So while this article from That Action Guy (Brian Logan, you’re internet skimming skills have impressed me once again) goes against the lessons of virtually every professor I’ve had, I’ve got to post it anyway. Because frankly, I’m realizing most of the stuff I’ve been taught is someone’s guess as to how you should write. All you really have to do is type and keep at it.

In the article, “To Outline or Not to Outline,” Timothy Hallinan talks of the merit of surprising yourself. Sometimes outlining lends a rigid story, one lacking discovery and…oomph? gusto? I don’t know, I didn’t really think about what I was going to say there.

I like the idea of discovering as you go. It’s still good to have the basic skeleton in your mind: Understand your characters, map out the main plot points. A lot of times, the first few ideas aren’t the most fitting. You have to be open to listening to the needs of your story. You know, ask it how its day is going. See if there’s anything you can do to make it better.

The greatest part is the real story comes together during the revision process. If you find you hate your new idea the day after writing it, cut it out. Who cares? Even with outlining, you’re going to do this at some point. So don’t be afraid to go to new places, even the ones you never thought you’d go. There’s not point in holding yourself back just because that new ending wasn’t on the itinerary.

As noted, maybe this will work sometimes, maybe it won’t. Give it a try. Why not?

Link: To Outline or Not to Outline?

Of course, we all dream — whether we admit it or not — of some level or recognition, of fame, money, whatever. There’s always this notion that one day we’ll find success and that will be that. We’ll have creative control, never having to bow down to a producer or editor giving notes or compromise our artistic integrity. Usually the day we’re faced with a reality check comes first.

I figure it’s probably better to get that reality check earlier than later. So, here I am, destroying all your dreams. Nah, I kid. But here’s a link from That Action Guy (a great blog for writing, by the way) to highlight the ridiculous life that can only belong to a writer, as told by novelist and screenwriter (and one-time contestant on Fox TV’s Sexiest Bachelor in America) Ben Mezrich.

This is what you have to look forward to.

The truth is, writing a novel can be painful and horrid. It’s like having a stomach virus that lasts three months: you’re hunched over your desk, heaving again and again, trying to get the last bit out, but it just won’t come. On the other hand, some elements of this business are incredible, fulfilling, glamorous, and life-changing. There’s no better feeling in the world than seeing your work on the bookstore shelves for the first time. I may never write the Great American Novel. Likewise, I may never reach the status of John Grisham or Michael Crichton. But I will always follow the advice I got from Mr. Louisiana (a bodybuilder/model/retail broker), a fellow contestant in Fox’s Sexiest Bachelor pageant. “You’ve got to shake what your mamma gave you.” – Ben Mezrich

Link: “You’re Going to be Huge!” – The Ups, Downs, and Sheer Absurdities of the Writing Life

Some industry news for the day:

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia refills the pitcher tonight on FX with the fourth season premiere “Mac and Dennis: Manhunters.” I’ve tried my best to limit the amount of reviews I can read before the show airs, so the only info I have at the moment is that it’s about cannibalism and it’s very dark and funny. When I see it, I’ll try and write up my thoughts. Again, I don’t have internet or cable in my own apartment, so no promises.

For now, go get a few beers at Paddy’s Pub. You want to be in the gang’s mindset while watching.

Elsewhere on premium cable another hunt begins:

According to Variety, David Simon and Tom Fontana ditch their usual gangs for Manhunt, a miniseries about the 12-day hunt for James Wilkes Booth after he killed some president or something.

What’s most intriguing to me is that the project will focus heavily on the media’s treatment of Lincoln’s assassination. If I know Simon — and, you know, I don’t personally, but I’ve seen his work — he’ll certainly have a lot to say on the subject. He places a lot of stock in research, and coupling this with his background in journalism, we should be treated to a very raw look at the media in the 1860s and how its influenced our perspective on the assassination. Whoops, drooling on my keyboard already.

I leave you now with a link to where you can get your very own Greenman costume, as seen on It’s Always Sunny. Hope you all get a chance to catch the new season. Again, it starts tonight at 10 on FX.

Photo by enimal from stock.xchang

“When I was about 20, a very successful director told me, ‘You really shouldn’t be a writer. You’re not very good at it.’ And I was too stupid to ­listen to him. So my entire career is based on my stupidity.”

Yes, that’s Tom Fontana, the brainless moron who did nothing with his life except create some show called Oz that nobody’s heard of. And some other failed piece of crap — I think it’s called Homicide: Life on the Streets. And who could forget that disaster St. Elsewhere? What. a. jackass.

Jokes, of course, because I know you kids love ‘em. Fontana recently spoke with Teen Ink on writing, struggling, and being stupid enough to make a career of writing and struggling. He’s got some great stuff to say:

On battling writer’s block: If you write at the same time every day, your brain and your heart will be there, ready to go to work. It’s like how you eat at the same time over the course of the day – you should be available to write at the same time every day. If you have nothing to write, you should still write. Whether you write your name 100 times or describe a banana. If you write for five minutes, and you just get the words down, at least you’re doing something.

On the chance to go back: I’d rewrite everything I’ve done. I feel like I could do it better now. It’s a strange experience because I’ll be flipping the channels and “Homicide” will be on, and I’ll think, There’s that episode, uh oh. And I want to get everybody back and film the episode again ­because I know how to make it work this time. The work always can be better.

On what he sets out to do with his work: My only goal is to make the audience ask questions. My goal is not to preach or pretend that I have answers; what I write are basically questions. And if people watch my shows and then turn to their wife or husband, and say, “Well, I think this,” and the wife or husband says, “No, I think this,” and they get into a conversation about it, then I’ve done my job. What you don’t want is people turning off the TV and saying, “You wanna get a burger?” – where it just has no impact whatsoever. I want to stimulate discussion because I think that’s the joy of being in a democracy, that we get to have conversations that other people under other governments don’t. That’s the only way to make things better.

Seriously, how did this guy even get a high school diploma?

Link: Screenwriter Tom Fontana

Screenwriting blog Go Into the Story has some candid writing tips from Dennis Lehane I recommend reading. The guy wrote for The Wire, it’s safe to say he knows what he’s doing.

GET TO THE END: “A professor said to me once, ‘Just finish the damn book.’ If you never complete a draft, you’ll never know how to do it.”

You often wonder, as a young writer, what that magic trick is that brings success to the pros. So it’s always great to hear (or, read) professional writers getting back to the basics. It gives writers like Lehane a more human side to see they go through the same process as you. And it makes the road to success a lot less intimidating: You mean, all I have to do is sit down and write? I can do that! I know how to sit down!

Link: Go Into The Story: Screenwriting 101 — Dennis Lehane

OK so it’s mainly because I don’t have internet. I just made the move from Boston to Weehawken, NJ. It’s beautiful, I love it, I’m tired. I’m keeping a little diary, and if I ever feel like I should post it I will. But no promises. I will, however, post a picture or two for my family and friends back home.

Someday, when I get the internet.

Finding inspiration can be difficult. You should be reading and watching movies and watching TV. The problem is there’s a lot of utter crap out there. And not everyone has the time. Here are three great resources you can dump onto your iPod that will help you when creating characters and building stories. They’ll at least help you pass the time and forget how bored you are:

1. The Moth: A collection of spoken word stories, some from people you may have heard of, others from the average New Yorker. From the site:

The Moth, a not-for-profit storytelling organization, was founded in New York in 1997 by poet and novelist George Dawes Green, who wanted to recreate in New York the feeling of sultry summer evenings on his native St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, where he and a small circle of friends would gather to spin spellbinding tales on his friend Wanda’s porch. After moving to New York, George missed the sense of connection he had felt sharing stories with his friends back home, and he decided to invite a few friends over to his New York apartment to tell and hear stories. Thus the first “Moth” evening took place in his living room.

Go. Check it out. There are some very funny stories on there from some very nuanced characters.

2. Post It Note Stories
A bunch of authors reading their original stories set to the backdrop of post it note artwork.

3. This American Life. The best of the best, you ask me. Until recently I never gave talk radio a chance, but hot damn I love this show. That all the stories are real makes the show all the more inspiring. It’s great to hear those little thoughts no one admits to having actually come from a person’s mouth, and on a national show no less. Go. Subscribe to the podcast. Now.

OK this post is lacking right now. I’ll beef it up and make it a little more informative later. I love all of you, but my bus is a little more important at the moment.