How do you not go crazy?

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  • How do you not go crazy?

    When you're writing like 10 hours a day for weeks on end to finish by a deadline, how do you keep sane?

    My writing partner and I have to do 3 assignments back to back to back and I find myself losing my mind after a while. Eventually I can't tell up from down, left from right. I have no idea if what I wrote sucks or not. When I hand stuff in I look like a fat version of Tom Hanks in Castaway.

    I eventually start to get paranoid that my script has no story, no flow... it's just a million little pieces cobbled together in a giant incohesive mess. I'll compare it to other scripts by writers I admire and they make it look easy. "Bet they wrote it in like a week" I'll grumble as I stand in line at Subway again. I look at my script and all I see is what looks like the matrix... just code streaming away.

    I don't see any way around this other than stepping away from the work for a while but it's not an option on a deadline. Just wondering if the same thing happens to anyone else.

  • #2
    Re: How do you not go crazy?

    In the time it took you to post this and hang around for answers you could've jogged around the block. Gotten fresh air in your lungs. Done something active but mindless (jogging, powerwalking, biking) where your subconscience can work on it. It'll be fresher and clearer when you come back to it.

    Good luck Go forth, clear your head. Also, organize what has to be done each day -- if you know you've got this day to do 10 pages of project X, then don't let all other crap you've got to "eventually do" cloud your mind. You don't have to worry about all that other stuff right now. Today you've only got to slay these 10 pages (or whatever it is).

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    • #3
      Re: How do you not go crazy?

      Have a schedule. Treat it like work.
      GET OUT once in a while

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: How do you not go crazy?

        Originally posted by Filmfelinemeowmeow View Post
        Have a schedule. Treat it like work.
        GET OUT once in a while
        ditto.






        nb, you're using up all of the winks feline. There's only 132 out of the orig. 200 left, we'll have to send out for a new box.

        "yeah, 200 winks please and make it snappy!"
        Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

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        • #5
          Re: How do you not go crazy?

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: How do you not go crazy?

            Sanity is way over rated. I find a good bowel clearing works wonders.
            TRIAL FORUMS

            ​
            ​

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            • #7
              Re: How do you not go crazy?

              I'm thinking I might try to get more exercise. I do go on some walks but maybe I need something more vigorous.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: How do you not go crazy?

                Unless you have family i.e., are married, have kids, CHERISH the hectic, working until you're exhausted feeling. Cherish it. Sure, yeah get out of your head, get out of your writing space, physical activity, just enough to freshen up. But given the ebb and flow of life, the economy and this industry who knows when you'll have the opportunity again. Enjoy the f-ck out of it.

                For me I hate the time between scripts. I don't have enough time or brains to cure cancer, aids, or the economy and my personal relationships pretty much suck, so, yeah, the down time sucks ass for me. I'd rather be bleeding on my keyboard than in between "finished" script and the next outline.

                Done Deal flash mob anyone?
                Last edited by Ire; 12-07-2011, 02:50 PM.
                #writinginaStarbucks #re-thinkingmyexistence #notanotherweaklogline #thinkingwhatwouldWilldo

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                • #9
                  Re: How do you not go crazy?

                  Originally posted by Recreant View Post
                  When you're writing like 10 hours a day for weeks on end to finish by a deadline, how do you keep sane?
                  I don't understand. Why would you want to keep sane?

                  If you think sanity is your friend, you're in the wrong business. It's about channeling.
                  "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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                  • #10
                    Re: How do you not go crazy?

                    Doggies.
                    Chicks Who Script podcast

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: How do you not go crazy?

                      Moderation and balance. You need to pace yourself. I used to think that having all day to write would result in more productivity, but most brains don't work that way. At least mine doesn't. I get a variety of things done in less time by planning ahead. It's not about a lot of time but quality time.
                      sigpic

                      It's ruff bein' me.

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                      • #12
                        Re: How do you not go crazy?

                        master... a hobby.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: How do you not go crazy?

                          Originally posted by Angeloworx View Post
                          master... a hobby.

                          So true!
                          Never mistake motion for action. ~Ernest Hemingway

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                          • #14
                            Re: How do you not go crazy?

                            Skyrim and booze...
                            Ring-a-ding-ding, baby.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: How do you not go crazy?

                              Originally posted by Recreant View Post
                              When you're writing like 10 hours a day for weeks on end to finish by a deadline, how do you keep sane?

                              My writing partner and I have to do 3 assignments back to back to back and I find myself losing my mind after a while. Eventually I can't tell up from down, left from right. I have no idea if what I wrote sucks or not. When I hand stuff in I look like a fat version of Tom Hanks in Castaway.

                              I eventually start to get paranoid that my script has no story, no flow... it's just a million little pieces cobbled together in a giant incohesive mess. I'll compare it to other scripts by writers I admire and they make it look easy. "Bet they wrote it in like a week" I'll grumble as I stand in line at Subway again. I look at my script and all I see is what looks like the matrix... just code streaming away.

                              I don't see any way around this other than stepping away from the work for a while but it's not an option on a deadline. Just wondering if the same thing happens to anyone else.
                              Yeah, that happens to me too, but unlike everyone else in this thread, I don't take this as a sign to jog, relax, get a hobby, take a walk or breathe deeply.

                              I take it as a sign that I'm doing too many jobs.

                              Understand that we all have a pace at which we do our best work. That internal pace is part of your writing DNA. There are writers who can and should write more than me in a year. There are writers who must and should write less than me in a year.

                              If you start losing it, that's a sign that you're working too fast on too much.

                              Showers and jogging aren't going to solve that.

                              TAKING LESS WORK IS, and that's a very, very, very difficult thing to wrap your mind around, because we're hungry people who don't ever know if this will be our last meal or not.

                              Still, there's no faster way to ensure famine than turning in bad work. You're better off paring the work down to a reasonable amount that lets you take the time to show off just how good you are.

                              That will get you more work, and hopefully at a higher price.

                              Bite off more than you can chew, and it ceases to be writing at some point, and rather turns into an increasingly desperate ****-shoveling process. Trust me, the readers will notice.

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