Comments on: I am a dropout. Maybe you should be, too. http://moodytunes.com/2008/01/31/i-am-a-dropout-maybe-you-should-be-too/ Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:15:29 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Alex http://moodytunes.com/2008/01/31/i-am-a-dropout-maybe-you-should-be-too/comment-page-1/#comment-1474 Alex Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:52:38 +0000 http://moodytunes.com/2008/01/31/i-am-a-dropout-maybe-you-should-be-too/#comment-1474 There's definitely a school of thought centered on "Just write! Writers write!" and I think there's a lot to that. If you need excessive coaching, you may be forcing it. But you can also get great feedback from a group of fellow apprentice writers...the tricky part is deciding when to implement changes and when to trust yourself. I think it's rare to find a writer who sits in a room and churns out hits like Bruce Dickinson (sorry, needed to work "More Cowbell!" into this for some reason). Joyce Carol Oates, maybe? AND you have to wonder...spend too long in a workshop and everyone starts sounding the same. Even if it's not on purpose. There's a whole bunch of talk out there about graduate writing programs churning out hundreds of men and women who write the same stories about the same stuff with the same dark/ironic outlook on incest and cooking and high school angst. It's easy to fall into that trap. Who doesn't like a little incest now and then? The design parallel is interesting, and it really does explain why some apprenticeship and mimicking the masters can be a good thing. You do need someone to show you the way (unless you're one of the pure talents, and in that case, screw you). Regarding throwing rocks...I had a great teacher. He came from the land of angry rock-throwers and helped me perfect my form. I won't mention any names like RadioSilence but I definitely got my protest-march toss from that guy. It's in his blood. There’s definitely a school of thought centered on “Just write! Writers write!” and I think there’s a lot to that. If you need excessive coaching, you may be forcing it. But you can also get great feedback from a group of fellow apprentice writers…the tricky part is deciding when to implement changes and when to trust yourself. I think it’s rare to find a writer who sits in a room and churns out hits like Bruce Dickinson (sorry, needed to work “More Cowbell!” into this for some reason). Joyce Carol Oates, maybe?

AND you have to wonder…spend too long in a workshop and everyone starts sounding the same. Even if it’s not on purpose. There’s a whole bunch of talk out there about graduate writing programs churning out hundreds of men and women who write the same stories about the same stuff with the same dark/ironic outlook on incest and cooking and high school angst. It’s easy to fall into that trap. Who doesn’t like a little incest now and then?

The design parallel is interesting, and it really does explain why some apprenticeship and mimicking the masters can be a good thing. You do need someone to show you the way (unless you’re one of the pure talents, and in that case, screw you).

Regarding throwing rocks…I had a great teacher. He came from the land of angry rock-throwers and helped me perfect my form. I won’t mention any names like RadioSilence but I definitely got my protest-march toss from that guy. It’s in his blood.

]]> By: Ms. MoodyTunes http://moodytunes.com/2008/01/31/i-am-a-dropout-maybe-you-should-be-too/comment-page-1/#comment-1473 Ms. MoodyTunes Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:31:26 +0000 http://moodytunes.com/2008/01/31/i-am-a-dropout-maybe-you-should-be-too/#comment-1473 I think it's the same in design. When I was first starting out, I pored over design annuals to find styles that I would copy, but the project inevitably turned out looking amateurish. What works in one application--a certain page grid, type treatment or color scheme--doesn't always work in another. But mimicking did help me find my own style and discover what works and doesn't work for me. I'll probably never be able to pull off a rock band CD cover or design skateboard graphics, but, I can design the s**t out of a resort brochure. So I think it works both ways. In the beginning, you have no choice but to copy, because how else are you going to learn what works best for you unless you try it? But once you find your own voice, that's when you can start innovating. I think it’s the same in design. When I was first starting out, I pored over design annuals to find styles that I would copy, but the project inevitably turned out looking amateurish. What works in one application–a certain page grid, type treatment or color scheme–doesn’t always work in another. But mimicking did help me find my own style and discover what works and doesn’t work for me. I’ll probably never be able to pull off a rock band CD cover or design skateboard graphics, but, I can design the s**t out of a resort brochure. So I think it works both ways. In the beginning, you have no choice but to copy, because how else are you going to learn what works best for you unless you try it? But once you find your own voice, that’s when you can start innovating.

]]> By: RadioSilence http://moodytunes.com/2008/01/31/i-am-a-dropout-maybe-you-should-be-too/comment-page-1/#comment-1472 RadioSilence Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:30:56 +0000 http://moodytunes.com/2008/01/31/i-am-a-dropout-maybe-you-should-be-too/#comment-1472 So you stop when throwing bricks now? Interesting. I see this is a nicer sweeter Alex "The Mortar" Moody than I knew in college. So you stop when throwing bricks now? Interesting. I see this is a nicer sweeter Alex “The Mortar” Moody than I knew in college.

]]> By: KiTe Girl http://moodytunes.com/2008/01/31/i-am-a-dropout-maybe-you-should-be-too/comment-page-1/#comment-1470 KiTe Girl Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:36:46 +0000 http://moodytunes.com/2008/01/31/i-am-a-dropout-maybe-you-should-be-too/#comment-1470 This is sort of related. But in sports, the best athletes make terrible coaches. Because most of the time they don't know what they do that is special. They literally "just do it". I imagine writing is the same. What sets you apart for some other writer is not what you learn in a writing workshop, but what is inside of you that makes you want to write. This is sort of related. But in sports, the best athletes make terrible coaches. Because most of the time they don’t know what they do that is special. They literally “just do it”. I imagine writing is the same. What sets you apart for some other writer is not what you learn in a writing workshop, but what is inside of you that makes you want to write.

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