If I’m not careful, I can tumble down a deep rabbit hole on Youtube. I’m captivated by videos that show deep conversations between people discussing their craft: composers talking about songwriting, architects talking about design choices, writers talking about books. My favorite conversations, though, are Variety’s Actors on Actors.
I’ve seen unexpected pairings bring forth insightful conversations about identity and the overlap of character and self (Jamie Lee Curtis and Lady Gaga). I’ve watched seasoned actors simultaneously counsel and admire a younger actor (Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan). I’ve witnessed the presumed line dissolve between small screen and big screen actors (Michelle Pfeiffer and Sarah Jessica Parker).
Most striking is the generosity and curiosity the two actors show toward each other. Although they work in the same field—perhaps at one point even vied for the same role—the two meet as peers and colleagues, not competitors. They’re familiar with each other’s work and often give compliments that lead to questions about craft. You were great in that movie; how did you do X? They ask thought-provoking questions and lean in to actively listen to the answers. They talk about reconciling the mundane demands of life with the demanding hours of a filming schedule. Do you bring your kids on set? is a common question between working parents.
They exude enthusiasm for the work, and in doing so, they lift each other up.
Each conversation reveals similarities between acting and writing. Both share a mindset of curiosity and require skill and introspection. How does our knowledge overlap with our stories? What new language or styles bump up against tested structures? Time and again the conversations between two actors emphasize the importance of continually honing your craft and of bringing your personal creativity to the production, asking both how and why.
Artistic expression happens where craft and creativity intersect.
When we talk with people who are doing the work we do, whether they’re doing it well or struggling, we have the opportunity to elevate our own practice of the craft. Conversations guided by curiosity of another’s motivations, abilities, and practices enrich our own practice, enable us to improve our skills, and push us to look deeper within for the words we want to share.
I have a trusted circle of fellow book coaches, most of whom are also writers. We talk about coaching practices, writing, and running our businesses. While we often serve similar clients, we, too, are peers and colleagues, not competitors. Like acting with its myriad roles and methods, there are as many clients as there are ways to do the work.
Who do you talk to? Do you have conversations with peers and colleagues who lift you up, conversations that leave you energized and enthused about your ideas? I hope you do because those conversations make you a better writer.
I love having conversations with writers and experts about their ideas for books. I want to know where the idea came from, why the idea is important now, how the idea is going to change their readers’ world. I want our conversation to be the catalyst for clarity or a breakthrough. I want to explore the best way to turn those ideas into books.
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