Thursday, June 7, 2012

Don't Think, Just Do!


I was listening to an NPR interview with author Sam Weller on the subject of Ray Bradbury.  It was a remembrance of the man who wrote The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451 and many, many other books and who died on June 5th. Weller penned The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury and in the process became a friend of Bradbury’s. 

There were little particles of interesting information; for instance, that Bradbury had never driven a car in his life because he witnessed a car accident as a fourteen-year old or that he never wrote with an outline, but instead felt that he was simply a medium for his characters and trusted them to fill the pages. 

I became very engrossed in the interview, enjoying it thoroughly through to the end, but was struck by one thing in particular.  Ray Bradbury used to quote Yoda, from Star Wars, to Weller, saying, “Don’t think, just do!”  He contended that we writers had a tendency to over-analyze and also found that many writers spent more time whining about how difficult writing was than actually writing.  He had contempt for the “intellectual, New York writer set” that brooded, in his opinion.

I came home and sat down, after having brooded for nearly a month, and straight out of the box wrote the first page of a novel I’ve been noodling about for some time. It’s good and like Bradbury, I just let go and let the characters do the work.

I had forgotten how to do this. But every time I slip into this mode of writing it works for me. I think I’ve been over-analyzing because my marketing side has been so prominent lately.  But, whatever  the reason (I don’t want to waste time analyzing it!), Bradbury’s simple joke rang true for me. I’ve posted a reminder on the wall next to my laptop.

Don’t think, just do!

P.S. Bradbury also said, according to Weller, “Jump off the cliff, and build your wings on the way down.” Maybe I’m really Bradbury’s long lost love child.

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for remembering Ray Bradbury. He was my hero. I knew I wanted to write after reading The Martian Chronicles. If a writer wants to really learn the craft of beautiful prose and elegant story telling, he or she just needs to use Ray Bradbury as a guide.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've always admired him, and have determined that I need to go back and re-read The Martian Chronicles - nearly 30 years later. Also, I hate to admit this but I never read Fahrenheit 451 - so I have another to read soon.

      Delete
  2. Other authors may inspire you to write, but I am careful about looking to them for guidance in how to write. For example, Mickey Spillane, a hugely successful and prolific author, advised that you can't begin to write until you know the ending. He added many good reasons for this. His advice seemed so sound that I stopped what I was doing immediately because I didn't know where my story was headed. (Forget for a moment that the ending of my first novel was a total surprise.) Then I came across a quote from E.L. Doctorow (another author I admire) who said that you can never see beyond the illumination of your headlights when driving at night and yet you still arrive. (Yep, I'm writing again.) Sheesh!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know what you mean, Jack. I always know the beginning and the ending before I begin writing. It's the road in between where the characters lead me. I have to use an Excel Spreadsheet though to track the ideas that they give me, so I don't forget to add them in at the right time. Apparently, Excel was something Bradbury would have scoffed at!

      Delete
  3. I love it when a piece of wisdom just kicks in and works for you like that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have these little epiphanies from, as you say, a bit of wisdom and my life takes a different direction from it. That's why I'm so fond of quotes, especially on Twitter.

      Delete
  4. Terrific post! Ray Bradbury was one of a kind, indeed! I've never used an outline, either. Organizational behavior gives me hives.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL - You made me chuckle. I flip-flop between the organizational side and the artistic side, which rejects the other side, etc. etc. They are constantly at battle. I make Excel spreadsheets and the artist in me rebels in horror.

      Delete
  5. Ray Bradbury has always been a hero of mine. His little book, Zen In the Art of Writing has become an ispiration to me. He may be gone of this place but his words and live live on!

    I have learned to let my muse lead me and write knowning it's not me but words that flow through me.

    Wonderful post, Kathy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will have to explore that book! I really want to read Sam Weller's book now, too.

      Delete