brainstorming

Script Tip #5 – Write About Something You Care About

“Write a screenplay that will change your life.  If you don’t sell it, at least you will have changed your life.” – John Truby

You can’t know what’s going to sell to Hollywood because nobody knows exactly what they want.  Not the producers.  Not the script readers.  But what they do want is something that is of deep interest to people.  Something that is fresh and exciting.

The way to write a script like that is to find an idea that is of deep interest to you.  An idea that fascinates you and boils your blood.  Something that gets you out of bed at night to jot down a bit of action or dialogue that pops into your head.  Something that occupies a great deal of your thoughts.  Something that you are passionate about.

If you have something to “say,” than your script will be worth reading.  Even if you’re writing about an all-nude cat burglar musical, if you are passionate about it, you can make it sing – pardon the pun.

Writing takes colossal mental and spiritual energy.  It’s hard work, and you’ll probably end up with a ton of scripts that won’t sell, a bad case of hemorrhoids, and numb, painful fingers from carpal tunnel syndrome – if you really put your back into it.  So, forget writing screenplays strictly for financial gain because you’ll probably lose in the long run.

But, if you have something that you are dying to say, by all means say it!  Just make sure it’s something that you are passionate about.  You can write the goofiest movie in the world, and if there is something in there that’s got its hooks in your guts, you’ve got a chance at writing something wonderful. Something that will change your life even if you don’t get it sold.

A book that might help you find your story is, ‘Telling Your Own Stories’ by Donald Davis.

Choosing Your Idea:

Does a particular original idea keep popping up in your mind?
Are you in very interested in a particular subject you ‘d like to expand on?
Is there a special world you’d like to create?
Is there a character in your head you’d like write about?
Is there a public domain novel you’d like to turn on its head like Jane Austin’s novel ‘Emma’ was turned into ‘Clueless’.
Is there a bit of history you’d like to populate with characters and give a fresh twist to?
Is there a news story or article you can turn into something fresh and different?

Ideas for your script are all around you.  All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and find something that excites you.  Keep something on you at all times that you can use to record your ideas as you get them.  Write your ideas down or do what I do and record them on your iphone recorder.  Use a napkin or your hand if you have to.  You can transcribe them later.  Just get those ideas down when they come to you!

A last note here.  Whatever you choose to write about, make sure you create characters that get our attention.  Good writing is about the human condition. The more you get bogged down in plot, action, special effects and things that don’t reveal your character, the more they go astray.

If the reader doesn’t care about your people, it’s over.  But, if he/she connects with the characters, you are home free!  Ask yourself, will the reader and producer want to walk barefoot across burning coals to make your movie?  If not, then you need to rethink your idea and twist it around to make it fresh.

Remember that whatever you choose to write about, it has to excite you enough to get you through the original draft and tons of rewrites that will span over a great amount of time.  If you are not passionate about your idea, you’ll never make it through to the final draft.

ScriptGirrl