Write What You Already Know

It is no secret that writing about what you know will increase your excitement to create. Many people assume they have a story to tell, so they try to become that person who will convince writers their lives can make a fortune. When writers ask them to help with the writing process, they say they don't have time. What these people really want is to ride the wave of success without doing any work. Write what you know, not what others want you to do.

We don't have any time to waste. 

Reflect back to all the moments you could have completed screenplays. I'm sure there are many lost opportunities. The past is a common psychological tool that prevents us from living life with peace and happiness. Talking about screenwriting as if we are already working writers in Hollywood will make us appear as faking it until we make it. Don't be one of these people in real life. Writing about someone who is fake in public to protect their true identity in their private life is a good story. Sharing your personal experiences with these fake people, which I have had many in my past, will bring life to your screenwriting to create a compelling screenplay.

Just imagine every situation your dream has created in your life.

Write about the life you lived over the dream you want. Without your dream, you would be living a different life. Maybe this normal life will give you a less stressful lifestyle. However, you would never know what it's like to accomplish a dream. The trap of viewing success as easy instead of understanding the hardship it takes is something to consider in your future scripts.

What events happened along the way? Did you laugh? Get sad? Get angry? Did you lose love? There are so many events in your life that can make good storytelling. We don't have to write these events as is. We all know that true life stories are modified for creative impact.

Get creative with your life stories.

We don't have to write our screenplays as real life experiences. We should use our life as inspiration to create fictional character who maneuver through our life. Teach people important lessons that you learned about your life.

Instead of looking at negative outcomes, focus on what you learned to grow into a better human being.

Tell people about your life. What are you about? Who are you as a screenwriter? What type of stories do you like to tell? What is your message to the world? Write these stories. Share your creative energy. If you learn something new about yourself after writing a script, you did your job perfectly right. Make screenwriting a transformation process. Writing what you already know will light a flame that can help your creativity burn brighter.

Please share your screenwriting experiences in the comment section below. 

Happy screenwriting!

Tame The Ego and Don’t be prideful: Screenwriting Advice

Screenwing takes talent, passion, hard work, connections and luck. If aspiring screenwriters believe they don’t need to do the work, they will eventually fail. Never allow your ego and pride to get in the way. Relaxing after doing great work is a sign that we are getting too comfortable.

An effective way to tame your ego: Set deadlines. Compare screenwriting to your day job! Employees who sit around thinking they are the best will be put on the chopping block. Productivity involves taking the steps to remain efficient.

Putting our pride to the side can humble us. Refusing to do what it takes to get ahead is a sign of low passion. Essentially, these screenwriters become opportunists who seek fame, fortune and attention. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be famous. Earn your Hollywood stripes. Be self-inspired and self-motivated to write at all times. Don’t wait to get into the zone.

Stay confident, persistent and patient. Screenwriting is a career that can offer future screenwriters unlimited opportunities. Always be willing to learn. Read books. Read scripts. Listen to podcasts. Write, write, write. Revise, revise, revise. Structure, structure, structure.

What you want is much closer than you think. Reducing time talking about your dream will give you a better chance to succeed as a Hollywood screenwriter. If you desire writing awards, then do the work. Remember that scripts must be written.

Lose your ego. Get rid of fears. Stay consistent. No excuses. No self-doubts. Be confident in your abilities. Waiting is being passive. Remain proactive in your pursuit to write compelling movies!

And remember, write the raw pages to flush out your creativity... Happy writing! 

Write for television

Screenwriting is a challenging dream to pursue. It is highly likely that most screenwriters will never master the art of writing for film. However, don't let this moral deflater we hear from most Hollywood insiders discourage you from chasing after this screenwriting dream. We just want you to know there are potential risks involved, so plan this dream accordingly.

In a PsychCentral.com article, an author shares the most common genres where novice writers fail to advance their screenwriting goals. Of these two genres, most writers overlook storytelling in favor of being overly creative. The mistake here is investing all this energy into writing that perfect script. We can't be perfect writers. Even the most prolific screenwriters have failed at writing. They don't quit. They pick up the broken pieces and rebuild. Criticism and constructive criticism are two opposing forces. Learn to deal with both.

There is no right or wrong way to break into Hollywood screenwriting. This dream to succeed at all cost may block writers from achieving the greatness they desire most. They want to get noticed really bad. For the most part, these writers refuse to make adjustments.

In the end, these screenwriters may write a terrible movie ending like The Devil Inside - the worst exorcism movie ever made. It violates the traditional exorcism structure. Watch the movie and see for yourself, how miserable this movie really is. We feel sorry for the unidentified demons who never got to reveal their names. It really sucks to not get noticed!

Use the co-screenwriters of this exorcism movie as an example that perfection is unnecessary. Write a bad, bad, bad movie about unidentified demons convincing a fictitious woman to murder fake church staffers and trick people into believing this is the scariest movie since The Exorcist, and you may have a real winner. It can make you into an instant millionaire, especially if you choose profit participation rather than accept a low 6-figure option.

Writing a terrible script on a sub-genre that has a built-in market can open the right doors. Go small now, then go big later. We're sure of it, that writing a less than perfect script can get your foot into the door. If not, squeeze through the window and make your case known; that you have what it takes to write movies.

Screenwriters have big dreams. It just so happens that only a few of these screenwriters reach them. Bad movies won't hurt your screenwriting career. Just look at Showgirls. Watch Speed 2: Cruise Control. Look at all the scripts that M. Night Shyamalan butchered after his breakthrough movies, The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. Nothing is happening in The Happening, except a disaster premise and poor writing.

You have time to develop into an award-winning screenwriter the next time around. You need money to keep this dream afloat. It is that first bad script that will make this happen. As time goes on, you meet important and established people. Soon enough, your screenwriting will evolve. Ask Leigh Whannell and James Wan. Look at the brilliant award-winning screenwriter, Simon Beaufoy, and his Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours screenplays.

How can we reach this screenwriting dream without wasting valuable time? According to this author, he believes that television writing is an avenue worth walking down. In television writing, these writers can make a good living and develop scriptwriting skills in the process. It is possible that this paid television writing work may guide them into screenwriting.

Do you want to become a paid Hollywood writer? Or do you want to become a starving screenwriter? Pick your poison. Write for television and invest your off-time into writing a good spec script. Now that's a good plan to reach your screenwriting dream.

Check out the PsychCentral.com article here.

Inject screenplays with real life

How many times have you heard that Hollywood is losing their grip on making movies? If you write movie scripts, then you know good writing goes a long way. Writing compelling screenplays based on real-life scenarios will capture a large fan base. This is your time to shine. Inject screenplays with your life experiences.

Original movies are in high demand. In the past three decades, original movies have quickly declined. Hollywood is viewed as a recycling platform focused on making movies that earn massive revenue. As a result of this, remakes, comic book movies, reboots, and books are leading the film circuit. Original movies are almost nonexistent.

Screenwriters should use their life experiences to shape movie characters. Movie characters thrive on conflict because the central theme depends on introducing tense situations and events.

Great writers know how to shape their characters. If you want to become successful in Hollywood, write original screenplays using your real life experiences. Good luck! 

Create the World around you

Screenwriters possess the writing abilities to capture their wildest imagination. They create characters, special effects, scenes, inciting incidents, and a plot that drives the script to the silver screen. Millions of moviegoers anticipate watching their favorite books turned into movies. Nonetheless, comic book movies and video games are becoming massive revenue generators for movie studios. 

As a screenwriter, you have the creative freedom to write screenplays that influence the world. People from all over the world will watch actors speak your movie lines. They will see your word text translate into a visual creation. Writing movie scripts involves building a world outside of your existence.

Have you ever questioned the spirit? Wonder what happens to humans and animals who pass away? Obviously, every living human, creature and plant life have a spirit. Inject life into your screenplay. You are the spirit your screenplay needs to sustain life.

Create the world around you using originality. Write original scripts the world enjoys. Want to become the next great screenwriter in Hollywood? Write what you know best. Create a story populated with likable characters? Include a few characters the viewers despise most.

Dedicate time to write a movie script. Construct the movie script like an architect. Your movie creation is yours to enjoy. Enjoy writing the next great movie!