http://www.bristololdvic.org.uk/blog/2009/10/stephen-browns-blog-4/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:40:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 http://www.bristololdvic.org.uk/blog/2009/10/stephen-browns-blog-4/#comment-8791 neil haigh Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:30:30 +0000 http://www.bristololdvic.org.uk/blog/?p=43#comment-8791 Stephen...the writers block thing.. we all also write conventionally and I find it helpful if i get blocked to, well, just write. I write out several possible ways forward in a sketchy form and then go over them later. Obviously, the "best" choice isn't necessarily presenting itself to me even after doing that, and it's only a rough draft idea, but it's a form of impro - stream of conciousness almost, working so quickly you remove the rational shaping/structure part of the brain that wants you to slow down. After all, you can shape it forever later if you like.. Plus.. when blocked it's almost always due to the natural impetus of what we've got so far simply running out..obviously you can invent something totally new (jump and justify), but sometimes it's worth going back to the beginning and checking there is enough in it in the first place. When Improvising, we often put in unrelated characters and incidents around the featured relationships (eg, an ice cream seller who comes and goes very quickly, the neighbour next door popping in, a talking pet cat etc). Their function is to provide extra colour, which is good enough, but re-incorporate them once later on in a different scene and they are potentially part of the plot, or can be used as metaphor to enrich/comment on something more fundamental by stealth. I'm a big fan of meaning by stealth. hope Bristol is still jamming and a rockin this week. Congrats to all for a brilliant festival Neil Stephen…the writers block thing.. we all also write conventionally and I find it helpful if i get blocked to, well, just write. I write out several possible ways forward in a sketchy form and then go over them later. Obviously, the “best” choice isn’t necessarily presenting itself to me even after doing that, and it’s only a rough draft idea, but it’s a form of impro - stream of conciousness almost, working so quickly you remove the rational shaping/structure part of the brain that wants you to slow down. After all, you can shape it forever later if you like..
Plus.. when blocked it’s almost always due to the natural impetus of what we’ve got so far simply running out..obviously you can invent something totally new (jump and justify), but sometimes it’s worth going back to the beginning and checking there is enough in it in the first place. When Improvising, we often put in unrelated characters and incidents around the featured relationships (eg, an ice cream seller who comes and goes very quickly, the neighbour next door popping in, a talking pet cat etc). Their function is to provide extra colour, which is good enough, but re-incorporate them once later on in a different scene and they are potentially part of the plot, or can be used as metaphor to enrich/comment on something more fundamental by stealth. I’m a big fan of meaning by stealth.
hope Bristol is still jamming and a rockin this week. Congrats to all for a brilliant festival
Neil

]]>