It's a new year, so here
is some unsolicited advice.
Stop talking about doing
the thing and do the thing.
“Gee, Todd, I've always
thought about writing...”
“You know, I've always
thought abut trying stand-up, Todd...”
Thinking about writing is
not writing.
Thinking about stand-up is
not doing stand-up.
I've thought about playing
the guitar. But that's ALL I've done. I'm not going to tell one of my
guitar playing friends that I've always THOUGHT about doing what they
have devoted their lives to, including calloused, bleeding fingers
and countless hours of practice. Thinking about playing the guitar
doesn't help you know how to play a D chord.
“If only my friends who
are already doing the thing that I think about doing would help me do
the thing or invite me to do the thing with them. Also, why would I
spend time actually doing the thing, if nobody is ever going to see
me doing the thing or see the thing I've done?”
If we're talking about
writing or stand-up (and the two go hand in hand, because making your
buddies laugh on your lunch break is not the same as writing jokes
and telling them to an audience), they are solo gigs. It's up to you
and no one else to do them. And you are never guaranteed an audience.
If you're a writer, you'll write when no one is reading. If you want
to try stand-up, it's on you to write jokes (yes...for the love of
all that is holy...WRITE YOUR OWN MATERIAL AND DON'T STEAL) and to
find out about open mics where you can tell them.
Now, a lot of people who
do the things will be more than happy to help you out with advice or
pointers once you've proven that you're serious about doing the
thing. Telling people who do creative things that you've always
thought about doing creative things without anything creative to show
for it is like showing up at a surgery without having attended med
school. “But I've always thought about taking out someone's
appendix!”
Also, (and this is more of
a personal pet peeve of mine, so feel free to tell me to “fuck
off”) stop vague-posting and humble-bragging on social media about
“projects in the works” or “big things coming.” You shouldn't
need that kind of back-patting bullshit from your FB friends to
motivate you to do something. Finish the project. Do the big thing.
Then share it with the world.
To sum up:
If you want to do the
thing...stop talking about doing the thing.
Do the thing.
And be nice to animals.
