Screenwriting : Dumbest writing advice by Angel Rodriguez Orona

Hey Angel, this is Kat from the Stage 32 team. I just wanted to let you know I moved your post from Introduce Yourself to Screenwriting, as it fits much better there. Let me know if you have any questions, and all the best to you!

Sorry about that. Just trying to get the feel of the site. Thanks much!

I'm reminded of that scene in Amadeus when a group of listeners were invited to criticize Mozart's work and one opined: "Too many notes."

Not writing advice specifically but it applies. I'm a mostly self-taught guitar player. Usually when I hear someone say that though, I feel like they mean bad lol. When I was growing up some people felt like learning chords and scales somehow inhibited your creativity. Usually those people just played 2 note power chords. Point is, reading the classics and learning the rules are valuable. You're not obligated to follow them but there's no harm and only possible benefits to reading as much as possible and learning all the rules and how to use semicolons etc.

You must do this and you must do that. And this must happen on this page and that must happen here on this page.

Since I have directed. I know what is difficult respectively easy for actors. So dialogue should be short. When I read screenplays written by others, I often have to tell that there is too much talking before the next character starts to talk.

John C. Bounds - with that comment, you just won the internet today!

That’s a good one, Angel Rodriguez Orona! The dumbest advice I ever received was from a non-writing producer who told me that writers should be able to easily write from anywhere at any time. As if creativity can be turned on like a light switch, no matter the distractions or circumstances. Sure, discipline is important, but writing, especially good writing, requires time, focus, and sometimes the right environment to get into the flow.

For me it's definitely one time when a Manager told me to add ~ALIENS~ to my dead serious, very dark, real life, pitch black comedy script about an advertising exec with a drug addiction. I've never talked to that person ever again after that call.

Dumbest advice in general I heard was "never say you don't know the answer to something". This kind of advice holds you back and doesn't make you look smarter. In this business you get found out pretty quick if you don't know what you're talking/writing about.

Also - whom you're taking advice from. Self-proclaimed 'experts' who aren't making money in a field dolling out advice to people that are.

Always trust your gut and follow your instincts.

Drongo Bum lol. Truth!

So far I’d say the worst advice I got in any medium was to add real-world political commentary/messaging into my work.

I'd like to ask that producer if they ever saw "Jaws"?