The Ben Esch Website

 
  • Home
  • Stuff about the book
  • Who wrote this?
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Buy

Writing advice from Ben #8ish: Be like Jerry Seinfeld

1/21/2010

6 Comments

 
Hey readers,

Okay, time to work in some writing advice again.  I know it's been a while since I've done this, and that's mainly because I feel like a huge jackass giving advice about something that routinely kicks my ass, but seeing as I'm a writer and this is my website, we're gonna give this thing a shot. 

Cool.  So, I've been writing for a living for about three years or so now, and I still haven't been able to get much of a routine together.  I know, I know, this is kinda embarrassing, and it's something I've been working on and bumming myself out about ever since I decided I wanted to be a writer. 

Now, I think there are a lot of reasons I've had trouble getting a routine nailed down.  Sometimes I tell myself it's because I'm a creative free spirit that can't be contained by a schedule, and though it sounds kinda pretty and all, it's complete bull shit.  Hemingway had a schedule.  Roald Dahl had a schedule.  And there's no way I'm more of a creative, free spirit than the dude who came up with James and the Giant Peach. 

So, what's the answer then? 

There's a possibility it's because I'm lazy, and that might be true, but I think it's something a bit deeper than that. 

My theory:  I still work like I'm in college. 

What does that mean?  When I was assigned a paper in college, I wouldn't start it early and chunk off a page a day like a responsible person.  No, I would wait until the last day, and then I would power out the entire works...usually sometime between midnight and when the coffee shops opened up again at 5 in the morning. 

Working like that was a rush, and I usually did some pretty good papers, but it built up some bad habits that I took with me when I started writing fiction. 

Instead of working a steady, sustainable pace on my books, I would usually just get all hopped up on Peets and write 20 pages in a night.  Then I would sit back and wait for my hands to stop shaking and marvel at what an awesome writer I was. 

Except I wasn't an awesome writer the next day.  Or the day after that.  Because I was too wrecked from spending all night freebasing coffee and being hunched over my laptop like a troll. 

Killing myself one night might equal twenty pages, but I was good for approximately zero pages for the next week.  So, that put my weekly page total at 20 pages. 

But, if I would have just taken a couple hours in the morning and busted out a more manageable six pages, that would give me 42 pages at the end of the week. 

So, I would have been twice as productive and with a lot less caffeine abuse besides. 

Jerry Seinfeld understood this and here's a super cool article about how he keeps himself writing and motivated every day. 

Did you read the article?  Seriously, click the link.  The rest of my blog will make a lot more sense if you do. 

For the past few weeks, I've been marking my calendar for every day I write and so far there hasn't been a break in the red X's.  My page total is climbing pretty steadily and I haven't been up at 3 AM once.  Okay, maybe once, but that was only because I had a lot of quality programming backlogged on the TIVO.

So do like Jerry Seinfeld.  Get a calendar.  Mark down some X's for days when you write and watch the pages grow.    

AND IN NON WRITING NEWS

Here's a clip from Troll 2.  Because I love you, that's why. 
6 Comments
Monica
1/22/2010 02:54:56 am

Excellent advice. Do you have a daily page limit? or do you still mark the red X if you've only written a paragraph?

Reply
Tracy Edward Wymer link
1/25/2010 02:08:04 am

I want to see more stuff like this from Ben Esch. Awesome post! I need to do this!

Reply
Ben Esch link
1/25/2010 10:08:08 am

Monica: Why thank you! And that's a hell of a question. So much so, that the next blog is going to be all about that.

Tracy: Yeah! Thanks dude. Send in a picture of a month full of red x's and I'll buy you a fancy coffee.

Reply
jay juhl
2/15/2010 02:07:35 pm

good show ben. i like this idea. you are a grizzly bear of a man too! luh yahls

Reply
replica watches link
12/23/2010 04:32:36 pm

When I visit this good webiste,Just to say,I am glad to read so good article in the webstie.Well,OK.I have to say,what a wonderful blog it is.thank you for your sharing so good articles in the website.I like it very much.It is very interesting in it.Look forward to reading in your website.

Reply
wedding dress link
2/25/2011 03:36:07 pm

Spring is near,every girl wants to be the bride in the special season.They are eager to put on beautiful Wedding Dresses or the Bridal gowns.Here "www.prettyweddingdress.com", with your desired dress!!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    The Dixie Blog:

    Videos.  Lists.  Jackassery. 

    Archives

    March 2011
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.