Screenwriting : The struggle is real by Adrianna Agudelo

Hey, Adrianna. The struggle is indeed real. However, I had to cut down my "me time" to get it done. I set three hours, timed, to let my mind and fingers collaborate. If I happen to miss a day due to some unforeseen emergency, I don't beat myself up. I get back on it the next day to keep it habitual. Hope this helps you. Onward and upward.

I may go an entire week without writing something. But it's not because I don't have time. Just thinking about various options for a scene. My routine basically is after I get home from work, I split time between computing and television. And my computer time is when I write. I try to get at least 1 hour of actual writing in when I do write.

There's no magic formula. I've been writing novels for years and most of the time, I worked a full time job and even had a family. But, like with anything, you. have to MAKE it and not find it. If it means, giving up an hour's sleep or lunch break, or a weekend hanging out with friends...then that's what it means. When I was getting paid to write, meeting deadlines was my motivation. When I'm not getting paid, then I'm my only motivation. My desire to see my project through to the end is my motivation. Wish I had something better to offer.

Adrianna Agudelo At least part of the issue is whether you view your writing as a profession you are working at, or a hobby, or a hopeful aspiration. If a hobby, then it's just for you and you shouldn't stress about the time you put into it. If it's one of the other two, then I would say that the closer you get to the first in attitude, the less trouble you will have "finding" the time, because it becomes one of priorities.

It has always been a struggle. I have a full-time job, (sometimes more than full-time), and two kids. It's not always easy to find the time. But I try to write a little almost every day, if possible. Even if it's just 30 minutes or an hour. It's better than nothing. But yeah, it requires a lot of discipline.

One day I finally just sat my ass down and just started to type LOL

You've got to carve some time and just say it's your writing time even if it's just 1/2 -hour. You just have to be consistent.

It has been a struggle for me as well, especially since I work long hours at my full-time job and have a part-time job. What helps me is trying to go to be early on Friday night, and then set my alarm to wake up early in the morning to do some writing. I hope you find what works for you.

I find most of the industries answers to this question unsatisfactory. Generally it boils down to 'you've just gotta do it" which you would, if it were that simple.

So here's some practical advice to get you writing again, and consistently.

First - there is a time of day when you are most creative. It is different for everyone. Me I'm a morning person. So I'll do my best work before noon. Knowing this I built in time in the morning because that's when I would naturally do that if I didn't have a day job, family, and a life. Thankfully the forced self isolation we've just been through (still going through) will have shown you when you like to write.

Now that you know what time you do your best work, you'll want to look at what time has the best chance of avoiding the demands of life. Really there are 3 easy slots.

1- getting up (as I do) at 5am and writing then. Everyone is asleep, no distractions

2- Lunch hour. You tell work you take a lunch break and you won't be available for an hour. Then you write for that hour. (this one is the hardest)

3- After dinner. You've put the kids to bed, and your significant other knows to leave you alone. So you can write till your hearts content.

Now that you've picked a time. Drew a line in the sand, and said "this is my time" you need to actually use it.

Begin by forgiving yourself for not wanting to write anything in this time you've carved out for yourself. You're not unique in that. Everyone does that. The trick to get going is to do one of these things.

1- Have stopped the work from yesterday before it was finished. This need to get it done can carry you a long way.

2-Start by procrastinating with that other idea you are suddenly excited about but know you shouldn't be working on because you've gotta get this other thing done damn it! Jot down some ideas. Run with the other thing a bit. It may eat a full writing session, but it won't eat all of them. And if it does and you end up writing an film/novel/comic/play by not writing the other thing, well GOOD FOR YOU

3-Get out a pen and paper and write "this Fucking sucks. I fucking hate this. everything sucks. Fuck all this" over and over again. Eventually you will get board and start writing.

4-Go on the internet and find pictures of the actors you would cast in the movie of your thing. Copy those pictures and put them into a bullet point outline of your story. You'll quickly find they aren't the right pictures. Because they're not of what's really happening in the scene. Because what's really happening is.... You get it.

5-And every now and again DON'T WRITE. At all. ON PURPOSE. Just stop. For a week. Write nothing. Have ideas, and forget them. You might be burned out. So give yourself the occasional recovery time. (This is 2-3 times a year max by the way. Unless you're in full production on a thing that you are paid for and will see an audience. Then it is at the end over every project. The end being the opening of the show to the audience. Always take a week after that.)

And on a side note. Make sure you're taking care of the trinity of the self. That's your body, mind and soul.

Get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night.

Eat a diet that has a wide variety of colours, and types of food.

Exercise for 30 minutes a day

And be kind to others. And don 't tolerate people being cruel to you.

There you go. That should at least point you in the direction you need to go.

First of all, well done for being brave and vulnerable for sharing what you’re struggling with. Especially with some folks here who tend to use posts like this to belittle and undermine. I honestly don’t have any advice, as it’s so different for everyone. I would say that when I’m struggling with what you describe, I find that walking and thinking about ideas, playing out scenes in my mind, sort of helps create a bridge from glacial inertia to creating something tangible, that provides an impetus and some sense of direction around what you should do, once you finally have a moment to write. But like I said… we r all so different.

Oh, and if you write, you’re a writer. Not a hobbyist. Don’t ever think of yourself that way.

I have the opposite problem. I retired and have way more time than I know what to do with. I enjoyed writing and I enjoy helping and encouraging young/beginning writers. I've realized that I can't deal with the arrogantly ignorant, cry-baby crowd and doing so sucks the enjoyment out of my own creativity - something has to give. So I pledge not to help others any more and try to recover the joy I used to feel in my onw writing - I guess it's called 'burn out'.

Hi Andrianna! Sorry to hear the "infamous writer's block" has got a hold of you. My advice is first to recognize and identify why are you having these scattered thoughts? Sometimes it's environmental induced depression, job tension, financial worries, family disagreements, relationship problems, etc. What I do is shut out the negative noise of social media, politics, and news! I revisit my childhood, the laughs, the warmth of innocent friendships. Sometimes I'll watch a movie from the golden era of Hollywood (I watch the original Blob and War of the Worlds last night, hehe) Popcorn, and a glass of wine in hand. OR I'll reread for the umpteen times "Jurrasic Park" by Michael Crichton or "Phantoms" by Dean Koontz! My point is to find that one thing that brought you happiness as a child or as an adult! revisit it. Immersed yourself in the fantasy of your thoughts, and this will unlock your mind from any negative barriers!

Hi Adriana. Like Jeremy wrote, he are all so different. But what works for me is to allow time, at least half an hour/day, to sit down alone and write. No matters what, just write something. The inspiration will come to you, sooner or later.

How do you find time for anything...relaxing, traveling, watching TV...? You like such stuff, you find time...If you like writing you'll always have a time for it...if you need a little push towards having it as an obligation, just find some writing job...offers are all around...when doing it to meet your deadlines and paychecks finding time will be even lesser issue...

Thank you for all the comments and ideas. I think I was able to take away something from each comments and I appreciate the time you all took to comment and share your thoughts and ideas. K will say I was inspired enough to wake up at 5 this morning and get an hour of writing in before work- so again thank you :)