I turn off my phone, shut off my internet, and I get rid of writer’s block by just working. When I NEED to write, I try to find a coffee shop without wifi and I really dig in. My iTunes has access to every song and my TV is always calling my name. We live in the 21st century, surrounded by technology. How to Cure Writer's Block: Eliminate Distractions Some of my biggest issues are writing in close proximity to my bed, always searching for the best music on iTunes or answering text messages. Plus, imagine surprising your roommates or family with a six-layer cake. The best writer’s glean what they can from their own lives. Certainly, you shouldn’t let procrastination takeover, but sometimes it’s better to lean in and reap the benefits than to fight it and wear yourself out. Like when I was binging New Girl and got an idea about crazy people you meet on dates and cranked out a pilot that’s now in development, or the time I decided I would make a six-layer cake instead of finishing a web series and wound up being able to use a story of dropping the dozen eggs I purchased in a pitch the next day. ![]() Instead of losing pages and days, I gained scenes I knew had to be there and worked out the filler as time went on. After a few days, I was back moving forward. Since it opened with a set piece, I knew that was more technical writing and could be done regardless of context.Īs I worked backward, my mind freed up. I then backed up and started at what I thought was the beginning of the third act. I wrote that first and made it my goal to get to those pages. I started with the final scene, which was a tag on the end of the movie. To get rid of my writer’s block, I decided to write the movie in reverse. I was juggling multiple viewpoints, action scenes, and character motivations, and I was so freaking lost. I was recently so stuck in this big feature. There’s no screenwriting law that says you have to work in order. Write what you think will be the last few pages of the story. Instead of trying to tackle that all at once, jump ahead. Let’s say you’re stuck on page 25 and have no idea what scene should lead into the next act. Sometimes the best way to get rid of writer’s block is just to live. Your brain will take care of latent thoughts, and lots of times, I’ll be at the laundromat and discover my story is actually a western, or the second act needs another set piece, or that I should kill off a ton of characters and start over.Ĭreativity is draining. Take a walk, ride a bike, do your laundry, etc. Secondarily, you should actually GET OUTSIDE. ![]() Instead of creating these insane obstacles, think about why you wanted to pursue this idea in particular? What do you have to say to the world? Why should they listen? That’s a pretty foolish way to approach writing, and the cause of a lot of writer’s block. I think it’s my ticket to meeting Spielberg and a general meeting with Kathleen Kennedy. I make the spec in front of me the only way I can kick down a door. ![]() A lot of times I put way too much pressure on an individual project. I mean “get outside” in two different ways. I’ll even open old ideas and embark on rewriting them too, anything to help me flex my muscle and get into my rhythm.īut what if this is your first screenplay? Or you’re too burnt out from looking at a screen? 2. This free writing helps me get the clutter out of my head and experiment without consequences. Come up with characters, situations, and see where they take me. I like to open that new doc and just noodle. Some of the best screenplays I’ve written are a result of not being able to move forward on another idea. One way I’ve learned how to get rid of writer’s block is to just open something new. That makes overcoming writer’s block even more important. If you’re like me, actually finding time to work on your own ideas can be scarce. How to Cure Writer's Block: Start Something New That’s why overcoming writer’s block is so important. Ultimately, I know I have to quiet those demons by putting my best work on the page. If I should even be putting these hours into what’s going on the page. Since Hollywood seems so intangible to people, a lot of times I feel myself asking if I really belong. Still, there’s nothing like some good ole’ self doubt to ruin the process. If I feel prepared when I sit down to write, then the ideas flow. I find that a great treatment or outline also helps me overcome a ton of writer’s block. Writer's Block Cause #2: LACK OF PREPARATION
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