Anger
Twice in the past five minutes I've wanted to post something, but stopped because I don't want to have half the world be able to read what I have to say. I started this blog as a means of keeping a journal - typing into some type of preformatted diary was the only way I would be able to keep my innermost thoughts and feelings from disappearing completely five minutes after I had them. But now, I don't know how much I want to say and how much I want to keep to myself.
Earlier I found a single IM in my Away Messages. It was from someone I consider a friend. It told me to "stop writing dragonstaff please." The Quest for the Dragonstaff is a screenplay I'm currently working on. Apparently, this friend [#1] had obtained a copy that I had sent to another friend [#2]. So far, I have only completed the first 20 pages of the script, and I had hoped Friend #2 would give me some feedback. He hasn't, yet he showed Friend #1 the screenplay. Friend #1 apparently thinks it bad enough to request that I stop writing it altogether. I don't know what Friend #2 thinks yet, nor why he chose to show it to Friend #1.
What has me truly upset is that all three of us are artists. We are in the business - no, the career, rather, of creating. And one of my friends, one of a small group of people whose opinions I trust, has asked me to stop creating. I find that more than just offensive - I find that disgraceful. How can someone who has devoted himself to the process of giving life to ideas ask someone else to stop giving life - he asked me to have an abortion of this idea, essentially. Friend #1 is one of four people I invited to my holiday party - Friend #2 is among those four. He is still among a group of people I consider part of my extended family, but I no longer respect his opinion.
I have not once told someone they shouldn't finish writing something they enjoy working on. Despite how cliche and stupid many of their concepts are; despite the many rehashings of stupid themes; despite the bland dialogue; despite the sophomoric humor infused in every one of a certain someone's stories, I have NOT ONCE told them to stop writing what makes them happy.
And I never will.
Earlier I found a single IM in my Away Messages. It was from someone I consider a friend. It told me to "stop writing dragonstaff please." The Quest for the Dragonstaff is a screenplay I'm currently working on. Apparently, this friend [#1] had obtained a copy that I had sent to another friend [#2]. So far, I have only completed the first 20 pages of the script, and I had hoped Friend #2 would give me some feedback. He hasn't, yet he showed Friend #1 the screenplay. Friend #1 apparently thinks it bad enough to request that I stop writing it altogether. I don't know what Friend #2 thinks yet, nor why he chose to show it to Friend #1.
What has me truly upset is that all three of us are artists. We are in the business - no, the career, rather, of creating. And one of my friends, one of a small group of people whose opinions I trust, has asked me to stop creating. I find that more than just offensive - I find that disgraceful. How can someone who has devoted himself to the process of giving life to ideas ask someone else to stop giving life - he asked me to have an abortion of this idea, essentially. Friend #1 is one of four people I invited to my holiday party - Friend #2 is among those four. He is still among a group of people I consider part of my extended family, but I no longer respect his opinion.
I have not once told someone they shouldn't finish writing something they enjoy working on. Despite how cliche and stupid many of their concepts are; despite the many rehashings of stupid themes; despite the bland dialogue; despite the sophomoric humor infused in every one of a certain someone's stories, I have NOT ONCE told them to stop writing what makes them happy.
And I never will.
posted by Dave at 11:02:00 PM
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