Join me as I talk with Dano about the mission of these talks and how we made the shift from protecting our art to openly sharing it with the world–his painting a day project and my Gratitude is Present Project and novel. One of the major shifts in mindset we discuss is to allow and appreciate both the random message of praise and criticism received for our art, but not letting that be the sole motivation or determination of the worth of our art or self.
On Motives for Creating Art: Fear of criticism being the strongest deterrent to share. And hope for praise being the strongest opiate to seek.
Rather, the view should be that the act of creating and sharing to constantly improve and understand the self is the guiding light and purpose for creating art, and any other person (even if it’s no one) who may be so inspired to praise or criticize the work is merely a beautiful byproduct.
This mindset shift and view we both credit to this week’s book: Bird by Bird. In a world measured by likes, page views, and shares, artistic expression should be more about the process than the end result; economic implications a different story…but that isn’t always the most important consideration, especially not with art.
Further, the lessons learned from art might just translate to profitable applications for your business.
As always, you can watch, read, or deep dive into this week’s Cliff’s Notes.
Enjoy!
Dano’s References:
Shape of Design by Frank Chimero
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Cliff’s Notes – Bird by Bird
1. The act of writing everyday is greater than the story itself
2. Write using a 1-inch picture frame, one small part at a time
3. Use first draft to just get everything down on paper “down draft”
4. Character development, relationships with each other, and dialogue are most important part
5. Something must be at stake or there will be no tension and desire to read more
6. Have to hang out long enough with characters to get to know them
7. Only when strip all noise away can you see what the character really is
8. When you don’t know what to write next, get quiet and listen to your character
9. Ordinary characters who find they are capable of courage and goodness is what they want
10. Light houses don’t run around looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining
Deep Dive – Bird by Bird
- Write everyday
- Act of writing is greater than the story itself
- Get an agent
- Can write about 1 small detail for pages
- Everything you imagine being published will be, isn’t
- Write using a 1-inch picture frame, 1 small part at a time
- Get it all down on paper, 1st draft = “down draft”
- Might be something you would have never written about if you didn’t just type
- Voices of others and other distractions, imagine them as mice in a volume control jar
- Perfectionism = cramp and insane you and your whole life, it blocks inventiveness and playfulness, don’t strive for perfection when writing 1st draft
- Awareness is learning to keep yourself company
- Polaroid—sometimes not sure where you are going to go, but just go and eventually you’ll find something to focus on, but you can’t just sit and wait
- Plot grows out of character and their relationships with each other
- Worry about characters because if try to fake an emotion, audience will know and no longer trust you
- Something must be at stake or there will be no tension and readers won’t turn the page
- Not allowed to sit and explain to readers in person what you’re trying to say with words
- Dreams must be vivid and continuous
- Let someone else look at your work and be “executioner”
- Dialogue—matter of ear, you are not reproducing speech, you are translating the sound and rhythm of what character says to words
- Steps: read dialogue out loud, ID each character by what they say, put 2 people who don’t like each other in a situation where they have to be together
- Dialogue is the way to nail the character
- As a writer, you must have compassion for all characters good and bad
- Caution: dialogue written in dialect is very tiring to read
- Get those with most passion about the topic to help you design the set
- If want to get to know characters, have to hang out long enough with them to know that they aren’t
- Only when strip all noise away can you see what the character really is
- Sometimes plots don’t work the way you think they should in your head
- Find complexity and awe in the simple
- If start many stories, but don’t finish, could be because you aren’t passionate about the subject matter
- Ordinary character who finds he is capable of courage and goodness, is what readers want
- Moral position is not a message, it’s a passionate caring inside you
- When you don’t know what to write next, get quiet and listen to your character
- Hypnotize yourself, write, un-hypnotize and review coldly.
- Doubt and jealousy are naturally going to happen, accept others’ successes and your momentary failure, but just re-focus and write
- Carry with you index cards: write down immediately what you are thinking so you don’t forget later
- Use only a few trigger words/phrases to explain the story/scene
- Look at everything as materially important
- Asking people questions they know the answer to makes them feel good, so call around and ask those ?s
- Give yourself a minimum number of words to write a day and stick with that
- Groups keep you accountable
- When giving criticism, point with the sword, not slash with it
- Get smart, well-read people to read your draft who are able to point out areas without being condescending
- When you’re writing, imagine not your editor scowling at you, but the reader enjoying the book
- Writer’s block: real problem is you’re just looking at the problem from the wrong angle,
- Truth is you’re empty, so accept that fact you’re not in a creative writing mood
- Think like you are dying, what would you do, go relax and refill that creativity
- Your subconscious can’t work when you’re breathing down it’s neck
- Speak your truth, don’t limit what you write because you think it’s too edgy, people want controversy
- It’s ok to be naïve when you’re writing, lets you explore and make mistakes that could lead to something
- Libel: be careful, give additional backstory so that the person can’t be identified in real life
- Lighthouses don’t go running all over the island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining