Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The Blue Tooth Virgin

Say What? It's the name of a movie, people, and not one of those movies, get your minds out of the gutter. The description of the movie is . . .

Two writers must face a dilemma that is common to anyone who has ever had an artistic friend: what happens when you have to give feedback, and the news isn't good? Sam, an aspiring screenwriter, and David, a successful magazine editor, have been friends for years. When David doesn't appreciate Sam's latest script, it opens a fissure in their friendship, one that spreads through the rest of their lives. Ultimately, both men must reevaluate their motivations to write, their need for praise and validation, and what it means to see yourself as you actually are.

We may not have American Writer Idol or America's Got Writer Talent, or even Writer Town on Facebook. Shows like Castle with Nathan Fillion and Murder, She Wrote with Angela Lansbury have very little to with writing, even though the main characters are writers.

The Blue Tooth Virgin (okay, I'm sorry, but how in the heck did they come up with that title??) description sounds . . . well . . . very accurate.

I mean, haven't we all reevaluated our motivations to write, our need for praise and validation, and what it means to see ourselves as we actually are???

Don't we, in the dark of the night or the light of the day, sometimes wonder if all this angst, frustration, querying, rejection, is really worth it in the end?

Aren't there days when we just say enough is enough, no more??

Don't we all stiffen our backs when we read the first critique of our work and get all defensive?

Well, I can probably answer most of those questions with a resounding YES! Then, I can sit back, and say I love what I do and I'm not going to stop.

Am I willing to sacrifice friendships or relationships for my writing?

NO! NOT A CHANCE! NO WAY!!

There is a fine line between loving what I do, and letting that love get in the way of a person's honest opinion of my writing.

Every now and then, I write CRAP! YES! I! DO! It happens.

Still, I put myself, and my writing out there, to friends and even strangers, because - hits head on desk a few times to make point - the opinions of others, even harsh critiques, help me to look at my work with different eyes, perhaps clearer eyes.

In the end, I'm doing what I do because I love to do it. How about you? Also, what do you think of the description of the movie? Is it accurate? Have you been there, done that?

S

p.s. I might add, that the above description sounds like the perfect pitch! Hmmmm . . . perhaps people struggling with their pitches should re-read that description . . . a few gazillion times! Yes, that would be me!

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Seriously...I LOVE Castle...there are tons of writer jokes in it!!!

Unknown said...

Yeah...weird title.

But so true about evaluating friends!!

Michelle D. Argyle said...

Still, I put myself, and my writing out there, to friends and even strangers, because - hits head on desk a few times to make point - the opinions of others, even harsh critiques, help me to look at my work with different eyes, perhaps clearer eyes.

Ah, that's just how I feel. Thank you for sharing this. Yes, that's a weird title.

Scott said...

Marybeth - I like Castle also, but rarely get a chance to watch it!

Beth - agree. I know friends disagree about things all the time, but to totally reevaluate . . . geesh. If my friends can't be honest with me, who can?

Lady Glamis - you're welcome. I still can't believe that title. I wonder how much importance 'blue tooth' technology plays in the film??

Rebecca Knight said...

Amen, Scott! Besides, if one criticism can stop you from being a writer... then maybe you weren't a writer to start with, you know?

Elana Johnson said...

Very true on the whole critting thing. I've been torn apart so many times, I barely flinch when I get a critique now. And that's good. Because my future agent is going to expect me to make my writing better. As is my future editor. I have to be able to take critiques and improve my writing and the book.

Anonymous said...

Struggling with their pitches?? Say what? :) My internet is out again today and still NO email! Grrrr

Okay, I'm breathing now. Ahhh Minds in the gutter? Huh? Us? :)

Weird title for sure.

But you hit the nail on the head. We all do this because we absolutely love to do it. And we wouldn't, we couldn't imagine us not doing it. So we tarry on, through the critiques that might say, "Uh, I know you can do better than this." Yeah, I've been told that before. And you know what? She was right. And I knew it. So the description of the movie was, well, uh, yeah, pretty right on. Been there done that. But I would never sacrifice family or anything for the writing. Even though I love it so. Great post! Thanks pal! :)