Of Grumpy Writers and Flying Sharks
Recently, I was struggling through some issues with my second novel. Essentially, I hated everything I was creating: the characters, the plot, the setting. It was all pretty grim. Still, I was pushing forward and feeling pretty grumpy about it.
And then my son came home for a visit. Like me, Michael is a night owl, so we frequently find ourselves talking or watching movies long after my husband has gone to bed. Unlike me, Michael is a connoisseur of bad movies—the kind that don’t make the New York Times top ten. In fact many of them don’t make the theaters at all.
Some of them are unintentionally hilarious. Like Sharknado.
I cannot fully describe the joys of watching Sharknado, especially in the company of a twenty-something who fires priceless commentary at the pace of a machine gun. The movie itself is a combination of horrible acting, terrible CGI, and clichéd (if not totally ripped off) dialogue. In short, it’s amazing.
I haven’t laughed so hard at any intentional comedy that’s come out of Hollywood in years.
I realize it seems mean and snarky to laugh at a movie that (I suppose) was not intended to be humorous. But try to sit through it. Watch twenty minutes. If you have any sense of the ridiculous, you’ll be smiling, if not rolling on the floor.
Now you might be asking yourself, “What the hell does this movie have to do with writing?”
The quick answer: not that much, except that this movie made me realize that what I was writing wasn’t so awful. I wasn’t producing Shakespeare or James Joyce (then again, who is these days?) but I am chugging along. When I finish my first draft and revise, my book will improve. Everything will be okay.
It is definitely a good thing to stop now and then and have a laugh, especially when you’re in the writing doldrums. Recognize that what you’re writing is going to turn out okay if you keep at it, even if (Spoiler Alert) you don’t have any sharks falling out of the sky.
Sarah Cain 
I’m so glad that “Sharknado” (what a title! 😉 was a joyful experience and helped you put things into perspective. I never would have guessed that a film with that title and plot could pull one out of the writer doldrums, so it was extra-fun to read this post!
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A good laugh is a gift, no matter what the source. So, I hope you find lots of laughter on your journey.
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