I was browsing around The Author Learning Center the other day, having tried out the 3 day pass. I think i’m gonna give it a go. It has quite a bit of great content on everything from marketing advice from Seth Godin, to writing page turners from none other than legend Stan Lee. This post from Pen Densham, who has written loads of well known scripts for movies and TV, caught my eye. In a effort to avoid plagerism of paid content I’m only gonna give you three of his ten tips, but follow the link back to The Author Leraning Center and sign up for the trial. So Pen Says…..
1. Write from your heart! As a writer, trust your instinctual creativity and write from your passion. When you don’t value what you create, why should anybody else? When you chase a fad or a fashion that is not from your heart in an effort to sell something, there is a danger when obstacles come, you will soon abandon your efforts. When you love what you are working on – it feels less like work and more like a personal discovery. It brings your original and unique voice to the front. Even when you are hired to write – bring your authenticity to the game. Passion is a great way to help immunize your self from the pain and uncertainty of the artistic process. And sometimes it can be enrapturing.
Things are beautiful if you love them. Jean Anouilh
2.Don’t worry about rules. Collect ideas anyway they come. Write the way things feel to you. Have fun! A well laid out script with no feeling is crap no matter what. I often break supposed cardinal rules. I write my scripts partly as poetry, my character’s thoughts in the descriptions, I write in BLOCK LETTERS to make points: etc. I call it fusion writing. Write from your voice. Imagine there is a roof inside your head that limits your upward thinking. Now reach in and toss it away. Your personal creative universe is up there! A fresh, inventive and passionate script is more likely to sell. More likely to attract major actors. More likely to satisfy and grow you as an artist.
Rules and models destroy genius and art. William Hazlitt
