Film Courage: How do we know our own writing level, the level that we’re at.
We all think that we’re good at something or excellent at something.
We see the world through a certain lens, it fits together with our experiences, so we
think we’re making sense.
We think it’s brilliant in terms of our life experience.
But how do we really know or maybe we won’t?
CSUN Professor Eric Edson: I don’t think you should know you are one in the class who
are really good because that’s kind of putting a cap on yourself.
I would say…and we do talk about this (I point out to them) in terms of (as we’re
workshopping everybody’s work and yes everybody is at different levels, that I say we all
come to this room from different places we all have been writing for different periods
of time.
Some are closer to the beginning than others, some have already done some stuff, sold some
stuff, so we are making allowances for that, that nobody will be on the same level and
I would say that…I would just say don’t worry about your level.
It’s not relevant to the process of learning to master a craft.
And you know, a difficult craft at that.
Just do the work in front of you.
Be you and write what you have to write.
Because the thing ultimately with writing and the beauty of it is even when a story
is derivative, perhaps you’ve got an idea for a plot but you’re saying “No, no,
no…I’ve seen that a score of times before or through the decades kind of stuff.”
And I would say “Yes, but no one can write it exactly the way you would write it.”
It’s not about level, it’s about individual point of view and insight into the human condition.
And that I would say for all times is to be encouraged.
That’s what we do, we seek ourselves in what we write, even when we’re writing for
money (for pay).
And you can overdo that, but I think you need to be doing it some of that in absolutely
everything you write because, what was that?
Some book came out in the 1930’s.
I forget who wrote it who said there are basically 36 plots in all of literature.
That’s it.
Well, that’s what the thing is with genre, you know with genre are you going to write
a western?
Well that’s been done a few hundred, a few thousand times, hasn’t it?
Well, you will do it your way.
You will do it the way in which it has not been done before.
Or if that’s not how it turns out, keep working on it if you wish or put it in the
drawer.
And you will have learned some lessons about writing and yourself along the way.
But the level thing, it’s just that we’re running different races so much levels.
It’s like some people started sooner than other people so of course they are going to
be ahead.
But I would admonish writers (neophytes and experienced ones), don’t worry about that.
You can make yourself nuts worrying about the level because you will always be writing
what you want to write unless you get hired to do it for a job.
But you will be writing what you want to write, the way you want to write it.
Now just work to make it the best you can make it be, that’s all.
And one day you may surprise yourself.
Just when you think you aren’t so good and this happens.
Oh, we all go in cycles.
Yeah, this should be mentioned, too.
I mean up one day and down the next day upset beyond belief, I mean this is art.
This is writers.
You know, welcome to the club.
On that big wheel, the emotional journey of what it is, what we do.
But you are also learning whether this art form is for you or not along the way.
Are you in it for the long haul.
That’s the only question you need to keep asking yourself.
Am I getting enough food out of this?
Creative food, juice, and sense of that growing sense of command (incremental command) of
a much to be respected craft that can be quite intricate.
That I’m hooked, that this is what I need.
I mean it has been said that you know for writers, it hurts more not to do it than to
do it.
Are you up for a lifetime of all the range of emotional you are going to be going through
as a writer, as an artist.
Is this what you want to do, really?
You want to be an artist, that’s great!
But understand that it is not the simple and easy choice to make in life quite the contrary.
But it is a fabulous, fabulous journey unlike any other, I think.