I find that writing at Korean Spas motivate me. I usually like going to places where I can spend more than three hours at. Some spas in the area have a time limit. The ones I like to write at - Wi Spa, Spa Place, Imperial Spa, Irvine Spa - do not. So that means I can write and grab some food when I have a heavy deadline coming up. When I have this much to do, I sometimes head out of town and do a mini writing retreat. I didn't have time to do that this week, so I decided that I would do a "staycation" DIY writing retreat.
The first two days were very productive. I got 65 pages revised on Sunday. About 16 revised yesterday. And today…? Well, I finished the play. I didn't give myself pressure, but I knew that I really wanted to finish today. Because, of course, I have more writing to do. I turned in a ten minute play that's being produced in October. That was due yesterday. I have this reading this weekend. And then I have a pilot I want to finish this week, so that I can show it to my manager before retrograde sets in on the 30th. Then I can use the retrograde period to focus on teaching and getting other shit done.
I woke up this morning a little sleepy. I knew I wanted to finish the play today. But when I give myself a concrete goal and I'm hard on myself to get motivated, I usually don't succeed. I have to trick myself into thinking I have all the time in the world. Being gentle with myself is usually a better tactic than being difficult.
I got to Imperial Health Spa in Fullerton around 10:30 AM this morning. I checked in and went straight to the sauna and steam room. By noon, I hadn't started writing. I was relaxing and trying to make up. I was also checking out a few cute dudes. But I decided that I needed to get my work day started, otherwise, I wouldn't accomplish anything today.
I brought some food with me and headed upstairs to the VIP lounge, which was deserted. That meant I could eat my contraband food without being caught and I could spread out and work in peace. I forgot to bring my headphones with me, which usually means it's hard for me to concentrate. But I just convinced myself that I didn't need them. I brought out my food and ate as I worked. I worked from the script and made handwritten notes. I wrote a bunch of questions for myself - hoping that the routine of writing down notes would inspire some brilliant solutions to this rewrite.
I knew I had to write a scene between two characters that was meant to be poignant. It was a scene that definitely was missing from the play. I realized that one of the characters introduced in the last third of the play would be driving most of this action. I decided to go with it. I liked where all of it was going. I didn't think about everything I needed to get done. I just kept forging ahead.
At about 1:30, I had gotten as far as I could before getting to the end of the play. I had written a note for myself earlier that the last nine pages of the play don't make any sense to me. So when I got to those last nine pages, I stopped. I wrote an email to my director and producers asking for help. Just asking for help allowed me to relax and not hit a wall. I basically said, "Tell me what to do." They told me to trust my gut. That wasn't going to help! In ending stupid emails, I relaxed about the whole process. Then I headed into the ice room at the spa, which is just like a giant refrigerator. It's cool enough where I could bring my phone and a pack of chocolate covered blueberries. I started writing notes on those last nine pages and suddenly it came alive.
When I start a rewrite, I usually try to cut things I know don't work. Trimming isn't really work, but it feels like work. I feel like I'm actually getting something done by getting rid of the fat. Then I'm in a rhythm, deleting material and when it's time to come up with new stuff, I'm already warmed up. After I cut things, I started going in. There was a huge section at the end that I wrote for the first rehearsal two weeks ago that I knew didn't work. I got rid of it. I added a scene I didn't expect to add between two brothers. And I told a story at the end I didn't expect to tell. I wrote in the margins and on the backs of pages. When I closed my notebook, I thought - "Maybe I have it."
I went to the computer and started typing. I'm usually friendly, so I had guys coming up to me to talk. They're strangers, so I can't yell at them like I can at people who are close to me. So I had to just ignore them and keep going. I just cut and added things based on the notes in my script. Soon I reached the end and I was done! Holy fuck nuts! I double checked some things and then emailed my director and producers. Then the script went out to the actors.
Stats on today:
Location: Imperial Spa in Fullerton
Hours: 6
Pages: 19
Now this is Part One, because now I need to switch gears to a pilot I'm working on. I don't know if I'm going to leave or go and grab dinner somewhere and then get back to working. I'm going to stick around and see if a nap and a break will make me ready to tackle this pilot. I'm hoping I can at least start making a plan. I hope there's a sequel to this post.
My intention is to start the next script today.
My intention is to nap.
My intention is to keep going and work somewhere else tomorrow.
My intention is to let it all go and let the Universe handle things.
My intention is fun.
I am grateful for finishing.
I am grateful for a dedicated space and time.
I am grateful for my collaborators who push me gently.
I am grateful that I have finished two scripts this week so far.
I am grateful that I feel hopeful that I can get the pilot done.
No comments:
Post a Comment