I never really thought of this method, although growing up after going to the theatre I always left the movie house being the main actor. As a poet now I love to write about fleeting time, old fashioned ways and times and remembering when, also history local and nationally. If I write a poem about a old town clock I will go up town and stand under the clock, watch people watch the clock and research the history of the clock as I look into the future and them write the poem on location in part. Thanks, this video made me think!
Wonderful! The metaphor I've liked is that writing is a performing art. When things are going well, I'm not writing as much as I'm riffing on a theme. The keyboard doesn't feel so different to my fingers than a fretboard, on those rare days when things are working. 'Course, I'm just a hack writer. Maybe that's why I want to rely on attitude to get me through the dry spells.
I'm glad my videos are helpful to you. Yes, I work in some depth with my clients in regard to the mechanics of writing and structuring. I'll be releasing a new series of videos in the coming months and I'll consider one on this topic. Thanks for suggesting it.
"You don’t have to live the blues to play the blues." - Herbie Mann But if one's playing does not spring forth from those experiences, the notes will fall flat upon your listener's ears. - me
Thank you. I'm glad the video triggered your thinking. How do you know, as a writer? The same way an actor knows. This article offers additional insight about how actors use "The Method." The same principles apply to writers who see the benefit of writing from the inside out. www.dailyactor.com/acting-advice-columns/what-is-method-acting/
This is such a great point! But how do I get in the mindset of my characters -- the elite globalist, the sociopathic computer scientist or the ex military commando -- when I have no personal experience in these areas?
You raise a valid point. I would suggest you study Method Acting techniques and apply them to 2-3 main characters. Become them. More difficult than writing off the top of your head based on your perceptions? Sure. But more satisfying for you and your readers. For secondary characters, you may interview people, like an ex-commando, to get a sense of their thought processes. There are sources to find people to interview, like: www.journaliststoolbox.org/2021/03/13/expert_sources/ Also, don't put too fine of a point on it. Any sociopath will do. It is easy to determine how they think and you could act as one for a day (within the law, of course). Just apply sociopathic behavior to any occupation, like computer science. Remember, your purpose is not to just learn about a character, but to get inside the character and be that character as much as possible. Hope that helps spark your thinking.
Yes. If one of your characters is an English Victorian woman, I want you to wear a bustle and long dress for a week before you write a word. No! Seriously, what does it mean to you to "inhabit" your characters? What does it take for you to write "from the inside out?" The message of my video is that lots of writers write in a superficial way about people. It is like they are moving pawns on a chess board. I am suggesting that writers can learn from method actors about internalizing characters before they write about them.
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I never really thought of this method, although growing up after going to the theatre I always left the movie house being the main actor. As a poet now I love to write about fleeting time, old fashioned ways and times and remembering when, also history local and nationally. If I write a poem about a old town clock I will go up town and stand under the clock, watch people watch the clock and research the history of the clock as I look into the future and them write the poem on location in part. Thanks, this video made me think!
Very good video.
Wonderful! The metaphor I've liked is that writing is a performing art. When things are going well, I'm not writing as much as I'm riffing on a theme. The keyboard doesn't feel so different to my fingers than a fretboard, on those rare days when things are working.
'Course, I'm just a hack writer. Maybe that's why I want to rely on attitude to get me through the dry spells.
Yes! Thank you!!
This channel is in my top three! Will you ever do anything about the mechanics of writing and structuring ?
Would love to hear your thoughts on that
I'm glad my videos are helpful to you. Yes, I work in some depth with my clients in regard to the mechanics of writing and structuring. I'll be releasing a new series of videos in the coming months and I'll consider one on this topic. Thanks for suggesting it.
This was a terrific video and very insightful. Thank you! ❤
I liked this video and I liked everyone's comments!
The corporal language of actor, is important to writers,building yours characters,I think.
Joe Abercrombie is really good at what you describe here.
"You don’t have to live the blues to play the blues." - Herbie Mann
But if one's playing does not spring forth from those experiences, the notes will fall flat upon your listener's ears. - me
Well said.
Amazing video , how the writer knows that he is inside character not an observer from outside?
Thank you. I'm glad the video triggered your thinking. How do you know, as a writer? The same way an actor knows. This article offers additional insight about how actors use "The Method." The same principles apply to writers who see the benefit of writing from the inside out. www.dailyactor.com/acting-advice-columns/what-is-method-acting/
This is such a great point! But how do I get in the mindset of my characters -- the elite globalist, the sociopathic computer scientist or the ex military commando -- when I have no personal experience in these areas?
You raise a valid point. I would suggest you study Method Acting techniques and apply them to 2-3 main characters. Become them. More difficult than writing off the top of your head based on your perceptions? Sure. But more satisfying for you and your readers.
For secondary characters, you may interview people, like an ex-commando, to get a sense of their thought processes. There are sources to find people to interview, like: www.journaliststoolbox.org/2021/03/13/expert_sources/
Also, don't put too fine of a point on it. Any sociopath will do. It is easy to determine how they think and you could act as one for a day (within the law, of course). Just apply sociopathic behavior to any occupation, like computer science.
Remember, your purpose is not to just learn about a character, but to get inside the character and be that character as much as possible. Hope that helps spark your thinking.
VelocityWriting Thanks for the excellent ideas. I’ll try those.
Are you talking about merging’ em or what ?
Yes. If one of your characters is an English Victorian woman, I want you to wear a bustle and long dress for a week before you write a word. No! Seriously, what does it mean to you to "inhabit" your characters? What does it take for you to write "from the inside out?"
The message of my video is that lots of writers write in a superficial way about people. It is like they are moving pawns on a chess board. I am suggesting that writers can learn from method actors about internalizing characters before they write about them.