Dan Harmon raps about writing and drawing cartoons

One of the funniest things I’ve found on the Interwebs this year. Dan Harmon raps about Rick and Morty’s third season at a Harmontown session. (Wipes tears of laughter from eyes.)

Inspirational writing advice from Charlie Kaufman

Charlie Kaufman gave a lecture back in 2011 emphasizing that the priority of a writer is writing first, and marketing second. Unfortunately these days it’s all about marketing first, and writing second. In a world drowning in self published books, we’re forced into marketing and branding in the vain hope of building an audience. Indie authors know only too well the pain of being told that apart from delivering a novel (a Herculean task), we need to worry about social media platforms, growing a mailing list, maintaining blogs, and targeting the correct audience with the correct genre. Only then will we make boatloads of cash and be able to quit our day jobs. Oh, and if you’re a published author, congratulations, but you’ll still have to market your book because the publisher won’t do it for you.

It’s a peculiar aspect of our time when an author is forced to have a secondary career as a marketing expert.

Mr. Orwell

“Mr. Orwell must have wasted a lot of energy trying to be a novelist. I think I must have read three or four novels by him and the only impression these dreary books left on me was that nature didn’t intend him to be a novelist.”

Q.D. Leavis, 1940

Actual time management advice that seems more helpful. Introducing: Instant Gratification Monkey and The Panic Monster

There are lots of time management videos and articles out there. I should know, I’ve probably read all of them while I avoided doing actual work. They are also vaguely sanctimonious and tell you that if you really valued your time, you’d find a way to do that stuff that’s important to you. Loser.

Tim Urban’s video about the horrors of long term procrastination is far more relevant, more forgiving, and funnier. Tim’s blog, ‘Wait But Why’ is here for anyone wanting to read more.\

Meditation on success type things

 Mari Andrew, writer and illustrator, sums up her feelings about success, with a successful illustration.

http://bymariandrew.com/writing

Adam Savage Shows the Creative Process Through a Strandbeest Build (or, Things Go Wrong)

I love that Adam Savage always shows his projects from beginning to end and that he’s happy to show that working from the concept through to the final design isn’t always a smooth process. There will be issues. Measurements will be wrong. The concept may not work as envisioned. It takes longer than expected. Corrective action may be needed just as it seems like the project is finished. In other words: this is normal. Whether you’re building software, composing music, painting or working on a book, you’re going to run into problems. This doesn’t mean you’re a terrible creative and you should stop. It’s part of the process, so don’t sweat it. Just get up early in the morning after inspiration strikes, make your adjustments, and finish.

The Writer's Reaction to Their Manuscript (In Pictures)

 

I can’t believe I wrote a

whole book! It’s SO big. It’s

like, a whole ream of paper.

I’m so awesome.

Hmmmm... This manuscript is

really big. I’ve got a bit of work ahead of me.

Oh God. What have I done?