Quote: Dolly Dagger @ January 12 2010, 2:03 PM GMTTrue, but I think it works better or at least seems fresher when the influence is non-comedy.
Ach, you'll hate my work then. 
I need motivation gosh darn it. Page 2
Quote: Griff @ January 12 2010, 1:57 PM GMTYeah, you should write primarily from life, that's true. But there's no harm in being inspired by other people's work at the same time. Novelists are always being inspired by each others books and it all seems to work out OK.
I am always being inspired. 
Bouncing ideas around with other people really helps. I did a stand-up comedy course and we all contributed to each other's routines; a joke would start, then someone would expnad it and then someone else would take it even further.
Quote: Griff @ January 12 2010, 2:05 PM GMTAnyway on the subject of motivation. There's nothing worse than the blank page.
I've never really had that fear; just get on with it is as much as I can say motivation wise. Which I know is not at all helpful, but if you sit there worrying about it, then probably nothing will come. You psych yourself out. Just do it.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 12 2010, 2:05 PM GMTAch, you'll hate my work then.
Btw have you read the League of Gentlemen's Book of Precious Things? I was pleased to see loads of things that I like and have inspired me, were mentioned in it. 
Quote: Griff @ January 12 2010, 2:05 PM GMTThere's nothing worse than the blank page.
Do some doodles on it first.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ January 12 2010, 2:08 PM GMTBtw have you read the League of Gentlemen's Book of Precious Things? I was pleased to see loads of things that I like and have inspired me, were mentioned in it.
I haven't no. (BTW, I didn't really mean I only take influences and ideas from other comedies, that would be a tad limiting!)
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 12 2010, 2:10 PM GMTI haven't no. (BTW, I didn't really mean I only take influences and ideas from other comedies, that would be a tad limiting!)
It's a brilliant book, you'd love it.
Quote: Griff @ January 12 2010, 2:09 PM GMTWell by the blank page I mean "a blank page when you don't even have a clue what you're trying to do".
I wonder if Mikey J ever has that problem? He's probably written more than the rest of us put together! He's an ideas volcano.
Quote: Griff @ January 12 2010, 2:13 PM GMTI bought the LOG Precious Things book, it looks brilliant, but I haven't got round to reading it yet. Now that I've made myself sick of reading Inspector Morse novels I ought to get round to reading Moab Is My Washpot which I've had on the shelf for about 10 years.
You must read it. Moab is good too - you really see a different side to Fry and can see why he's like the way he is.
Quote: Griff @ January 12 2010, 2:20 PM GMTVolcanoes spew out tons of hazardous waste that's billions of years old, right?
Brainstorming works (or whatever the politically correct title is now). Write the name of something in the middle of the page, circle it, draw four circles from it and put a word in each box ('Love', 'Hate', 'Weird', 'Boring') and then come up with ideas for each. I can usually get three or four good sketch idea from each of those minimum.
Also, watching Lead Balloon always makes me *want* to write. It's not my favourite sitcom, but always has the same effect. Trying watching one of them and see if it works for you. (Might just be me though!)
Alternatively, read some stuff in 'Critique'. That might inspire you to do an idea better than someone else has done it, or might spin another idea off at a tangent. (Advocating 'inspiration' rather than 'plaigarism'!)
Hope that's of some value
Dan
So's not to offend the mentals.
Don't people with mental issues usually have more to worry about than the fact that 'brainstorming' might be offensive to them? In fact, if you complain, aren't you necessarily 'not mental, just a bit bonkers'?
Dan
Quote: Griff @ January 12 2010, 2:55 PM GMTIt's apparently "thought showers" now.
By the way I've recently been told a few times that the word "nutter" is very offensive and I shouldn't use it. What do the panel think?
I think, in all probability, that the people telling you this, are nutters.
I was recently told referring to someone as oriental was offensive. Is that offensive? Is that now a racial slur and no one had told me? Or was the person who said it a nutter?
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 12 2010, 3:30 PM GMTI was recently told referring to someone as oriental was offensive. Is that offensive? Is that now a racial slur and no one had told me? Or was the person who said it a nutter?
It's highly offensive in the States, maybe some of that is creeping over here.
There's a line in Avenue Q about it, which the audience never seem to get when I see it.