Let’s say it again – the PRIMARY challenge of writing well is NOT constructing a great story. That’s a very good start. No, the primary challenge is to TELL that story well.
A good analogy is the funeral wake or the wedding party when a great family anecdote is primed to go and instead of Cousin Terry rising to tell it, he’s beaten to the punch by Auntie Minny. A collective groan resounds around the room as Minny grabs the microphone and mumbles, “Do you um, remember, hello everybody, um when she, do you remember…” – Minny kills it everytime. But Minny trips on a poodle, her chin hits a mahogany sideboard and she’s out for the count. The crowd screams with joy.
Terry rises slowly to his feet with a dry expression – the crowd guffaws and Terry hasn’t said a thing – but the anticipation is enough – Terry tells it great.
Well, if you’re a writer, a director, a creative producer, an actor – that’s our job. We’ve got to be Terry.
And what has Terry got that Minny aint?
Rhythm.
Have you got rhythm? Well it can be tricky to know when you’re sitting tapping away in your bedroom or a cafe or jotting in a notebook on the tube/the bus/the train.
Rhythm only really plays when there’s an audience. So get one. Read/perform your stuff out to friends. Better still, get them to read it to you.
Make little films, write plays, dance, make up stories for your kids at bedtime – or think about joining one of our programmes – we practice everyday. Practice rhythm. Practice enough and, if you haven’t got it now – you’ll get it.
And if you want to be inspired, check Evelyn Glennie at this link. If you haven’t come across her before, Evelyn is a phenomenal percussionist and all the more astonishing as she’s deaf. Listen to her talk about listening and rhythm – and play!