A few days ago, Critical Point published a blog written by my fellow ensemble member, Andrew Kaberline.  If you haven’t read it, you should.  Here, I’ll even post the link.  https://theatrecpt.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/the-careful-process-of-storytelling-andrew-terrance-kaberline/#more-237There, you’re excuse-less.  This article is a quick summary of the storytelling process.  I think Andrew did an amazing job, but I want to expand upon one of his storytelling steps: Write it Down.  For me, and I’m sure many would agree with me, this is by far the most difficult part of the creative process: actually doing it.

I’ve always dreamed about being a musician.  Before I go to sleep most nights I imagine what it would be like to stand up on stage in a huge arena and play guitar and sing for thousands of people.  I picture that image so often that many would say it’s unhealthy.  I would absolutely love to be a rockstar.  But I never will be so long as I persist in not trying to be a musician.  I may or may not have the talent to actually “make it” as a musician, but right now I completely lack the resolve to sit down and write songs.  What I find that I’m doing is sitting around waiting for “inspiration” or for a moment when I’m in the mood to write, which doesn’t work when I’ve never written a good song before in my life.

To the contrary of that, I’ve been much better about writing When We Grow Up.  I can’t tell you what’s different to me about writing a play versus writing a song, because in theory the thing that’s difficult is the same: actually doing it.  I have plenty of good ideas about the play, but frankly we’d have nothing if I didn’t make time and put them on paper.  It’s so much easier to do nothing than write a play.  It’s so much easier for me to burn hours on Netflix and video games than to sit down and type for an hour.  Once I start, it’s easy.  But getting the drive to actually do it is so much harder than the actual writing.  What worked for me was scheduling an hour a week in the library where I would bring my computer and I would sit in silence and type.  I remember a time when I gave myself an hour to do a single scene and I ended up finishing up the entire first act because I was so in the groove.  Once I start, I love writing, but I need to make myself actually sit and write.

Now the current script of When We Grow Up needs a lot of work.  I’m definitely not Mozart and can’t crank out a brilliant piece of art with no editing, but the fact that we have a script is an amazing accomplishment.  While we still have a long process ahead of us putting When We Grow Up on stage, I know it’ll be of a good quality so long as I schedule ample time for me to work on the script.  I may not ever be a rockstar, but I know that I’ll produce quality art so long as I remember to make time to actually do it.

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