 Because, right? Right? I'm sorry. I'm having one of those private moments in public, which is not a good idea. So, yeah, I'm looking, there it is. There's my timer. Are we ready? Am I ready? We are ready if you're ready. It's watched me work. I hope everybody had a good, however long it was that we were away. It's been other work done. It's watched me work. I'm SLP, the writer and resident at the public theater. We've been doing watch me work for 11 years. And I think in this COVID time, when we were, we're kind of going every day for weeks. And then we've done as many sessions as we did every week. I don't know how to say that. Anyway, we've been doing this a lot lately. And it's been fun. I've been having a wonderful time. So what we do is we first we thank the public theater and think how around because they have been supporting us and making this beautiful thing happen. So given love to the public theater and to howl around. And we work for 20 minutes together and then I answer your questions about your creative process and your work. So it's basically all about you. That's what we're here for. And if you have a question, Audrey will tell you how to answer it. Thanks, SLP. So if you have a question, you're inside of the zoom. All you need to do is click on the participant tab. Likely at the bottom of your screen if you're on a laptop at the top of your iPad or a tablet, there's a raise your hand button in the participant tab that you click on it'll raise your little blue hand and I'll call on you. Thank you for that time. If you are watching on howl round TV, you can ask us a question by tweeting at us at at watch me work SLP with the hashtag howl round which is H O W L R O U N D, or you can tweet us at public theater and why, or you can write to the public theaters, Instagram. And those are all the ways. And yeah, we are we are holding space and keeping faith and having some fun. So here we go for 20 minutes. You can't see it's weird the sun coming in what's going on this like this light. There it is anyway. Thank you. Look like a cookie. You do look like a cookie. Those cookies. My favorite kind of cookies. I love those. They're called there's a name for those cookies. Yummy. Yes. Hi. Are you ready. Yes, ma'am. Let's do it. All right, Melania. Oh, she's gone. We'll come back if you have. Oh, she's back. All right, don't worry. Here you go. Melania, are you still. I'm here. I pressed the wrong button. Hello, Susan. There are so many buttons in this thing. Hey, first of all, I miss you. Oh, likewise. Yes, I miss you a lot. So I am so happy to be here. And I would like to share that you know that the last time we talked, I was saying, I was thinking about sharing what I am doing. I was in this mentality of all or nothing. And you told me about, you know, going slower and talking and I am doing that I am opening myself and telling my, my journey with all that I trust. Very, very nice. And there was something, something that happened to me that was a surprise during the quarantine. I was in, I am in contact with the singer and the puppeteer from Argentina. This person, but we are with social media chatting and talking and I never told her that I write. Never. But there was a puppet that she has and she's looking for a name for the puppet. So I gave names and ideas, but because I love to write. So I gave ideas and she replied to me, Melania, you should write scripts. Your ideas are so fun. And I said, exactly. So I said to her, yes, I love to do that. That's what I do. And before coming to this stage, I'm going to have a very short version of my situation. And she said, okay, when you have time, if you want to share some ideas, I am interested. And this is the person that I really respect and admire. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Susan. It's because of you. Thank you. It's because of you. It's all the hard work you're doing and all the joy you're bringing to it. Oh, thank you. On the back. Because of you. That means they love you. I'm so happy for you. I am very happy also. And today, another thing that happened that we talked about together here in watch me work was that you remember in my church, they have this summer camp and they asked me for intros and outros. Right. And I wrote them and today, with my triggers, we were watching the summer camp virtual summer camp and they look at me because they knew what I was doing. And they said, mommy, those people are saying things that you wrote. And in that moment, the blessing was like, everything came together. My daughter, my writing, a moment of such joy. And I was in the middle of that thinking God and saying, thank God for Susan Lori Park and all the watch me work. Because without this group, without you. We don't work with them and send them and start joy. You know, it wasn't possible for me alone. And this community and you are everything. Well, so are you. Thank you. We're going to take that. Thank you so much. And like I say every day time, it's a circle, you know what I mean? We give to each other and we get stuff, you know, even if you never some people watch it and they never say anything, you know, I mean, you don't have to be vocal to be contributing. But always you've been so generous with what you're working on and all that and it's coming back to you. And that's, that's how it works. And I'm so glad to hear that. Thank you. I know it's magic. Really. All right. Up next, we've got Kendall. Hi, how are you? Happy Monday. Happy Monday. Um, okay, hang on. So this is, It's a question that makes sense in my head. I've been working on a series and a writing mentor I have has been telling me to gain a better sense of intent and focus with what I want to write that I need to just not get ahead of myself and not get ahead of myself. And just literally start outlining the first scene. And there's my problem. I'm not good at outlining because I'll write two sentences of an outline, but then I'll start writing the whole script and I'll lose my mind. And I know if I'm, if I'm right, you, you're a fan of outlining. That's what I've heard. That's great. Um, so how do you, do you have the problem where maybe you're writing something new and you start to outline and then you get way ahead of yourself. Or if you don't get ahead of yourself, how do you keep not getting ahead of yourself. Please help me. I'm dying over here. I think it's a great question, Kendall and we've all been there before. And some of you might have heard some ideas I'm going to say, but I'm going to repeat them. Have you tried Kendall have you tried outlining on three by five index cards. No, and I know in the, I know you love index cards. I have a thing for office supplies. Yeah. Kendall, I mean, the great thing about it. I'm guessing that for so far you've been outlining on by on the computer on the computer or I'll use all you I'll try to use like a notebook to try to get. Yeah, I'm like old fashioned. I like to do notebooks and then transfer what I think is juicy enough to a computer. Okay, great. So you're going to, you're going to use an index card and make sure it's a three by five index cards so you don't want an index card you know one of those big honkers, you know I'm saying. Sure. All little genius. Okay, I would suggest white with no lines. Okay, right. Just because it's kind of plain, you know you're not going to get distracted. It's going to be plain. It's going to hopefully calm you down. Lack of line won't feel like a straight jacket. So all these things are like, you know, we just want to get you into like, like you're looking into my soul right now just telling me what's there. That's my, that's my joyous job. Oh my God. Your soul is my soul, Kendall. You're going to make me cry. Oh, bless you, bless you. So you're going to get yourself some three by five index cards. Okay, to with no lines, if you can, you're going to, you, I'm glad you like handwriting. And you're going to just do scene by scene on the index card and the great thing is is that on an index card you can't go on and on and on and on and on right you can just just meet at the scene like this is a scene where such and such and this is not happens. And it, then the next thing I see in my mind because it's a screen, it's a teleplay right it's a series right the next thing I seen I see is this and this and this, and you just are writing these kind of snapshots down on the scenes on the on the index cards. Right. Yeah. Okay, so that will help you. That will help you not rain in or control your creative urge to write a lot. That'll help you. Let's think of it as you're keeping the lid on the pot, because you want to generate a really good boil. Right. So we're not saying control yourself or hold back or anything like that. I'm just saying, or it's like, let's say dating. It's more fun cooking. So you go on a first date with somebody, you know, you meet him online. That's how I met my husband. So it's cool. You meet him online. You know, I mean, you could give him everything you got on the first date. Tell him all your stories and give him your thing thing and all that. But you know, it's much better if you kind of wait. Right. You're right. Right out. You're right. Little bit at a time. Okay, so you got your index cards. You're going to write one scene on an index card. Okay. Okay. And, and, and resist the urge to write, you know, go on and on 10 index cards later, you're on the scene too, you know, just a snapshot kindle. Perfect. It's going to help you become a better writer. Okay. All right. Thank you so much. It's fun. This is so good. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks. Oh, all right. Next we've got Charles. Hey guys. Yes, thank you. Good. Good. I've been coming to class without my video because I was taking my tanning outside. And I didn't want you guys to see me tanning. So that's why we really are you serious? Yeah, I was writing outside like enjoying the sun in California and but you know, I don't want you guys to see me without my outfit from the top. So I was like, thank you. Thank you. We would have been like, Oh my goodness. It's not like the war or something. Yes, exactly, exactly. Actually, I have today I'm going to ask a different question but I'm going to go back that project because so my friend. He offered me he's African American and he offered me. The story of Anansi, the folklore story from Anansi. And my question is, do you think I, what's your, what's your point on on characters folklore characters do we need the right for them. Do we need to take the rights or not. It's tricky Anansi the spider right is that exactly. Yeah, I my feeling is that with respect and grace. Folklore characters are, you know, like, I'm not a lawyer but I my guest would be folklore characters in the public domain. Okay, and their old tales and so you handle them with respect and grace it's like, it's like a beautiful thing that you're you know great great great great. Yeah, he's dealing with the old culture because he's African American like I'm like, dude, I will help with the you know writing and about you take care of all this. Oh, great. Okay, I think, I think it's, I think it's public domain that's what I think but I think a lawyer would have a. Thank you so much professional opinion. Thank you Susan and I'll get you another question this week so be ready for me. Thank you, thank you, right. It's so important. Next we've got Nick. Hi. Wow, this is happening. Long time watcher first time participating. Yeah, so I have, I do a lot of hip hop theater work, and I have a play I've been working on for years, I've gotten to do like a nice little run of it. I've gotten to do an updated draft I feel really good about where it's at. Of course the one problem I have is I cannot get a good synopsis down like actually two sentence, three sentence kind of thing that gets the gist of the play out there. And I'm a little lost on that. Okay, so how do so how do we write how do you write a good synopsis. Okay. So, right so I mean, I'm sure you're an improv. I'm sure you've tried 100 different ways to do it. Oh yeah, you're willing to try shit. Right. You've actually gotten in an elevator you have an elevator in your building I'm guessing you're in New York where are you man. I'm in Brooklyn. We only have stairs it's like a three story apartment. Great, what floor you on. Third. Great. Can you walk up the stairs. Great. I mean you have you have the ability. Great. So go downstairs. And tell yourself the story. It's not an elevator pitch because you don't have no elevator and I don't want you to go to an elevator with COVID and risk your life. Okay, but why don't you try walking up the stairs, you know, try with a friend. If you also you get your cardio which is doubly good. Right. So go upstairs with a friend or by yourself and talk to yourself out loud. Okay, so this is what my plays about. There's this guy, there's this woman there's this jackalope, and they're watching that. Right. Try it. Try it get your body do you have you involved your body in the in the writing of this synopsis. No, not yet, but there you go. What we do what we do is, I mean it's not just some bullshit thing, although it might be but what what I'm trying to what I'm encouraging you to do is engage another part of your brain. So in walking up the stairs, you're actually doing. You're telling your brain hope right, but you make helping your brain fire across itself, right. You're also actually using your legs, not just sitting at your desk going. Hmm, right. You're actually probably working up a little bit of a sweat or getting your heart rate going and your brain might start firing on different cylinders and gets you out of the rut and gets you into a group. You know what I mean? So it's an actual thing. It's like you've you've you've heard, you know, famous writers they they go for walks and get ideas and all that. But right now we're going to have you walk up the stairs and talk out loud telling your synopsis you want three sentences right. Yeah. This is it. And before you know the word, you're an improv guy. You can just do gobbledygook. Like when Paul McCartney wrote yesterday, he was saying scrambled eggs. You know that like when children learn to talk, they just go. So you're just going to go gobbledygook what you want to say, and then you can and in the end. That's your synopsis. You're going to find the right words. Okay, it's fun. And if it doesn't work, you at least get your steps in. Yeah, that's, thank you. Thanks, Nick. I don't do shit like that all the time, man. I have a I play the I play, I play the violin. Right. So my violin teacher says, when you're worried about getting the right notes, instead of concentrating on the finger in hand, concentrate on the bowing hand. Right. And the right notes are just there. Right. So it's just trying to activate different parts of your brain. So we'll see and report back to us. We want to see if that works. All right, up next you've got Larry. The roar bori Alice. Yes. How's the directing going. Slow distant. Thank you. I am trucking along. So things are good. I have a character who you know those people who you just can't argue with their they use words and they're so eloquent, you just cannot keep up. And what I want to work with a character like that. But of course that means that that person has to use words better than me. I'm trying to write a character who's kind of a better writer than I am. And I particularly because you're trying to make all of your characters speak in an interesting way to then take to already struggle for that and then have a character who's supposed to sort of stand above that. So I'm finding myself. A little stuck on like how to get myself to be a better writer visit. There's that. There's a line in this Mac Wellman play where he's talks about she how Shakespeare is used as a cudgel to beat down our contemporaries. And so I just, I'm thinking a lot about, you know, how do you how do you transcend the writer you are to write better than you know how to write. And I'm not like blocked like I'm writing but it's just not elevated enough and I'm wondering how you ever have had that experience of needing to like kick it up. Right. That's interesting. Let's see. One of the answers is I, I pretty much probably never write better than I can, on any given day, you know I'm saying, and I, and that's okay. There are, if you have a character who is say more eloquent than you are. Right. It sounds like this character is more, maybe cooler than you maybe, you know, in any way different from you. Right. You've got to write for them and and it might not be directly from your own personal day to day experience. It might be from another place. You have to access that other place. It's funny, and I love Mack Welman the person and I love Mack Welman's work also he's an awesome guy and I've known him for a long time I love that line of his. That is one way of using Shakespeare. Another way of using Shakespeare is as a great inspirer. So a hammer can be hit over the head, something to hit yourself up the head with with a hammer you can also make a house. It's your choice, your choice, Larry, you know what I'm saying every day we have a choice. Right. And so you can use your wonderful idea for this awesome character as a vehicle to write in a certain way that perhaps you don't ordinarily right. Yeah, so you can have fun with it. I mean, have him say words that you don't even know what the meaning is he you don't have to write better. He just has to talk more eloquently, which means maybe he has dictionary talk. Well it's funny you just you just reminded me of what you said to the person asked the last question I'm sorry for your name. You. The character could essentially speak gibberish, because all that really needs to happen is that other character needs to feel a smarter. So you're sort of right that it sort of doesn't matter what he says it's about the effect he has on the other. No, you're right, Larry, because you just said that you just you just untangled it. There you go man. Now you're right there you go. Yeah, now you're right just be Charlie Brown walk walk walk walk walk walk. Yeah, $10 word $40 word back to the walk walk walk. Yeah, that's great. Yeah, it sounds like fun. Cool. No problem. Hold on everyone. Thanks Larry. All right, up next we've got Simone. Oh, okay. Oh, hi. Hey Simone. Are you are you there now. Yeah, I'm here I'm here sorry. Yeah, so, yeah, thank you very much for all this and great questions today too. Wow, well every day inspiring. Anyway, so my question to use. I'm collaborating with a friend of mine, who has just finished the first draft of her play, and she read it to me a few days ago, and so now she wants to take it and she wants to read it to some trusted readers. I was just wondering, what sort of questions, would she present to her trusted readers for feedback, like, rather just read it to people and you know they're going to come all from all over the place. What sort of questions, or how does she create the questions that she wants to get some answers towards the response of her play. More so than like, did you like it. Right. Yes. Right. Yes. Well, I mean, it might depend on good questions Simone it might depend on what she's concerned with like, and if she can, if she's concerned with the story being intelligible like, did you understand the story. You know, yeah it was a great story. It was a really great yeah. And did you and did the did you understand what the characters wanted and the characters motivations. You know, yes, anything bump you like speed bump, you know all of a sudden right something did anything kind of. I don't get that anything on character plot setting language dialogue anything. And for me, I felt that there was some scenes where there's too many characters that were just sort of like filling space up. That was one thing. Okay, and so there is that you know they were unnecessary in the telling of the story. And then I felt that there was some scenes that she was in a relationship like her characters development that she was really afraid to go too deep into it. So I could feel her holding back in the writing. So a question for her, or you know might be. Is there a way that you could go further with this character's relationship. And is there a way that you could make all the characters in this scene really meaningful to the story. You know what I mean. You see what I'm saying so it becomes a question that she can answer. Do you see what I'm saying. Does that make sense. It does. It does. I guess. My question was more like these are things I can go to her about, but if she's going to read it to other people. What is she, yeah, what is she looking for from them like right so we go back to what I was saying initially. She the writer would ask her audience. Is there anything that about the story they don't understand. Okay, you see what I mean those are all quick. Is there anything that bumps you that when you read it you didn't get. Do you understand my character's motivations. Do you understand what's happening in each scene. Is there any scene that I could do without. Is there any scene that is missing in the character development. You know, things like that just just basic just to generate a conversation those kinds of things. Okay, you know, okay that's great that makes sense okay. Yeah, good. Thank you. Thank you so much. All right, we actually don't have any questions at the moment about 10 minutes left. Oh, I lied. I lied so hard I'm so sorry. And I got the sun coming. Marta you're up next. Are you there. Hi. So my question is, and I hope this makes sense I don't even know if it does but like, what we, how do you let go of ideas that you've had but that eventually someone else executes, because I like a few months ago I was a little scarred by an experience where, like this idea I had, like a few years ago, and kind of forgot well started working on but then, you know, put aside, like, literally, like somebody else did exactly that to the point that I do believe, almost in like ideas having some, you know, consciousness or something and it was like what are you doing, I'm going to go to somebody who's more like on the case. And like, I think that's fine, because like, I think I'm sure, like, so many other people like I have more ideas than time to you know like ideas. Yeah, and I tried to do what you said of like a notebook where I write them down or, you know, different places where I write them and go back to the thing I'm trying to finish and all that but I'm trying to let go, because like I don't think I need to do all of them. But yeah, but like I'm scared all the time about, yeah, things that I that I'm like waiting to do next year or whatever. Yeah, that that will happen again and I don't want to think like that because like it doesn't feel generous. You should know what I mean but yeah. I know, I feel I think I think it's, it's, it's painful to have an idea, and then to kind of read online or whatever that somebody else has kind of been, you know, written it already been there done that. This, I'm guessing that this was not a person you know. No. Okay, great. So we're not in the lawsuit. No, and, and a lot of, yeah. A lot of these are things that like it's not a coincidence, it was something like they're things that other people might come up with like they're not about something that happened to me or super personal. Yeah. Yeah. So, so, so while it is painful. And you could use it as an opportunity to kick yourself, you know, down, right. You dummy it didn't get to it fast enough see what happens when you don't do it, you know, but up but up but you know we know that record, we run that in our head. And you could also use it as a, oh, oh, you better quick, you got to do everything immediately or someone's going to take, you know, write it before you do again. We can do that. Again, we can use a glare Shakespeare as a cudgel to beat ourselves with we can use what happens in were in the world. This person did not steal from you, but we could still use it as a way to make ourselves feel shitty or anxious. Or, or you can take the middle path, and you can say, okay ideas, like you said ideas float around. Mine come to me at the right time, and I manifest them when I have the time to work on them. And if you work, do your work every day, then the work you're going to be doing will be in sync with, you know, the bigger picture. You know what I mean. And you can let it you can just let the other stuff go, and be happy that it came to visit, you know, you, and know, and be happy for it that it got a life. You know what I mean, and know that good things come to your door. So whatever you're working on right now, work on it. Do you know what I mean, and know that it's a wonderful thing and it's going to be great when you get it finished you know. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, but we're all you know in this sort of atmosphere and ideas are whizzing around and, and it's okay. There are so many great wonderful things to write about or sing about or paint about or anything like that you know, and many people. So how many paintings of bridges have we seen or you know, there's one, you know, Georgia Keith paints flowers and so does Van Gogh and so does Romare Bearden, you know, lots of people paint pictures of people. And that doesn't mean that there's only one time to do it if you still want to do it you can also carry that idea through you know. Okay, so just use it as fuel, fuel. Okay. Yeah, thank you. Smart. We've got about five minutes left and we're going to go to Greg. Oh, hey, Greg. Hi. Hey everybody. I love you guys I haven't been here in a while and it's so nice to hear all your questions you're also brilliant. You kind of answered it actually in the last question but it's a I'll ask it anyway because I think you might have something interesting. I'm in flow right now like like I'm loving it I want to write I'm heading to my desk I'm like oh I got this you know and it's really really great. But for like a year. I have not been in flow. And I've been showing up. But I realize now that I'm in this space. That it wasn't about the showing up it was about that I had a wrong view about what I was doing. And it was confusing me. And so it was an insight into my view that actually shifted my process rather than showing up and now that I saw how like I see how close I've been to like flow. You know, all that whole year, and I was just obscured by my own unwillingness to acknowledge something. And so I'm wondering if you have any like practice that are if anyone has any practice that they do. That's more about like shifting perspective if you feel like you're stuck but you don't really know why, because now that I see what I was thinking incorrectly. It's just like the gates have burst open but somebody had to point it out to me, you know. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah, it does make sense and I. I mean I've come to the point in my career where I think it's all flow. It's nice. Yeah. It's not all easy though, Greg. If I can believe that it's all flow, just, I'm always on the river in the river. Sometimes it's difficult. Sometimes it's easier, but I'm always in the river. You know what I mean, and for me that perspective had to shift because, for example, I wrote top dog underdog in three days. Wow. And then what are you supposed to do after that walk around and go I'm a three day writer. Ha ha, fucking ha, right. The spirit goes, huh, right, right. And then the next play takes a year and a half to figure out. And then you go Oh no, I must be on the wrong track. Guess what, no, you're just on the track. Okay, see, so you've been in flow all the time all this time you've been in flow it's like that that that thing that people say you know God where were you in my time of trouble. You know, we've heard that story, you know, you've been in flow all this time, like Dorothy and her shoes yo, you know what I'm saying it's in all the great stories. You know, we're in flow, even when it's difficult, and that faith that you bring to your, your, your writing desk when you show up or your, your easel when you paint or your dance studio when you dance that faith that I am in flow. You know, all the time. The spirit is always talking to you. Always. You know, and you just have to get maybe to get to another level you know sometimes I realize that whoa I just had to like get to another level of skill of craft. You know, that's great thank you that's it's really. I mean, you rock. Isn't it true though isn't it isn't it fucking weird though you're like shit man. Well I guess that's why I'm going crazy is because I, I'm now that I'm there I'm I have seen that it's like Oh, I was working it out but it just felt so awful you know like. Yeah, it does it feels awful it feels like like you're scratching at your skin, and it sounds like fingernails on the chalkboard and Calgon take me away and all those things all those horrible it feels awful. Yeah. And I think something I like about this group is there's a lot of bravery and showing up when you have those bad periods are not bad periods but painful periods. And people here show up like rain or shine and I love that. Me too. I do too. You always say it's not about you but I'm just so curious how long to take you to write father. Oh, it quicker than it took me to write fucking a. No way wow that's amazing shit way yeah it's it's it's a long strange road brother. I love that play. Greg. Well, it's got three seconds until six p.m. so six p.m. it's time. We were waiting. Yes. Yeah. Amazing. Welcome back. It's fun. This is so much fun. Yes. And we'll see you tomorrow. Thank you. Thank you. And as a reminder, please sign up by three p.m. Eastern on the public theater website or how round. And I'll send you a link between three and 430 p.m. Eastern. Thank you Audrey. Thank you SLP. We love you.