Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Knowing Nothing, Feeling Everything

"I like knowing nothing, but feeling everything." ---Sharon Creech, speaking about rough drafts in "Leaping Off the Porch," from Barbara Harrison and Gregory Maguire's collection of essays, Origins of Story.

"An acting teacher used to tell us, 'The best protection is stark naked,' meaning that if you commit yourself to a role and to your character’s objectives, and open yourself completely to the moment onstage, there is no room for self-consciousness or second-guessing. It’s when you indulge in half-measures that you screw up." ---Susan O'Doherty, Ph.D., from her column, The Doctor is In


I love both these quotes, but of course, they intimidate me, too. How to be so brave? How to be so balanced that leaping and committing are both possible?

What doesn't work is looking at my own feet.  Look out and up. Breathe. 

3 comments:

  1. Wonderful quotes and for me, right now, so true. To me, it means putting away concerns of theme and the ideas I want to put in the story and just taking in the character unabashedly.

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  2. Thanks, Wendy. That's a great way to express it---unabashed. Love that.

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  3. I loved Countdown! The structure is very original too, with the documentary chapters, ads, song lyrics, etc. interspersed with the novel chapters. Enjoy!

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