One of the more popular posts I’ve written so far is “Do You Love Writing but Hate to Write?” I like the fact this has resonated with others. I always felt guilty about hating a lot about the act of writing—staring at a dark and empty screen, loathing every single word, watching the clock tick ever closer to a deadline. Little stuff like that.
Screenwriter John August adds some more legitimacy to this love-hate relationship in an interview on Cecil Vortex. August is a top-tier screenwriter. Even if you haven’t heard his name, you’ve probably seen “Big Fish,” “Corpse Bride,” “Charlie’s Angels,” or “Go.” Which makes ideas like this all the more comforting to know:
I really don’t like writing. That’s a terrible thing to say of course, because one is supposed to love one’s art. But I’d rather do just about anything than sit down and start writing.
The thing is, I love having written. I love going back and looking at the scene I wrote. So “writing” is a necessary, painful process I go through in order to get to “having written.”
When people say, “Oh, I just loving writing!” I know they’re full of crap. They’re probably lousy writers who are regurgitating their daily thoughts in a journal. Actual writing is hard work. Even when you have the flow and it’s going well, it’s still incredibly taxing. My deepest nights of sleep are after days of having to write ten pages.
Ah. I feel much better now. Go read the interview on Cecil Vortex. And check out the rest of the site, there’s a stack of interviews with creative types. Recommended.
(Found via Yahoo! Picks)
Comments 11
…When people say, “Oh, I just loving writing!â€? I know they’re full of crap…
um- not to be rude or anything, but I’d like to put in a vote for people who love writing and aren’t full of crap.
Maybe we just have a different definition of love.
I do agree, however, that writing is often very difficult.
Thanks for the interesting topic Gordon!
Armand
Posted 31 Jul 2007 at 1:13 pm ¶To me, it is more appropriately defined as a resistance to something I love. Why would I resist what, once I get into it, I invariably end up loving? It’s the inner critic, more than anything – which talks as long as I listen, and more-or-less shuts up when I actually start writing.
Posted 31 Jul 2007 at 10:20 pm ¶I do envy Armand. I’m of the ‘having written’ camp, myself. Though I’m slowly coming around to appreciating the act more and more. I actually did a riff on this a while back. A little lengthy, perhaps, but you might find it interesting:
Posted 31 Jul 2007 at 10:49 pm ¶http://www.nicolasix.com/310/
I love both. But, I especially love reading what has been written. The review, the tweaks, the editing…that’s very fulfilling.
Check out “The Art of War.” The more we love something, the more resistance to doing the work. It’s a manifesto for writers.
Posted 01 Aug 2007 at 1:33 am ¶OK I went and actually read the interview. Good interview with, obviously, a strong writer. I see what he’s saying about how he doesn’t want to write and has to make himself.
I think I must have been turned off by his “full of crap” phrase because it’s like he’s applying his own personal view on process to every other writer. Made me a little defensive.
Still a good interview. I didn’t really see anything on how to actually get a screenplay sold, however, which- I think- is the actual question on everybody’s mind.
Sorry for typos it’s late.
Armand
Posted 01 Aug 2007 at 11:05 pm ¶I like writing. But I especially like reading these days with the incredible array of new mediums:
The Listening Post
Posted 04 Aug 2007 at 2:02 pm ¶http://www.thenextgreatamericannovel.com
I’m so glad that I found your site. I earned my MFA in poetry in 2004, and I’ve hardly written a poem since. I’m totally wrapped up in academics and my family, and I can’t seem to get the muse going again. I actually just googled “after the MFA” totally on a whim…and what do you know? Others know the weird “where am I now?” feeling. Thanks for a great site!
Posted 06 Aug 2007 at 11:15 am ¶Wow, what a great interview! Glad to know writing is allowed to feel like a chore sometimes.
Love your site, btw
Posted 07 Aug 2007 at 8:15 am ¶Great addition to your first post. I’d just like to add that there is nothing better than that feeling of “having written,” when you are smoothing out the rough edges and adding color to a third or fourth draft. I’m knee-deep in that process right now, and it feels so rewarding after a couple years of slogging through the writing stage.
Posted 07 Aug 2007 at 12:46 pm ¶Good topic! I personally love to write, I love my craft and I am not one who is full of crap. I do have one problem with writing that gets me stuck. What to write?
Posted 13 Aug 2007 at 9:07 am ¶Not writers block, I’ve never had that yet. What i’m talking about is that I love to write so much about so much that I get stuck in trying to pick what to write. Worse still I often never finish a piece because another beckons me to pay it attention. What does the community think about this? Is there a cure, or am I deluding myself and am actually full of crap? Huh Armand?
Thanks! It’s good to know I’m not alone. I too hate writing but love having written. When I’m in the flow I guess you could say I love writing, but I’m to engrossed in it to notice.
Posted 20 Aug 2007 at 9:23 pm ¶Trackbacks & Pingbacks 3
Publishing Spotted: Are You a Writing Hater?…
Writers love to hate writing, it seems. After the MFA has generated multiple conversations over his essay, “Do You Love Writing but Hate to Write?” Recently, he added some support from screenwriter John August, (a prolific blogger in …
[...] hate to write, and maybe you do too. Well, we’re not alone according to this post from After the MFA, which, along with the comments that follow, illustrate that while we enjoy what we’ve [...]
[...] Your email is never published nor shared. Name Email Website Message « More on the Loving and Hating of Writing [...]
Speak Your Mind