10 Writing Lessons from Top Chef
If you haven't been watching Top Chef on Bravo, then I urge you to check it out, because it offers up excellent advice for life, and, in particular, for writing. Here goes:
10 Great ingredients don't necessarily result in an excellent dish. Just like a great character and good writing skills don't necessarily result in the best of stories.
9 Sometimes, simple is better. As in last night's episode, where Dave served lasagna and simple (if colorful) veggies to a bunch of working moms, all of whom loved it. Whereas they hated some of the more complicated efforts.
8 Stay true to your own vision. The folks who remain true to their own vision generally succeed, and even if they don't win (or even if they lose), they garner the respect of the people who are judging them. I'm betting this works with agents and editors just as much as with the food critics and whatnot on the show.
7 Marketing yourself is an important part of selling your product. If people like you and/or connect with you, they're more apt to like what you've made. Just check out the episode where they serve monkfish to kids, or last night's episode with the Junior League -- the chefs who charmed the women got the highest votes. I'm just sayin'.
6 Mastering your technical skills is crucial, whether it's chopping veggies or writing stories.
5 Sometimes you have to fly by the seat of your pants. Take a risk, and it could pay off big.
4 Not everyone will like everything you do.
3 Related point: people have lots of different reasons for why they like or dislike your product (whether it's food or writing). Some of them are associations that they bring to the table, over which you have no control. Don't get twisted about it, just move on.
2 Nobody likes a smarmy, supercilious showoff. (cough Stephen cough)
1 Presentation (or looks) matter. Just as people "eat first with their eyes," they make snap judgments on the quality of your writing based on how the page looks. Weird margins, fonts or paper colors earn points off. So do numerous typos or other formatting errors.
Bonus lesson: Be nice to people, but carry a sharp knife.
10 Great ingredients don't necessarily result in an excellent dish. Just like a great character and good writing skills don't necessarily result in the best of stories.
9 Sometimes, simple is better. As in last night's episode, where Dave served lasagna and simple (if colorful) veggies to a bunch of working moms, all of whom loved it. Whereas they hated some of the more complicated efforts.
8 Stay true to your own vision. The folks who remain true to their own vision generally succeed, and even if they don't win (or even if they lose), they garner the respect of the people who are judging them. I'm betting this works with agents and editors just as much as with the food critics and whatnot on the show.
7 Marketing yourself is an important part of selling your product. If people like you and/or connect with you, they're more apt to like what you've made. Just check out the episode where they serve monkfish to kids, or last night's episode with the Junior League -- the chefs who charmed the women got the highest votes. I'm just sayin'.
6 Mastering your technical skills is crucial, whether it's chopping veggies or writing stories.
5 Sometimes you have to fly by the seat of your pants. Take a risk, and it could pay off big.
4 Not everyone will like everything you do.
3 Related point: people have lots of different reasons for why they like or dislike your product (whether it's food or writing). Some of them are associations that they bring to the table, over which you have no control. Don't get twisted about it, just move on.
2 Nobody likes a smarmy, supercilious showoff. (cough Stephen cough)
1 Presentation (or looks) matter. Just as people "eat first with their eyes," they make snap judgments on the quality of your writing based on how the page looks. Weird margins, fonts or paper colors earn points off. So do numerous typos or other formatting errors.
Bonus lesson: Be nice to people, but carry a sharp knife.