Chronicles of a Writer

A Good Ear

Once upon a time I stood at the brink of evolution with multiple paths open to me.  As the consummate creative man, my options lied within that area.  First there was the pure and simple English/writing path.  Secondly, my interest in psychology made me scope out the path where I might sit and actively listen.  The path I ultimately chose for my freshmen year was piano performance, the path that I had stuck with for ten years. When I reminisce, I tend to question the choices I made, especiall...

Feedback vs. Criticism

As a writer, or any creative artist, we acknowledge the power of feedback.  It is how we monitor our progress and continue our work in a way that could benefit the public.  Still, the line between feedback and criticism is very thin, and the latter is much harder to swallow.  How do we distinguish what is potentially helpful (feedback) and what is simply negativity (criticism)? The Internal Compass Developing our inner voice is a constant work-in-progress.  Our instincts and interpretation...

The Ending

They say the only thing more difficult than writing a beginning is writing the ending.  It would seem I have dug myself a hole with that one. With all my focus on pilots, premieres and cliffhangers, I have unconsciously suffered a disease that should be remedied right away.  I cannot write endings.  Sure, with TV pilots that is probably the last thing writers worry about (let's face it, it is all about getting the show to go on so you can get paid), but with every other form, it is of the utm...

Comedy or Drama?

Despite my healthy, versatile appetite for writing and its respective outcomes, I seem to have come across a hiccup. I've written dramas, science fiction, horror and even a dash of romance.  Nevertheless, I have always enjoyed comedy in all its glory.  I've even written spec scripts based on reputable sitcoms.  Still, when it comes to my own creation, something about comedy seems to slip my mind. I can't find the balance between the jokes and the emotional connection to the characters.  A ...

Going in the right way: why should writers write?

As a regular visitor of Professor Beej's blog, his latest post about writers really hit home for me.  I don't usually do this, but I'm going to start by citing an example from a fictitious television show.  It's not without purpose, I promise. Anybody a fan of The Office?  Of course you are, or if not, I highly recommend it. At the beginning of season 5, Pam spends 12 weeks in New York in order to take graphic design classes and see what New York has to offer for her passion.  After 12 wee...