That’s not a great thing for someone who wants to make a living as a writer. So what is a dreamer to do? I’m aware of my bad writing habits and have decided it’s time to change them. What can I do to jolt the lazy writing habits out of my system.

With me it’s usually all or nothing. Usually the latter. So I had to think of an extreme way for me to completely purge this lazy habit out of my system. So this is what I came up with.

Write a shit load of pages in a short amount of time. And put the whole thing online where people will hold me accountable if I slack off.

So I will write 10 pages a day for 100 days. No exceptions. In addition to that I’m also holding myself responsible for writing a blog post every day talking about the previous days writing journey.

10 pages + 100 days = 1,000 pages (roughly 10 feature length screenplays)

That’s cramming what is probably 2 to 3 years worth of work into just over 3 months.

Now there are stipulations here. Each screenplay must be fully outlined before I can begin writing. So while I’m working on one script I’ll also be outlining the next one. I cannot jump to another script until I finish the one I’m currently working on. I will not have time for writers block. 10 pages a day is no short order. I decided I can always write more than ten a day if I feel so inclined, but I will be responsible for ten more the next day. There will be no doubling up on one day so I can slack off the next.

Each of these scripts will be a speed draft though. Meaning no polishing or rewriting in this stage of the challenge. This is simply meant to get words on the page. Since I will be working from a full outline hopefully the scripts will have some sort of sound structure and plot to them. If not, then I’ll just address that in the rewrites.

As far as making the pages available to everyone to read, I’m a little undecided right now. Instead of putting pages up every day, I’ll probably just finish a complete draft, register it, and then put it up here for people to read.

June 7th, will be day 1. That makes day 100 on September 13th.

Oh by the way I have nothing prepared for my first script. I know the basic story concept I want to do but I haven’t started doing any prep work yet. Well I guess until today that is. Don’t ask me why but I’ve decided to go with a romantic comedy for the first script in this challenge. I really have no interest right now in rom coms but I had an idea for one the other day and I figured what the hell.

I hope you’ll take your own journey along with me, and please leave comments and tell me all about it.

This is all about finding those internal flaws and taking action to eliminate them.

Stay tuned…

Don’t forget to take a look at Pilar’s website and screenwriting podcast in iTunes.

Importance of note cards

• allows you to visually see your story in front of you
• allows you to easily rearrange, add, and delete scenes, characters, and sub plots without doing too much damage
• complete freedom in regards to creative story development

What should be in your screenplay treatment or “brain dump”

• producers want to know what happens next after your initial “idea”
• helps you pitch a story and not just a story idea
• makes writing your script less stressful and allows creativity to focus on action and character
• allows major story changes to not set you back or require massive rework
• treatments should exist on many levels, free form brain dump, short story structure and flow, story and character short summary

Leave us your pre-writing methods in the comments section below. I always enjoy learning about other writers methods.

In this episode Andy and I talk about some of the ways we try avoid writer’s block and methods we use to work through it when it does strike. Below are some show notes and topics.

How to work past writers block while continue working forward

• go back to your note cards
• get yourself re-inspired about your story
• watch your movie in your head
• write character back stories
• do whatever you can to get the creative juices flowing again
• take an entire week off
• write in small chunks, 30 min
• write a side story about one of your characters to find that joyful writing place again
• feel free to skip around your story, you don’t have to write from page 1 to 110
• write where in your story you are inspired to write

How to avoid writers block altogether

• be prepared, plan, plot, scheme
• KNOW YOUR STORY BEFORE YOU WRITE
• write a treatment/outline
• have confidence in yourself and ability to write a good story, wait till after to hate your work
• be a complete egotistical maniac asshole

• Character has to have understandable wants and needs
• Story needs to reveal a clear and consistent goal for the protagonist
• Needs to be able to realisticly overcome obstacles
• Let the character show the audience who is not tell us through dialogue
• Audience needs to care about the protagonist
• Don’t wait too long to introduce your protagonist, they might fall for someone else
• Needs to have a clear antagonist

They are in such a hurry to finish their first screenplay, win a screenwriting competition, get an agent, sell their script, and make their film they never stop to think if their screenplay is any good. Let’s be honest, it probably sucks! It probably sucks really bad!

Is it because they are a terrible writer? Yes.

Is it because the screenplay lacks depth, creativity, and interesting characters? Yes.

Does this mean there is no chance in hell they could ever make it as a professional screenwriter or filmmaker? Not in the slightest.

Like any other job, you are NOT a superstar on day one. I relate it to that feeling you have the first week at a brand new job. No matter what qualifications and skills you bring with you that first week you still feel like an idiot and completely out of your element. It takes time to get the feel for something new, it takes time to learn some new shit!

Screenwriting and filmmaking aren’t any different. To become a truly efficient story teller it takes practice, usually lots of it. I’m no different from anyone else in regards to this topic. I want to have my breakthrough moment now! Right now damn it! But what I want even more than that is to be great at what I do. I know my skills as a writer and filmmaker are not at the level they need to be yet. I know if I tried “going for it” it would probably end with mass rejection and disappointment. Common sense tells me to just relax, don’t be so eager, and just learn how to write.

With this in mind this is exactly what I’m doing. I set goals for myself that I think will allow me to hone my skills as a screenwriter and filmmaker. Pushing myself to reach these self improvement goals will give me the confidence I need when it is finally time to go after the dream.

In my next post I’ll go through each of the goal oriented tasks I’ve set for myself to improve my confidence and skill as a filmmaker and screenwriter.

How the hell does pertain to screenwriting your probably asking. Let me tell you. A lot of young screenwriters write one feature length script and decide it’s time to pursue a real film career. Wrong.

You probably are still a pretty bad writer after your first completed screenplay. Although I’ve talked about this before I think it’s important to mention that you should set goals for yourself to achieve BEFORE you try to actively pursue a real career as a writer.

What will your magic number be?

The magic number I refer to is how many feature length screenplays you are going to write before trying to go pro. My number is six. Don’t ask me why six it’s just the number that I feel I will be satisfied with my level skill as a screenwriter.

So this means we’ve got a shit ton of writing to do. But this is a good thing. Remember everything we write is just more practice for that day someone notices us. My point in all this is that I want to ensure that I have confidence in my own writing ability before I go out there and ask an agent or a producer to have that confidence. And I think I have enough common sense and self realization to know that I am not ready as a writer to pursue that.

I need practice. I’m the first to admit that. So I’ve decided that before I really start to aggressively pursue a film career I want to have written at least six full length screenplays, a dozen or so shorts, and have shot, produced, and distributed at least ten of my own creations.

Now when I say distribute of course I’m speaking about online distribution on public sites like YouTube and FunnyOrDie. Quite honestly the internet is a great distribution method for young filmmakers because it allows us to reach massive amounts of people in a short amount of time.

These short webisodes, skits, and comedic shorts aren’t going to be distributed and shared with the public in hope of making money. But they are intended to gain attention and true audience feedback. What a great way to reach a large sample audience and evaluate their reaction and feedback to your work. Paying close attention to comments made about your videos, although sometimes difficult to read because there are so many assholes out there, is wonderful feedback into how we can improve as screenwriters and filmmakers.

Experience is what we are truly after here. Experience breeds confidence and confidence is what helps you get jobs.

So find that magic number for yourself. Be honest with yourself, don’t cheat yourself out of experience you deep down know you should be getting. Remember that this is merely a guideline for you to shoot for. If you submit your screenplay in a contest and it wins and a producer wants to buy it that’s great! Should you stop writing because you think you’ve made it? No way! Keep writing, get better, and create great stories. Do this and I guarantee it won’t be the last time you see interest in your work.

Post your magic number in the comments section below and tell us how close you are to reaching that number.

I wanted to set goals for myself that would push my creative limits while keeping me on the right track to creating simple yet compelling rock solid stories. In addition to that I know that the best way to get practice is by just doing it a shit load of times until I kick ass at it.

A quick side note. While writing this post I found my self distracted. Another screenwriter I follow on Twitter put up a link that looked interesting so of course I followed it. It went to an interesting post about screenwriting competitions. After reading that I followed a link to another article, then another, and before I knew it I was reading 23 Steps to a Feature Film Sale on Tedd Eliot and Terry Rosio’s screenwriting web site. Even though it’s a really good article, I’m no where near ready to put the article’s information into action. I still have a lot of writing and learning to do before I’m ready to start working professionally. I bring this up because it’s really important to not get lost and distracted in the enormous magnitude of information online these days. I’m not saying to stop learning and growing your screenwriting and filmmaking knowledge, I’m merely pointing out that learning can be a massive road block to you actually doing something. Limit your “education” time online each day and spend some real time applying what you’ve learned to your film or script.

Now yes I realize while you sit here and read my post you are doing exactly what I caution you not to do, but I’m telling you, the second you are done reading through this entire post close you’re browser, open up Final Draft, and start writing. Ok, on to some of my screenwriting and filmmaking tasks.

Spontaneous Creative Writing

So first goal for myself was to help work any sort of hints of writers block that might ever thinking of showing itself. I know that if I can develop writing as a habit it would be much easier for me to just sit down and rip out page after page of amazing content. In order to help myself reach this goal I committed to sitting down a minimum of four nights a week and write something.

Now this doesn’t have to be anything massive or substantial. What I typically do is sit down and write a quick short scene, usually no more than four or five pages. I don’t plan anything out. I don’t outline anything. I don’t write it as a short story. I just sit down and start writing.

I’ll get an idea in my head for a situation and then I just go at it. Creating and developing on the fly while my fingers viciously fly across the keyboard. My character and story just develops as I go. Now I’m not saying anything useful or good ever comes out of these writings, but that’s not really their main purpose.

But what this does do for me is allow my mind to creatively go where ever it needs to go. For me anything I can sit down and write is great practice, and of course really challenges me to be creative on a very consistent basis. You might even call this a form of improv screenwriting. I’ve found it really helpful and relaxing to be able to just write what ever I want without worrying about whether or not it’s going to be good, or whether it fits with my story or characters.

I compare it a lot to just creative brain storming in the design world. As a designer to help flush out ideas you just sketch out anything that might pop up in your head, and eventually that leads to what turns into the final product. But without that extremely important first step a lot of those final ideas would never make it to the surface.

The same goes with writing, if you don’t let those deep down buried ideas work themselves out to the surface than you could miss out on the next great story or character idea just hiding in your brain.

Bed Time Stories are Great Story Telling Practice

Ok some of you may not be able to take advantage of this really powerful next task I do, but find a way to do it anyways. I have young kids, and they really enjoy when I read them a book before bed. I’ve been doing this for quite a while until I realized why am I reading them someone else’s story when I could be telling them my story instead.

That’s right, every single night I pitch a story idea to my kids!

Since I want to use this as another sort of improv story development exercise, I ask each of my two kids to come up with a single word. My rules are whatever words they come up with, usually 6 and 7 year old boys come up with really crazy stuff, I have to create an entire story around the two words.

And since I want to leverage this time to improve and work on as many skills as possible I don’t just tell them the story but act it out, play the parts, and truly pitch this thing just like I’m standing in front of Spielberg.

So not only is this extremely entertaining for the kids, who doesn’t like a really weird goofy acting dad, but I’ve found this to be extremely beneficial to my story telling and pitching ability. Especially when I already know the story. Since I do this all improv it forces me to understand and focus on things like proper story structure, beats that continue moving you through the story, and compelling and interesting characters.

I’ve found this a really enjoyable and rewarding exercise for not only my story telling ability but also being a dad. I highly recommend you give it a shot.

What kinds of tasks do you make yourself do to improve you writing and story telling ability? Leave your favorite screenwriting exercises in the comments section and share with the rest of us. Go ahead do it now, don’t be stingy just share already!

After we get past all that dribble we get on to the main topic, working with a writing partner. We discuss some of the methods and writing strategies that we are exploring as a new writing team.

We encourage you to leave us some comments below. Tell us how crappy we are. It’s cool we can take it. Seriously though we really want some audience participation here people, so get commenting!