Dear World

Please Kill Me,

Greetings and happy Black Friday my turkey filled fashionistas. For my friends outside of the U.S., “Black Friday”  is essentially America’s Christmas pregame (a day designed to gut-punch our bank accounts (Ironically right after the day after we’ve given thanks for the meaningless things that we already have)). But enough about that.

*steps off soapbox*

So, The Art of Wrote (a work by Sun Tzu’s more hedonistic cousin). I’m assuming that some -if not most- of you are either participating in NaNoWriMo or working on a project independently (totally rad dude, me too!). With that in mind, I’m assuming that you have encountered some pitfalls as well. Being as self-involved as I am, I’d like to talk about one that I’ve most recently been plagued with.

*dims lights*

The process of writing -in any form is a literal pain in the ass. We write, we edit, we re-read (until we’re blue in the nether regions), all to serve the purpose of finishing the damn thing. Angry metaphors aside, it’s a beautiful process – but it’s also one that’s all too easy to become adamantly obsessed over.

Most recently I’ve found myself caught in the maze of structural obsession. The story works, the plot tracks, the characters (at least the main ones) are; strong, relatable and charismatic. With that being said -I HATE the f**kin’ thing. Let me explain why.

The constant babblings of the creative mind are built on unwavering dissatisfaction. The story can’t just be good, it can’t just be great, IT MUST BE THE GREATEST THING EVER PRODUCED BY MORTAL HANDS (and that includes Caitlyn Jenner’s most recent plastic surgery.#justkiddin’). This dissatisfaction can cause us to ruminate over errors that don’t exist and problems that may not necessarily be the END OF THE WORLD. When we hit these walls, we must learn to step away from the keyboard – and take a breather.

This isn’t to say that the time away should be indefinite -as a matter of fact, a day or two should do the trick. The pit of obsession is a positive thing as long as you allow it to be solely that. The instant that it begins to drag you down -it’s time to recalibrate, recollect, and then hit the work with fresh eyes and an open mind – more often than not- it turns out that the problem you truly had, was moving forward with the story (or possibly anxiety about how it should end).

Take a minute to reassess what you’ve done, and if all looks well move forward. Remember, you’ve got all the time in the world to get it right – but the clock tends to stop ticking once you’ve fallen victim to the whim of stagnation. Keep in mind that at this point in your process it’s probably best to hold off on seeking feedback (people tend to be over-opinionated ass-hats). A completed work is way more difficult to use as a tool of dissuasion than one that you have doubts about.

Never be afraid to take a needed hiatus, so long as you’re strict with when you MUST return to continue. Have confidence in yourself and your ability to write this story in a way that only YOU can. And for those of you looking at this as an excuse to procrastinate -KNOCK IT OFF AND GET BACK IN THAT DAMN CHAIR!

Creativity is waiting. A lot of times it’s waiting elsewhere than in your artistic obsession. Give it the attention that it deserves (and seriously, COME BACK!!!!).

See you kiddies on Monday.

Enjoy your weekend ,

-Antwan Crump.