Making Art of Your Obsession

It’s not unusual for fans of The West Wing to credit Aaron Sorkin for their political careers. Though it’s true that the show reawakened my dormant leftie zeal, his primary impact on me has been of a different order: his words made me fall in love with English in a new way. I can trace almost everything that is good in my own writing back to his influence.

No surprise, then, that much of my work is inspired by The West Wing. Whether it’s fiction set in the political world, essays about how the show has changed me, or journalism following the present-day activities of the cast, its imprint on my life and writing is unmistakable.

Do you have a similar obsession — ahem, I mean healthy interest — that you could use as a springboard for your writing?

Mind map the themes

The obvious main theme of The West Wing is politics. The first novel I wrote after watching the show was partly set in the corridors of Washington power. I also visited DC, and lost my heart to the city. My affection for the series and my resulting curiosity about its actors spurred an interest in Hollywood, and in the psychology and experience of the celebrity crush. My first five novels all included at least one of these elements.

What are the elements of your obsession? Maybe you’re fascinated by learning languages: child psychology and cultural differences are aspects of this that may inspire you. Or perhaps you collect Beatles records: is it the sensory experience of vinyl that appeals to you? 60s nostalgia? A memory of listening to one of their songs with your parents? All of these can lead to memoir, fiction, poetry, essay. Write down your obsession in the middle of a piece of paper and allow your mind to wander.

Explore those themes

Chances are that part of the reason why you’re obsessed with the thing you’re obsessed with is that you have some interest in those component themes. Could you pursue those, and see where they lead? I ended up moving to Washington, DC, but your research need not be so extreme. Can you visit Abbey Road, eat in the cafés where the Beatles ate, maybe write a piece on this for a food or music magazine? Maybe you could read a biography of Paul McCartney. Give your brain new paths to explore and wander down, in areas that you are already predisposed to like, so that ideas may spring from this later on.

Engage with other fans

From my social media networking and from living in DC, I knew I wasn’t the only one who had a story of what The West Wing had done for me. Being around other fans kept my passion alive and eventually led to my self-publishing a short anthology of quotes and essays called Walk With Us: How The West Wing Changed Our Lives.

Pursue your obsession and see where it leads

When I saw a charity auction whose prize was lunch with Bradley Whitford, my first thoughts had nothing to do with writing. I wanted to meet him because he played my favourite character, Josh Lyman, on the show (and yes, it was delightful). But a friend happened to be an editor at the Washington Post and she contacted me afterwards to ask me to write about being an avid West Wing fan, with the lunch as part of my story arc. To this day, that byline is the one of which I am proudest. You never know where your adventures may lead or what they will prompt you to write about. So consider this permission to do the crazy things: it’s professional development.

Explore different genres

That Washington Post piece was my first published op-ed; prior to this, I didn’t know that I knew how to write one. Since then, I’ve ventured further into the world of the personal essay — both West Wing-related and not. I’ve also taken a class in screenwriting with Gotham Writers’ Workshop, and in playwriting, and even acting at the Shakespeare Theatre Company — all of which was directly or indirectly inspired by my enthusiasm for the show. I don’t know if I’ll end up writing plays or screenplays, and I certainly won’t be moving to Hollywood, but I do know that pushing myself in different ways has been good for me creatively. Is there a genre that particularly lends itself to writing about your obsession? Experimenting will enable you to write in constantly fresh ways about the thing you love most.

Be unapologetic

I have no doubt that people sometimes roll their eyes when they see me posting yet another link to something West Wing-related that I’ve written. But I’m making art I’m passionate about — isn’t that invaluable? In answer to someone who worried that people wouldn’t want to read her work, Cheryl Strayed wrote the following: ‘You’re asking me if it’s okay to be you. You want me to give you permission to write your truth with honesty and heart because doing so scares the living crap out of you. I’m here not only to give you permission, but also to say that you must. There is no other way.’