On Writing #79 : Dina Del Bucchia

OMG. Watch TV!

Dina Del Bucchia

I don’t believe in unsolicited advice. It’s kind of like someone punching you in the face out of the blue. You didn’t ask for it and it probably didn’t feel very good and now everything is uncomfortable and weird and you don’t know what to say.

But a lot of times when people talk about writing they are really telling you what to do. Like, turn off your Wi-Fi while writing or go to a coffee shop at a certain time every single day like you’re going to a boring day job or spend money you don’t have on a desk in some shitty building across town so you can have your own space to write and your own taxing commute. Or what not to do. Like, don’t check social media, don’t read the comments, don’t watch TV. Don’t even think about it!

You’re reading this, so I’m going to assume this advice is solicited. And you can take it or leave it. That’s the kind of thing I’m into. You do you. So, here goes. Keep your Wi-Fi burning up. Look things up online and go down rabbit hole tangent after rabbit hole tangent. Watch videos of otters holding hands and read the comments. Don’t unfriend those gross people who are offending you on Facebook. Stalk them and see what sticks. Study a rom com on Netflix and write a poem about it with a friend. OMG. Watch TV! As much of it as you like. Even if you’re into those shows about building decks that I watch if I need to induce a nap. I still respect you if you’re into that. TV is TV is TV.

Take the advice and ideas that appeal and the others can GTFO of your brain to make room for more and better ideas. And don’t punch people in the face.

Dina Del Bucchia is the author of Coping with Emotions and Otters (Talonbooks, 2013), Blind Items (Insomniac Press, 2014) and Rom Com (Talonbooks, 2015), written with her Can't Lit podcast co-host Daniel Zomparelli. She is the Artistic Director of the Real Vancouver Writers' Series and dress enthusiast who lives in Vancouver.