I've read it so many times that, "If you want to improve your writing, you have to write more material. It might not be good, but it has to be written."
I was just wondering that why do professional writers emphasize so much on the quantity and not the quality?
Also has anyone of you followed this advice and if yes, did it work? Thanks. Your comments are appreciated :)
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If all you ever cooked was scrambled eggs would you improve as a cook? Or you do improve by cooking more and more dishes? Finding mistakes in each one and improve on that in the next meal.
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You can only get better at writing by actually writing more.
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It's the 10,000 hours rule.
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Along the lines with what Craig D Griffiths said, you can't make an omelette without cracking a few eggs. Sometimes the first one doesn't workout, so crack some more. And I agree with Christopher up above(sorry it's not allowing me to tag) you will get better as you write more.
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I don't think just writing more does it, I think you need to write more and focus on getting better. A neat trick I heard of once was to switch genres. It's like changing your exercise routine, works whole new muscles. I still mourn for those who suffered through my early work.
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Hi, Vanshdeep, great question! In my humble opinion, I totally agree - I think writing and reading more scripts is one of the best ways to get better at it. There's a ton that goes into it... like learning the craft and then jumping in and so much more, but I think practice is key. I feel it's a lot like any other muscle or talent. I was a ballerina many moons ago and played the viola and I consistently put in hours of practice each week at both and feel that I can trace back my excelling in both these talents directly to the effort I put into them. I say go for it - since we love writing, why not?!
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I think everything is bad when it's first written. And then some of the bad have potential to better. The more you write, the more of a chance to end up with something that has potential. But also the more you write, the better you'll get at it, and more able to see what can be improved and polished on previous scripts that do have potential.
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Vansh, Nick, Gary and Dan have a point — screenplays aren't like rhyme schemes, and a lot of interdependencies take a while to sink in. Whether you put in the work by writing or by studying structure, or staring at one story for 600 years is your call and a function of your circumstance. I'd listen to these guys, and something an acting teacher and a golf pro both told me — “perfect practice makes perfect.”
And happy Holi!
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@Nick - Amen, hallelujah!
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There is always this inclination of thinking that not quantity/practicing means mindlessness or putting "no" effort with purpose.
Quality is associated to complete immersion of our mind and heart towards a skill learning with persistence of improving as we get along enjoying the process.
Quite often people think that if you are not doing than you are lost. Mindlessly just scribbling, writing anything without improving or not putting our mind doesn't truly help.
The core of it is accepting that there will be mistake, a lot actually which is scary and we fear of making those mistakes and incline to be fine without committing mistakes, while it requires constantly improving our work. Having a quality work is basically practicing in a fashion where we painstakingly accept that even if we write anything, it will not be perfect output, but we got to learn to continue writing, thinking , listening to instincts, inputs of what can be improved, how, and so on questions and putting it out there with frequent revivals. That's where quality and quantity comes together. It's not competing for other's work, it's self competition.
Every second writer's first version wouldn't be of same quality as other's. But we can't compare our work with anyone's else to define our quantity and quality.
Each one of us have their quality metrics, self analysis going on and quantity of work one got to perform to bring that best of the last output. When we start comparing our versions of work to others, that's when we develop this feeling that quantity isn't important. When we start comparing where we stand to other's works, and if we feel that some people's work is mediocre, we instant have this gratification that I'm pretty good so I don't have to think of quantity, so only concentrate on quality as such. Because the pain to self introspection coming from constant practice is throw out of the door. So we more than keep on pursuing being persistent in each day's constant effort, our mind takes a resting/idle/lazy state approach to relax and live in this delusional feeling that quality means so and so as such. Eventually stopping the effort we are supposed to put each day. We don't realize both are synonym to each other. And each one of us got their own process, methodology, work style and we all are finding that within and pushing what we can do the best.
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Whoa! wasn't expecting such a great response. Thank you so much guys :)
Happy Holi @Sandeep
Thanks Dan and Julia. So basically, the more you write, the better you are able to construct your ideas into reality as quantity helps you to determine where you're wrong and where you're right.
The more you write, the better is your awareness of your mistakes that you made (so that you can improve them, of course). Thanks guys :)