I feel like I’m finally starting to wake up again. The engines are warming. Please, oh please baby Jesus, let it happen. Feels like I’ve been ill, or fringe-ill, for…I don’t even know how long, it feels that long.
I read some tweets today by an anonymous persona in the TV writing community. They were offering advice about writing, which I whole-heartedly agree with: keep writing. Always. And, when in doubt, keep writing. It’s a founding tenet of this very blog, in matter of fact. The conversation took a turn at one point into talking about how much writing they could get done in a day, and how much anyone *should* be able to get done or get fired, and I was left with a slightly bitter taste in my mouth. The taste of someone, perhaps, trying to boost themselves in contrast to those who might be flailing. On the one hand, I get it, writing to a deadline is essential. I’d never contest that fact. I have gone through periods where I can’t write a word, and others where I’ve churned out material faster than I ever thought possible. That something entirely unto itself. A reality of the TV business especially, is the ability to write quickly. The impulse to go onto twitter and talk up your own skills, however, is something entirely different. That’s where I get wary. It’s essentially “you’ll never make it, unless”-type advice, and from my experience, that kind of advice is never coming from a place of genuine desire to help.
Now, I freely admit that I got an entirely off-hand read from this persona, and it could be wrong. It just reminded me enough of the bitter, often funny, but rarely helpful “anonymous” professional twitter accounts out there that offer advice to hopefuls as thinly disguised power trips stinking of frustration and jadedness. I may not be an insider, yet, but I’m also not an idiot. I’ve been here long enough to know how egotistically crushing this town can be, that *everyone* tastes desperation, and that many may seek an outlet for that by turning to social media where they can feel powerful. Especially if it’s behind a mystery persona where there’s no personal accountability. I’m not buying what you’re selling.
Good work comes from inspiration, people. Not fear. And when dealing with those who are struggling, how the message is delivered is equally as important as the content of the message. These anonymous tweeters may have the right message, but their delivery reeks of negativity that will only drag us down. Well, me anyway. I suppose you’re welcome to decide that on your own.
Moving onto something amazing, Amtrack is considering how to launch this new program they’re tentatively calling “Writers Residencies,” where they’ll give free passage for a writer to some destination for the sole purpose of being able to travel and write. Whatever they want. Doesn’t have to be about trains, or Amtrack, or whatever. Just time to sit, and watch the country roll by, and write. It blows my mind because I’ve had a dream of travelling cross-country in a sleeper car, writing, for I don’t know…twenty years. It’s practically something I’ve always wanted to do. And now they’re thinking about letting people do it for free. On their dime. It’s genius, and I’ll definitely be applying when they figure out how they want to do it.
Also, I’ve decided that the next book I’ll be reading is Robert A. Heinlein’s “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.” I’ve read the first chapter, and already it’s kind of blowing my mind in terms of how dense and instantly unique it is. First of all, it’s first-person narrative, which I haven’t yet encountered. Secondly, that gives an incredible amount of space for Heinlein to create a new cadence and vocabulary, being as every word is coming straight from our character, someone who lives, thinks, and talks as people do in this future. So yeah…it’s very different, very new, and I’m excited. Some people, including Aasimov himself, consider Heinlein to be the best and most talented of that early group of SF greats.
That’s all for tonight. I have so much work to catch up on, but for tonight, at least, I’m enjoying the engines starting to heat back up again slowly. And slowly is key. I will not burn out again. Not for a long while. Too much to do.
Tonight’s image is of a real solar powered plane, the Impulse, courtesy of CNN.