Writers Block

J

JimtheJib

Well-known member
i have written 50 pages of a script. It is my first script. It was all going well until...i got stuck. I know what i want to happen but im not sure how to proceed.

any advice would be GREATly appreciated.
 
Feed Back From Friends Let Them Talk About Ideas It Works For Me. And The Funny Thing Is I'll Think Of Something Totally Different Than What They'll Say
 
Have you written yourself into a corner? Or are you just stuck on that particular scene?

If the latter, skip to the part where you know what to write. Then go back later and fill in the missing chunk.
 
Reread what you've written to get re-energized. When in doubt go back to your outline.

Sometimes it helps to skip around as well. For example, try writing your ending and then write backwards until the point that your stuck. It's a good way to reverse engineer a story.

And just keep writing. Even if you think it's crap I've found that the best way to work through a block is to just keep pushing.
 
Did you start from page one, or are you working off an outline?
Some info on your workflow would be helpful to be able to offer suggestions.

You say you know what you want to happen next, but you don't know how to proceed?
What do you mean exactly?

Do you know your ending?
I find it helpful to work backwards when I get stuck. Go to your ending...how did you get there? What has to happen to get you where you need to be? Sketch out an outline of the EVENTS that need to happen (not the scenes, but just the events). Then brainstorm from there on the most interesting way to present the information.


EDITED TO ADD:
Damn you Issac!
Not only do we apparently have the same advice...but we decide to type and post at the same time too.
:)
 
Try writing long hand for a while. As said by Isaac, "keep pushing." Force your hand to write for a solid hour at a time. Try to stay on target, but if your mind begins to drift so be it...as long as you keep plugging away. Don't stop for anything or anyone. Releave your mind of duty, and let your heart go on watch for awhile. You'll find that the heart is quite the bard...let it tell the story through you. It'll happen for you.

Oh, and then of course there's always booze.
 
I get writer's block all the time and I find it very depressing.

I agree with the advice offered above. Just keep writing, even if you think it is crap. Get past that bad place and then come back to it on another day with fresher eyes.

Chris
 
Yeah, you can't dwell on things... I often find myself staring at the page, trying to get a line of dialog...

Better to just write

JOHN
Blah bah yadda yadda patootie quark.

And drive on.

Of course, you have to remember to go back later and put a real line in...
 
I always go back and reread what I've already written. I know yours is 50 pages so just go back a few scenes and read until you come to where you stopped and hopefully you'll be able to continue where you left off. Good luck!
 
Luis Caffesse said:
Did you start from page one, or are you working off an outline?
Some info on your workflow would be helpful to be able to offer suggestions.

You say you know what you want to happen next, but you don't know how to proceed?
What do you mean exactly?

Do you know your ending?
I find it helpful to work backwards when I get stuck. Go to your ending...how did you get there? What has to happen to get you where you need to be? Sketch out an outline of the EVENTS that need to happen (not the scenes, but just the events). Then brainstorm from there on the most interesting way to present the information.


EDITED TO ADD:
Damn you Issac!
Not only do we apparently have the same advice...but we decide to type and post at the same time too.
:)
Click to expand...
what i mean was that i know how i want the movie to end up but in this particular scene i don't know what to do. With out this scene (which is crucial) i can't really proceed because what happens in this one affects the ending.

thanks for all of the help.
 
another reason ive gotten stuck is that i was planning on making this movie myself and with a friend. My friend was going to help me produce it once i wrote it but he just dropped out saying it would be too hard to do. (that really pissed me off!!!) It is also growing in terms of how much it would cost to make. All of these factors have coontributed to "bum me out" so to speak and thats why i have lost some of my energy and drive. Has this happened to anybody before? i know i shouldn't be this pessimistic but....

thanks again
 
Jimthejib,

I know how you feel about partners... sometimes I'm starting to wish I could clone myself... but again... one of the clones might want to take over also...

Like someone said go back a few scenes... read it...

If I'm not sure about the way I want something to go... I've written out the different ways the scene should go...

But again... I've been one to work with no outlines... make it up as I go along... then in rewriting is where are holes are filled or changed...
 
i hate partners more than anything. First they are all exited, then slowly they make up excuses and then finally they just leave. Either that or at the end they complain that you took over. Its a lose-lose situation. I took you advice and re-read some scenes and it seems to have worked. I've written a couple more pages and we'll see how it goes from there.

i used an outline but it was very general, so in some regards i am inventing as i go along aswell. im not sure which i like better. Maybe a mixture of the two?



thanks
 
JimtheJib said:
It is also growing in terms of how much it would cost to make. All of these factors have coontributed to "bum me out" so to speak and thats why i have lost some of my energy and drive. Has this happened to anybody before? ...
Click to expand...

Er... has anyone ever had this NOT happen to them. For me it seems absolutely standard. Just battle on and think positive. :thumbsup:
 
JimtheJib said:
what i mean was that i know how i want the movie to end up but in this particular scene i don't know what to do. With out this scene (which is crucial) i can't really proceed because what happens in this one affects the ending.
thanks for all of the help.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you know WHAT needs to happen in the scene you're having trouble with, you just aren't sure HOW it's going to happen.

My advice would be to make note of what happens in the scene...what information is revealed, what action needs to happen, etc...and then move on to the next scene (as others have already suggested).

A few scenes down the line it might all become clearer for you.
The important thing is that you keep up the habit of writing... it's really easy to let something just fizzle out and die. While you have the momentum, keep writing.

Don't worry if it's not perfect... you can always rewrite a bad script...but you can't do that unless you finish it first.
 
Stop your writing, hold an auditon, pick out a small easy scene that you've already written, and have your actors run the scene. You, as the writer/director, pick up your camera and shoot the scene like you were in production. Ex. shoot your master, then your singles etc, cut the scene together. It'll either motivate you to keep going or you'll soon find out that the scene (or worse) the movie you've writtern is not working. This technique helps me determine if what I'm trying to create is working or not.
 
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