In Die by the Pen, Jared Gniewek discusses what feeds his fires as an author of comics, screenplays and radio dramas.
Writing can be lonely.
It can hurt when you empathize too much with your characters and allow yourself to feel what they are going through too clearly. It is a solipsistic activity that can drive you to tears of frustration and joy. It is a good thing, to be this involved with the act, but sometimes it can make accepting criticism all the harder. You feel like a judged parent on a talk show screaming, YOU DON’T KNOW ME!
Remember that your work is NOT you. Remember that all the work you did on a piece; thinking about it (sometimes for years) and executing it really are meaningless to a reader. You can’t call everyone who went “meh” over your piece and yell at them. Their job is to receive and they are good at it. They’ve been doing it since their moms were staring at them in the crib and playing pee-ka-boo. Your job is to transmit artfully and in an entertaining fashion. At least as good as Mom.
One of my writing pals told me that I learn to need to “phone it in” but to me that is unacceptable. While I could work a bit faster that way I feel that any emotional depth I’m reaching might be sacrificed. I mean if it’s not worth the time to write it “for real” is it worth it to read? But, at the same time, is being a slave to my personal muses making me too personally involved in each work?
Read more
