Author Archives: Britta Katz (formerly Reque-Dragicevic)
The Trust Story Has in You
“The minute I heard my first love story,
I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was.
Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere.
They’re in each other all along.”
― Rumi
And that’s true of Story, too.
Stories don’t finally meet us, they’re in us all along. Which should give us faith that the stories we write, the art we shape and craft, matters.
We are not our Stories, yet the emotion of every story belongs to us. The Stories that choose us know us well. It doesn’t matter where you believe Story comes from – whether they are formed in the imagination/subconscious or are part of what we choose before we come to this life – what matters is that Story knows that you alone are the only person who can give it form.
If you work alone in your art, you carry the full trust of the Story. If you are the first author of a Story that others will revise or alter, you carry the full trust of the Story.
That trust is sacred. It’s not something we should toss aside carelessly. It’s not something we should rationalize with the thought: “it’s just a story – how much can it matter?”
Story is everything. It is how we shape our lives, how we experience our lives, how we categorize and assign meaning to what we experience here. Story with a capital “S.”
We live our entire lives as Story.
It makes perfect sense that some of us would chose to work more intimately with story-creation during our lifetimes here. Expression of emotion and experience through art and writing is how we grow, expand, learn and more fully appreciate our beauty as human spirits in this world. Humanity entrusts us with the role of adding to the collection of voices who have spent time here and left; and leaving messages for those who are yet to come.
So how do you respect the trust Story has in you?
- Listen to the Story’s characters. Craft experts can advise you on craft. Only the characters can advise you on Story.
- Honor the timing. Some characters need years to be ready to share their stories; some know you need years to be ready to express it.
- Pay attention to Guidance. The books you read, the films you watch, the blogs you read, the colors and shapes that speak to you – when you’re in the midst of a project, they all have the potential to guide you.
- Don’t force anything on a character. Sharing pain, fears, insecurities, mistakes is not easy. Characters struggle with it just as much as you would. Be gentle and be strong for them.
- Surrender to the Story. Let it move you, touch your spirit, bother you. You’re the first trustee of the story, it should have the greatest affect on you.
You honor Story fully when you accept your role as the storyteller, when you make space for it in your life, when you stand up for it and behind it.
How can you honor Story today?
What You Believe About Yourself is How Far You’ll Go
So much of creative life takes place under the surface.
In the internal thoughts, struggles, choices, beliefs. What we believe about ourselves is ultimately how far we’ll go. No matter if you are just starting to make a living at your art or can command six, seven or eight figures, choices about what you believe determine what you do. Ultimately, the question you must ask is: what do you want? In the foray of voices, demands, expectations, assumptions, doubts, opinions, what do you want?
This is your creative life. Your talent. You are ultimately the only one who can determine if what you are doing fulfills you as a creative soul. And you are also the only one who can determine if what you are receiving from your creative work is aligned with who you are.
What do you want from a creative project?
What do you believe about yourself in this project?
Where do you want to go?
Sometimes it takes a big, bold step to stand up to what’s in your way and stand up for yourself.
Whether it’s saying yes to your first public presentation or saying no to a major deal that just doesn’t feel right.
The why of what we do as is just as important as the what.
Be brave in your choices.
Process: Revision Anyone?
The edit on the novel is coming along, nearing completion. I’ve been away from it for a couple of months, so it’s nice to come back and find out that the changes I made in the last round actually work. This story is nearing completion now, in the polishing stages – it went through seven full rounds of revision.
How does revision play into your art?
For me, it’s essential. Often, just when I think it doesn’t need any more, I end up starting another round. And that’s a good thing.
Distance, then revision, then a bit of distance (sometimes I just jump right back in though and focus on another aspect that needs attention) -round and round.
Until.
Yes, what is the “until” point in your art?
When you know that it is complete, when you feel that it has expressed itself fully?
We could go on and on in revision forever. Really, never stop. Mostly because of uncertainty and fear of taking command of the page (or work or art) and deciding that it is finished. Letting go of the fear and stepping into what’s next. The public.
How do you decide? When do you know? What speaks to you in that moment?
Faith vs Fear
Faith is an integral part of a successful creative life. I’m not talking about religious faith, though for some, that may be the Source. The faith I’m talking about is a choice. A choice you have to make when you can’t see clearly, or when you hit a reversal in what you thought was your path, or when you face rejection and uncertainty. Again.
How you respond in those moments is very critical to how you shape your future.
We’re always presented with a choice: fear or faith.
I learned very early on in my career as a writer that I operate very differently when I’m driven by fear versus faith.
Fear: drives desperate, don’t-have-a-choice, take-anything-you-can-get decisions that gnaw at you because your Spirit knows you’ve made a decision that’s not aligned with Who You Are. You get a quick payoff of safety (sometimes) but in the long term you suffer.
Faith: drives calm, bold, risky choices that may not make logical sense, but they inspire such internal peace that you know it’s the right choice. You can’t see the payoff right off the bat (usually) but you have a steady sense that everything’s going to be okay, you’re being Guided and you trust that it will work out even better than you imagine.
Life presents these crossroads often in creative lives – projects, finances, clients, deals – they’re fluid. The Universe uses change in these areas as ways to motivate us to make different decisions, inspire us to think new thoughts, connect us to different people, realign us with what matters most to us and ultimately, deliver us into the life we’ve chosen.
So the next time you are faced with uncertainty, recognize that you have the power to choose between fear and faith.
And that what happens next depends on your decision.
Process Notes
Screenplay: working on revision, adding scenes, cutting others, fleshing out how the location (which was chosen after the first draft) represents and supports the theme, intensifying conflict, making sure the story flows effectively, and looking at the subtleties and subtext. This is just one of several revision-drafts this script will go through.
All of which require judgement and trust.
Stories can be told in a thousand ways.
How do you decide which is best? Most effective? In screenwriting, it’s using the least amount of words to describe the fullest emotion and movement. Building sentences to create an emotional experience that moves the reader.
Normally, I rely on intuition for this kind of decision-making. When it gels, it feels right, it flows, and my soul responds to it. I have to remind myself, though, to be in command of the page. That I have the authority to make the decision. That I’m the only one at this stage who can make it.
I’m curious how other artists know when to stop? When a painting doesn’t need another brush stroke? When a sculpture doesn’t need another touch?
How do you make these kind of decisions?
creative inside out 