The process of creativity is mysterious, wonderful, and magical. Ideas come at the strangest times and in the most incomplete pieces. People tend to look at someone else’s finished movie and say, “I can never do that.” It’s like a giant shopping mall, and you’ve got an idea for a lemonade stand—how do you turn it into that shopping mall? But I’ve had movies that started with an idea for an ending that was so powerful it made me cry. I didn’t even know what the rest of the movie was going to be. I’ve had an idea for a story that felt almost like a sausage in my side—I really do believe in gut instincts. I had this instinct that I was going to write a woman’s historical drama for three years before it came out of me. But when it did, it poured out of me almost like I was channeling it. I’ve had other stories that have taken me fourteen or fifteen years to get out of me. I’ve taken all kinds of different approaches, but the story has always impassioned me. So the first thing I always say when talking about creativity is follow whatever you’re passionate about, because then you won’t quit.
Once you’ve got an uncritical draft—one that you’ve written without putting a lot of pressure on yourself to make it perfect—then share it with kind people. I call these people story midwives. Don’t share it with arrogant people. Don’t share it with bullies who are jealous. Share it with people who are kind enough to feel that they want to help you go through the pain of birth. You can recognize these people in your life. They’re the kind of people you want to be with. You want to be around people who see this as an exciting, creative, enjoyable process and want to help you get to your goal. Once they’ve read it, they’ll tell you what parts of it they understood and what parts they didn’t. They’ll tell you what they would like to see more of. These people give you notes that make you want to make the story better. Of course, you’re the one who has to decide whether or not to take their advice. You’ll know when you’re getting good suggestions because they’ll feel right in a way that’s almost bodily. And once you get through the process of sharing the material with kind, decent, supportive people who understand the process of writing, then you expose it to the wider community.
You made a good point. I buy your ideas. But, at times, it may not be easy to identify the jealous ones. I've once become a victim. - CHARLES AKUJIEZE
Following your gut when telling people your story is so important. Thanks for sharing!