The primary rule is DISCIPLINE. Not the whips and chains type, but the realization that you are a writer and your creative muse doesn’t check out at five o’clock. Keep writing, Anything. Poems. Short stories. I ‘ve recently started radioplays. Webisodes are a growing medium. Exploit it. Develop your voice and hone your craft.
ALWAYS CARRY A NOTEBOOK
Whether it be electronic or on the back of a napkin. You never know when the muse will strike. Whether it’s a germ of an idea or a full blown story. Listen. Observe. What is the world up to. I use to spend countless hours riding the tube in London and eavesdropping on conversations while pretending to read the paper. Some stories I can’t repeat, some were spores to generate a story. Stories are all about human experience, so gather them. Log speech patterns, jot down anecdotes, create an image bank. Look at complete strangers and create an identity for them.
LET YOUR IDEAS RUMINATE
The creative process is not linear. Let your concepts incubate in your subconscious while you lie down or daydream. Update your thoughts in your notebook as stories gather momentum. Take a nap and ask your subconscious to give you answers to plot holes when you wake up. You’d be surprised at how often this works. How many time have you heard people say they get their best ideas when they’re sitting on “the throne” (toilet for the non-Australians), doing the ironing or gardening. When you encounter a block, change your environment. Take a walk, work naked, take a bath, change rooms, work in a coffee shop. Whatever gets you through the day.
EVALUATION
Now that the first stage of the esoteric process is complete, the time has come to assess what you have written. Some gurus make up to seven passes during the rewrite process to perfect their scripts. Passes include theme, plot, dialogue, main character goal, antagonist goal and the source of conflict.
REPEAT
Now get busy! Writing that is.
