It’s exercises like the one below that form part of my One Hour Screenwriter course, which will help you write an entire feature film script in 22 weeks. You can purchase it at the shop here. You can also read testimonies here that show my methods have worked for a variety of writers.
This week, it’s time to take a long, hard look at yourself…
Learn to Write What You Can Write
There isn’t a writer anywhere in the world that hasn’t felt overwhelmed, paralyzed, stymied or stuck. This feeling is a natural part of the writing process. It is a signal to stop and let the creative unconscious do its work.
It’s like trying to forcefully recall the name of a song on the tip of your tongue. The harder you try to think of the name the further it recedes from your grasp. The same is true with writing.
Does that mean you should stop writing and wait for inspiration to strike? No! It means you should prime the pump to get the creative juices flowing. How do you do that?
Write what you can write. Don’t worry about what you can’t write. Do a writing exercise or start with yourself.
For example: Answer the following questions in as much detail as possible:
1) Aside from writing well, what is the one thing you would like to do before you die?
2) What is your favorite thing about the physical space in which you live? Why?
3) Aside from your writing tools, house or car, what is the one physical inanimate object you couldn’t live without? Why?
4) Aside from writing, what is the one subject you are most opinionated about or the most passionate about? Why?
5) What’s the best decision you ever made? Why?
6) If you unexpectedly won $500, what would you do with the money?
7) What’s the best thing you ever got as a present? Why?
8) What is your ideal vacation or holiday trip? Why?
9) What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done to someone?
10) If you came back to life in a different career or profession, what would it be? Why?
11) What makes you feel in touch with your higher self? What makes you feel inspired or transcendent or moved in a profound way?
12) What is your lucky charm or talisman? Or has some object or item followed you around from place to place? It might be something silly you just like to have around? What is it?
Do you see any interesting patterns or recurring themes in your answers? What do your answers say about you? What themes, issues or words keep coming up? List these patterns and themes in your answers.
Now, answer the 12 questions for your main character.
Do you see patterns or themes you can explore?
What would drive your character crazy?
What would push your character outside his or her comfort zone?
What would make your character angry, upset or anxious?
What could you take away that would make your character miserable?
What would devastate or destroy your character?
What would make your character panic or lose control?
How many story events about those themes, patterns or situations can you create?
Add and embellish your notes. And keep writing!
Video Essay of the Week
I’m a huge fan of the most recent Planet of the Apes movies, and the second part of the trilogy, in particular, demonstrates the importance of perspective and thinking about the perspective of characters:
Let me know what you think of this week’s writing exercise by emailing me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you as we go forward with more of these writing exercises. We’ll be back in the New Year with more writing exercises. Time to enjoy the holidays!
Until next time, remember- all you need to do is Get Started and Keep Going! But perhaps take Christmas off- you’ve earned it.
– Laurie
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In further discussion of yesterday’s post– How do you tackle a daunting rewrite? My best suggestion is to outline your current script draft. Write what actually happens in each scene. What are characters doing? Briefly summarize what people say. Don’t get lost in tweaking dialogue on a major rewrite. Instead, look at the big-picture. In order to do that– An outline is critical.
Once you’ve outlined your current draft, go over the outline scene-by-scene. Ask yourself a few key questions– Is your story urgent and active enough? Does your story have enough adrenalin moments?
Ed Hooks, in his terrific book, Acting for Animators, defines adrenalin moments as story events your character will remember on his or her deathbed. They are the highest highs and the lowest lows. Make a list of your character’s adrenaline moments in your story. You should have at least eight. They are:
* The event that starts the story off
* The event that propels your character forward into the story (The die is cast. The penny drops. Your character makes a run for it. A door closes and your character can’t go back
* The event that shows how your character has changed significantly through conflict
* The event that shows your character seizing the initiative in the story or taking things into his or her own hands
* The event that shows your character’s biggest struggle between his/her want (ego-driven goal) and the need (deeper human longing)
* The event that demonstrates your character’s choice between the want and the need
* The event at the climax of the story (or the final showdown)
* The event that finally resolves the story
Where are the adrenaline moments in your story? Are all these events vivid and visceral? Do they have a big enough impact? Do they make your protagonist feel really vulnerable? Make these events unforgettable by making your main character feel increasingly exposed and personally at risk during each story event.
Remember to use cause and effect. What does your character do to bring these events about? How do your character’s actions make these highs and lows happen? How does each action cause a chain reaction?
The audience cannot see what a character thinks or feels. They can only see what a character does. How can you make your character’s interior thoughts and feelings observable through action? The audience also can’t see what a character decides. Deciding isn’t an action. Acting on a decision is an action.
Don’t tell us what your character thinks, feels or decides through dialogue. Instead, show us what your character does as a result of thoughts, feelings and decisions. Is your main character an active force throughout the story? Or does he/she just react to others? How does he/she push the story forward? How do we actually see your character growing or changing or pushing, prodding and transforming others?
Ask yourself, could an audience understand your story by only watching your main character’s actions? Could the audience understand the major story beats without any sound (using visuals only)?
Now write a new outline that solves those problems. In your new outline, incorporate more active moments, cut all extraneous material or repetitive dialogue and make any other necessary changes and adjustments.
Rewriting in outline form helps keep the bigger picture in perspective and keeps your focus on the larger issues: filling plot holes, creating action that fulfills the character’s intent (rather than the writer’s intent) and fixing emotional disconnects. It avoids the easy trap of continually fine-tuning dialogue and glossing over the larger problems in the script.
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