Do you keep the rule of three sacred?
I could be talking about Aristotle’s Three Unities of Tragedy, or the rule of three in comedy (although if you can go to 17, it’s even better), or even the pattern of writing where the flow works best when events come in threes.
Those are great. This rule of three will save your brain from overload.
Last week I talked about Overdoing it and now it’s time to turn the boat around. Let’s get into the solutions for overdoing it. What can you do to keep your writing life fulfilled but sane?
The Rule of Three
When you’re considering a new job or a new project, answer the following three questions:
- Will it make you happy?
- Will it provide a unique challenge?
- Will it make you money?
In an ideal world, we should answer YES! to all three questions. We’re happy, we’re challenged, and we’re paying the bills. But let’s face it, we’re artists. I’ll bet you can name dozens and dozens of projects that made you happy and offered a unique challenge. It becomes harder to name those projects made money and also brought happiness or challenge.
New Project = Time
But these are the things you need to think about. New projects take up your time. Your valuable time.
You want to be wary about are the projects where you’re answering NO! to all three questions. Those are the red flags. There’s many reasons we take on new projects. Maybe you’re helping out a friend or a relative. Maybe someone wants you to do just one more thing. Maybe you’re trying out a project just one more time to make it work. If you’re miserable, if you’re not challenged, and if you’re not being financially compensated, then why are you doing it?
Worse are those projects where not only are you not being financially compensated, you’re expected to pay in. There are many playwriting contests and theatre groups that expect playwrights to pay if they want play. We’re supposed to be grateful for the experience. The experience of performance is not enough. It’s not worth your time.
Money, money, money…
You want to be wary too of the money only projects. I’m just doing it for the money, I know I’m doing it for the money, it’s ok. It can become a mantra when you’re working long days on something that doesn’t serve your soul.
I applaud anyone who can just do it for the money.
Seriously, I wish I could do it and maintain my happiness. But I can’t. I’ve done it twice. Both times were total misery. Damaging my health misery. Sucking up months of my time. It wasn’t worth it.
Is happiness enough?
Of course that brings us back to being happy and challenged but maybe not being paid. You have to consider that as well. Your time is valuable. Only you can answer the question – Is happiness and creative challenge enough?
It all depends on how you define happiness. In my early years when I wasn’t making money as a writer I would temp. I would work full time as a secretary for six weeks and then write for two. That made me very happy – the bills were paid and I was working to make writing time.
Recently I’ve started adjudicating festivals. Some for free because I’m a beginner. The act makes me happy because I’m developing a skill.
Here’s the bottom line.
Never flippantly take on something new without thinking it through. Every project sounds interesting on the surface. But what are you getting out of the experience? What is your time worth?
- Will it make you happy?
- Will it provide a unique challenge?
- Will it make you money?
