 Okay, a little technical excitement there. It's five o'clock, it's Monday, it's the 21st of August. If you're like on a plane, if you're not intending to go to watch me work, you should, you should get off now. I'm SLP, this is Watch Me Work, where we hang out and talk with you about your work and your creative process. We have been doing this show for about 14, 15 years. We started out in the lobby of the public theater. And then when COVID came, we went on to Zoom. All the while we have been embraced, helped assisted by the public theater and in New York City and by Howl Round. They're awesome. We love them. We thank them. So what we do is we work together for 20 minutes. And then I take your questions about your work and your creative process. And while we don't really have the bandwidth to have you read your work aloud or anything like that, show us your paintings or show us your choreography. We do have plenty of time and space to talk about process because that's something we can all relate to, even if we don't ask the question ourselves. So if you have a question about your work and your creative process, which you'll ask after we do the 20 minute work session, you can, we're going to, oops, I've, and I'm spacing on the name. Oh, it's Cody today again. Oh, okay, Cody's going to tell us how to get in touch. Go Cody, thank you. Yeah, so once everything is up, we, if you're in Zoom, you can feel free to ask the question by getting reaction and then raise your hand and I'll be able to see that. Um, if you are having any trouble finding it, so free to just raise your hand because video. If you are walking on the screen on power. Okay, is that better. I think that's better. Okay, thank you for that. So just to repeat that really quick. Raise your hand at the bottom of the screen and reactions you can hit raise hand. If not, feel free to raise your hand on your on with video on and I'll call on you. If you're watching on the stream on howl around feel free to send us your questions via the public leaders Twitter or Instagram account, or via watch me work Twitter account which is at watch me work SLP with the hashtag howl around howl around and we will make sure to get that on to this into the space. Fantastic, thank you, Cody. We've got 20 minutes we're going to work together here we go. All right. All right, that was 20 minutes. We're back. And if anybody has any questions. Let me know about your process. Looks like Charlie. Right. Charlie should be unmuted. Thank you. Hey, I can't remember why you said something last week that had me thinking about this through the week but you ever find yourself walking away from a project, or a stretch of time and then coming back and if so like, why do you walk away from it, and what brings you back. Wow, that's a great question Charlie. Oh, I can't imagine what I might have said. I wish I could tell you what's okay but it's a great thing that you were thinking of. Hopefully it's about something that you're working on. Yeah, I mean I have a writing partner. Well, let's see in the middle of the summer she essentially encouraged us to walk away from this thing for three weeks just as a mental reset, and then come back. And not my inclination to do that. But we did that it was probably the right thing but yeah I'm still asking myself. When should I do that. Why, right, great. That's a great it's a great question. It's interesting Charlie because it's something you have a writing partner, and it was her. Great question or her request that you, you know so so if you're so if you're on your own, right and just, you know what you probably are with other projects, and you're thinking. I mean, sometimes. You know it's like, I mean I'm going to date myself and I don't care that Kenny Rogers song you know you got to know when to hold them know when to fold them. You got to know when to run and you got to know when to stick with it which is, you know, which is sometimes to take a breather, you know, give yourself a time out a little bit of distance is just what you need. Right, just to get your breath. I mean, for example, if you're in an intense conversation with somebody, sometimes it's really good to just say, let me take a breath. I'm not stepping away from the intensity of it, because sometimes you need some perspective that you can't get if you're all up in it, right. Sometimes it's, although if you make a habit of like I got to step away from this I got to step away from it it's too hard, right, then you're correcting your over correcting too much of a good thing. Making a pause is a great thing. And some projects you know Charlie which you probably know it we all know this. They take a long time. So you might write a draft, usually when I write a draft I put it in the drawer and let it cool like a pie. You know, let it cool down a little bit before I do a rewrite. I do that a lot. And how long might that cooling be. I mean it depends on the project and how intense it is and all that. But that's sort of what I'm struggling with, not struggling but thinking about is like, how much is this just a little palette cleanser or do I need a big break or you know that kind of thing. Well, well, I'm going to ask you another question you don't don't feel obligated to answer. Is there some feeling in you like it's weird to be writing something with some up writing partner and then they decide what should be done and you have to sort of comply even though you're not feeling it is there anything of that going on. No, I thought it probably was like I said probably the right thing I mean we just written this. I think musical libretto. Oh, great. A lot of work. Congratulations. Thanks, it felt good to get to a crappy draft. But, you know, my tendency is like, okay, now what next, you know, go go go. She's like, Hey, we need, you know, let's take three weeks, just walk away, don't even think about this. And again, it's just sort of probably the right thing it's just like counter to my personal tendencies, but it's I'm just trying to get a sense I probably wouldn't have done that on my own and maybe I should have. Okay, I think it was a good, it sounds like a good call on her part three weeks is good. You know more is maybe a little too much, then you kind of forget you know you get involved in other things. I generally take time away from projects. I mean, yeah, I wrote a finished of yet another draft yet another draft because I've been working on it for 20 years, yet another draft of my second novel work over 20 years. I finished a draft. No, we could go. I took a week off. And I'm starting another draft. Why because I have a little stretch of time, because the writers are on strike in Hollywood. You know, so a week is a is a for me is enough time away because I want to jump back in three weeks is great. You know, three weeks is good. I would say maybe, maybe think of other projects that you might want to work on. Oh, no lack of things to work on but yeah I just, I'm just curious, sorry, in your, in your world in your head what it's like to take a break. I love stepping away from it, because then when I come but even if it's a week, even if it's three days or whatever, I can see it, I can see it more clearly and love it more dearly. Sorry, I'm quoting all the silly shows now, but I can see it more love it more dearly. Yeah, if I step away a little bit. Speaking of which, even Jesus took three days, some space. Right, I mean so you know, it's been done. Thank you great question Charlie. Yeah, thank you. Oh, thank you. Anybody else on question Linda. Hey Linda. Hi. How are you. Great. I'm great. You're in a great day it sounds like. Um, I, I'm thinking, I'm, I, my question now is, I remember you you moved here recently didn't you. No, no, no, I'm from Germany. I know, but that's what I mean. So you're in Germany right now. I remember, I remember you where we're in Germany are you in Berlin. Okay, and I will say what I said last time probably when we come and visit my husband's German when we come and visit will have to hang with you. Wow. So, my question is, I'm working on something and I take experience or themes from things I have. Yeah, from from my personal life. And, and I don't know when I get to the point that the distance and then that it gets abstract enough. So, I have the problem with the creative distance. I mean, you don't have enough creative distance or you have too much. I'm too close is my experience on the personal experience to be able to make it to open it or to make it. You know, something own, which is not, it's not no longer me. Right something else that that's that's the dilemma. Do you so when so Linda here's a question. Is it a play or a movie or short story or a novel what is it. Yeah, I'm not a writer it's it's an image. It could be calm more but starts with an image. Great. And, and, yeah. This is fine so but this the story, right. Are you writing a story or you're doing a series of images. So, um, I just want to have one image and can become more. And there is a story behind. Right, right. Yeah. Okay, no, no, this is good. This is good. So, what I was saying if you have an image do you have an image in your mind of the main character. Not really at the moment. Good. I want to, I want to find an image for a situation. And, and also, it's about a hidden critique. I don't know what I. In just this. Okay, okay, okay. Since it has since it happened. Okay, this is just a thing to try since you're building your story off of a personal experience. Okay. And since you want to create as much distance as possible so that it can be its own thing right so it's like that's this is that you want it to be the back right. And just that you imagine, you have a part you go out you see somebody's face or you choose that you go on the internet you see somebody's face that you like, imagine the story happening to someone that's not you. Imagine it, like, pick, I don't for fun, you know, pick a movie star, or a personality, you know, just, it happened to them. And so you're going to tell the story to yourself you're going to start thinking about it, as if it's their story and not yours. Try that. I know you have themes of injustice you have, you have think you think visually that's great. So run so imagine you're seeing it happen, like you're the witness you're not the subject anymore. You're just, you're the witness, and you see it happen over there. It's happening to a person who looks, not like you. Like that. And run the story in your mind like that and slowly it, the story will gather details that are specific to that person over there. And it will, it will sort of start to get distant get further and further from you're trying to do on the screen. You know, that makes sense. It's a very good skill to listen. Yeah, it's a very good to learn because when we work with historical characters, when we work with people in our family, whatever we have to learn to to use literally to use our imagination, and to imagine, and also gives you an opportunity to imagine yourself, literally walking around and someone else's shoes. And suddenly it's their story. And you're witnessing it. Yeah. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, please give us an update. No, no, I was a German major in college so we go way back. Please give us an update though okay. Okay. Yeah. Great. Beautiful Erica. Hey Erica. Hi, can you hear me. Yes. Hi. I'm secretly at work in a gift shop, but nobody's here. I'm so happy to see you again I every now and then I go and watch me work and see if it's coming back so this is my first day back. Thanks for coming back. So fantastic. So I'm in a, I think I'm in the home stretch of this, this novel I'm writing right now. I know and something amazing happened and I wonder if it's amazing. Like I don't want to jinx things but I want to use the energy that I'm getting from it, which is that like this kind of relates to what you were just saying Linda, which is this woman came to town. And she was like the embodiment of my main character like I couldn't even believe that it was she was like what I was thinking in my mind and she's an actress and everything and I was like, okay, so yeah first I have to finish the novel and then it has to be made something else where it could be a thing. But I find that it's like really helping my writing because I'm like actually can hear her voice a little bit now, but I don't want it to be. I don't want it to ruin it like I kind of want to tell her, but I don't know if I better. And that's, I guess what I want to know that that's when my husband goes he is like, no, no, no, no. I'm sorry I don't want to cut you off is that your. That's it I mean that I just want to see how I can use the energy without ruining it. Well, Erica, congratulations for you're in the home stretch of your novel that is fantastic. And the universe is sitting with sign saying you're on the right path because this person is like, real. Yeah, right. It's of course it's not the movie star the star the person that you saw right now, and I was just not telling her only because then, and a series of assumptions might be made on her part like yeah star in this when it's made for you know, you know, no, more, more importantly, with our litigious society. You're copying me, you know what I mean so. Oh, yeah. What they call in the, in some parts of India icky sticky. You don't want to get icky sticky. It's your novel you wrote it. You know. So, while she would be great to play the role in a film. It's not. It's really not. It's you. Hello. It's just a part of you that you haven't recognized before, because your imagination got in between you and whatever you needed to write about created this other person that you can watch. Right. Exactly right Linda she just she's Erica is doing what we talked just talked about. That's it. All right. You're so good Erica that you actually manifested an actual person. That's a little weird. That's, it does get also I know my history and I usually can't do anything unless I'm doing it out of like some weird, like, love or obsession. And so, like, it helps me, but I, but even if it's fake, like even if I'm just sort of doing it for that it like gives me like forward motion without doing something wrong. Like, it's not like I'm really like madly in love with this person but I'm just like can't even believe how like that it happens you know what I mean. Right. Yeah. Anyway, that's so great. Okay. Congratulations. Wonderful. Thank you. Does anyone else have a question that they'd like to ask Conan should be able to unmute there you go. Hi. Hi. So, so, yeah, I'm a playwright. And the question is. What stage or I guess it really depends on each playwright but when do you share your first draft with other people is there in general is there sort of a general really have does it depend on each piece. Yeah, I have a really hard and fast rule. Yeah, I have so many weird hard and fast rules. And they they're lovely because it's all it's it's tailor made my hard and fast rule is also tailor made to you, and your guts. And you ask yourself, Conan, when you have finished your draft, ask your tummy tum tum tum. You know, or your all your second brain right, your deep, deep brain that knows so many things. I want to show it to people. Why do I want to show it to people. Do I want to show it to people because I want to hear positive feedback, or because I need them to help me figure out what it is or why do I want to show it to people and is there a draft, another draft I could do so that I can step forward with as much confidence as is possible given what I'm doing. Yeah, I think it really depends on the work in the context sometimes. Exactly. And you need help and sometimes you feel like you need that constructive criticism and more often than not you just need encouragement. More often than not you need encouragement. The best place to get encouragement, Conan is from yourself that let that let there be let the wellspring of yourself love bubble and shine and be glorious. That's the best place. And then everybody else is sort of like, you know, co signing what you feel about yourself. You see what I mean. You want to you want to give yourself that love, but that, you know, even if it's just sorry the drag racing outside. Yeah. Even if it's only like a pat on the back good job, or you take yourself out for an ice cream cone, or you buy yourself some vinyl that you know that vinyl record that you really want or whatever it is. You know by yourself a treat or go for a walk in the park with friends, somehow to celebrate yourself because you finished a draft good job. As much as you can do that on your own. Then you're going to be really better prepared to receive the feedback the encouragement the critique the whatever it is right. There's some people in grad programs or whatever they're writing they have to go by a deadline and I have to turn it in at a certain time. That's a little different sometimes you have to turn it when you're not ready. But does that does that make sense. Yeah, okay, okay. Okay, thank you. You're welcome great question great question. Thank you Conan. All right, so Lori. Hey Lori. Hey, how you doing. Hi. Thanks again for this and thanks everybody for the great questions it's just so helpful to be here a lot of the creative energy and juice. I'm still working on the farce. Yay. I'm one of those people in the MFA program working on the degree and man if I got deadlines. Right. Here's one of my process questions that I've been stumbling on for the last week I handed in a series of dialogues that my mentor wanted. And then he came back and said okay great work but with your main protagonist. I want that dialogue, your, your stakes aren't high enough. The tension isn't there for something really specific. And my creative process question is I'm struggling with that more with comedy than I do with any kind of tragedy that I'm writing so any ideas in a comic situation of still how to, you know, get that tension there without having it slip into something more tragic and keeping it comedic but still getting that tension high. So there's my question. Sure. Just, if you can like, you can, what's your dominant hand. Right. Right. So how about with your left hand. Just do an exercise so can you see me. So I'm sticking my arm out like this. Okay, there's something across the room you really really want. You're not going to get up to get it. I say, and now turn your palm up up to the face of ceiling. Okay. Something, your character has to really really really want something. Think of, think of Shakespeare. They really want something. You know what I mean. Yeah. Yeah. It's not, it's not like, it's not like the Scottish play. I really want something. I really want something. It's not that it's okay. Yeah. So it's fun. Yeah. Right. It's anything you really really really want it and watch some rom-coms or something wrong. Bridget Jones. Okay. Okay. Bridget Jones. What's it called Bridget Jones's diary diary or diary again or whatever. Right. I mean, or or bridesmaids or, I don't know, even though shows without like, like that that's or or read Shakespeare's comedies. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Okay. The stakes are very or any episode, I think I've only seen, I haven't seen enough to really be an expert, but any episode of any comic sitcom. You know, it's all like, oh my God. Okay. You know, and later we laugh, you know, you know me, does that make sense. It does make sense. Yeah. You can even walk around your home with your arms outstretched. Yeah, I'm going to do that. I'm going to get the vibe, you know. Yeah, that's good. And I need to get the vibe because again, I'm on deadline. You have the vibe, Laura, you have the vibe, you know, you're laughing, you're laughing, you understand what to do. Okay. All right. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Who's next I think. I think Jillian has a question. Can you unmute her Cody? There she is. Oops. No. Yeah, there she is. Hi. How you doing? I'm good. So my question is, well, I guess it's kind of the opposite of Conan's very, which is kind of what Lori was saying of she's got all these deadlines and Conan's like, when do you show it to people? And I love that process of feeling ready and celebrating your milestones and yourself before you turn it in. So as my question is on the other side is, what do you do with feedback that you get that you're not ready for? That you're not ready for like, I'm like, well, you know, Tennessee Williams is great essay, the tragedy of success, right? So, but I'm guessing, is it feedback that said you were, you know, the best thing since sliced bread, and you can't take that? Or is it feedback like, you need another rewrite, you know, Jillian and which way is it? It's the more of the, it's more of like the constructive criticism where you need another rewrite kind of thing or like, you know, I think this would be better, you know, or I think this, this feedback, like, you know, this is what I think would improve the process. Like, you know, obviously, I'm open to hearing and getting that feedback and I need to hear the characters and I need to like, you know, get ideas of what's happening in the story. And I end up with, I end up with about three different buckets of feedback. And I sort of want to put it in a little jar, or a little filing cabinet, like I want to record it because I don't think it's bad I just feel like I need to put it away. So I kind of get to my end point where I'm like, okay, this is it, I'm happy with this. Even though I've had to continuously show the work, I guess there's a way to show that it's actually happening and progressing. So yeah, so that that's the question I guess I have for you is, have you been in that situation or how what's a good way to deal with that when you're getting feedback that I want to say is too early but yeah I guess it's a little early like I'm not I don't want to stop in the middle of writing to go back and rewrite I want to get to the end. Yeah. That's boo that's that's very tricky because you said a couple of different things all of which are, you know, part of what you're saying but it sounds like you're in some kind of a class or a program or something that is asking you just to show work on it on the schedule on the classes schedule. Yeah, so it's just, it's like work, it's sort of workshopping so it's working and then, you know, right. Yeah, that's yeah that's that's a that's an interesting way of working. The majority of classes operate that way. And I personally don't think it's a great idea, I would not want to be in that kind of a process. And then you ask well how else might the mentor the fabulous brilliant awesome mentor who is kind enough to teach the class let's give them their props right. And how else might one know that the work is being done. Right. I mean I'm just punting I you know I would I would have some ideas about that but anyway that's not about that the point is what do you do, since you're in it. Yeah. And I would say, I'm guessing that you type out or write down all the notes is they're coming along. Yeah, I write the notes is they're coming along. And then, and then, and then you do, you know you just put them in a, like, like you said, if you have a, you can print them out and put them in a lid container. You know what I mean. I mean something actually physical like this mental you know all this, this, everything on the computer nothing's written on paper anymore all that it kind of is tricky, because it doesn't actually give you the tactile sensation that you were that you were doing while you were talking. If you can print out the notes, or if you write them down in a notebook and actual, you know, paper, you know paper notebook, you know like this right. Yep. You, and then you can take that notebook and put it in a drawer. And say off limits until you're done. You know what I mean. So you're definitely recording the notes, but not trying to incorporate them until you're done with what you want to write. Yeah, okay. There's going to be some bleed there's going to be some, you know, they're not going to be in your head. You're in the, you're in the program. They don't call it a program for nothing. When people ask me should I reply to a graduate program I'll empty you want to be programmed. You want to be programmed. Go ahead. Yeah, mindful of who's who is going to be doing the programming. Yeah, you know what I mean. So you're on the program but you have to you have to find ways to carve out your own strategies. The other side of it too is I can probably change the program right so it's I'm not technically in a grad program I'm working with a series of theaters to put up the plan writing so I can probably change the way the system's working but right now it's okay that what do you have so far let's look at it okay, you know go back and continue writing or whatever. And the point is, I think what I'm hearing is that while the, the, the entity is great the theater is great the dramaturge great the person you're working but it's awesome amazing that way of working is not does not feel right to you. Yeah, I'm learning it doesn't and I think in a class like academic setting it worked better because there were class assignments or something in my head. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, what you just said you can you can change the program so stop doing that then, Jillian. Okay, they say they say we want to see if you're writing or whatever right in Washington work, we don't I don't ask anybody to show in their work, because I figure if you're here, you must be doing something. And that's good enough for me you see what I'm saying so person can say that the mentor can say we'd like a draft by do you know December 31. Let's check in every week, but you don't have to show me pages. That's not only proof of life. Every single person in this zoom room right now are giving each we're giving each other proof of life. No one has read their work out loud in this thing. I trust you. Yeah, I have faith in you it's the honor system or whatever it's called it's like I know what you I know you're doing a thing. She wouldn't be wasting my time. Yeah, right and and if they don't do their thing and if you weren't doing your writing then you don't get it done by the 31st of December Jillian. That's your that's all you girl. Yeah, babysitter. Yeah, and they don't need validation the dramaturg can find other ways to validate themselves or the mentor. There are other ways to ensure proof of life. Yeah. Okay. Cool. So you can change it so go ahead. Okay. And maybe with the mentor maybe there's a middle ground in there if you know you really review them and there's a way to you know so they can get what they need. Okay. Yes, yeah. Thank you. Cool. Thank you. Great question. Wonderful. Thanks Jillian. Alrighty, Louise I think that we have time for one more question. Yeah. And then I have a little so I have something I actually thought of something to say if we were loose go ahead Louise let's see. Oh you're muted sister. You're still muted. Did it come through. Yep. Thank you. I'm mentioning this, well several reasons, because I'm always inspired. So when I sit down and listen to other people. You mentioned 20 years of novel you're working on. You SLP, unless I heard. Anyway, my point is I went to a reading of a friend of mine. And the work I thought was absolutely wonderful. A part of it it was like in two acts. And as it turns out, the writer. She wrote the play 20 years ago. And like I said, I just really some parts of it well the first act I just thought was magical. I felt was probably could be flushed out more. And what they had was little cars that you could write whatever you thought and drop in the bag. Or in the place where people leave comments. But my question is, as a if you're if you're, if you've done something that is really has a lot of potential. The playwright. So what is the next step, apart from a backer because I remember years ago back in the day with August Wilson's plays. You know, they would start one version and then they would play here and then it would morph into something else but still the idea of what he had originally intended. What do playwrights do today, how would someone that have a really good work, get with the person that could, you know, flesh out what they're doing more that was the question. That's a good question Louise. Usually, they're there what used to be called out of town tryouts. And the idea is that with August Wilson he was starting Seattle then maybe go to Chicago then maybe go to Atlanta, and then come to New York I'm just making that up but he would. He would work on the play it wasn't like he didn't know it he was digging he was excavating. They still do that today. Yeah, they start out of town out of town meaning not in New York, or they might start in a smaller theater, and then move to a larger theater, where you can work, continue to work on the play revise it. And as you need to as you get closer and closer, you think of like the glass menagerie started out of town moved into New York, all the place. A lot of people still work like that in regional theaters and even smaller theaters, theaters that really aren't on the big map are places to do that, where you have a committed, and very talented group of, of theater makers actors designers whatever, and your director can either come with you on the whole journey, or you can start with one director and then have another director when things as things change, gives a playwright a lot of time to work on their work, and a lot of fun experiences and you can meet a lot of great people who don't necessarily live right, you know near you. It sounds like you're saying that for the writer. If you have a good director that hangs with you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, if you like if you like him you guys get along and making something beautiful yeah I would I would I like to stick with, with people, but it's up to the writer really. Yeah, because like I said it was just, it's really a wonderful work. Mm hmm. Oh great. She, the fact that she wrote it 20 years ago. Mm hmm. So amazing. But anyway, thank you. Amazing. I'm going to try something new because last time we had a lull and I was like, if we have a lull. I mean I like silence of course, but I also thought of something that might help I'm reading it off my device here. So this is something new that I want to start try something this week and maybe in the last two minutes. If we don't have any more questions or a lull. I could offer you what I'm calling a suggestion for your watch me work tip of the week. And this disclaimer is that I'm not claiming to have invented any of these things, but each one of these things I'm going to share with you is something that I've definitely tried and found it extremely effective for my creative process and and and perhaps yours. Okay, so that's the disclaimer. So if you're having difficulty with your creative process if you're blocked if you're like to twist it up in your own perfectionism. You don't know what to work on you don't know how to start you lack motivation, you don't know how to finish something, you know, you're having one of those days or one of those weeks with your creative thing. A project or multiple projects or just can't get your head around how you as an artist interface or fit with the world. Probably heard before, but I tried it. I am suggesting that you clean your room. And the suggestion of this week, the suggestion for your digestion is clean your room. And notice I didn't say delegate the cleaning of your room so you clean your room. Okay, don't delegate it to, you know, a wonderful third party or your child or your husband or your wife or when you clean your room. You can define a space and call it your room and clean it. If you're tight on time, clean for magical 20 minutes a day or 10 minutes a day, just clean an area of your room for a very short time, every day. I'm not saying do the magic of tidying up, you know that very specific organization throughout things that don't spark you. I'm not suggesting that I'm just talking about wiping down the surfaces, organizing the books, wiping down some more surfaces, watering things like that sweep the floor, maybe vacuum. And I'm also not saying clean your entire home. I'm not saying use cleaning your home your space your room as a form of procrastination. But what I found this past week is that I cleaned for 20 minutes a day in between things. And it really really helped my creative process. So just passing that along to you. It's six o'clock. Whoa. So are we back next week, Cody? Where are we? What are we doing? Yes, I believe we are back next week. I'm not sure if it'll be me or Lolly back with you, but somebody from the public will be around. Well, you're both amazing. And we love you and appreciate you both. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, folks. See you next week.