With friends like these....

So this is something I don't see a lot of posts about...

Late last year - when I went back to Discovery, I hooked up with an old and dear friend. We both started film school at the same time, both started working in the industry at the same time, and he produced a lot of commercials that I directed for many years. We have worked together a lot.

This guy - Lets call him Blair - while probably being the smartest one in my group of friends - was never really much of a writer. Way more of a critic. Even with a literature degree and being one of the best read guys I knew. He always was ready with a one liner or a little quip - and he loved Woody Allen. But he never really got off his butt and wrote.

When I was getting ready to go out to LA to deliver a couple "takes" on projects - I started meeting with Blair again. He is now a producer for a Government agency - selling propaganda to children in the form of television. As we ate - we would take my ideas or stories and destroy them - and then build them back up - until they were actually a story.

Blair has a great grasp of what to do as only one who has never done could have...

But as we did this for my stories - he was encouraged to see that if an idiot like me could get a script out there that was getting notice - he would actually get off his own red ass and write himself.

And - amazingly... Different from 99% of people... He actually did!

Blair finished his first draft in January and is in the middle of fixing his creation. Through accountability with a friend - he cranked out 5 pages a day. And he also helped me crank through my script - the one I should be getting notes on from my agents today....

The point is this.

Writing is a lonely, isolated exercise. It is the life of the mind. And if you want to get better - get outside your mind... Find a friend. Another writer - or two... And get together with them regularly. Tell them you ideas - and let them mock you. And help you. And you will get better. Make them hold you accountable.

The deal with Blair and I was - 5 pages a day. Emailed to each other before bed. We really didn't read them - just made sure they were there - until the first draft was done. No criticism till then - and once it is finished - then trash it.

It is amazing what can get done. If you get blocked - call your friend.

New doors will open when they tell you such gems of encouragement as:

"Get off your ass and write, pussy."

"Stop whining, ya Nancy. Start typing."

"You kiss your wife with that mouth?"

You get the picture...

With friends like these.....