I noticed that a lot of people on this forum are talking about action faking vs. execution. This really has a lot of analogies with what artists and creative people have to contend with.
This entire board is - or should be - filled with creative people. Indeed, whether you are a writer or you are starting a business, you are creating something from nothing. It is something that makes us uniquely human. We use our imaginations to conjure up an idea and then venture on to make this idea appear in some physical form. It is Steve Jobs dreaming up what a telephone could be or Stephen King sitting in front of a blank page.
And there is a unique force pushing back against creative people. Steven Pressfield, in his excellent book "The War of Art," calls it "Resistance." I've had a lifelong struggle with this force, and that was compounded with low self-esteem. As I set out to write an article or especially something more ambitious like a novel I would start writing and after a few sentences - you could set your clock to it- a voice would pop up.
"What are you doing ?"
"Nobody is going to read this drivel."
"Just stop writing - You suck."
If you have ever created something - and you're not a sociopath - you will have encountered something similar. People who "execute" also have to cope with forces pushing back against you.
I must admit that this force - this Resistance - has gained an enormous victory over me. I did not write that novel, and I deleted three different blogs because I had issues putting my work out there. It's in a way tragic because I know that a lot has stayed unwritten and un-acted upon. I'm 43 years old and have finally found ways to deal with Resistance.
I would not say I have conquered this force, it is something that will keep pushing against you for as long as you live - but I have devised strategies to deal with it. And I want to leave a few tips here on this forum because I know others here are going to find value in it and hopefully not make the same mistakes.
1. Realize you are not alone.
At a wedding I found myself sitting next to my country's most famous musicians. I was initially a bit starstruck and in an attempt to seem cool, I asked him about his creative process, and I told him about my problems with writing. I was stunned to discover that he - as a musician- also was facing the same problem. He said to me that you should try to develop something you can only describe as split personalities: the creative and the critic. The critic shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the work of the creative. But he does serve a role. Once the creative has finished the work - you can pass it on to the critic - and the critic is there to give notes and make the work better. Then the critic should give the work back to the creative for a second round. The musician told me to read "The War of Art" and Stephen King's "On Writing."
This last book, Stephen King's "On Writing" is what provided the ultimate breakthrough. Stephen King, a master in his craft, experiences the very same thing. Even today. Yes, the writing machine that is Stephen King fights a daily fight against Resistance.
How does he deal with it? Simple. He thinks about a story, makes a rough outline, and then he writes non-stop until the first draft is finished. He works for days and days, barely sleeping. Once he's done, he puts his manuscript in a drawer and forgets about it. It's genius. He doesn't allow himself time to think.
A few months later typically, he brings out the manuscript again, and this time it's the Critic that reviews the manuscript. Stephen King, the Critic, goes through the work with a red pen and is vicious in his criticism. Then he puts the work away again.
A few weeks later, the Creative Stephen King shows up again, takes the manuscript out of the drawer, looks at the Critic's remarks, and then proceeds to rewrite the entire book from scratch. Then he might go on to another round of this.
Everybody that writes or creates anything goes through this. You are not alone.
2. Write in the Morning
In the morning, you still have willpower. It's simple, really, make writing or creating your art your absolute priority. Write first thing in the morning. We have a limited supply of willpower; you will find you can beat Resistance more easily in the morning.
3. Use the Morning Pages strategy
Morning Pages are an exercise codified by Julia Cameron, in her book The Artist’s Way. The practice goes something like this:
Every day, after you wake up and before you do anything else, write three pages, longhand. Start writing and don’t stop until you get to the end of page three. Don’t slow down, don’t self-edit, and don’t think about how bad or even good this writing might be. It’s not for anyone’s eyes but your own, and the only requirement is that you be as honest and unfiltered and unfettered and free as you can, and, most importantly, keep the pen moving. Get out of the way. Go.
Cameron encourages doing Morning Pages by hand, with a notebook and pen. Nevertheless, various apps and websites, notably 750Words.com, have reconfigured the instructions for digital spaces. (750 is the approximate word count for three handwritten pages.)
4. Realize that writing is a craft
I am in the process of writing my first novel. I know already that it's going to suck major balls. The plot will be inconsistent, the characters shallow, and nobody except for my wife and a few friends (that will hopefully still be friends after the ordeal) will read it. My only goal: TO FINISH IT.
That in itself is a significant victory.
Because I haven't regularly been writing for the last ten years, I cannot expect to be good. It's a craft: 10.000 hours and all that. Stephen King also had his manuscripts rejected multiple times before he wrote something publishable. I'm looking to get one of my first 5 novels published. That is the goal.
5. Realize that ideas are never original
Every story plot you came up with already exists. Every story you write is already there in some other form. This does not mean you shouldn't write this story. This realization will help you counter one of the Critic's most common remarks.
So, I hope everyone that recognizes himself or herself in this can gain something from it. Happy writing/executing and get yourself out there.
This entire board is - or should be - filled with creative people. Indeed, whether you are a writer or you are starting a business, you are creating something from nothing. It is something that makes us uniquely human. We use our imaginations to conjure up an idea and then venture on to make this idea appear in some physical form. It is Steve Jobs dreaming up what a telephone could be or Stephen King sitting in front of a blank page.
And there is a unique force pushing back against creative people. Steven Pressfield, in his excellent book "The War of Art," calls it "Resistance." I've had a lifelong struggle with this force, and that was compounded with low self-esteem. As I set out to write an article or especially something more ambitious like a novel I would start writing and after a few sentences - you could set your clock to it- a voice would pop up.
"What are you doing ?"
"Nobody is going to read this drivel."
"Just stop writing - You suck."
If you have ever created something - and you're not a sociopath - you will have encountered something similar. People who "execute" also have to cope with forces pushing back against you.
I must admit that this force - this Resistance - has gained an enormous victory over me. I did not write that novel, and I deleted three different blogs because I had issues putting my work out there. It's in a way tragic because I know that a lot has stayed unwritten and un-acted upon. I'm 43 years old and have finally found ways to deal with Resistance.
I would not say I have conquered this force, it is something that will keep pushing against you for as long as you live - but I have devised strategies to deal with it. And I want to leave a few tips here on this forum because I know others here are going to find value in it and hopefully not make the same mistakes.
1. Realize you are not alone.
At a wedding I found myself sitting next to my country's most famous musicians. I was initially a bit starstruck and in an attempt to seem cool, I asked him about his creative process, and I told him about my problems with writing. I was stunned to discover that he - as a musician- also was facing the same problem. He said to me that you should try to develop something you can only describe as split personalities: the creative and the critic. The critic shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the work of the creative. But he does serve a role. Once the creative has finished the work - you can pass it on to the critic - and the critic is there to give notes and make the work better. Then the critic should give the work back to the creative for a second round. The musician told me to read "The War of Art" and Stephen King's "On Writing."
This last book, Stephen King's "On Writing" is what provided the ultimate breakthrough. Stephen King, a master in his craft, experiences the very same thing. Even today. Yes, the writing machine that is Stephen King fights a daily fight against Resistance.
How does he deal with it? Simple. He thinks about a story, makes a rough outline, and then he writes non-stop until the first draft is finished. He works for days and days, barely sleeping. Once he's done, he puts his manuscript in a drawer and forgets about it. It's genius. He doesn't allow himself time to think.
A few months later typically, he brings out the manuscript again, and this time it's the Critic that reviews the manuscript. Stephen King, the Critic, goes through the work with a red pen and is vicious in his criticism. Then he puts the work away again.
A few weeks later, the Creative Stephen King shows up again, takes the manuscript out of the drawer, looks at the Critic's remarks, and then proceeds to rewrite the entire book from scratch. Then he might go on to another round of this.
Everybody that writes or creates anything goes through this. You are not alone.
2. Write in the Morning
In the morning, you still have willpower. It's simple, really, make writing or creating your art your absolute priority. Write first thing in the morning. We have a limited supply of willpower; you will find you can beat Resistance more easily in the morning.
3. Use the Morning Pages strategy
Morning Pages are an exercise codified by Julia Cameron, in her book The Artist’s Way. The practice goes something like this:
Every day, after you wake up and before you do anything else, write three pages, longhand. Start writing and don’t stop until you get to the end of page three. Don’t slow down, don’t self-edit, and don’t think about how bad or even good this writing might be. It’s not for anyone’s eyes but your own, and the only requirement is that you be as honest and unfiltered and unfettered and free as you can, and, most importantly, keep the pen moving. Get out of the way. Go.
Cameron encourages doing Morning Pages by hand, with a notebook and pen. Nevertheless, various apps and websites, notably 750Words.com, have reconfigured the instructions for digital spaces. (750 is the approximate word count for three handwritten pages.)
4. Realize that writing is a craft
I am in the process of writing my first novel. I know already that it's going to suck major balls. The plot will be inconsistent, the characters shallow, and nobody except for my wife and a few friends (that will hopefully still be friends after the ordeal) will read it. My only goal: TO FINISH IT.
That in itself is a significant victory.
Because I haven't regularly been writing for the last ten years, I cannot expect to be good. It's a craft: 10.000 hours and all that. Stephen King also had his manuscripts rejected multiple times before he wrote something publishable. I'm looking to get one of my first 5 novels published. That is the goal.
5. Realize that ideas are never original
Every story plot you came up with already exists. Every story you write is already there in some other form. This does not mean you shouldn't write this story. This realization will help you counter one of the Critic's most common remarks.
So, I hope everyone that recognizes himself or herself in this can gain something from it. Happy writing/executing and get yourself out there.
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