Monday, July 7, 2014

Blastin' through the Block: Dr. Phil Edition

So, I have this little guilty pleasure, the Dr. Phil Show. I like that its real and these are people's stories.  In a quick hour, I can see someone else's life. Not going to lie, Dr. Phil's lack of sugar coating makes me like it that much more. I appreciate honesty. Not the beat around the bush kind, but the real this is what I think, period, kind.

So what does the Dr. Phil Show have to do with writer's block? When you're stuck, I recommend taking a taking a break away from your world to see into someone else's. Pop in some popcorn, grab a drink and settle down for an hour. The thing about other shows is that a lot of the time you have to watch multiple episodes in order to understand what's going or to see a character's true motivation. The Dr. Phil Show gets to the heart of a person which is so valuable as a writer. What is the heart of your character? What means the most to them? What pushes them to act the way they do?  Every time Dr. Phil asks a question, answer (in your mind, not aloud unless you want that weird look from your dog because you are once again talking to yourself) as your character. You'd be surprised what you can find out.

So, if you're stuck and looking for a way to blast through your writer's block, figure out when Dr. Phil is on and check it out.

(I was in no way paid to market this TV show. If you are the Dr. Phil Show, well, I there:)

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