Writing Well is a Pleasure
It is a way to organize logic, respond to social reality, and tell stories.
Raditya Dika is a famous comedian, writer, and director in Indonesia. Known for his unique comedic style, he has successfully built a successful career in the entertainment industry. Through his funny and entertaining writings, Raditya Dika has won the hearts of many readers and viewers.
His works include famous comedy books such as “Kambing Jantan” and “Cinta Brontosaurus,” as well as films like “Hangout” and “Single.” With his unique comedic talent and exceptional writing abilities, Raditya Dika has become an entertainment icon beloved by many people in Indonesia.
First: “Write what you love.”
On various occasions, especially when sharing tips on writing short stories or novels, Raditya Dika often emphasizes this point. Write about things you enjoy. Even if our writing doesn’t sell, at least we find happiness in writing about it.
The issue is not whether our writing sells or not, but we should enjoy the process of writing itself. The stories we write should be something we like.
“Even if your work doesn’t sell, it’s okay as long as you’re happy spending a year of your life writing that story. But you should enjoy working on it.”
“So, whatever we write, it should be important to ourselves first, then to others,” said Raditya Dika.
Second: “The first draft is meant to be trash.”
The most important thing is to finish the first draft. We can perfect it later because the result will likely be bad. The purpose of the first draft is to allow us to complete what we’ve started. Often, we feel stuck because we write and edit our writing simultaneously.
However, many writers suggest taking a break between writing and editing. Editing simultaneously slows down our productivity and delays the progress of the writing. Additionally, multitasking while writing creates a higher mental burden.
When writing, just focus on writing until it’s finished. If you want to edit, wait until the story is truly completed. This approach will make the writing process feel lighter and more enjoyable.
Third: The premise must be interesting.
The premise is the core of the story summarized in a single sentence. If the premise is not interesting, it’s highly likely that the story itself won’t be interesting either. Raditya Dika once mentioned that one of his films was only approved by the producer based on the premise alone.
“Before you write, the story should be able to be summarized in just one sentence. With a formula like this:
The premise is character + goal + obstacle.
All the characters you create must have weaknesses,” said Raditya Dika.
When a premise fails to evoke “curiosity” or “intrigue,” it can be a red flag for developing it into a story idea.
After starting with an intriguing premise, the next task is to create an engaging opening paragraph.
“If you’re writing a novel, the first sentence is the most important. It’s how you open the story,” Raditya Dika explained.
Lastly: Signs that the draft is good
“The signs are that when you work on the draft, the only things you delete are periods and commas,” said Raditya Dika.
