David Mamet’s K.I.S.S
The critical philosophy of the Mamet style.
As writers, we all want to make something as good as the classics. To create a masterpiece that will surpass time itself and be taught to high schoolers in English class.
[Ahh the dream.]
Yet there things we do that end up ruining or confusing our tales. You ask a painter when they know when their picture is done, they will probably tell you that it’s never done. The same can be said for writing.
We write, build, rewrite, build, rewrite, and build, till we either get bored with the story we are trying to tell or end up ruining the central concept of the story.
Now David Mamet’s K.I.S.S is not perfect and will only work if you put time and effort into the idea.
It’s not game-breaking, or mind-blowing. It is a simple phrase that can help keep you on track. Keep It Simple Stupid.
Instead of trying to create this meaningful backstory that can be its own novel. Just try to keep the main story simple. Don’t complicate it.
First, just write out that first draft. You can complicate it and deepen it after you first that first draft. Just add to the story in small increments. You have to remember you are not writing for you, you’re writing for everyone else and you.
It’s a story you want to tell people, and not everyone is smart enough to understand your mind. They are not mindreaders.
Just a little blurb of knowledge for you.
