On 2010
I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. No matter how well-intentioned, they never last. That initial burst of enthusiasm (“I’ll write one hour first thing in the morning!”) morphs into a sinkhole of counter-productive resentment (“I didn’t write this morning, and I’m a terrible person.”)
So for the past few years, I’ve been aiming more towards “areas of interest” rather than true resolutions. That way, there’s no promise to be broken.
For 2009, two of my publicly-professed areas of interest were:
- Trying more Austrian white wines
- Finding a nemesis
Some background is obviously in order.
Austrian white wines seemed like just the right level of achievable affectation. They’re neither rare nor ubiquitous. You’ll find one or two reasonably-priced bottles on many restaurant’s wine lists. And it’s extremely low-risk: the worst Austrian white wine I’ve had is pretty damn good.
While I didn’t become an instant expert in Austrian whites this year — I didn’t Tim Ferriss it — I consider the experiment a strong success. I drank good wine and became pals with the Grüner Veltliner grape. Ask a sommelier about Austrian whites and he lights up, happy to talk about something new.
The nemesis idea never really took off.
It all sprang from a basic realization: I’m competitive. Some of my most productive periods have come when I’ve actively compared myself to someone else — and if it was someone I disliked, all the better. I saw a nemesis as a way to harness my negative emotions in the service of getting stuff done.
But I could never think of a good nemesis. It’s a tricky combination: You need to both respect and despise the person simultaneously. There are many filmmaker-types I respect, but they’re all genuinely good people. There are a handful of filmmakers I despise, but I don’t respect them enough to care what they’re doing.
I needed an evil J.J. Abrams, but I never found one.
In thinking about my areas of interest for 2010, I’m taking my cues from last year: pursuing things that make me happy (wine) and avoiding things that don’t. Again, these aren’t resolutions in the classic sense, but rather statements of philosophy — ideas I want to pursue more strongly in the year ahead.
Auf Wiedersehen, Schadenfreude
You know who I’m rooting for in 2010? Everyone.
I’m rooting for Spider-Man the Musical, Ghost Rider 2, ScriptShadow and the Republican party. While I have serious concerns with each, I’ll happily cheer the best versions of any of them, because it’s not a zero-sum game.
Life, movies and popular culture are a lot more like Settlers of Catan than Monopoly. You don’t win by destroying and humiliating your opponents.
I want 2010 to be the biggest year at the box office for both clever indies and mega-tentpoles based on sticker books. I want a year crammed with so many award-worthy titles that ten best picture slots seems like too few.
For 2010, I’ll be watching for that twinge of schadenfreude and trying to snuff it out immediately. Negative emotion is a waste of time.
Archery
The new Austrian white. Because if it turns out I’m terrible at it, who cares?
Work as the reward
A confession: on some projects, the only way I can force myself to sit at the computer is to calculate the amount I’m being paid per page, until greed or guilt makes the writing happen.
I’m hoping the majority of my work for the new year can be done with healthier motivation. It is tremendously satisfying to be writing well, and that should be the goal. 1
Twenty-ten is going to be a busy year, though it’s not clear exactly which projects will happen.
I’ll be adapting How I Became a Famous Novelist and working on a movie I owe Fox. One very long-simmering non-movie project should finally be announced.
There is also a new version of this site that is just about ready to launch, and an iPhone app I’ll soon be beta-testing.
But that’s after the New Year. Until then, I’ll be on break. Happy Holidays. See you on the other side.
- I taught my daughter to read this year, and was careful to make sure she enjoyed it for the sense of achievement rather than my praise. “Good job!” is a trap. ↩
Articles
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Hey John, I stumbled onto your site while looking for reading jobs. Your link was one of the first to pull up and I must say, I feel like Indiana Jones stepping into the room of the Holy Grail. So much to learn, so much to see, and elation at the thought you have finally found something you want. I’ve personally been studying screenwriting for the last year, and man it’s a doozy. Anyone who thinks they can do it faster and better (myself not excluded) is in for a bumpy ride. I just need to thank you and every other professional out there who cares for us small fish in this big ocean. I almost feel like a tiny ‘Nemo’ heading out to the big sea. Sure my fin is small, but I also feel like my other fin has a mind of it’s own, and always pulls me the opposite direction of where I want to go. Thank you for these articles, I’ve already found tons of useful information, and I’ve only known about it for about a week and a half. Reading the the struggles and successes of people doing what I have always dreamed of only helps me want to keep going. I owe all working professionals with sites like these an offering of gratitude. So thank you. On another note, New Years Resolutions (and goals in general) have always been difficult for me. We announce to the world, ‘we want to do better at’ something, and we set that goal. I’ve heard that without goals we can’t measure our growth. But what is a goal, if not a benchmark for mediocre success when completed, and a slap in the face when they aren’t? I want to be productive, and for the most part, I feel I am. But the illusion of, ‘always being better’ still taunts me. In the end, I guess what I’m trying to say is I agree with your thoughts on goals. Set them to be something achievable, and that in the end help us be better in our relationships with others, and our knowledge of the world. That, I feel, is where we will find the most TRUE success in this life. -Phil
P.S. If you need testers for your iPhone APP, I’d love to help. Either way, I’d love more information.
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:44 pm
I like this post and have been having similar thoughts, particularly after my recent arguments with left-wing skeptics who write endlessly negative and smug blog posts mocking anyone who is Republican, believes in God or prays regularly. I’m an atheist with good Christian friends hoping for a libertarian candidate to come out of the right wing for the next presidential election, particularly someone who is level-headed and kind. Wouldn’t that be nice?
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:57 pm
2009 was the first year that I really stuck to a New Year’s Resolution. I didn’t make it until February, but my goal was to stop using fuckbuddies. I was tired of having sex with people I don’t like, and decided that celibacy is better than dealing with awkward mornings and clingy calls for weeks/months afterward. Granted, I only got laid a handful of times this year, but it was always successful in that they never called me back.
My only resolution for 2010 is to work as hard as I can on being successful in the film industry. I’ve already started on that, so I think I’m good.
John — Good on you for teaching your daughter to read, and teaching her to view accomplishment as it’s own reward.
But I don’t know how children are supposed to understand that — my parents expected me to view getting A’s as a reward for my hard work in school, but I always saw grading as being arbitrary anyway. What is an A except more than a B? It didn’t help that my friends got paid for their grades, whereas if I brought home a straight-A report card my parents barely reacted. “Accomplishment” is an incredible concept that I’ve only just started understanding in my twenties, but I feel like I could have used some praise in my childhood. Not that you’re not going to praise your daughter, but still.
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:05 pm
The linked article is really eye opening. Also, Austrian wine sounds pretty darn cool.
GOOD JOB, JOHN!
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Why not just use your evil twin from an alternate universe. Mine is great nemesis, but I only meet him during transporter accidents.
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:27 pm
After the whole ScriptShadow debacle, as much as I love your blog, John, you may have fulfilled #2 also. I will be your nemesis.
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Great post. I’m going to steal your rooting for everyone idea. I’ve been too negative the past two years. And Archery? If you are competitive, you’ll love it. I’m not great and know far less than the guy who will sell you the bow but I have fun with it. It’s a little strange to walk around with a bow, but a great 30 minute break. My tips: Don’t go all Olympic at first. Start off basic – bow, sight, arrow rest and arrows are all you need. You’ll surprise yourself at how decent you are short range within two sessions. You can build equipment from there. Don’t forget to take/post a weekly picture of your target groupings. Fun to show off six arrows in a tight group.
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Ha! Good one, Nicholas. But John — archery? Have you been doing rewrites on the Robin Hood film? Also, if your nemesis is discovered with an arrow in his back, you’ll have some s’plaining to do.
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Evil JJ Abrams, hehe. I wonder how he’ll respond/react to reading that…
I’m totally with you on the resolutions-turning-to-resentment thing, so I’m similarly not trying to make ones that easily lead to that. Just two for next year:
Get an agent (yes it’s largely out of my control, but the idea is to do everything IN my control towards it)
Save money (specifically so my boyfriend and I can buy a small house in the next year or two, but really for anything, ’cause this was a spending year and I need to recover a bit)
Oy. There. I said them. To a famous screenwriter, no less. I think that makes them as real as they’re gonna get…
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Re: “Good Job is a trap” — I highly recommend Po Bronson’s “Nurture Shock” if you haven’t read already — contains a great essay on the insidious effects of praise on children.
Happy New Year!
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:52 pm
I probably shouldn’t tell you this, it’s supposed to be a secret but I can’t help it.
J. J. Abrams is evil.
Keep it between us though. I don’t want to die in a freak transporter accident.
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Don’t worry if you suck at the archery at first. Honestly, the sooner you get started practicing something, the sooner you’ll be good at it. Just don’t give up. When I first started martial arts, it helped me to picture myself 5 years down the road with a black belt. Then every day I trained, I would think, “I’m one day closer to being awesome at this.” I used to think it was too bad that there is no such thing as a “sports training montage” in real life, where I could just intercut a bunch of clips of myself practicing something, and then be awesome at it two minutes later… But eventually I realized that if there was, that would take all the fun out of it! ;)
Anyway, as a n00b screenwriter, I wanted to say I still love your blog and wanted to wish you best of luck with your goals in the new year!
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Kareem:
I considered having a metaphorical nemesis, such as the younger, more ambitious me. That became the plot of The Variant.
Nicholas:
Kinda busy. If you’re content to have it be a one-sided deal, knock yourself out.
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:18 pm
The “good job is a trap” thing sounds incredibly callous to me. The idea seems to get the child to believe that nobody he/she ever does matters to the parent — mother may never seem to be angry about anything you do, but neither is she ever happy about anything you do. If you pretend that nothing the child can possibly do is worthy of having an opinion about, what message of his own worth does the child get?
If a good friend who wanted your opinion on something they’d written, would you similarly consider it “a trap” to tell them whether you like it or not?
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Dear Mr. John August Sir:
I’d be the laziest archnemesis ever. Honestly, I have a feeling I’d fall asleep in the middle of any pillaging or other forays of despoilment…or, something. Plus, the only things my lair is decked out with are a Laptop, a TV, and these half empty cans of coke my mom keeps yelling at me to clean up. She says my Dalmatian’s going to jump up on my desk like last time and knock them over on my keyboard, but she’s totally wrong. My dog is old and her hips are sore and she sleeps more than me, so whatever. Oh, and I also have the first 4 Seasons of Lost on DVD, but not the fifth. I think my aunt’s getting that for me for Christmas. So anyway…yeah, no death ray for my lair or anything, and no cowering lackey. I’d build one, but I sucked in physics. Oh, uhm…the death ray that is. I wouldn’t build a lackey. Though I think it would be female. (Now I’m talking about the lackey, for the record, which is why I probably should have said “she” instead of “it”. I don’t want to accidentally offend someone!) But that might be a problem, because the main job of a lackey is to stand there while you slap them in anger, and, well, hitting girls is just wrong, so I might have to rethink that. Maybe I shouldn’t have a lackey… I don’t know. I mean, they are useful when trying to put a diabolical plan into action, but they’re notoriously unreliable. Maybe I could make a virtual lackey in Second Life! I would also be the most uncool archnemesis ever.
And since my schedule’s kind of busy also, what with Chuck returning to the airwaves soon, I might not have the time for any nemesissery. Nemesissing? Nem…neme…things a nemesis does. Though maybe we could somehow find a time amidst our busy schedules to set up an appointment for a duel or something? Thumb war? Rousing game of Pogs? Or we could just have a cup of tea and talk about the weather, because those ARE a few of my favorite things. Along with raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Now, I will be in LA this summer, so I might be able to pencil you in if you can pencil me in. Maybe? By the way, I read “How I Became a Famous Novelist” and quite loved it. I really hope your adaptation turns out successful.
Hmm, maybe I should have thought this whole nemesis thing through beforehand.
Cordially yours, Nicholas
P.S. I’m still very angry with you. :(
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:56 pm
Did you ever cheat and just order an Australian white wine? 8)
December 24th, 2009 at 2:04 am
I thought the biggest nemesis is a blank page ; )
December 24th, 2009 at 2:56 am
Good post, a great note to end the year on! I agree, positivity and enjoying what you do while you’re doing it, not just doing it to get it done. I made similar resolutions/areas of interest my concern this year and 2009 was better for it. Now I’m inspired to an even more spirited jump into 2010, but I’m not doing archery (though I wish you all the best with that).
Happy Holidays everyone, and have a fantastic New Year!
P.S. Perhaps anyone’s nemesis is just themselves? New decade, new existential crisis.
December 24th, 2009 at 5:14 am
Settlers of Catan? Can it be? I’m so happy this game is indie-huge now. Or is it huge? I don’t know. I’m just happy people know of its goodness.
That, combined with positivity and archery? You’re not setting up areas of interest, you’re becoming a superhero. No wonder you need a nemesis.
December 24th, 2009 at 7:25 am
If you turn into a weather man besides doing the archery, you become my hero of the day, Spritz! ; )
December 24th, 2009 at 8:16 am
Happy New Year to you, John,
When “more of the same” is your area of interest, it’s been a good year.
Here’s to “more of the same” for everyone!
I’m looking forward to teaching my daughter to read this year. We’re about halfway done and my tactic has been to taunt her by writing out tempting things she can have if she can read them. Highly effective and devious!
I’ll volunteer to be your nemesis. I don’t get paid but I write every day because I love it. I believe in explosions from space, books on paper and aintitcoolnews.com. (okay, that last one isn’t true.) Instead of a nemesis, though, can I suggest a scapegoat? Much more effective. “Damn you, liberal bloggers!” “Damn you, Belgians!”
December 24th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Thanks much, John! Lovin’ your attitude. I offer you my thanks for this year’s offerings. Cheer to you and yours, and happy hols!
December 24th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
John, the Roving Archers in Pasadena has fantastic intro weekend classes. It’s a lot of fun. http://www.rovingarchers.com/
December 24th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
For some reason I’m picturing you in Nicolas Cage’s role in “The Weather Man” – carrying a bow and arrow around as an accessory item and shooting random things in public.
Am now making a mental note not to bump into you on a bad day, or else to wear armour on those days.
December 24th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
John – Wondering what your criteria for “negative” emotions are? Easy answers like “anger” or “resentment” or “contempt” aside.
December 24th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
@Daniel Look at my comment #20! Sharing your though :-)
December 24th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Ha, didn’t notice that, @Sarah – great minds think alike!
December 25th, 2009 at 2:11 am
Who said the nemesis had to be rational?
Mine is Josh Schwartz. The dude is probably a totally nice guy, but that would only piss me off more. He got his first show at twenty-six (The O.C.), now has a second (Chuck) and third (Gossip Girl) show, married Rachel Bilson’s BFF (obviously ridiculously attractive), and is still only thirty-three.
He’s my nemesis. I don’t care if it’s one-sided, but everything I do is to beat him at everything and shove it in his face.
And he’s probably smile, go, “that’s great, Logan, that’s wonderful. You know, there’s plenty of room for great artists to do great things.” But I know what he’s REALLY saying.
December 25th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I Hope i’m not anyones nemesis! I’d rather be a little less exciting friend. John bites sometimes :( If your doing a progress face or really doing a pretty good year, remember its all good. Even when it isnt best not to panic and stuff works out. Take it from me, its all about making yourself look good by being cool in settings with other people. Too. Maybe your spesially tenced and super excited doing something you never done before. Spending time with your child growing up for the first time. Ever. I wish you the best, always. Happy Newyears-
December 26th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Happy Holidays to you and yours, John.
Good luck with your projects next year, as well, particularly How I Became a Famous Novelist. Along with A Madness of Angels, it was one of my two favorite books this year. So no pressure from the peanut gallery here.
Take it easy, and have a great 2010.
December 26th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Hey, this next decade can only get better for most of us, right? Well, I certainly hope so.
On an up note, it will be much easier to say I live in the teens versus the otts or the 00s or whatever confusing word people ultimately came up with.
December 27th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Hey John,
I read this post after watching Ridley Scott’s The Duellists. Even though it was made in 1977 I had never seen it before. What a beautiful film.
And it speaks directly to your point about how a nemesis can elevate your game.
You need someone to be Harvey Keitel to your Keith Carradine. But without the duelling pistols of course.
December 28th, 2009 at 7:57 am
Love the nemesis idea and I have found the perfect director/screenwriter who I will make my metaphorical enemy next year. I love his work, yet every time I hear the guy in an interview I want to smack him. He actually seems like a decent guy–a good husband and friend to those who know him. But he also embodies several qualities that are high on my instant-irritation scale. Somebody can be a genuinely good person and yet still inherently unlikeable to someone else. I respect him immensely but I still want to knock him down a few notches.
No, I won’t name him. Get your own damn nemesis.
December 28th, 2009 at 11:25 am
At least you’re only looking for one adversary. If it was more than one, you’d have to always remember how to pluralize “nemesiseseseses.”
December 28th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Just got “settlers of cataan” for xmas this year and spent three nights in a row playing it with my family. awesome game. really funny to see a random reference to it here.
December 29th, 2009 at 9:13 am
“Archery… Because if it turns out I’m terrible at it, who cares?”
…The guy you accidentally shoot?
December 29th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Settlers of Catan is all about humiliating your opponents by blocking their roads, and building a settlement where they were about to. Other than that I agree.
December 29th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
I’ve yearned for a nemesis for a long time now, but I think it’s something you have to let happen naturally.
December 30th, 2009 at 2:39 am
‘Grüner Veltliner’ is not a bad choice. Mix it half half with cool sparkling water and you will have a pretty refreshing summer drink called ‘Spritzer’.
Greetings from Vienna.
December 30th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Great post, John, as usual.
Perhaps a fabricated occupational challenge or self-imposed obstacle might provide a better motivational construct than a nemesis.
Nemeses (sp?) are so last decade, anyway.
December 31st, 2009 at 10:12 am
John – you should definitely choose Tim Ferriss as your nemesis. I would if I could, but he wouldn’t pay any attention to me. I have a friend who is unknowingly exactly like him (a know-it-all who has discovered the key to understanding everything in the universe), and I will be deeming him my nemesis in 2010.
January 1st, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Happy new year, John! Settlers of the Catan is the greatest board game ever made. the expansion packs make it a lot better too. I recommend the Seafarers expansion. If you want a nemesis, use Brett Ratner. I can’t stand that guy. Cheers.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:05 am
people hating is a problem. hating another person is taking a thought projecting inside your system as a made reason for why you don`t respect yourself.
or humans are crazy
January 2nd, 2010 at 5:45 am
You’re officially one of my least-favorite people of 2010, for using the word ‘ubiquitous’ with so much ease. ;)
I can’t even pronounce it.
YOU-BEE-QUEE-TOUS? OOH-BEE-QUEE-TUS? YOU-BEE-QUEE-TOO-US?
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:13 am
hey i never went to Stanford.
There is 90 500 000 karl`s in google.
who are you this diverse multiperson? Miley only hits half that.
I learned to spell cute yesterday. I`m doing progress :)
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:33 am
taking down my twitter
people always hate people without twitters. but seriously as the world is right now i don
t trust people with that kind a new technology. not to be selfish, but my white horse vision yesterday was the most beautiful thing ive seen. and it will never happen,. i hate living in a colony world where people are obsessed with nature and war games. its like when i found out people in the world may never learn psychology. and after all the world will always be a scary place to be. that makes me sad.January 2nd, 2010 at 9:52 am
my goal this year is not one time be mean to any person, and i already broke the promise.
i just have 150 days before i go to house selling school. as this forum tells me, i better get a real job along the craft. But it looks exciting. perfect flicks are hard to get out of here ;=)
Good luck in the 10.
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:11 am
I hate to be the barer of bad news here John, but you will never have a nemisis. Sorry. You said that the two requirments were that they had to be good at what they do and be someone you dispise. Well to be a nemisis they have to accept you has their nemisis too. I mean Lex Luthor never said “Superman who?”. So seeing as you are such a likeable chap, I don’t think anyone could ever see you as a nemisis. You can hate me now if you want, though I won’t hate you back, so it’s still not going to work.
January 2nd, 2010 at 8:12 pm
Archery: the first time the string hits your bow arm, you will care very deeply and express your feelings using strong language.
Another challenge for 2010: work the term ‘gold shyness’ into a script.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:06 pm
some of these replies should be urled down and reported. not that i am this perfect being, but some of these are not funny. But ongoing bad vibes. who likes to hear about giving pain all over? like terrorists hunting after screenwriters.
January 3rd, 2010 at 5:46 am
The greatest trick I ever pulled was convincing you I didn’t exist, John.
Let the games begin.
January 3rd, 2010 at 6:49 am
hey John. Can you please remove my “legal”-document in the “rules”-section?
because rules are floating, and people get upset. i don`t think anyone wants information out in the open anyway, not a clever thing to do AND irritated people are created because rules are floating and we live in a more dangerous world.
January 3rd, 2010 at 6:52 am
I`m sure everyone wants the best leadership, and i know there is a reason for John behaving this way. all
January 3rd, 2010 at 8:39 am
John: Why in God’s hallowed name would you root for the Republican Party? If there’s a political entity that cries out for the necessity of one-party rule, it’s the GOP. They’re the ones that got us into this mess in the first place.
January 4th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
I’m partial to white wines, Argentina in particular.
2007 Crios de Susana Balbo Salta Torrontes – Produced by one of Argentina’s top winemakers. Grapes are grown in Salta province.
But quite by accident I discovered a nice Liebfraumilch (Dr Beckermann – the brown bottle) at Trader Joes – it serves well as a table wine.
And if you haven’t seen it, Bottle Shock is a nice little wine movie.
What do you recommend from Austria in the way of whites?
January 9th, 2010 at 4:06 am
Don’t have time for Nemesis. Can do Tormentor or be a Thorn In Your Side $400 incall $500 outcall. Must have 2 references.