Self-Improvement for Writers

I wrote these motivators for my screenwriting crew. But I soon realized they apply to ALL creative writers who need some serious kick-in-the-pants motivation.

Here goes:

1. BEEF UP YOUR CHARACTERS

Take a look at your main characters, and make sure that your readers will appreciate them as much as you do.

Is your hero being heroic enough?

Is the villain suitably villainous?

Give them plenty to do, and make sure you emphasize their unique qualities.

2. GET ON THE PHONE

Market yourself and your work by calling the local press and some carefully targeted production companies. Let them know you're out there, and what you're capable of.

Be ready to back up your calls with written material, and choose who you call by looking at their own track records – don't call a documentary film company to tell them about your Western drama.

3. LOSE THE FAT.

While some people obsess over counting their calories, screenwriters should be trimming another kind of fat – the padding that curses many a fine screenplay (including the monstrous King Kong).

4. GET A LIFE nn(if you haven't already). You're not going to write about a variety of human experience sitting at your computer all day.

Don't feel guilty about leaving your desk, spending time with friends or getting out for some (gulp) fresh air.

Observe, converse, let the wind blow the cobwebs from your brain. Old ideas will have time to percolate and new ones will spring from discussions with your pals.

5. TALK THE TALK

Read your dialogue out loud to make sure it sounds “spoken” rather than “written.”

If you find it hard to spit a line out, actors are likely to have the same problem. Change the line!

6. CUT AND PASTE

Make sure your scenes are where they should be. Most writers have trouble changing something once they've written it down; they're afraid the words will lose their immediate impact.

Don't be afraid to swap scenes around to change the sense of a sequence. Remember, you're not a caveman! NOTHING IS WRITTEN IN STONE.

7. BE HONEST

Take elements from your life that you thought you'd never share. Get your passions on the page. The results will be more human, honest and relevant than a screenplay that relies on cold technique.

8. DON'T BE SELFISH

Don't just write for yourself – think about the audience. Will your screenplay entertain them? Make them laugh or cry? Give them their money’s worth?

Isn't that one of the reasons why you got interested in the movies in the first place – because some screenwriter cared how the audience felt?

9. WATCH LOTS OF MOVIES

A tough resolution to keep, sure, but an important one.

Good movies will improve your film grammar in an almost subliminal fashion, and you can learn how NOT to write a screenplay by watching the bad ones.

10. START AT THE END

Can you see a sense of progression? Imagine that your hero’s reached the end of his journey. Looking back, is there a pattern to his actions? Did he make any choices that affected him or his world?

Try looking at the end of your screenplay – it will give you a fresh perspective to work towards.