Feh.

[e_juliana]

I'm writing out proposals for plays. Why I like the play, why it should be produced, etc., etc.. I'm really not good at this. My writing feels clunky, I can't find the words past "Play good. Me direct.", and any sort of concept is completely beyond me.

It's always been like this. Even writing papers in school, for subjects I knew well and was passionate about. As soon as it came time to express to someone else what exactly was so special about the topic, I froze. I freeze. My mind blanks, concepts don't come, nothing's good enough. It's really very upsetting. How can I expect to direct anything if I can't tell people why I should? How are people supposed to know about this great play if I freeze up? Why do I suddenly think it's not that great when I have to talk about it?

As I said, feh.

Serious, non-whiny question for all the creative-types reading:

How do you break out of your traditions/habits/conventions? Everyone, even the most avant-garde of us has their conventions, the tropes that they fall back on. This can be a good and bad thing, but it's best to know how to break out of them, whether or not you'll actually do so. So, how do you do it?

Comments

[sowilo.livejournal.com]

I often try a change of venue or method. I change from computer to handwritten, I go to a new place I've never been to (i.e. new library or coffee place). I also try leaving it alone and refusing to think about it, as in when I find myself thinking about it, sing annoying earworm songs to get it out of my head. perversely, then my brain insists on attacking the problem, and it just rushes out. Gotta really mean it, though.

[redwright.livejournal.com]

You are wonderfully anal. That's all. As our dear Linda Sue says, "I long to be mercurial but I have to plan it first."

You might try the Wright Wagner recipe for change:

Pretend you are on a high dive. Take a running jump. Check later for water.

None of us have broken any important bones yet ... using this method. Although Fred has scared a few lifeguards.

[susanw.livejournal.com]

For me, an important part of editing/rewriting is undoing all my traditions/habits/conventions that inevitably end up in the rough draft, and tweaking my natural voice as needed to fit the audience I'm writing for.

But that's voice/usage, and is relatively easy to fix. For the rest, I don't know. I'm new enough as a professional writer that I think it's OK for me to establish my style and favorite themes before I start trying to expand beyond them, but I live in fear that all my protagonists will be just alike and just like me, etc.