Screenwriting : Writers Block by Sho Mari

For me, what works best is priming my subconscious. That's where you ask yourself the questions you need answering, but you don't sit dwelling on them and expecting to come up with immediate answers. It's the same principle as how you often need to stop looking for your car keys for your brain to suddenly remember where you put them, or how you suddenly remember that obscure piece of trivia a few hours after you needed to recall it. So what I do is I write down the questions I need answering, what are the components of the story, what is the theme, how does it end etc etc Basically all the questions I can come up with. Usually I start coming up with answers and the fog lifts. However I quickly hit a wall and that's when I need to walk away and take a break. It's during that downtime that my subconscious really starts delivering ideas and answers. That's when I start seeing the moments in mind's eye and need to start jotting them down. Writer's block is basically when expectation, urgency, and anxiety paralyse your creativity and create a downward spiral of self doubt. While a blank sheet of paper may seem like freedom it is actually a huge void to fill. Breaking things down, giving yourself freedom to fail, and allowing things to start in a casual and chaotic fashion can be very liberating and motivating.

For me the beginning is always the worst part. In a screenwriting class I was once given the advice that if you can't start at the beginning with FADE IN: don't. Start with a line of dialogue to trick yourself into think you've actually written something more, then fade in. After following this advice I came out on the other end with a non-linear screenplay that starts over a black screen.

that you so much for the advice this is awesome I'm so glad i decided to join stage32 i feel the love and support. i will try all the advice you have given me. My favorite genre is thriller i love something that will give me rush and excitement. i find my subconscious really giving me life either when I'm high or drinking it just allows me to connect to my imagination I'm just looking for other ways to do it. I just got some advice to write everyday even when i don't have anything to write about even if its some joe walking down the street. thank you so much for the feedback you guys are awesome and I'm so excited to get started.

Well put, CJ. Blocked on your project? What a great time to do something completely different...preferably athletic! I ride my bicycle a lot, and the busy, outdoor setting and huffing and puffing on the trail takes me right out of that analytical mindset where we tend to overthink everything. Your mind is always chewing on those problems no matter what you are doing, and I find that if you let your body out into the world, your mind is then free to work on the problems without the pressure of staring at a blank screen (or piece of paper for those who ascribe to the old-school). The most important thing is to keep up a regular writing schedule so you DO get back to that project and not simply procrastinate.

Sho, what a lovely reply :) Yes Stage 32 is all about the love and support. Depressants can help release our imagination since they can stop our conscious mind spiralling. I think you're very wise to seek out alternative ways to achieve the same thing state of mind without intoxication. Grounding can be an effective way of doing this, just as Mike describes how a good bike ride helps him. This can be something as simple as just spending a few minutes focused on noises around you, the feel of things under your fingers, or the smells in the air.

i live in dc so there are plenty of stories to write a simply train ride is a short film lol. its so many thing i wanna write like my subconscious is beautiful. Being in stage32 has made me feel really comfortable i haven't filmed yet but i will as soon as i finish something i have so many scripts none of them are finished. and like it says in my bio i plan to be the next Quentin Taratino.

You go for it, Sho :) Looking forward to watching you flourish :)

When I have writers block I stop. I do something mundane to take my focus off it. My mind is still working on it in the background. Then I have my "Oh shit!" moment of zen where the story finds itself. I also find that working on one story at a time keeps better focus. When you try and write more than one concept at a time you will not have the focus needed to get the one done you have writers block on.

I agree with David. Do some boring old chore. Do the dishes, or fold laundry, like we all have to do anyway, but it allows the subconscious to roam. Sleep on it too! Sleeping takes no work and it allows the mind goes to town. :)

Good advice here! Also, remember, ability is earned over time. You're being seasoned at every turn for whatever reasons the blocks come....all here, it seems agree, time is your best friend. Sleep, do mundane things or exciting things....but if you give creativity the time it deserves and ultimately commands, your "FADE TO BLACK"s AND "THE END"'s begin to appear more concisely and profoundly. Blocks become "not as common occurrences". Because, like all here have said, you know what to do, almost automatically, in order to get through and past them. Best of times in your journeys on your pages!

I agree thank you everyone.

Mistakes are stepping stones to success.

While different people respond to different writer's block techniques, here's one I use and it always works for me. I just keep writing. Even if it's total nonsense and deviates from your story, or has nothing at all to do with your story. Just keep writing and you might be amazed at what comes out of it. Different ideas. Character quarks. Dialogue. Situations. Or maybe nothing at all, but gets you back to your story. The mantra I go by (read it somewhere) is "keep the pen moving".