Hi - I joined this week. I am an aspiring screenwriter just outside London, UK I have written scripts for TV and film and one play over the last 15 years. I had some interest from agents but didn't result in any meetings. I think I have progressed from producing bad to mediocre to promising scripts. My main problem is keeping my motivation/discipline going.
I think there are Type A writers who love writing, come home and just write for hours - producing finished work regularly and then there are Type B writers who are like Type A maybe 20% of the time but who generally struggle with output. I would guess (and it is only a guess) about 5% of writers are Type A and 95% Type B. I am definitely Type B.
I think you do need tuition on the basics of writing a script but then mainly you learn as you go along through your own writing development. I think rather than tuition on how to write a screenplay - the majority of aspiring writers would benefit from understanding the process and 'flow'. It's a subject that interests me and one that very few people seem to talk about.
Anyway - sorry for the long intro. I do think it's a valuable discussion though.
John
Hi John, nice to meet you. I'm UK too, going to London Screenwriters' Festival for the first time this year, I'm very excited.
I'm shamefully type B, although, I've been working on my discipline and removing unproductive distractions which has been a great help.
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Hi Adam - FYI - I am currently reading Creativity by the guy below and making notes. He is an academic and apparently the world's leading expert on creativity and 'flow'. Interesting because he is an academic and his work is not in the region of self-help.
https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow
Hi, nice to meet you. I'm also in the UK. :)
Hey John, from the States here but it's nice to meet you. What you had to say here was utterly fascinating and I have to admit I'm type B as well. Though, I feel like I used to be Type A but these days I struggle.
And John, thanks for the link! I'll have to check it out!
Thanks John, that sounds interesting, I'll have more of a read into it.
Hi John! Waving hello from Scotland :)
Hello John, glad you joined the group. I chase TV projects but I write early morning because I feel that I am at my best. I do edit / rewrite later in the day but I don't enjoy writing at night unless I'm up against at deadline. Good luck to you.