Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

“I’m probably more personal when I’m acting than at any other time. More open, more direct. Because it allows me to be something that I can’t always feel comfortable with when I’m living my own life, you know? Because it’s make-believe.” -Phillip Seymour Hoffman I’m not exactly sure why this is, but the more personalContinue reading “Personalize! Personalize! Personalize!”

Nothing makes me happier than when someone tells me they were positively impacted by one of these posts. So you can imagine my level of joy when my good friend and active reader of this blog, Jason, aka “Sgt. Hulka”, (Can you guess the classic 80’s comedy reference?) emailed me a “guest blogger” post forContinue reading “Guest Post: “Mentorship””

Another post inspired by George Saunders excellent book “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain”… One reason Saunders focuses on the classic Russian writers in his class at Syracuse, besides their excellence of craft, is that they weren’t afraid to “ask the big questions.” There’s a weight and depth to their stories. They’re epicContinue reading “Ask The Big Questions”

“Years ago, on the phone with Bill Buford, then fiction editor of The New Yorker, enduring a series of painful edits, feeling a little insecure, I went fishing for a compliment: ‘But what do you like about the story?’ I whined. There was a long pause at the other end. And Bill said this: ‘Well,Continue reading “Make It Compelling”

A special shout to two friends and artists, Sasha Hawkes and Amy Marcs, who’ve formed Gladiolus Media, “a female owned production company that focuses on true and personal stories.” They met in our Vs. Studio Solo Performing and Writing Workshop taught by Paul Stein. For the last year or so in these workshops, they andContinue reading “Iron Skirt Stories”

“Let me tell you this, the older you do get the more rules they’re gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin’ man, L-I-V-I-N.” -Wooderson as played by Matthew McConaghey in Richard Linklater’s film, Dazed And Confused Speaking of mantra’s, I think the Stoics would dig Wooderson’s “just keep livin’.” LikeContinue reading “Just Keep Lovin’”

“The world is violent and mercurial–it will have its way with you. We are saved only by love–love for each other and the love that we pour into the art we feel compelled to share: being a parent; being a writer; being a painter; being a friend. We live in a perpetually burning building, andContinue reading ““We Are Saved Only By Love””

Well, we all need someone we can lean onAnd if you want it, you can lean on me. -“Let It Bleed” song by The Rolling Stones Mantras are powerful antidotes to suffering and difficult times. Think of AA’s “One Day At A Time.” Or… Abraham Lincoln, who suffered numerous tragedies, struggled with depression, and ledContinue reading ““We’ll Get Through It””

“Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige’s wall there was this one: ‘Matters of great concern should be treated lightly.’ Master Ittei commented, ‘Matters of small concern should be treated seriously.” -Excerpt from Hakagure, The Book Of The Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Translated by William Scott Wilson “Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible,Continue reading “Attack The Small Stuff Now”

“Character is fate.” -Heraclitus “Man looks in the abyss, there’s nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss.” -Lou Mannheim played by Hal Holbrook in the film, Wall Street “We kept our rep, bro.” -Sue played by Alex Van Horn inContinue reading “Reputation Vs. Character”