Screenwriting : How to prevent writer's fatigue?? by Rebecca D Robinson

That's fine, work at your pace, 5 or 6 hours is plenty. If you really want to devote more time to it then spend some time researching instead. Some people can write scene after scene for hours on end and some can't, there is nothing wrong with that.

Why would you want to write for so long per day? That sounds exhausting. You need to slow it down. Some people only do an hour.

Elrond, I’m making up for lost time! I did nothing for about 9 months out of the last 12...

Pierre, I don’t remember getting tired after writing - Another side effect of this plague.

Yeah, I'm doing more research, too, so count that as work time. Chocolate biscuits and tea sounds really good, CJ!

Hey Rebecca I do about the same, sometimes more and try to take weekends off to recharge. I thought that was pretty good until I saw a video on Reddit of a screenwriter that has movies out and academy award nominated, said he writes 10 hours a day 7 days a week, at least during the lock down, not sure if that's his regular life. I was like yikes! Glad to see the responses here that what we are both doing is in the okay zone. lol

That's about my writing day.

I think I also sit very tensely at my table, so my arms and legs get fatigued!! Gotta take more non-snacking breaks I guess!

Snicker, snicker...;-)

Take a cat nap! haha. That's great that you can commit and still have the creative energy. Our brains do tell us when we need to stop and we have to listen to it : )

I call it," Monitor Head ", Christine...lol

Carl yes that's another way to say it!

sprints. I write in bursts.

Learn to pace yourself. After a couple of hours in front of the computer screen - I take a break - work in the yard, remodel the bathroom, clean the house... whatever.

Good advice!

Exercise is key for me. People don't realise that most of what makes writing exhausting is sitting for prolonged periods of time. It's good to get up and be active a little. So I generally write a bit early in the morning, I wake up at 5am automatically every morning come rain or shine, I used to find this very annoying but now I write, do research and emails in the mornings. Then I have to break at 8am for breakfast and chores. My chores keep me active which is a good break from sitting at the desk. Then I write again for the longest period of the day, then work out to get away from the desk... then I write again. When I'm on the coast this is totally different... it's just my routine for while I'm landlocked at home where there is no beach or surf to get me away from the desk. Be active, go outside... sitting at a stuffy desk for 5 hours will make you tired. I break it up into three 2 hour sessions and I'm happy and healthy for it.

I had the same problem. So I stick to just a scene or 2 a day. A book I read that has multiple Oscar winning screenwriters seemed to reveal that most of them only write 2 to 5 pages a day which put me at ease that I wasn't doing enough. Some writers stop the moment they feel tired.

5 or 6 hours is great.

Thanks for the good advice, Ally! My routine during the lockdown has been different, to say the least! I now just finished Part Two in a four-part series and am excited to jump back in. I love it when my energy is up and my creative juices are really flowing.

I find the lockdown to be a bitter sweet stituation in mine and my friends lives. First, Hollywood shut down which impacted so many great craftsman and employees lives. Second, I like that it has taken an amount of pressure off writers in general and writers like us here. However, I am hearing that studios, production companies have an out cry for scripts in several genres! Good for us to indeed. So much for "pressure off"! lol

OK, Carl, please share info about studios that are seeking new material. I'm writing in such a niche market that it probably won't affect me, but maybe some other Stagers could be helped!

I have been in communication with producer friends of mine, one studio exec. and one former studio exec. that has a multiple movie deal with a particular studio that have told me this lockdown created timeline problems, with the top actors in some cases not being able to finish production if in the beginning of filming due to the actor/actors being booked well in advance.

This lockdown has created a debacle for studios much more than you or I could fathom. I am hearing Disney and Sony, this is not first hand. However, I went through the Actors strike in 1980 and several Writers strikes and saw similar impacts then as I stated above.

Thanks for the share!

You're Welcome Rebecca...I have many friends in the industry, as a matter of fact just called one very close friend this morning and expect to hear back from him later today. He is a seasoned Construction Coordinator that worked with me for fifteen years. We text often as I do with others in many of the different crafts and positions in the industry. Most have been hard hit however, some are getting calls to gear back up...a silver lining....

Carl, good to know. I’ll be looking at English/French production companies- I have no idea about the scene over there, tho.

Rebecca you're just up the road in Vancouver WA. Why not stick closer to home - Portland/Seattle maybe? That way, you're closer to the action. I do know that France is pretty protective and closed when it comes to American Writers/Producers/Directors

Hi Doug, my story’s a period drama set in 11th century England and Normandy. I’m hoping to get a co-production involving both countries. Part of the film will be in French, as that was the language of the conquerors.

Period drama is a hard sell film concept and you want it in two languages (Olde English & French). All this for an American market? [aside; the French generally don't co-produce with anybody.] You got a real steep hill to climb - all the best with it.

I like this!!

Yeah! I did nothing yesterday - just rested after my final edits on Part 1 of my medieval chicks miniseries. Now climbing into Part 2...