Screenwriting Tip of the Day - Sept 8th

"Set a writing goal for each and every day."

This tip is a lot easier said than done. Writers always run into obstacles - writer's block, family obligations, 9 to 5 jobs, fantasy football (yes, this does require analysis). But as your protagonist breaks through his or her obstacles in Act 2, so should you. Staring at a blank white page or screen is frustrating and disheartening for writers. But heed this concise nugget of advice: just write, baby.

 

Don't worry if your scene or dialogue feel out of touch with your storyline ... hell, it doesn't even have to make sense. Here's the kicker: you may end up writing a scene, develop a character, or find that witty one-liner that you could use in a script idea down the road.

So allow me to practice what I preach! As your humble leader navigating the foggy and choppy seas of screenwriting, I pledge to write. Each day. Every day. My daily writing goals are two-fold:

1. Write 5 pages on current script.
2. Write 15 minutes of random, mindless, free-form chicken scratch ... then put it away with my other notes.

This is only one essential habit of successful screenwriters. But in my opinion, it's the most important yet the hardest to do. Like all habits, it will become second nature if you simply commit to writing regularly for four weeks. After that, you'll need to write just as you need to breathe. Each and every day.

Now stop reading - GO WRITE!