Ask the Author: Scott Kirkpatrick
Answered Questions (5)
Scott Kirkpatrick
Occasionally I'm inspired to write, motivated by a sporadic 'ah-ha!' moment. However, most of the time I'm anything but inspired. That said, I'm a big believer in breaking major projects down into bite sized pieces. Most days I'd much rather sleep in, but I feel amazing after ive forced myself out of bed and knocked out my words for the day. I also think about the moment in the future when I'll see my book on a shelf or hold it in my hands; that's my motivation (seeing it through to the end and seeing the fruits of my labor). Writing is much more about the habit and discipline to do it even when inspiration is the furthest from your mind. Also, it helps to have manageable writing goals (eg, 300 words per day); you can always write beyond that number but on the days when you're struggling it's achievable.
Scott Kirkpatrick
The best thing about writing is receiving the random/unexpected email or DM from someone I've never met who's read my work and was able to apply it meaningfully to their own life. The books I've written are the books I wished could have existed when I was first professionally starting out; realizing that I've accomplished that goal is the real reward and I love knowing other people are benefiting. But I will say it's pretty cool to receive the big box of hard copies from the publisher; all those months [years really] working on a single book suddenly becoming a tangible 'thing' you can hold in your hands is a pretty great feeling.
Scott Kirkpatrick
Every writer is different, but a writing routine and a VERY achievable minimum daily number of words--like 250 or 300--is my personal defense strategy. Sometimes the hardest part is simply starting, followed by the first few sentences (which take forever to formulate). But funny enough, once I reach these very small minimum daily word counts I generally find myself writing well past them. Many writers, especially new ones, put stress on themselves that every word must be perfect from the get-go (or that they must write 1,500 or more words per day which is very demanding), but sometimes slow and steady is the better approach. Not as sexy, but certainly effective.
Scott Kirkpatrick
I'm currently working on the second edition of my book "Introduction to Media Distribution". Was thrilled the original was adopted as a required textbook by schools/universities around the world and am thrilled to update with new information AND a few additional sections.
Scott Kirkpatrick
I wrote the book I wish existed when I was first starting out in the film/TV business! That has been the motivation for all of my books! When I was 21 or 22 years old I had no idea how to professionally enter the world of film/TV. I had tons of questions and nowhere to find the answers. Years later, after I had answered my own questions and established a solid career for myself, I wanted to put all the information out there in a way that was actually accessible to those not yet in the industry (and not yet accustomed to all the language/acronyms that make it confusing to figure out). I want to help people kick-start their own personal careers in media by offering real world steppingstones.
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