FADE TO: A Screenwriter’s Routine.

How many of you out there are self-disciplined?  Do you have the strength to get your writing done without being distracted by the noise of everyday life?  I  am not always such a person;  easily distracted by the most subtle  of sounds.   I  find it very difficult to concentrate and stay focused when things are going on around me.   What’s worse, is that I am distracted by the silence I encounter when I am alone; the ringing in my ears, I have concluded, are a means for my subconscious  to distract me from my goals and destroy any chance I have for success.  Go figure!

So knowing how I already behave going into the world of screenwriting, I have made several attempts to alter my habits and have tried to incorporate certain proven methods into my everyday existence.  These methods and habits may just allow me  to  hone in on my concentration and keep my levels of focus at their optimum.  Without such methods, I find myself to be wandering through the desert of imagination instead of picking apples  in the orchards of creativity. Such analogies are trite, but so are bad habits.

Many writers claim that the best way to break our old habits, is to create some new ones.

But what are appropriate habits for an easily distracted writer to have?  What method will not only force him to be more  productive, but will ultimately provide him a routine that will induce creativity?

CONSISTENCY !

Having consistency as a habit is sort of like providing your brain  a map ; it will almost always know where its going because it has taken that road before. So what then should you be doing consistently?

Here are three things I try and do on a consistent basis.   I find that these routines have helped me be more productive in my budding stages of being a writer:

• Write something as soon as you awake.   And It doesn’t matter what you write, or even how much, as long as you transfer  some thoughts from your head  to a written or typed form.  It can be something new, or an addition to something you’ve been working on(recommended.)   I find that getting up, going to the computer, and typing a few extra lines of a script I am in the middle of, motivates me to want to do more.  And I can do more during the day, after I truly wake up.  Getting that little bit of writing done first thing sets the tone for the rest of the day, and motivates me to want to get shit done.
• Read a portion of a professional screenplay everyday. I find that reading part of a  screenplay everyday reminds me that I have a lot of work to do in order to improve my style  and master the craft.  I also find that other writings inspire me to write, specifically if it’s a screenplay from a film that I enjoy.   A light comedy  has a tendency  to distract me from the stress I  have placed on myself  to finish my work, and  laughter can be a remedy for any ailment, including procrastination.
• Set and achieve a specific goal for each day by applying a reward system and self-discipline . I find that having goals is my new goal;  it gives me more things to to strive for.  Your goal for the week may be to type 30 pages, but your goal for the day may just be  5.    But the real goal should be the reward that you give yourself for achieving a goal, no matter how large or small the task. For example, I try not to eat certain snack foods until I complete a certain amount of writing; If I don’t finish it, I don’t have that snack(well, sometimes!) If you can be strict on yourself however, and apply effective methods of self-discipline, the rewards you set will motivate you to achieve your overall work goal.

So wake each day and type something.  Set your goals for the day and reward yourself for achieving these goals.   Read a portion of a professional screenplay. And then achieve some more goals!  A script won’t be published if it isn’t written…

In an upcoming forum, I will discuss other techniques for getting through the day.  Please feel free to comment and or offer further insight.  FADE OUT: