Home » Archives » March 2006 » Maybe Seven. Seven Would Be About Right.
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03/22/2006: Maybe Seven. Seven Would Be About Right.


I love Scrabble. Love it! Best game ever invented except it has too many "i"s. Nine? That's outrageous. Seriously. Nine "i"s. It's like a bad joke. Nine.

I even loved Scrabble when I was a little kid and was terrible at it. I'd beg my parents to play, and they'd win by ludicrous margins, and I'd want to play again immediately. My one frustration was that they, trying to help me improve, would sometimes point out possible plays for me. "But now I can't play THAT one!" I would howl. It was illegitimate because I hadn't thought of it myself.

This attitude of self-defeating independence stuck with me. I couldn't title an essay, or name a pet, if someone else came up with the brainstorm. I even suspect this is one reason I don't like ordering the same entree as someone else at the table.

This trait hurt me, early in my career. If friends suggested lines in scripts I was writing, or even if co-workers pitched jokes to me informally, I couldn't use them. It felt like cheating. (In the rewrite room of course, jokes come from everywhere, but that's understood.)

If you share this trait, you will do well to get over it. Writing is collaborative. Even spec writing. Have your friends read what you're writing. If they suggest the perfect line, then take it. Take it and run. Consider it another skill, the skill of being able to RECOGNIZE the right line.

Lunch: Enchildas Verduras from Mexicali, on Ventura up in Studio City. I have spoken to you before of their sauce.

NOTE: I'm headed to New York City tomorrow morning! I will be back on Wednesday. I may not be able to blog while I'm gone. Talk to you soon!