I’m guessing I’m not the only one who has various goals related to writing for the new year, so this article by author Elizabeth McCracken, an article recommended in turn by Mary Doria Russell, author of one of my all-time favorite books, as the one she would write were she not so firmly in retirement.
I’ve read and heard enough writing advice to appreciate when they (a) have cogent reasons for their system or approach while leaving open the possibility of (b) exceptions or –gasp– that one approach may not work for everyone. It helps that McCracken’s one inviolate rule is sensible yet someone could ignore (and in the days of Print Shop, someone most assuredly did).
The resulting article is one full of rules and familiar guidelines… but all from the point of view of “how do you get writing and stay writing and produce writing that has your unique point-of-view.
Besides which, the article has introduced me to the word ‘jounce,’ a word which gruntles me greatly and one I shall use the next time it is delightfully apt.
If you want to tackle something longer than an article but with the same disregard for blind adherence to rules — or you specifically want more insight into the guidelines, rules, and rules to scoff at with scriptwriting– I highly recommend Scriptnotes, a book distillation of the past 10-plus years of the podcast Scriptnotes. I’ve referenced the podcast before and appreciate their straightforward style and practical advice. Most of the chapters are quick, informative reads, backed up by distillations of interviews by actual writers and writer-directors with insight about that chapter topic. In fact, the authors suggest bouncing around the chapters if that suits your fancy.
Finally, I previously mentioned productivity and motivation writer Daniel Pink and his videos earlier this year. One of the books he frequently recommends is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, which I can enthusiastically echo. Where Scriptnotes is very much about scriptwriting, this is more about writing… and life — with plenty of autobiographical touches. The fact she mentions early on that writing is simultaneously work and play was my guarantee that she was going to tackle the contradictions of a writing life.
Now get cracking on writing (or, if you prefer, kraken).