Happy Thursday, all!
You might know me as one of your friendly neighborhood Stage 32 bloggers, and I'm passionate about giving as much support to this amazing community as I can. I'm looking for inspo for my next few posts, so I thought I'd come straight to you and ask...
If someone could wave a magic wand and make the biggest challenge in your writing journey disappear, what would it be?
2 people like this
Presto...I would like a screenwriter (like yourself) to create a beautiful story using one of my real-life loglines as a guide. Be creative with no fear of deviating from the original story.
I have many more adventures to share. It would be great if someone could ...
3 people like this
Happy Thursday, Shannon K. Valenzuela. That's a tough question now that I think about it. I might have to get back to you on that, but I think it's great you're coming to screenwriters for inspo. And I think that's my first time using "inspo." :D
3 people like this
For me, a big time-suck is research. I can't always find what I'm specifically looking for on google and I end up going down all these rabbit holes and wasting the day learning about a bunch of stuff, but not really what I wanted to learn. So I guess the answer is, having a genie on hand whom I can ask a question and they'd just know the answer right off the top of their head. And once they've answered me, I'd want the genie to go away and not bother me. Is that asking too much? Hahaha.
3 people like this
I've been down research rabbit holes, Maureen Mahon. They go deep. Haha Avoiding research rabbit holes would be a great blog.
3 people like this
I can't remember who said this, but one of my favorite quotes by a credited screenwriter about rabbit holes goes something like this, "What I do is say, ‘Oh, this character needs a Trans Am so I need to look at Trans Ams.’ And then I’ll spend the rest of the day searching for Trans Ams. Then I’ll buy one. Then I’ll spend most of my time looking for mechanics to fix the Trans Am and that becomes a whole new thing."
Personally, I don't mind rabbit holes as I often find some cool material to work with on other projects.
3 people like this
Actually, Shannon K. Valenzuela, if your magic wand has a switch on it that could "reveal" insight as well as make challenges disappear, then my wish would be to understand the, often times, vast differences between coverage readers notes on the same script.
5 people like this
hmmm...I think it would be removing the no unsolicited script policy by agents and producers...seems like a Catch 22...we know our scripts are good...it would just be a lot easier if agents and producers would take the time to read them...that's just my story and I'm sticking to it...
5 people like this
Someone paypal me $700,000+ to pay off a house and I will spend the next 3 to 5 years making a movie full-time.
2 people like this
What's your PayPal, Dan?
3 people like this
Shannon K. Valenzuela thank you for such an interesting question!
The biggest challenge in my writing journey is also the core of my creative inspiration and success; it's sustaining the expansion of the daily practice.
So to make it disappear would be to conclude the journey and reach stasis.
It's my challenges that empower me to create progress and small breakthroughs;
example: just this week, I designed and ordered on blurb.com a 20-page lookbook draft, a simple graphic novel series of photo/storyboards I created for a micro-budget video project based on one of my own screenplays, and already this method of reducing and deconstructing the story is leading to rewrites and clarity.
Instead of what I thought needed to be a 3-6-month graphic novel design process, I just took an abbreviated first step and it's been so empowering, because I am training myself to be a filmmaker, to drive momentum for my screenwriting craft (currently outlining feature script # 8 and I write about one per year).
So I keep coming back to the foundation (like any good sports coach used to say,
"Stick to and go back to the FUNDAMENTALS.")
Writing as expression, writing as creative development, Story, Characters, Dialogue, Locations, all the elements I love, directing through the pace on the page, choreographing cinematic action on screen and using Hitchcock, Michael Bay, whoever I look to for inspiration in CREATING the movie I want to see.
So, no magic wand; don't take away my challenges; they are my journey and my strength.
2 people like this
I have good ideas (IMHO!) that I can get started, but then lose energy because I don't now how to fully realize them. Maybe I need a coach or co-writer?
3 people like this
Thank you all for such terrific responses! Be on the lookout for posts inspired by YOU coming soon! :)
3 people like this
My problem tends to be second-guessing everything I write. I tend to think nothing I write is good enough and have problems getting out of my head. Are there any techniques anyone uses to get past feeling inadequate?
2 people like this
Tammy Meadows, Maurice wrote a great blog that posted today about this; https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/How-Perfectionism-Kills-You...
2 people like this
Thanks, Maureen Mahon, but Renée Brack actually wrote that blog.
2 people like this
Shannon K. Valenzuela I'd say bladder control for my puppy just so that I don't have to walk away from my keyboard so often. However, I do suspect she knows what she's doing and likes the attention. Am I being played?
1 person likes this
Oops, Maurice. Sorry Renee Brack!
2 people like this
To answer your question: actually give me a foot in the door after literally half a lifetime of trying. :) In reality, though, I'll keep on trying until the day I die.
2 people like this
An Academy Award so I can convince myself I did all I could and spend the rest of my days wasting time like normal people do...
4 people like this
Shannon K. Valenzuela well, for me it would be finding a Producer with whom I could forge a long-term creative relationship.