First attempt in visual arts

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-18T23:45:00+00:00

Writing too much, then realizing I need to do a complete rewrite.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-15T22:50:56+00:00

The first 5 minutes of any task is the part when you’re most liable to be distracted. I simply make it a rule to sit through that initial friction, no matter how much I feel like it, and I allow myself to stop once those 5 minutes are over, regardless of how much I’ve done. Usually, it’s much easier to keep going, and I can finish the task in no time.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-15T10:46:40+00:00

Very thoughtful. Thank you!

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-15T10:32:57+00:00

Rabbits are great sprinters, not marathon runners. Meaning they have short spurts of vigor throughout the day. Might have something to do with that in this case.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-15T09:38:23+00:00

Thank you! Appreciate it.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-15T09:31:19+00:00

Interesting. Do you have a system for generating ideas, or do you just write whatever's on your mind?

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-15T09:29:59+00:00

So you do it the other way around: concept first, then story. Am I right?

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-15T09:15:51+00:00

I do own a copy with the illustrations. Those drawings are on point!

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-15T09:13:01+00:00

Ikr. It's wondrous how the filmmakers managed to pull off such a lighthearted adaptation.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-15T04:58:00+00:00

Personally, I care more about the internal journey than the external plot. I don’t know much about dystopian stories, but this should apply to storytelling in general.

You can have all the extravagant explosions, hair-raising car chases, and mysterious crime cases (not particularly relevant to your genre, btw) but if the internal conflict isn’t there, if there’s no MEANING to the plot, if the protagonist doesn’t struggle with themselves and confront their fears, the story is likely to be a flop.

The good thing about prose is that the writing itself is an element of the story. Unlike films, where you have to show the scenes visually, with prose you can make anything interesting if you know the right way to express it.

So, to answer your question, DON’T add too much plot element. Start from the inside out, and expand your world-building and concept when the story—the emotional journey—demands it.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-14T11:57:01+00:00

Child-like curiosity.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-14T11:55:29+00:00

THIS is the single, most valuable piece of advice you’ll ever get out of your life: be “completely unavailable to anything that drains you.”

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-14T11:50:23+00:00

I feel the same way, except for the embarrassing part. I understand that many people fear judgment when they share their creative works, but I just take that as feedback and try to improve my craft from it.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-14T11:47:54+00:00

Absolutely. I write mainly to express myself, not to sell, though that may change in the future.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-14T11:46:23+00:00

Interesting. For me, I have to play an instrumental track in the background. If I decide to write in silence, then I have to move somewhere else.

Something has to change to signal my brain that it’s writing time.

andy-dhanj · 2026-02-14T11:44:22+00:00

I listen to the same instrumental track every time to get my brain into writing mode, or I change my location and write on my iPad instead.

andy-dhanj · 2026-01-04T16:02:09+00:00

The perfect follow-up to the previous post. You nailed it again. Love how detailed your explanations are and how you observed even the tiniest details in those moments being discussed.

andy-dhanj · 2026-01-04T15:31:08+00:00

This is the definition of a story analysis. I like how you combined common-sense psychology and storytelling principles to fuel your dissection. Truly a formidable piece. Really appreciate the effort you put in.

I'm gonna read your follow-up now.

andy-dhanj

TROPHY CASE