- Write SOMETHING everyday. It can be anything. The idea is to keep your creative fires burning.
- Set aside a specific time to write. You go to your day job at the same time everyday. If you want to be a professional writer, you'll need to do the same.
- Figure out what stokes your creative fires. Is it exercise or a cup of Green Tea? Either way, try to incorporate this into your daily writing activities.
- Writer's Block? No problem. Hal Ackerman at UCLA recommends 'Snowplowing'. Sit down with a pen and a blank sheet of lined paper. Write. Keep writing...anything that pops into your head whether it makes sense or not. Don't think, just write. See how long you can go for.
- Don't listen to the naysayers. Unless you live in LA or NYC people probably aren't used to someone saying they want to be a Screenwriter. Ignore negative comments about your passion.
- Write from the heart, not what you think is commercial or marketable. Markets change and fluctuate. By the time you've polished up your talking pig/buddy cop flick, those are out of style.
- Don't worry about small details the first run through. Pros call this the Vomit Draft. You'll need to re-write before it even counts as a first draft.
- Re-writing is your best friend. A professional script is often re-written up to 50 times before it gets to the silver screen. If you can't bring yourself to plow through three or four drafts, perhaps your idea is best left banished to your hard drive.
- When you finish a draft, resist all urges to even open a page for two weeks. Work on another idea or perform 'Snow Plowing' activities. Some time away will let you come back and get a fresh, more objective perspective for the next draft.
- Never try to market an idea before your screenplay is completely ready. If you rush things, it will show in your work and you'll show yourself to be an amateur.
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