My name is Susan, and I am a recovering musical theater nut. That's right. Back in high school, I spent most of my waking hours either in rehearsal or in class (where I was probably thinking about rehearsal). I didn't have one of those t-shirts that said, "I can't, I have rehearsal," but that would have nicely summed up my teen years.I still perform on occasion and my iTunes library contains far more musicals than anyone I know. But I no longer have the irrational desire to perform four different shows in six months (in retrospect, why would anyone think that is a good idea?). Recently it dawned on me that spending so much time doing community theater as a teen probably taught me some of the skills and traits that I now use as a freelance writer. Here they are.
A thick skin. There were several roles that I desparately wanted but didn't get, even though other people thought I'd get them, too. I still believe that I should have played Laurie in Oklahoma! but that's beside the point. I knew there'd be other auditions for other roles in other shows, so my disappointment was short-lived. Sometimes I'd go to auditions just to get the practice. If I didn't apply that same attitude towards query letters, I would have given up years ago!
Time management skills. My castmates always remarked on how I managed to juggle schoolwork and rehearsals (but hey, many of them had kids and pets to take care of and I didn't). Some of them initially assumed that I had a mediocre GPA until they saw me working on geometry proofs or conjugating Spanish verbs in between scenes and during intermission. Whatever downtime I had, I used. I didn't need silence to finish my homework, and I still managed to be salutatorian. Being able to use a few minutes here and there helps me get through my to-do list, even when they are distractions.
The ability to tap into objectives. For copywriters, it's really important to understand who their customers are and what motivates them. For magazine writers, being able to adapt to the publication's voice and write to different types of readers is key. Playing a variety of characters, including a British flower seller, an all-American teeny bopper, and a Biblical-era leper, helped me slip into different personas in my mind so I can tailor my writing to that specific audience.
What about you? Did your childhood hobbies help you develop the skills you now use professionally?
Photo of me as a flower seller in My Fair Lady
9 comments:
Susan-I'm a huge and unabashed musical fan, as my blog regularly attests. No shame in that! But I also think that the theater loosens you up and helps you find your voice and be less inhibited about using it - literally and figuratively - which is key to being a good writer. Thanks for this post!
Delia Lloyd
www.realdelia.com
Hi Susan,
I took a couple of drama classes in high school, loved them...but I can't recall learning anything that applies to writing from them. I wasn't nearly as nutty about it as you were, though -- it was just another cool class for me.
But, having a thick skin is so important as a writer and as an actor! For sure. It's also good to find the balance between accepting thoughtful, helpful criticism and not letting it bring you down or destroy your self-confidence.
I also think that knowing your audience -- which you spoke about -- is key to writing and acting well. I've recently starting practicing picturing my reader when I write, and writing directly to him/her. It helps me think and communicate more effectively.
Thanks for this post -- and thanks for guest posting on Quips & Tips for Successful Writers! Your article about guest posts has generated an interesting discussion :-)
See you in cyberspace,
Laurie
What an interesting correlation! I'm in Orlando, and in addition to the "Mouse Factor", we have outstanding community theater offerings. I am strictly audience material, but look forward to attending with a fresh perspective on the impact to my writing. Thanks! ~Molly
http://Mollyfromthe.blogspot.com
Ah...Another musical theater geek.
Back in high school, I overloaded my schedule with extracurriculars, mostly music-related. I played in the concert band and the wind ensemble. I was a rank sergeant in the marching band. I sang in the choir and in the school musicals and was the student director of the madrigals. I also did stuff for the school newspaper and the school literary magazine, and was in the Italian club.
Now, I'm the type of person who thrives on being crazy-busy, and who can't even relax on her own damn honeymoon. Coincidence? I think not.
I suppose being so involved made it possible for me to manage the huge work load I took on when I was transitioning from book publishing to full-time freelance.
@Dalia: I'm not ashamed! I was being a little tongue-in-cheek. And you're right about lowering inhibitions. That helps with risk-taking in your writing, too.
@Laurie: Yeah, high school drama classes just weren't enough for me, so I got my fix other places, too. You raise a good point about taking criticism, too. I made it a personal challenge to internalize and act on any feedback I got.
@Molly: I know a few of my community theater buddies later moved to Florida to work at Disney. Good times!
(My iTunes music library has an abundance of musicals also!) What a wonderful blog, I'm so glad I found it.
Susan,
I was ones of those building sets, running lights, stage managing -- which I've done professionally on occasion since as well. To the things learned I'd add the value of working together with those of differing talents and backgrounds, and the importance of listening -- both things which come in handy when working with sources and editors.
@Steph: I bet there IS a connection between your extracurricular involvement and your ability to multi-task as a freelancer.
@Holly: Thanks for stopping by! Glad you're enjoying the blog.
@Kerry: All very true. Thanks for adding!
Like your post. I've often thought about how my opera training helped my writing and some of the points you brought up made a lot of sense--especially the thick skin part. I also think as a singer that you learn a certain internal rhythm for words that's invaluable since when one sings art songs they internalize a lot of poetry.
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