Tim (author) and LeeAnna (human being) of Effigy Press consider the quirky human dynamic of trying too hard and self-sabotage - counterintuitive situations, and counterproductive actions - and how that can bring complexity to characters and plotlines in creative writing.
Too Many Cooks Spoil the Kitchen: A Misadventure in Hosting
Oh, LeeAnna! We’ve all been there, planning a cozy dinner for one, maybe two friends—until your phone turns into a magnet for the entire social circle. What was supposed to be a peaceful evening quickly turned into an impromptu house party. You had your perfectly portioned meal, your tidily set table, and your one (singular!) guest in mind. But, oh no. Suddenly, you’ve got a girlfriend on the line who invites herself over with a plus-one. And not just any plus-one—a six-foot-four behemoth who makes your refrigerator look like a mini-fridge. The plot thickens as more friends pour in, and you’re left cooking for seven in a kitchen better suited for a solo microwaved meal.
Fast forward, and LeeAnna is maneuvering around a human mountain in her kitchen, where getting to the fridge becomes an Olympic event. Of course, it all worked out in the end because, let’s face it, LeeAnna’s always going to be the hostess with the mostest. But there’s a lesson here: when you say "just one more," be prepared for the entire cast of Friends to show up.
Tim’s Deep Dive into 'Trying Too Hard': Because, Why Not?
Meanwhile, Tim is really leaning into his "trying too hard" philosophy, probably as much as LeeAnna tried not to let her eye twitch as guest after guest squeezed into her tiny kitchen. According to Tim, writers should only write when inspired, because forcing creativity is just so, ugh, exhausting. Why bother with the whole "300 words a day" thing when you can just wait for the muse to strike like a bolt of lightning?
Here’s the deal, though: sometimes, when you’re trying too hard, you’re actually doing the opposite of what you should. Imagine trying to force a cat to sit on your lap. The more you chase it, the faster it runs away. Writing (and cooking for unexpected guests) is a lot like that. The tighter you grip, the more it slips through your fingers. In fact, there’s an entire theory around this called the "Paradox of Effort," which basically says that the harder you try, the more likely you are to fail. Sound familiar?
It’s like when you’re trying to be funny at a party, but the harder you try, the more awkward the silence becomes. Or when you’re trying to impress someone on a first date, and your desperation is practically screaming, "I’m really cool, I promise!" Spoiler alert: it’s not working. The same goes for writing. If you’re trying too hard to be profound or clever, it shows—and not in a good way. Just ask Tim, who’s spent years perfecting the art of trying too hard to be a genius and, ironically, failing at it.
Tim’s Traffic Light Theory: The High Point of This Discussion?
If you thought we’d covered all the bases, wait until Tim starts unraveling the mysteries of traffic lights. Picture this: red means go, green means stop. Chaos, right? It’s a deep metaphor or something. Maybe. Or maybe Tim just needed to say something vaguely profound to distract from the fact that he’s admitted to not really caring about writer’s struggles. Either way, it’s a detour we didn’t ask for, but we got it anyway—kind of like that sixth guest in LeeAnna’s kitchen.
The thing is, when you try too hard, you might end up overthinking everything, like Tim with his traffic light nonsense. You’re trying so hard to make a point that you forget what you were trying to say in the first place. The result? Confusion, frustration, and a lot of head-scratching from anyone trying to follow along. Sometimes, it’s better to just go with the flow—like letting the traffic lights do their thing without trying to decode some hidden meaning.
Golf, Love Bombing, and Other Gems: Tim and LeeAnna’s Relationship Advice Hour
The conversation takes a sharp turn into golf analogies, love bombing horror stories, and a few too many anecdotes about failed relationships. LeeAnna, bless her heart, shares her experience as a "foster girlfriend," helping men find their forever loves right after dating her. Tim, clearly out of his depth in the relationship department, tries to keep up but ultimately just admits to being "on permanent hiatus from golf."
Here’s a little nugget of wisdom: when it comes to love, trying too hard is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. We’ve all seen it—a guy showering a girl with so much attention, it’s like he’s trying to drown her in affection. Or someone who’s so eager to impress, they come off as desperate. Relationships, like good writing and successful dinner parties, require a little bit of effort, but not too much. It’s all about balance, people.
In the end, the takeaways are as clear as the number of guests LeeAnna had at dinner: don’t try too hard, but also don’t try too little, and for the love of all things holy, keep your kitchen guest list in check. If all else fails, just pour a drink, sit back, and laugh about it later. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that sometimes, trying too hard is the quickest way to make sure nothing goes right.
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