Screenwriting : Mentoring by Alan Robinson

may I suggest that like anything that ol' idiom is correct; practice makes perfect. A cliche, sure, but the more you write the better you will get. As a mentor my first exercise for you would be to tell you to write a short script (five to ten pages) every week for 8 weeks. Even if it was just rewriting three or four different stories. Then I would read them in the order you wrote them and we would discuss what needs improving. I am going to suggest that you don't need another person to help you get what's in your head onto paper - you need to put your butt in the seat and write. Write every day. Is that the kind of mentoring you are looking for?

What DM said. Imagine you want to play the violin in an orchestra. You pick up a violin and try to play it... and is sounds like cats in heat... so you quit. Hey, of course it sounds terrible, you haven't spent enough time practicing to get over the initial problems. "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" I think it was Lawrence Kasdan who said being a screenwriter is like having homework for the rest of your life. Writers write. So if you want to write scripts you will not be writing only one screenplay, you'll be writing well over 100. And that begins with writing one feature screenplay, then writing another, then another. But start with the first one. Write a feature, Get to fade out. Learn all of the simple stuff by doing it. There are books and blogs and podcasts and all kinds of other things out there to get pointers from... and read screenplays to know how they work. Once you get past all of the easy mistakes, then maybe look for a mentor to get past the difficult ones. Since most people who finish one feature screenplay will never finish a second one, I doubt anyone will want to mentor you until you've finished a few screenplays... why mentor someone who is likely to give up?

These comments are all very encouraging... but can I play devil's advocate here? Alan says flat out that he's not a writer. He's barely written anything, and what he has written is "really bad". Alan, maybe you don't need a mentor, maybe you need a writer? If you have ideas you'd like to see produced, maybe you should hire someone. It might be more cost effective than trying to turn yourself into something you're not. If I had a cool idea for a house, I wouldn't go to architecture school and then work in construction for ten years, I'd hire an architect and a contractor. It would be quicker and cheaper and turn out better and result in fewer accidental deaths.

An interesting take, Kerry. I don't see where Alan said he's not a writer. It seems to me he is saying he's tried writing and is not very good; that he lacks confidence.

Well, he said he wanted to "become a writer". Between that and "failed attempts at writing" and "not very good when it comes to writing"... Ultimately I interpreted. But this isn't "I love telling stories, I've written a novel and several short stories and now I need help with my screenwriting skills". Maybe I'm interpreting incorrectly. I certainly don't want to discourage a beginner with promise. It's just, if I wrote "I stink at music, every tune I hum is terrible, but I have this great idea for a concerto I want to write..." I'm not sure the best advice would be, "study piano and you'll get there". But I don't want to be the one a-hole on the site. I'll defer to the cheerleaders.

Nothing wrong with a different take is there? Seems I offended you by offering mine. I'm sorry you feel I was suggesting you are the one a-hole on the site. I will be more considerate when responding to you in the future. No offense was intended.

I do some mentoring, but I'm not sure you're at that stage yet. I would follow William and D Marcus's advice. And I would also throw in - read at least one script every week and make your own notes on it. Or take one scene you really disliked in those scripts, and rewrite it in your own way with how YOU would do it. It is just about developing your own voice and learning the process a bit, and that takes time. Nearly everyone's first script is utter and total shit. Its about being able to recognize what makes it shit, and then trying to do some exercises that will help you improve those areas.

Excellent advice, Danny.

D, no offense taken! I just naturally feel like a jerk for being the only naysayer. Your question to me was legit, inoffensive, and now I apologize to YOU if I seemed to take offense. I really didn't. We cool, bro (fistbump).

Screenwriting is tough. The more you write the better you'll get. If I reread my work from even 6 months ago, I can see the improvement. Write, write, write and get some good books on the subject. I would suggest this book, it helped me a lot. http://mystorycanbeatupyourstory.com/

I second Ella's book recommendation. That's one of my favorites.

Wow, great advice on this thread... Alan, a book that really helped me take that first plunge was "Invisible Ink" by Brian McDonald. When I started I realized I was interested in telling stories -- that is really what this is all about; being a a storyteller. Once I wrapped my head around that concept -- the responsibility of the meaning -- then I dove into learning the tools to do as such; formatting, structure, plot, et cetera. Sure, many will talk about "finding your voice" or "your style" and those things are very important, however they are ego based. When you can remove yourself, your ego, from your writing and truly focus on the story, it elevates the quality of your work. I find when I think of screenwriting from this higher perspective, everything else just falls into place. :) To quote Brain McDonald, "Art is not to show people who you are; it is to show them who they are."

I love this thread. After a financial set-back a few years ago I decided to get off the couch and do something I had always dreamt about. I begin writing a screenplay. I picked up a legal pad and began sketching scenes. I bought Final Draft, read books, participated in webinar sessions, I immersed myself in the dream of screenwriting. Most importantly, I wrote something everyday. Through this process I have found a passion in my life I never thought possible. On some days, I can write and explore for hours and lose track of time. If it wasn't for my bladder and my stomach, I wouldn't never get up from my computer. Since this time, my writing has continued to improve. I have made contacts which has kept me inspired and moving forward. I am currently developing a project and when I believe it's up to production standards, will begin pitching the idea. I'm cautious about putting my work out for public consumption before I think it's ready. Being a new member to S32 appears to have widen the doors of possibilities even further. I have an author friend, who is interested an adaptation of his series. Another is interested in a collaboration in my genre of the motorcycle club world. Opportunities seem to be opening up all around. Who knows where any of these may lead. The one thing I discovered is whether I sell a single project, I will keep writing because it's what completes and makes me feel whole. The fire has been lit, and it's my job to nurture and see it bloom. Thanks Alan for your post, and hope you too find the passion. If interested, you can PM me and I would be happy to share some of the useful sites I have found on my journey.

For starters, you should be proud of your writing. Like what all writers do is that they write what they know and what interests them. Writing should be fun. Don't think what other people would like, because if you do that, writing will become a big challenge and not so fun.

I have to disagree a little, K.D. You shouldn't be proud of your writing if it sucks. You should proud of how your writing is improving over time as you learn. Writers write what they know - and that's usually why none of them break into Hollywood. Hollywood isn't interested in what you know. Hollywood is interested in how writers take what they know and turn that into an amazing, original compelling visual story that no one else can tell. Writing is NOT fun for everyone - in fact, half the pro writers out there will tell you they hate the act of writing. But they love creating, or rewriting, or finishing. They love the lightbulb moment but hate everything up until then. If you're writing for FUN - great,enjoy yourself. But if you're writing because you want to make it a career - then it SHOULD be a challenge, because it's really fucking hard to do. If you're a hobbyist, embrace it - that's fine. And it sounds like you are, KD. But if this is what you want to do for a living, then you shouldn't love ANYTHING you write, You should hate it - at least in the beginning - and strive to constantly be improving because that's how you learn.

Danny, I do agree what you said to a certain degree. Sometimes, it can be dreading. However, I love to write and create. I do love writing the beginning of each one of my stories. I don't write just for hobby reasons. I also understand that you want to write something to turn people on, but you also want to write something that will turn you on, so it can get you writing or you either dread writing the story or you just quit in the middle of it. Anyway, that is how it is for me.

emily you'll have less worries about formatting if you write short stories. i think that's what you should be concentrating on. the very basics of storytelling.

Everybody bitches about their job... writers are no different. But nobody writes unless they either love it or are compelled (addicted?) to it.

Thank you, William.

I am willing to critique your writing. geosis75@hotmail.com

Hey Alan, I'm in Belfast too. I've just been given an Independent Writer's Grant from NI Screen to deliver a five episode mini-series so if you fancy grabbing a coffee and chatting about script stuff give me a shout. dave@knifedinvenice.com