing will get to a point where they will produce flawless prose in their first attempt or they try to
edit their work as they write their first draft. This of course leads to inevitable hair pulling, tossed laptops and heavy adult
language. Just get the story done first. There is a time and a place for polishing and editing but it’s not during the writing of the
rough draft.
- Keep having fun. Enough said.
It’s imperative to remember that as writers we’re going to have a plethora of frustrating battles awaiting us: landing the sale for the
short story, editing and re-editing our work, finding the right agent, getting our novels published. However, if we’re not enjoying our
calling, our blessing, and admittedly our curse, then I suppose the real question is why are we writing?
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About The Author:
Dennis Upkins attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he received a Bachelor of Arts in English. Upkins
later attended the Art Institute of Atlanta where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Media Arts & Animation.
He can be reached at neo-prodigy.livejournal.com
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