Writing is The Best Practice to Get Better: Overcome Writer's Block

Struggling to work on your screenplay(s)? Lack of motivation to write? There are many screenwriters who experience writer's block. Procrastination is a common problem in the writing world. Don't panic just yet. Don't fear the next word. Everything will work out nicely. Stay true to yourself to trust the writing process.

Why do we experience uncomfortable challenges to do screenwriting? Simple answer: Too many distractions. If we want to delve deeper into writer's block, we can point to confidence, fear and psychological setbacks. We are human beings. We must work to survive this life. We have a past. 

Never allow your mind to control your actions. If you do this, you will reflect back to the past to block yourself. You will self-doubt. You will not believe in yourself. You will find reasons to be unhappy. You will forget about the people who matter most. You will repeat bad habits. Our mind can be our worst enemy--it can stop us from achieving what we believe is possible. 

Writing is the best practice to get better. I didn't learn to write in college. During these educational moments, I did write a lot. However, daily responsibilities would distract me. I continued to push through these barriers, writing more and more to share my passion. I didn't learn to write better without choosing to write daily. Good or bad material, I wrote all of this to remain active. Truth is, we can become our worst critic. Don't judge your screenwriting during the writing process, just flush out all your creative ideas like a fast moving stream.    

My professional writing jobs prepared me to live my future screenwriting career. As a clinical content writer, I took some important lessons my program manager shared with me. He taught me an important lesson about deadlines. I never learned my lesson until I lost this great writing job over procrastination. The program manager made an example out of me. His solution after my big failure: I should be honest to review the project by spending a day on this process to determine how much time is required to complete it. Our word has a lot of weight. If we lack integrity, we will not gain and/or maintain trust. 

While writing academic content, I noticed the value of deadlines. To be truthfully honest, I made my fair share of deadline mistakes. As a result of these challenging moments, I experienced many financial setbacks. I lived a difficult life. For the most part, I needed these failures to help me become self-aware. I now take personal responsibility for my past actions. Nobody is to blame for me postponing my screenwriting goals. I am responsible. I know what I need to do to succeed.   

Admitting that we have problems can save us time. Blaming everyone for our dreams not coming true will delay us. Living with our problems will not advance our dreams. Being brave to confront our problems to resolve them show we want more in this life. Writer's block is like a friend zone. We have to be honest with what we want at the beginning. Our mind can block our passion. Our mind can reject the love we want to experience over unresolved issues. We must realize that we deserve success. 

Writing daily is the key to unlock your screenwriting dream. It is that simple. Breathe screenwriting daily: It is your oxygen to remain alive in a competitive space. Fear blocks most dreams. 

Don't fear the competition. Don't fear success. Don't fear criticism. Don't fear losing your privacy. Don't fear failure. Don't fear writing a bad script. Don't fear that you can actually become someone influential. All of this fear is unwanted pressure and stress; it does not belong in our daily life. We can only control our own actions. Everything above us is out of our hands. 

Lose the need for perfection. Nothing is perfect; everything is flawed. Understand that we can get better at screenwriting by giving extra effort. People who fight back after criticism lack confidence in their dream. Take serious actions to set a schedule. Set goals. Accomplish them. Stephen King writes 6 pages a day. He is consistent to deliver. He does not make his fans wait for his next great story. 

Writing is best done every day. Writer's block happens over distractions that block our mind. There are kinks, tangles and total blocks that restrict creative impulses from flowing in our brain. Unblock everything that is bothering you to realize your greatest potential as a screenwriter. 

Don't think about the next word. Keep writing no matter what, even if it feels totally uncomfortable. If we follow this writing system, we will find the words that we need to write a compelling screenplay. Let writer's block go. 

Happy screenwriting! 

Look at smaller writing markets in movies to get foot into door

Many viewers enjoy laughing at sci-fi movies shown on SyFy. No disrespect to the SYFY channel, but these types of movies are really silly and quite lame. On the contrary, SYFY is actually a rich market for writers to get their feet wet. Screenwriters who are willing to step outside their comfortable box can launch their film careers by writing low budget spec scripts. Furthermore, paid writing jobs translate into writing experience that will pad IMDb credits.

Look into smaller writing markets to blossom your writing career. You gotta start somewhere. Why not consider low budget science fiction movies? Never think you are too good to take this route. Traveling down the SYFY path is a unique option that can reward writers with lucrative opportunities.

Master a genre to become known as that sci-fi writer. Better yet, flex your creative muscles writing short films and small movies to show big film studios what you are capable of doing with your writing abilities. Don't focus on selling a million dollar screenplay to attract attention to your self-worth.

Do your best to hone your craft. If you give all your effort, the sky's the limit. Think smaller to grow bigger.

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

Be specialized in a genre to get Hollywood work

Being that specialized screenwriter is better than being a screenwriter who has written a script for every genre. Jumping around genre-to-genre is unimpressive. Instead of being known as that horror, thriller, comedy and/or science fiction, which your manager can market you as that screenwriter to land you paid jobs, you will fall into the "spread yourself way too thin" category to lose good opportunities.

Becoming specialized in a particular genre or sub-genre can give you a creative edge. Whenever movie studios need a screenwriter for comedy movies, and you are great at writing these type of movies, your manager can pitch your specialized skill to attract these paid assignments.

Keep in mind: Movie studios do need writers to revise other writer's screenplays to make these stories work better. If you are that writer, you may be considered to revise a completed comedy, thriller, horror and/or science fiction screenplay.

Losing focus doing your main passion can happen, especially if you concentrate on being good at everything. Labeling yourself a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none can delay your screenwriting goals. Truth is, we should view screenwriting as a goal. Never allow the fear of living your dream to hold you back.

Discipline yourself to be specialized as a genre writer. Visit FilmSite.org to view a list of genres and sub-genres. Watch my Vlog on spreading yourself too thin to find out more information about spreading yourself too thin. Please like and subscribe to Positive Life.

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

Focus on yourself to grow your screenwriting career

Screenwriting is all about you. You represent the one person who can make a screenplay really good. 

Focus on yourself. Grow as a writer. Find your writing voice. Notice your value. Don't be desperate. Don't chase unless this is happening in your script. 

Be confident to write and pitch. Know your characters, plot and theme. Compare your script to past projects.

If we focus on all aspects of filmmaking, we will be better equipped to navigate through the film industry. Focusing on helping others to get what you want can take away valuable time from your dream. 

Guiding people to find success is a good thing; however, there are some people with immoral intentions to take advantage. When their dream becomes more important than yours, you will delay your success. 

Don't lose time and energy on the wrong people. Protect your dream. Nobody will love your dream as much as you love it.  

Prepare yourself to be more than just a screenwriter. Screenwriters should think like producers. 

Remember to write the raw pages to flush out your creativity. 

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! 

Less is More: Screenwriting Tips

Image rights belong to owner

Writing less to express more is always the better option. Screenwriting is a visual art that relies on pictures to tell a story. Some aspiring screenwriters lose focus on the importance of writing strong action. Instead, they would rather flex their screenwriting muscle creating witty dialogue. Rule of thumb: Less is more--focus on a good balance of action and dialogue.  

Writing too much dialogue steals the visual thunder...

Unless we plan to become Quentin Tarantino in the flesh, over-writing dialogue is a trap. Don't get caught up in writing more dialogue to explain what you can do in less words. Nothing is more bothersome in screenwriting than writing scripts driven by just pure dialogue. Be known for your own writing voice. Don't follow James Cameron and Quentin Tarantino because they do something. Be clever creating strong dialogue that stays on track with the main character and plot.

What producers and script readers do not want to see is camera direction. If you write a shooting script, you will not get the praise you expect. It's a big "no-no" to include camera directions. Just tell the story.

Writing strong visuals in the shortest amount of lines is impressive. It is a skill that takes a lot of practice and discipline. If you're already an established screenwriter, you already realize the value of this craft. On the flip side, there are many Hollywood scripts that feature very detailed and descriptive action.

The entire first page can be filled with action, without even a single word of dialogue to introduce characters and the plot. If you can write a strong first page with detailed actions, take this approach to see where your story goes. Master visual writing to build the foundation for your First Act.

A good exercise is to write a short 5-page film with only visuals. No dialogue. Tell this story as you see it, as you imagine it shaping in your mind. Structure this 5-page short film. Hit all the plot points. As a third party, what do you see. If you wanna get creative, build a story with mind-flash, flashbacks and flash forwards.

Go further into the world you want to create.

Things to consider: 

• Be creative. 
• Have discipline. 
• Do the work. 
• Don't expect anything.
• Attract attention with your screenwriting. 
• Develop a writing voice that sets you apart from the rest.
• Everyone has an idea for a good script.
• There are far less people willing to carve out a passionate script.

As my mentor reminds me: Talk is cheap.

Please share your experience with the visual writing exercise.

And remember, writing the raw pages matter to flush out your creativity. Let's live this screenwriting dream together! Happy writing!

Spreading Yourself Too Thin

Are you spreading yourself too thin? Taking on more projects than you can handle? Struggling to say no to clients? Spreading yourself too thin is part of the reason you may experience problems with completing scripts. Your time is extremely important. Cutting into this time can block screenwriting.

Sure, you want to help people. While you help people, your script projects are put on hold. This valuable time is shifted to writing content you may view as survival money. Meanwhile, your future screenwriting dream is waiting another day, another month, another year. This vicious cycle of spreading yourself too thin steals your dream.

If you're serious about becoming a great screenwriter, please value your time. Don't spread yourself so thin that you lack any energy to write scripts. The bigger picture is that you want to become that amazing screenwriter. If you already screen-write in Hollywood, then you know time is of the essence.

Review all your projects to see how much time you have available to outside projects. If writing is your survival gig, then you need a good schedule to keep on track. It is easy to fall behind and jeopardize your reputation as a professional writer. It is not okay to postpone paid projects, or tell a movie studio they must wait on revisions. Don't throw away your future being too nice.

Spreading yourself too thin is doing projects that don't advance your dream. In a way, you may be sabotaging your future wasting your time. You may struggle with saying no to clients, friends, family, and co-workers. If you can't complete projects on time, please say no.

Don't play around with time management because it will defeat you. You will lose valuable writing projects from these missed deadlines. You can suffer financially once your projects dry up.

Screenwriting is likely a side gig since you rely on writing and/or a primary job to survive. Just know that pages won't fill up without you writing them out.

Build a strong foundation. Structure your time so you can screen-write. Juggle paid writing projects, enough of them that keep money flowing in and give you ample time to devote to screenwriting.

Don't make the "spreading too thin" mistake. Doing too much of what you don't love instead of what you really love will cheat your dream. Your dream will eventually move on to a better suitor. 

Respect your time. Your screenwriting depends on you typing those vibrant stories, those original stories, those great movies with the potential to inspire people. Become that screenwriter today!

Happy Screenwriting!

On Flashbacks

"Do not take us to the past until we care about what's happening in the future" - David Trottier's The Screenwriter's Bible

Flashbacks are prone to overexposure. Instead of dragging out secrets, some screenwriters rely on flashbacks to serve up truths without holding back any material. Screenwriters may use flashbacks early, maybe too early, to explain missing pieces of their story. However, we know little about these characters to invest our emotions into their journey. Exposition is key, but give the audience time to find an emotional connection. 

The fear of using the flashback approach is that we can lose the audience early on. As excitement builds in knowing everything, showing too much of everything and exposing everything in flashbacks, this technique of serving appetizers, drinks, dinner and dessert all at once may disconnect us from the main storyline. We need time to digest information, so going back and forth between flashbacks without at least building character development will cheat your story. 

As moviegoers, we are invested in the storyline. How do the protagonist and antagonist make us care? Of course, we final an emotional connection with the antagonist. Unless it is unsettling evil actions that disconnect us from the antagonist, then we want to know why they behave in this way.

Showing flashbacks can work, but executing them right can make a difference between writing a good script or over saturating this technique in a bad script. In the opening scene, we introduce the audience to conflict, such as an introduction to a research paper, and then put obstacles in front of the ultimate goal to block the protagonist. We want the protagonist to earn their stripes.

Going back to the past can reveal character strengths and/or weaknesses. Is this character up for the challenge? Do they possess the courage to confront the antagonist? Chase the dream? Defeat the empire? Get the girl? Win the game? Pass the test? Use a flashback sequence where this technique is appropriate to inform the audience. It can represent an effective device to move your story forward. 

Flashbacks are employed in horror movies to fill-in gaps. The first Saw movie executes this technique in the midpoint, as well as toward the film ending. We watch John (Jigsaw) struggle with cancer. If we understand the impact of cancer, we emphasize with his character. We also discover his hardship, his unwillingness to accept the selfishness of people refusing to appreciate their lives.

The screenwriter, Leigh Whannell, revealed this important information to prepare us. These flashbacks convey what decisions are necessary to survive life. It is in these experiences that we are drawn to the game of life, where the protagonists must make critical decisions to save or end a life, including their own. 

Given this plot technique, flashbacks are also executed to twist the plot--plot twists. A tightly concealed twist relies on revealing enough information to make all scenes go against the perceived storyline. What we assumed was happening is a whole different story. Dead Silence builds on this plot device, shifting the ending into flashback overdrive. We assume Mary Shaw is thus defeated; however, Leigh tricks us with another twist ending. Watch this horror movie to see how flashbacks explain the twist ending.

Want to use flashbacks in your screenplay? Go ahead and flash your flashbacks, but do this after you build character development. Why should we care about the protagonist? Humanize characters before diving into the flashback pool. Don't abuse flashbacks because your audience will lose connection with the present time. Once the conflict is revealed and protagonist is introduced, make those flashbacks count.

Happy Screenwriting!




   

How can I craft a character with Psychological Disorders?

Are you writing a screenplay that explores a character suffering from a psychological disorder/mental disorder?  You may want to know how to portray a character with a mental disorder accurately. Here is your chance to depict this character honestly to make your screenplay authentic.

Psychological disorders have been portrayed in many Hollywood movies. As Good As It Gets, Silver Lining's Playbook, Alice, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Secret Window, Mystic River, and Aviator are a few notable mainstream films that touched upon psychological disorders plaguing human beings.

If your character is living with an untreated mental disorder, show the signs and symptoms of this psychological condition in your script. How would a depressed person act? What would a bipolar person do without proper treatment? If a person has social anxiety, what will they do to avoid people in social places? Ask these questions to better understand the characters within your screenplay.

People suffering from psychological disorders are known to make excuses to avoid confronting their mental condition. Take for instance; people with social anxiety may ask another person to do things for them since they fear being in public places. On multiple occasions, social anxiety can/will block these people from living a normal life. This mental disorder inhibits these people to the point in which they use negativity and frustration as a way to cope with their debilitating condition. Given this information, draw connections between social anxiety and your character.

Have a character in your screenplay that has bipolar disorder? Incorporate signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder into this script, including action and/or lack of action to shed light on this mental disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental condition associated with moments of depression and normality. People dealing with bipolar disorders are greeted with roller coaster emotions. One moment, these people are on a high note and the next they find their life is not worth living. Outsiders may view these people as sporadic because their emotions can change at the drop of a hat.

Ready to become that screenwriter with authentic material? Learn about character problems/conflict. Understand this character; live with them in your home. Mental disorders are challenging to their host, especially to the people surrounding them. It is extremely important to monitor the progress of people living with mental disorders.

As a screenwriter, you have a prime opportunity to inject realism into your screenplay. This is your shot to increase awareness on mental conditions. Become that screenwriter who infuses real life into screenplays, conveying actions and emotions involved with psychological disorders.

Books on mental disorders and research material highlight this subject matter. Read a copy of the DSM to research and study appropriate mental illnesses in their entirety. Understand the signs and symptoms of mental disorders so that you can show instead of tell the audience about the struggles people experience while coping with the effects of particular psychological conditions.

View the DSM manual at Barnes & Noble or at your local library. You can also purchase the 5th edition of the DSM below. Happy screenwriting!

An Article on How Creed Movie Lessons Can Teach Screenwriters

Ryan Coogler's Creed hit movie theaters on Thanksgiving Day. Michael B. Jordan teamed up with director Ryan Coogler a second time, the first pairing in Fruitvale Station.

In this Rocky spinoff, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is now retired from boxing. He owns a restaurant inspired by his boxing career. Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed moved to Philly, walked into Rocky's restaurant and introduced himself as Apollo Creed's son.

According to ScreenCraft, Creed teaches us valuable lessons that screenwriters can use to master their screenwriting craft. Check out the following article on Creed and screenwriting here.

Most Screenwriters quit

Great screenwriters are hard to find. However, there are seasoned screenwriters who give up after years of struggling to make ends meet. Screenwriters are getting smarter; they are now shifting to more lucrative alternatives such as becoming television writers to receive steady paychecks.

Catch 22 of television writing is that you must live in Los Angeles in the beginning. In the film world, screenwriting is no easy task to attain. Life will hold you back, dealing writers a blow to your confidence. Why do most screenwriters quit their dream?

Screenwriting is a craft, an art that requires some talent, good storytelling, and film connections. A good screenplay is only a part of the equation. Thousands of screenplays arrive on Hollywood studio floors yearly, but only a few hundred are optioned yearly and a small percentage of these scripts are made into movies. No options mean no pay. Can you afford to wait for an option?

Life gets in the way. We must survive. We have bills to pay. Our work schedules and low salary/hourly pay can block screenwriting success. Screenwriting requires day-job hours to finetune the plot, build character development and complete feature-length scripts in their entirety. Even after all that effort, revision-after-revision is necessary to make script adjustments. How can we concentrate on screenwriting if we can't pay our bills, eat a healthy meal, and maintain our health? That is a widespread challenge we must all deal with day-in, day-out.

Screenwriters quit for reasons beyond their control. It is not easy to succeed as a screenwriter. Our family, our friends, and strangers will tell us to stay away from this industry. They view screenwriting as an impossible dream, a Hollywood American Dream that will waste our future. We are judged on our writing inabilities before we can't share our writing portfolios.

Imagine completing a screenplay and selling this off to a studio to be developed. That is the dream you strive for as a screenwriter. Conflict and resolution lead every screenplay. Mostly all stories begin with some sort of conflict, and then we root for our protagonists to resolve these obstacles/challenges.

Money can make/break our screenwriting dream. If we make enough money, we get complacent. If we struggle to make a living, we procrastinate on screenwriting. It is common for screenwriters to lose focus, to postpone screenwriting until life gets better. The truth is that delaying screenwriting will push this dream to the brink of extinction. As screenwriters, you must keep writing and do this often enough that it becomes a routine part of your daily operations.

Most screenwriters quit chasing the dream to make a living. Student loans, rent, credit cards, food, children, and other challenges may block screenwriting. Furthermore, significant others and family members could criticize this screenwriting dream to the point in which screenwriters eventually abandon their quest to option a spec script. Financial instability is a dream crusher.

Screenwriters realize screenwriting is self-destructing their marriage/relationships. It takes two people to make a living. This person may grow apart from your screenwriting dream. When there are no results to report, these people lose interest in your illusion.

Patience and perseverance determine the fate of successful screenwriters. If you quit, you may miss out on a potential opportunity to write that prized script. Surround yourself with positive people, not toxic people who make negative comments to sabotage your future success.

Of course, we have to be realistic. It makes sense to reevaluate our past to pave the future. If screenwriting is not working out, you may need to find a reliable job to make a living. This doesn't mean you have to give up on the fight to write movies. Screenplay writing takes discipline, passion and good time management. Possessing these traits could improve your shot at reaching the coveted screenwriting dream.

Please don't give up on screenwriting. We need inspiration to motivate people. There are too many unhappy people who need guidance to share their talents. Without your screenplays, we face an uncertain future filled with disappointment. A powerful movie can make a huge difference.

Most screenwriters quit after constant rejections. Remember, failure is a part of screenwriting. It is a mainstay of the film industry, where most film dreamers understand the dark journey that await them. Don't let this discourage you from completing a screenplay. Don't quit screenwriting! Keep writing!

2016 Horror Movies Coming Soon

Hollywood horror movies are losing their appeal. Jump scares, cheesy concepts and recurring themes injected in paranormal/supernatural movies make watching horror movies a yawn fest.

When did horror fans lose interest in horror films? The last time we enjoyed watching a horror movie is when The Conjuring dominated the opening weekend a few years ago. However, Hollywood ignored releasing horror movies on Friday the 13th three times last year. 

Third installment of Insidious and Paranormal Activity 5 each failed miserably to capture our attention. For the most part, horror movie remakes such as The Poltergeist, Evil Dead and Halloween gutted our interest, sending our attention span on a freefall dive into oblivion.  

Will 2016 reclaim the horror genre? The Forest is the first test. The Boy is another Annabelle-type movie awaiting release in 2016. Lastly, The Conjuring sequel is a guaranteed shoe-in to make a fortune in the movie box office. 

Check out the following movie website for upcoming horror movies awaiting 2016 release dates. 

http://moviepilot.com/posts/3707080

Oscar® Nominations for Writing - Adapted Screenplay and Writing - Original Screenplay

Writing - Adapted Screenplay

American Sniper
by Jason Hall

The Imitation Game
by Graham Moore

Inherent Vice
by Paul Thomas Anderson (for screen)

The Theory of Everything
by Anthony McCarten

Whiplash
by Damien Chazelle

Writing - Original Screenplay

Birdman (also known as The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo

Boyhood
by Richard Linklater

Foxcatcher
by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman

The Grand Budapest Hotel
by Wes Anderson: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness (story)

Nightcrawler
by Dan Gilroy

Loss of the Original Idea?

The movie box office generated billions in ticket sales in 2014. Surprisingly, Guardians of the Galaxy, a movie based on a Marvel comic book, finished as the top earning movie of 2014. View a list of the top 2014 box office finishers and you'll notice the top movies are either sequels, remakes, and/or content based on previous material. Where are the original movies? Do movie fans have to wait until The Academy® reveals Oscar® nominations to discover original films?

Original ideas still thrive in Hollywood. The Oscars® will soon get us back into original mode. However, the original story is struggling to perform since the box office is dependent on moviegoers, who are spending their hard-earned money on comic book movies, remakes, sequels, movies based on books, movies based on true stories and other movies based on previous material. It appears that tossing money toward material with a built-in audience, rather than risk it all on original ideas, is a safe bet.  

Do you believe originality is going dormant for a few more years? Until a slew of original scripts arrive at the Hollywood doorstep and entice studios to invest into more great original ideas, don't expect originality to lead the box office. Inception is an exception to this original rule, so are many great classic 80's movies that moviegoers still enjoy watching today. Back to the Future is one of those major classics. E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, Top Gun, and Beverly Hills Cop were huge box office earners. 

Hollywood studios and independent production companies are making original films. Unfortunately, moviegoers dictate whether these movies earn money, lose money and/or flame out. A strong marketing campaign can take lukewarm hits and transform these into blockbusters. Good word-of-mouth builds hype and encourage movie fans to attending showings.

There are many steps involved in making Hollywood movies and independent films. The moviegoing public have a huge hand in whether original movies see light or are buried in the flop archives. Taking risks that translates into huge losses can sink a studio department like a battle ship. Cheaply made original movies can deliver great box office performances. Insidious and Saw are an example of this original paradigm, where the screenwriter and director tandem make good use of small shoestring budgets to deliver huge commercial hits. 

Trust us when we tell you that original scripts are sought after. Screenwriters who write original, thought-provoking scripts with commercial potential, can get optioned. Dust off those original scripts! Keep screenwriting! 

Sylvester Stallone quotes that are powerful

Sylvester Stallone was interviewed by People for his Rocky Balboa movie in 2006. This sixth Rocky movie challenged Stallone, as the writer he created major obstacles to challenge Rocky to reach deep inside his heart to continue on. Under distress, this historical character had a greater purpose to get back into the ring again.

As the screenwriter, director and main character, Stallone has always had a huge hand in Rocky's journey. One major event took place in this movie to change this protagonist's direction.

Watch this Rocky Balboa movie and see what event inspires Rocky to box.

Sylvester Stallone answered several questions on screenwriting. Two quotes, one about writing and another reflecting on the passing of the torch, sums up screenwriting and Hollywood.

The following two quotes from Sylvester Stallone's 2006 People interview are available below:

 "I can never understand those people who spend two years trying to get the perfect script one time out. That's not writing, that's waiting."
"You reach that crossroads and society basically has deemed you passé. You've had your chance; now they expect you to just move aside for the next generation. "

Many Hollywood stars face the "passing of time" obstacle. When is a good time to quit? How can perfection affect writing? In the screenwriting world, writers age to perfection. However, movie actors and actresses who age encounter an uphill battle to stay relevant.

Staying on top and falling to the bottom have an adverse impact on Hollywood performers. In order to be relevant, movie stars must sacrifice their private lives and accept constant criticism at the expense of their mental health. When reaching the bottom, the perils of surviving the industry continue to wane until movie roles evaporate like a dry well.

Screenwriters must keep reinventing their writing. They can't rely on time to be kind. A screenwriter may write a hit in 2014 and lose their luster in 2018. It can happen that fast.

Focus on mastering several genres, even the smallest of genres. Consider writing a few original scripts, so when Hollywood requests original ideas, you will be ready to engage.

Keep writing and be passionate.

Source: People
  

Screenwriting dreams locked away by life

Believe it or not, your unaccomplished screenwriting dreams are locked away in a vault, in an undisclosed location waiting to break free. What do you do to find this vault, and then unlock it? It is no simple task to become a screenwriter. But, however, passionate writers are up for this competition. They know what needs to be done in order to deliver their screenwriting dreams to Hollywood. With that idea in play, we can focus on our screenwriting dreams that are locked away by life.

Ever wonder why so many aspiring screenwriters fail to option screenplays that are made into movies shown on the silver screen. It is hard to option a screenplay. The right ingredients must be mixed together to whip up a decent movie. When we say decent, we mean that not all movies are good. Bad movies get optioned, get made, and get produced into real movies. 

Any movie that enters the box office is a success. It doesn't matter if these movies are good or bad. Thousands of screenplays reach Hollywood each year, but only a small fraction of those are optioned. Statistically, a smaller fraction of those are actually made into movies. How do we write what we know and make this interesting to option? 

Look at all the things you've done in life. Jobs you've taken. People you know. Stupid obstacles that make you laugh. Stories told to you. What you see on the street. Listen to at work. What is reported in the news. These premise ideas are there for you to seize, to capture, to make into movies. No more waiting for the perfect screenplay, to make this script right.

Lets look at the startup industry. Why do tech companies continue to search for software engineers? You'd think these startups are represented by top talents in their field. Well, they are stocked up. It never hurts to advertise and find another talented individual to join the team. 

Screenwriting works this way. Hollywood knows there are hundreds of unsolicited scripts stored in computers. These movies can easily make Hollywood millions of dollars in the box office. The problem here is locating these commercial screenplays that have the right ingredients. Diamonds in the rough are hard to come by, so for reason alone the major players are searching long and hard. 

We know your life can be interesting, though not the simple moments where you share a beer and talking about sports. We're talking about those stupid moments where you look up to the sky and yell. These are funny events, funny obstacles that make us life.

We live those real moments. We dislike the odds that are stacked up against us. We complain about our lives. When we watch these scenes at the movies, we can relate to them. We identify with these characters. We empathize with tear-jerking moments. Humanizing characters and telling a creative story are tricks to complete a quality screenplay.

It really sucks that these dumb obstacles put in every road are what hold us back from reaching Hollywood. This material sells. People enjoy watching these events play out on the silver screen. Add an unexpected twist at the end and now you have a dynamic piece of work. Start from the ending and move the story between this beginning to that big end. Interconnect these events with an ensemble cast that have a deep connection and this shows Hollywood you are a great screenwriter. 

You see, you can do it, too. Instead of investing all your time into writing that perfect screenplay, you can search for that screenwriting safe and unlock those ideas, events, experiences, jobs, family reunion disasters, and everything else known as life. Life may hold you back, but it will give you an edge. The scariest of moments, the funnest experiences, and the tough hardships you face, are what makes screenwriting worthwhile. If these scripts are written right, using the best techniques, these screenplays will sell. Screenwriters must write often, write religiously, and write with a mission to option their scripts.  

Think about these scenarios. A coder writes decent codes to make a mediocre website that lacks a theme. However, highly skilled coders write brilliant codes to create a dynamic app like Instagram. A team of coders write basic codes to keep a simple social networking website like Facebook operable. It is because Facebook gives people that 15 minutes of fame every day, that is what keeps this social networking company running. Facebook is the heart, whereas all its companies are outlets to expand their service base. Scroll down the board to see all those people happily sharing their lives.  

People want to tell their life stories. They want attention. They believe their life makes a good book. If this story is told wrong, then it lacks interest. The screenwriters who understand basic script formatting, basic storytelling, and know which events to include, will sell their screenplays in Hollywood. Don't listen to negative people. Locate that safe filled with unique, original ideas, and unlock these scenes, these moments called life. If you can do this, you will win in Hollywood. 

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.

What job will make writers money while pursuing a screenwriting career?

A recent article on PsychCentral.com discussed what jobs writers could perform while chasing after their screenwriting dream. This is an important question to ask oneself, because becoming a Hollywood screenwriter is no guarantee. It is tough out there, trying to get noticed, but what really can put the writing flame out is trying to weather the financial storm. What jobs are reliable to survive until the writing dream is realized?

Quite a few aspiring screenwriters are performing primary day jobs. In the night, they may work as restaurant servers, bartenders, drivers, and even take on irrelevant writing projects. It's not impossible to become a great screenwriter, all it takes is one good spec script to reach the right person.

Our personal struggles make great stories. In these daily challenges, we figure out how to shape characters and learn how life really works. Though many movies are unrealistic, there is some truth to them. While performing these day and night jobs, pay close attention your surroundings. These moments, these events provide good material to inject into screenplays.

Every screenwriter has a personal journey. Their hope and dreams rely on survival instincts. With that said, writers must depend on their day jobs and typically a second job to keep the cash flowing in until their screenwriting dream hatches and give birth.

The following are examples of jobs that screenwriters can perform to keep afloat, while in their pursuit of chasing that screenwriting dream:

• Ridesharing jobs
• Bartending
• Restaurant serving
• Academic writing
• SEO writing
• Web developing
• Valet parking
• Hotel night auditor 
• Car salesperson 
• Computer sales

Check out this PsychCentral article and report back here. Share a current job that is keeping your screenwriting dream alive.

Every page is money in the Bank

I connected with another screenwriter, who is on the verge of optioning his series to a cable network. Because this writer was under an NDA, he couldn't share the name of the project and this cable network involved in the potential deal. That's cool, I understand that he must abide by the legal terms set aside in this contract. This cool writer shared a really awesome moddo to follow.

Several times during this conservation, this writer reiterated that we all must keep finishing pages because every page is money in the bank. I really like this phrase. The mindset of this writer explores how he attaches value to his writing, especially since many writers focus too much on developing multiple ideas rather than complete movie scripts in their entirety. 

It is all about finishing writing projects, instead of devoting endless days and nights discussing screenwriting and television writing on forums and never working toward a finished script. One completed spec script holds more value than several working scripts stuck in the First Act. 

It is true. Every completed page is money in the bank. Whereas ideas are a dime a dozen, completed screenplays have a shot at potentially selling if the execution of this writing and the storyline capture the essence of their intended purpose - whether the concept is highly commercial and/or this original spec script is salable under a popular genre. This screenplay may represent an artistic montage of the screenwriter's brainchild, their creative expression that is ready to divulge top secret ideas into an all-out silver screen mission to capture moviegoers.  

Write script pages to build value into an overall movie project. Writing outweighs talking. Talkers are not walkers. Writers are movers. They move every scene forward, closer to a completion. 

Indeed, every completed page is money in the bank. When the final page of this script is completed, now the writer has something to discuss with the right people. They can revise this script, as well. 

Keep writing. Focus on the main goal. Finish the script. Then, option this script to put money in the bank. 

Original Scripts are going to make a return

Original Scripts

Original scripts reached their height in the 80's. However, originality has taken a backseat to comic book movies. Batman, The Avengers, Spiderman, Hulk, Iron Man, Superman, X-Men, and other superhero movies are generating billions of dollars in the worldwide box office. Artistic expression, as we see in Interstellar, is impossible without the credentials to back up such a large budget.

In Hollywood, writers must pay their dues to get a movie made. Writing a movie that appeals to a mass audience will win future projects. Would a great writer sacrifice creativity for longevity? Breaking into Hollywood requires a screenwriter to sell a spec script, write uncredited scenes, and/or hold writing experience in the television space.

There are several other strategies to get into Hollywood, such as winning screenwriting contests, film festivals, writing fellowships, writing programs, industry connections, and old-fashioned luck.

Why are comic book movies dominating the movie box office? One screenwriter, who is on the verge of selling his show, shared that comic book movies already have a built-in audience. It doesn't take much endless marketing to convince fans to watch these types of movies. Young children and adolescents, even adults, enjoy watching comic book movies.

Nonetheless, Hollywood is not ready to accept original movies quite yet. Soon enough, there will be a renaissance, a new movement, a resurgence where demand for original movies will outweigh remakes, reboots, comic books, books, sequels, and other movie types. For the most part, original movies take more effort to build a new market.

It seems movie studios are reluctant to gamble on new screenwriters and original screenplays. Past original movies nearly bankrupted studios, also resulting in executives getting pink slips for these lackluster duds.

Get ready for renewed demand in original scripts. In a few short years, Hollywood may be calling out for your original screenplays. Your hard work and dedication will pay off soon enough. Stay patient and never lose sight of the screenwriting dream. Originality is on the verge of making a comeback.

Keep writing original movies.