Comments on: On Taking Action http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/26/on-taking-action/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:46:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Judith Robl http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/26/on-taking-action/#comment-2887 Judith Robl Sat, 27 Oct 2007 13:54:04 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/26/on-taking-action/#comment-2887 Oh, WOW!! The Koontz interview is a doozie. I'd like to print a copy to keep for reminding myself how, why, what... There are so many layers in there, that it's a read again and again item. Powerful, pointed, professional advice in a conversation. Oh, WOW!!

The Koontz interview is a doozie. I’d like to print a copy to keep for reminding myself how, why, what…

There are so many layers in there, that it’s a read again and again item.

Powerful, pointed, professional advice in a conversation.

]]> By: Donald L. Moir http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/26/on-taking-action/#comment-2888 Donald L. Moir Sat, 27 Oct 2007 18:46:35 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/26/on-taking-action/#comment-2888 I understand the point that Brausch is making, and the motivational and psychological reasons for his argument. But he messes with the language irretrievably. "Try" of course means that one is acting, though it's a word that captures some ambivalence about either one's level of commitment to the action (or to achieve the goal that will result from the action) or one's uncertainty about the prospects for success. Brausch is making a point about the latter meaning. He's saying "commit, darn it" -- "stand up" in his lingo. And this is fair enough. We all need a kick in the pants sometimes. To put his idea in another context, seeing is believing, but sometimes believing is seeing, and it's this latter aspect that Brausch is cheerleading about. But to apply Brausch's argument to the part of "try" that gets at uncertainty of outcome is foolish. Many runners compete in a race, but only one wins. They all tried to win, and took action to do so (by running in the race). I understand the point that Brausch is making, and the motivational and psychological reasons for his argument. But he messes with the language irretrievably. “Try” of course means that one is acting, though it’s a word that captures some ambivalence about either one’s level of commitment to the action (or to achieve the goal that will result from the action) or one’s uncertainty about the prospects for success.

Brausch is making a point about the latter meaning. He’s saying “commit, darn it” — “stand up” in his lingo. And this is fair enough. We all need a kick in the pants sometimes. To put his idea in another context, seeing is believing, but sometimes believing is seeing, and it’s this latter aspect that Brausch is cheerleading about.

But to apply Brausch’s argument to the part of “try” that gets at uncertainty of outcome is foolish. Many runners compete in a race, but only one wins. They all tried to win, and took action to do so (by running in the race).

]]> By: Donald L. Moir http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/26/on-taking-action/#comment-2889 Donald L. Moir Sat, 27 Oct 2007 18:47:28 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/26/on-taking-action/#comment-2889 Oops. In my second paragraph, line 1, I meant "former". Oops. In my second paragraph, line 1, I meant “former”.

]]> By: Carrie Neuman http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/26/on-taking-action/#comment-2891 Carrie Neuman Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:56:36 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/26/on-taking-action/#comment-2891 They may have all tried to win, but they all ran. They didn't try to run, they just did it. I think that's kind of the point. If you give yourself a goal, you may or may not reach it. If you choose to act, you can always acomplish it. Instead of a runner saying, "I'm going to run a marathon," it's better to say "I'm going to increase the distance I run this week." Instead of an author saying "I'm going to write a New York Times best-seller," it's better to say "I'm going to improve my word count this week." That way, even if we don't win as authors, we can still write a book. They may have all tried to win, but they all ran. They didn’t try to run, they just did it. I think that’s kind of the point. If you give yourself a goal, you may or may not reach it. If you choose to act, you can always acomplish it.

Instead of a runner saying, “I’m going to run a marathon,” it’s better to say “I’m going to increase the distance I run this week.” Instead of an author saying “I’m going to write a New York Times best-seller,” it’s better to say “I’m going to improve my word count this week.” That way, even if we don’t win as authors, we can still write a book.

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