Of Mice and Men and Grapes of Wrath are arguably John Steinbeck’s greatest contribution to the world of writing.
And there was a quote he left behind when people asked him about being a great writer or on becoming a great writer.
I always re-read it when I’m feeling as if my brain just decides that I’m not cut out for this life, so I’m gonna drop it here for you.
“Now let me give you the benefit of my experience in facing 400 pages of blank stock-the appalling stuff that must be filled. I know that no one really wants the benefit of anyone’s experience which is probably why it is so freely offered. But the following are some of the things I have had to do to keep from going nuts.
1. Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised.
2. Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on. It also interferes with fow and rhythm which can only come from a kind of unconscious association with the material.
3. Forget your generalized audience. In the first place, the nameless, faceless audience will scare you to death and in the second place, unlike the theatre, it doesn’t exist. In writing, your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one person–a real person you know, or an imagined person and write to that one.
4. If a scene or a section gets the better of you and you still think you want it–bypass it and go on. When you have finished the whole you can come back to it and then you may find that the reason it gave trouble is because it didn’t belong there.
5. Beware of a scene that becomes too dear to you, dearer than the rest. It will usually be found that it is out of drawing.
6. If you are using dialogue–say it aloud as you write it. Only then will it have the sound of speech.”
But wait there’s more!
Now I get that you might not be following me for all of the writer-ly advice. You’re following me for my charming personality, duh…
So here’s my take on those 6 lessons which can be applied generally to every creative pursuit and/or your day to day “things and stuff”
1) Release yourself from the pressure of completion. Focus on creating just a small portion each day. One measure of music, one sketch, one paragraph. When the work finally comes together, you’ll be like “hell yeah that’s some good shit!”
2) Create with abandon and get your raw ideas out first. Don’t edit or revise until you’ve expressed the complete thought. Constant refinement during the initial creative process often blocks the natural flow and rhythm that comes from deep engagement with your art.
3) Don’t create for a vast, anonymous audience. It’s paralysing and ultimately meaningless. Create for one person. Someone real or imagined. This gives your work an intimate direction and purpose. Age old Copywriter stuff: Write to a buddy sitting across from you at the bar while you shoot the shit about your day. This principle applies.
4) Ever get stuck with a thing? Move past it. Continue with the rest of whatever it is you’re doing. When you’re done, you’ll find that the pain in the ass bit that got you stuck wasn’t essential to begin with and coming back to it was easier once you got more done.
5) DO NOT GET ATTACHED. If you’re overly precious about a specific passage, brushstroke, or melody, it might be disrupting the balance of the whole work.
6) Trust your instincts and physical senses. Musicians should play their compositions, painters should step back and observe their work from different angles, writers should read their words aloud. Your art should feel right in a visceral way.
Fairly simple rules to follow if you’re feeling bogged down. These might be generally applicable to anything you do. So take it to heart and when you feel a little meh. Just go through them on the tough days.
I promise you it gets easier.
Stephen Walker.
And a bit of music for your earholes if you want to melt your brain a little.