Screenwriting : Your writing journey. by Andrea Prescott

Plotting and insomnia.

There are time constraints and all that, but I could handle it, not ideal, but you've got to do what you've got to do right? What was, and is, the biggest barrier for me, is knowledge. I was writing while still learning, as I didn't have years of screenwriting under my belt. It can cripple you when you don't take the time to learn, read scripts, get that knowledge to better your writing process. It's like shooting yourself in the leg. But, my knowledge is growing, so I don't need to pause or look back at other scripts as much when I'm writing. I'm more confident so I can just get my stories out. I have a long journey ahead, so I'm sure this list will extend over time for me:/

Dealing with producers with egos. I was asked to write a treatment for a producer on a work-for hire. The treatment was not going to be seen by anyone else but the two of us, yet the guy got really angry that I didn't put his name on it- it only said, "Treatment by" with my name. I guess he decided to teach me a lesson... He asked me to call to discuss more ideas (after I apologized and put his name in print larger than mine as STORY BY credit) and ended up having his secretary answer and say he was in a meeting...twice. (I was asked by a mutual friend if I called on time because he hates people who make him wait. I did indeed call on time. The third time I called when scheduled I got the same story with, "He will call you ASAP" and he never did. He did at least, pay me $1000 to work on the treatment which we never got to discuss aside from his name being left off!

Another is dealing with someone who presented himself as a producer, agreeing on the price I was to be paid and loving the treatment I wrote, only to find out his partner - whom I never dealt with, was the one who got the final say....Apparently the real boss had a much lower budget than I was told. The guy I was in touch with said he'd talk to the partner and get back to me later that week... Still waiting to hear back two months later haha.

Making something I want to see. Sometimes I find myself thinking "That would sell" or "That works". I have to get that out of my head. I have a high standard as a viewer. If I wouldn't watch it, why would anyone else.

Putting up with all the talkers 'cuz I'm more of a 'git'er done' kinda guy..

The apps on my phone are helpful but I have to squint to read them as enlarging text size isn’t an option right now.

I've been struggling to find the time and energy to write at the end of the day for a few months, mostly because our second child has no intention of going sleep at a reasonable hour.

For the last week I've been getting up at 5.30am to start the day writing so that whatever else happens I start my day as ME rather than the version of me that does my job for someone else. Knowing I've been creative makes the tiredness worth it because it is on my terms.

Time is always an obstacle. Fear is the other. "I don't have time to write" and "I don't know what to write" are usually at the heart of a writer's frustrations. I solve the problem by using "speech to text" on my phone to dictate ideas and snippets into a notepad program on my cell when I have the odd moment and/or crazy thought. Later I transfer these to my PC and flesh them out more fully. You'd be surprised at what comes out when you're short on time and can't be bothered to over think things.

Censorship

I cannot see the tiny-ass text on this app. Why do I gotta be carrying around my magnifying glass to blog in this thing?

My 'writing journey' has taken me on a long course over some pretty stormy waters - sometimes I'm amazed that I'm still afloat.

Judging my ideas and my first drafts too harshly.

seeing the through line is my achilles heel.

Coming up with a brilliant idea for a scene, with dialog, and not being able to write it down b4 I forget it bcuz am at “work”. Battling blockage by dabbling with pen & paper, and/or coding script with html tags for a formal screenplay appearance in a community nobody wants to contribute in, and/or using manual typewriter, and/or dictating scenes on my phone. Then realizing nothing works and remaining blocked.