Downton Abbey is the outrageously popular TV series set in the home of an aristocratic British family during the years 1912 through 1920.
On the face of it, the show’s popularity makes no sense. 1912? What was happening in 1912? Oh yeah, the Titanic, but what else?
Why is Downton Abbey getting such incredible reviews? Why has it won six Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe? Why has it become the best-selling DVD box set on Amazon?
In a word, it’s story. Downton Abbey is packed full of story.
And what does “story” mean, precisely?
Story is characters in conflict. Characters with impossible dreams. Characters willing to do anything to reach their dreams.
Let’s look at the characters of Downton Abbey and their impossible dreams.
Athletes train by spending grueling hours preparing for their sports. One way they do this is by cross-training.
We can do the same with writing.
Despite hours languishing in front of the keyboard, intense word sprints, or writing exercises, another way to exercise the writing muscles is to participate in another form of creative activity.
I find painting indispensable for my writing. And writing valuable for painting. They fuel each other.
But how can creative cross-training be helpful?
By training your brain to function in ways also applicable to writing: