Screenwriting Tips

I'm honored and excited to write something, anything about advice on screenwriting. I think this will help me as much as you.

Always have coffee

Okay, doesn't have to be coffee, but every morning I need something warm to drink and a bit of a sweet kick. Green tea is awesome too. I have a mug that says "Go away I'm writing" and every time I fill it with coffee my brain and rest of my body, realizes it's time to create some kick ass scenes. It's kind of like a Pavlovian trick. Keep doing it. Feed your soul and feed your body.

(I can't believe my first tip was to drink coffee, that was not the direction I was going for, lol, but so be it. It helps, God damn it!)

Characters, Conflict, Can't be boring

I have written six screenplays and a handful of teleplays. The way I work best is I have an awesome, interesting character and he's cool enough to drive the story. I thought this was the answer to a great story. Cause story and character are one in the same (What the hell do you mean? - says your brain -  Well, sir, or maam, the story only happens because it's happening to a character. The character only exists because there's a story he's perpetuating. A mail man that kills all the dogs on his route is a story about a mail man...that kills dogs on his route. The character is a person who kills dogs on his route...and the story is about a dog killing mail man-- yeah you get it.) 

  So this worked well for four of my screenplays. All my characters had something cool/different/special about them, and that was the story.   One day I offered my friend - an up and coming actor who's agented up and all that - that I would write a screenplay just for him. He has a cool, bad ass, Steve McQueen / Depp look to him.  I thought, "sweet, awesome character, here comes an awesome story"  I had nothing.. NOTHING.  What I came up with was some bad ass who kicked the asses of robbers and other criminals and kept their money....  *cough*... yeah, that's it. 
  SO, what I realized is you need conflict and you can NEVER be boring.  While character is important, you also need to build and figure out a great story for her. Basic three act structure with conflict, and twists, and reveals and reversals and character development. A roller coaster ride of emotion and story.  And while all that's going on you have a kick ass character to take you on this amazing story. It's win-win.
  Conflict on every page. Doesn't have to be a gun to your head, just a disagreement or an obstacle or even trying to hit on the opposite sex.
If it's boring to write, it's boring to read. Have fun. Be fun. No one wants to read/watch a movie where they're bored. Movies are entertainment. So entertain.

WRITE, you son of a bitch!

This one may seem like a no brainer, but (one) of the "hardest" things about writing is that some people will start and never finish. ALWAYS finish. In writing, in bed, in a race, in anything you love doing. Finish it. And do a good job.  This was such a big thing for me that I took it to the extreme. I'm a lazy fuckin guy. I want to work hard at what I love so I CAN be lazy - does that make sense?   After I graduated I somehow ended up in office jobs. Few years went by and I didn't write shit. So, I quit. I quit my job, but didn't tell anyone. 8 Months ago I quit and have been leaving the house at 8:30 and coming home at 4:45. My parents think I work and they're not on my case about getting a job. I'm forced to write. I have to fill the time, and with no income, there's only 1 thing I can do: write.  So I've put myself in a situation where I have to write 8 hours a day for the last 8 months.  I've written three screenplays to completion. and re-writing an older one to polish up.  Four agencies and management companies are reading my screenplay and I'm waiting to hear back from them now.  Do you know how long this would have taken me if I had a 9-5 and did what I was "suppose" to do?  I was lucky to write a few hours a week, while working. It would have taken me years.  Now I'm hoping it'll pay off soon so I won't have to bite the bullet and get a real job again.  Yes, I realize when people say biting the bullet means to die, and that's what getting a 9-5 job would be for me: death.


That's it for now. Coffee/rituals, character, conflict don't be boring, and just write!  Some great books to read, and that have helped me immensely are: Save The Cat! 1 and 3, Story, by McKee (duh) and read A Hero with 1000 Faces by Joseph Campbell.

Any questions or whatever, comment below. I'd love to help. Happy writing!