Video: Three Writing Tips from Dan Harmon

Plus, the inception of a TV series called Poopy Doo.

For any fans of the Harmontown podcast, here’s a video clip from a January 3, 2017 episodes (#226) in which Dan Harmon is joined by Spencer Crittenden and Jeff Davis.

Over the course of sixteen kinetic minutes, Dan not only starts to “break story” on an impromptu “TV series” Poopy Doo, he also provides three writing tips.

1. Prove that you suck, write a shitty draft.
2. Write it all the way through before you start second guessing it because you’ll make discoveries along the way.
3. The audience wants to feel sincere writing, so write what you know about your life.

The unifying theme appears to be this: Don’t write what you think you should write. Rather, get past that part of your consciousness and write from a more intuitive, subconscious place. Harmon’s point is probably something akin to the difference between receptive writing and executive writing. You can always go back and edit material, but you want your first pass to come from a deeper, more instinctual place.

For 100s more Harmontown podcasts, go here.

For an article titled Dan Harmon, the Hero’s Journey, and the Circle Theory of Story, go here.

For 100s more interviews with screenwriters, TV writers, and filmmakers, go here.