Pat Tuesday: be bad at what you do
Plus I took grant o'brien to costco and an incredible 2017 photo of me in a hat
Today I want to talk about something near and dear to my heart: trying really hard on something and still eating absolute shit. Especially when it comes to writing, I think the bravest thing in the world you could possibly do is be bad at it.
And I’m not talking purposefully bad—although I do that, too. When I have brutal, life-ending writer’s block, I pull up this one script I started about a disgusting worm with the intention of being as bad as possible, and I write ‘til I feel better. Here’s a snippet:
But I’m not talking (nor will I ever talk) about Cruzz—I’m talking about when you put your whole heart into something, and you yearn for it to land, and it still comes out complete ass. That is so important.
When I was a young writer, I was part of a UCB house sketch team called Maude Night. On Maude, you write 3 sketches a month for an entire year. One day, I was so unhappy with the sketch I was about to present, I didn’t want to leave my car. That’s when I realized: this script will never be this bad again. I’m about to get notes. I’m about to get ideas. I’m about to get encouragement to make changes. So I went in, and yeah, the sketch bombed. But it was amongst friends. And it grew to be a favorite.
As I put my play, BIG BEAR, together to premiere this October, I’m reminding myself the glory in being bad. And I’m excited for the team I have around me, who’ll accept my shittiness and help polish it. This can’t be good until it sucks first—and I’m so so so so excited for this to suck.
And my challenge to you is to go absolutely biff something today. Try your hardest and fall on your face. I’m excited for you and proud of you already.
Love you! Talk soon!
Patrick
PAT’S PROJECTS - some things I did this week!
Havin’ A Day with Grant O’Brien and Ryan Creamer - a couple Dropout buddies join me on a trip to Costco and talk about life!
AOAOAOA with Paul Robalino - Dropout’s own Paul Robalino stopped by Artists on Artists last week for a Fancam Creators ep!
License to Chill: my chat with Keb Mo and Taj Mahal - on the podcast I do for Margaritaville, I got to speak two to legit Blues LEGENDS, Taj Mahal and Keb Mo, about making art—it was a life highlight.
PAT’S PICK - something I’m into this week
HEARTBURN by Nora Ephron (read by Meryl Streep on Audible) - a brilliant piece of work read brilliantly. Go bask in this writing—it’s truly a rare gift.