The HELP Factor
by Steve Harper
I’m on a deadline with my script for Covert Affairs. First draft is due this Friday, so I’m taking a few minutes out of my writing time to create this article.
Getting help is essential in my process. Even with this script, (especially with this script?) I’m loathe to go it alone. I’ve reached out for help at almost every step of the process. Research? I’ve asked several friends, read books, found videos, talked to strangers to get a handle on what I need to know. Challenges with style and technique? I’ve turned to my fellow writers on the show to gain insight into how they’ve done things in the past – and I’m reading past scripts and watching past episodes constantly to get a deeper sense of the characters and the show overall.
I understand the urge to be a solo artist. So often there’s a challenge that seems to hang in the air over creative work – the desire to be excellent and to do excellent work is something everyone wants. Once the work is completed, it might seem like a single artist created a masterpiece. Sometimes that’s the case, but I believe that even the most accomplished artists are leaning on someone – an assistant, a collaborator, an agent, a muse – to develop and complete their work. And so I break the isolation whenever I can. “Who can I talk to?” is one of my frequent thoughts.
And I’m amazed at what asking for help yields. Sometimes it’s unpredictable. By simply asking the question, I often remember resources (including people) that I didn’t think I had to draw on. Other times the information or inspiration I receive is the surprise – and it’s fun to watch my work change based on what shows up.
What’s your way of reaching out for help?
Steve Harper attended Yale as an undergrad, the A.R.T. at Harvard for acting school and studied playwriting at Juilliard. He has been doing personal creativity coaching since 2008 and has studied extensively with Eric Maisel and The Creativity Coaching Association. Harper is a professional actor and writer with a passion and commitment for coaching artists who want to pursue their creative work while keeping a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives. Steve completed the New Warrior Training Adventure in 2005. Visit his blog: http://www.yourcreativelife.com/
– is a deeply personal issue that everyone decides for himself. Sometimes the price is high, sometimes low. But this is not very important for life. Life is an interesting thing. And the price on Viagra – too.
