Saturday, March 19, 2011

What writers can learn from the Elaine Dance

One of my favorite Seinfeld scenes is the classic "Elaine Dance." Believe it or not, writers can learn valuable lessons from these horrific dance moves.

  1. Herky jerky is bad. Elaine's dancing is neckbrace-worthy. As writers, we want our transitions and pacing to flow like graceful ballerinas.
  2. Cluelessness doesn't make problems go away. If Elaine wasn't oblivious to the laughs and stares, perhaps she'd seek dancing advice. Our writing weaknesses won't fix themselves. We must continue learning.
  3. Get out there and have fun. Fear of ridicule shouldn't keep us from enjoying the ride. If we write from the heart, listen to valuable advice, and keep trying, we can boogie our way to publication.

What writing lessons have you learned from TV or movie characters? And if you haven't seen the Elaine Dance, I hope this video brightens your day (it cracks me up every time).


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31 comments:

  1. LTMMarch 19, 2011 at 8:08 AM

    sweet fancy Moses! That is one of the most LOL moments of television! I like your analogies. And I'd say for #2--that's what makes critters so valuable. Yes? They tell us when we keep doing something horrifying... :D <3

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  2. Loree HuebnerMarch 19, 2011 at 8:35 AM

    Oh Gosh! I hadn't seen Elaine's dance in years! Thanks for the belly laugh! And soooo true how writers can learn from it! Great post!!!!

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  3. Gabriela PereiraMarch 19, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    Awesome! Love the video and love the analogy to writing. I especially like your last point: Go out there and have fun. If we're not doing the dance for the sheer love of dancing then we're apt to be disappointed.

    Great post!

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  4. UnknownMarch 19, 2011 at 9:56 AM

    Don't forget to be enthusiastic. :) If anything, Elaine was a very enthusiastic dancer. Loved the video!

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  5. DianaMarch 19, 2011 at 10:17 AM

    That was a great TV moment. So funny. Great post made me smile and I needed to smile. :)

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  6. Lisa Gail GreenMarch 19, 2011 at 10:27 AM

    AAAHHH I LOVE the Elaine dance!!! Good times. And great analogy!! He he. Get down!!!

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  7. Alex J. CavanaughMarch 19, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    I remember that moment!
    No matter how brilliant the writing or clever the story, sometimes those in charge just don't get it. Learned that from Firefly, a show of pure genius, that was cancelled after one season.

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  8. Kate Avery EllisonMarch 19, 2011 at 11:13 AM

    Hehe! This is great. Good analogy!

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  9. UnknownMarch 19, 2011 at 11:54 AM

    BOOGIE OUR WAY TO PUBLICATION<<< Love it! And the dance was so funny. :)
    Thanks for cheering up my day!

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  10. Leslie S. RoseMarch 19, 2011 at 11:59 AM

    Love the Elaine dance. I agree with Monica on the BOOGIE OUR WAY TO PUBLICATION. I want a t-shirt with that saying.

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  11. James Garcia JrMarch 19, 2011 at 12:02 PM

    Thanks for the post, Julie. That and other Seinfeld episodes always crack us up, too. We just came back from our New York trip where we had been repeating quite a few lines from that show, including: "No soup for you!".
    Take care.
    -Jimmy

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  12. TracyMarch 19, 2011 at 2:33 PM

    Julie,
    That was fun and gosh, never made the connection to what a valuable lesson we had in our mits...
    thanks so much!

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  13. Carol RiggsMarch 19, 2011 at 2:56 PM

    LOL great comparisons here. Hope you're having a super weekend!

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  14. AnonymousMarch 19, 2011 at 4:08 PM

    I remember when I watched that the first time...couldn't stop laughing.

    She needs a dance critique, stat!

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  15. JeighMarch 19, 2011 at 10:18 PM

    I love this comparison! It's stuck in my head now. My favorite part of the Elaine dance is the weird thing she does with her ankle. Hilarious!

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  16. Laura PaulingMarch 20, 2011 at 5:09 AM

    I love Seinfeld! My husband and I used to watch that show while dating and into our marriage.

    Okay, I'll say Castle. As a writer, don't be afraid to get out there and mix with professionals for research! :)

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  17. Kathryn MagendieMarch 20, 2011 at 8:14 AM

    omg made me LAUGH - I'd not seen it - but can you believe I've only seen one or two episodes! and that was after it was over!

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  18. Jeff KingMarch 20, 2011 at 8:25 AM

    That's awesome...

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  19. UnknownMarch 20, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    Oh dear, this is wonderful!

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  20. Rachna ChhabriaMarch 20, 2011 at 10:42 AM

    This is wonderful.Enjoyed the Elaine Dance.

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  21. JessMarch 20, 2011 at 11:02 AM

    Oh man, that's one of my favorite episodes. It's painfully funny to watch! Great analogy and thanks for the smile :)

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  22. NasMarch 20, 2011 at 1:29 PM

    Great analogy. The Elaine dance is TV's oerfect LOL moment.

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  23. AnonymousMarch 20, 2011 at 5:24 PM

    I've never seen that before, hilarious and great analogy. I often feel just like that online and in real-life :)

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  24. Amie KaufmanMarch 21, 2011 at 4:57 AM

    Oh my goodness, I'd never seen that before!

    Heartbroken to learn that ignoring my writing flaws won't make them go away! Guess I'm in for a lot of hard work in that case ;)

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  25. Lindsay N. CurrieMarch 21, 2011 at 8:46 AM

    Love this post and FYI if we ever get to meet in person. . . I do the Elaine dance perfectly LOL!

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  26. HeatherMarch 21, 2011 at 8:51 AM

    LOL! Great video! I've never seen that. And excellent advice.

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  27. Lynda R Young as Elle CardyMarch 21, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    hahah this is such a classic! I love it.

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  28. Arlee BirdMarch 21, 2011 at 9:04 PM

    Interesting comparison, but you make good points. Never saw this dance, but I am one of the few who never watched Seinfeld when it was on. I've seen a few shows since and see why so many liked that show.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  29. Amanda SummerMarch 21, 2011 at 9:51 PM

    i love the analogy here --- we should all write "as if no one is watching"

    ;-)

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  30. www.jolenestockman.comMarch 23, 2011 at 12:43 AM

    Soooo true! And Elaine's foot is mesmerising :)

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  31. KM NalleMarch 28, 2011 at 5:34 AM

    I love the analogy and I love Elaine's dancing. LOL.

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