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What Works?
by Vera Caccioppoli
©2007 Vera Caccioppol
Vera Caccioppoli, MFA, is an award-winning screenwriter. She is the founder of Hi-Way-Haven, A Place for Writers (www.Hi-Way-Haven.com) in Encinitas, California, where she teaches screenwriting, leads screenplay workshops, and provides script analysis for a national clientele.
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As a writing coach, writers are always after me to tell them "what works." They want a list of rules.
Rarely are they amused when I answer by quoting Somerset Maugham, "There are 3 rules to writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows them."
But I'm a teacher. It is not in my genetic makeup to ignore an honest, thoughtful request for help and guidance.
So below you will find a very, very incomplete list, indeed, of "Writer's Guidelines." These are not rules. For I agree with the secret wisdom Maugham was sharing: There are no rules that work for every writer. There are only the rules that you find work for you.
Writers Guidelines
And believe me, these "rules" can and will change over time. What worked for you on your first screenplay may not serve you well on your third screenplay. The guidelines below do "work." But only when you follow their lead, use them, put them at your service, and never put yourself at the service of these or any other "rules."
- Set aside a time to write and keep it sacred. It’s a promise and commitment to yourself. Make writing a priority. Make yourself a priority.
- Write---anything. Avoid the dreaded “blank stare” at your computer screen because you don’t know what to write next. Give yourself at least 15 minutes and start writing anything, and I mean anything. The mind gets bored fairly easily and if you keep typing dumb stuff, eventually it will spark something for you to write regarding your project.
- Write consistently. Don’t let a season or a week pass without working on your screenplay/novel. Consistency is important, the brain actually learns to expect these writing sessions and you’ll have less of the dreaded blank stare mentioned in tip #2.
- Your Muse or Your Life. I’m as fond as the next person in believing that I have creative jolts, etc. However, let’s remember that the Muse really is something that resides IN YOU. Therefore, you control it. Not the other way around. Your muse will begin to show up in a timely manner if you are consistent with your creative endeavors.
- Start where you are. This statement is so important in everything you do. We can’t turn back time and say I wish I’d started last year, and we certainly don’t want to say I’ll begin my novel next month. Start here, start now. Don’t wait. Now is the only time to live, or to write.
- Start where you are part 2. If you know how your novel ends, but have no idea how it starts, then at least start writing what you have now. The process of not knowing where their story is going burdens many people, and so they are stuck—and page less. Start writing, your characters will grow stronger and more real and they will help guide your story.
- Feel free to write, as Ann Lamont says: “Write shitty first drafts.” Give yourself the freedom, the elbowroom. Have fun. The re-vision will come soon enough. You can’t revise a screenplay you haven’t written.
- Wear the same shirt (but please change your underwear!) Many writers, like athletes, are either creatures of habit or suppositious. (Have you seen the film, Wonder Boys?) You had a great writing session yesterday so you want to recreate the atmosphere by wearing a certain something. A certain song was playing. Most coaches will tell you to turn off the TV. radio, whatever, so there are no distractions. (I do agree with DO NOT ANSWER YOUR PHONE). People are different; some people cannot work in a quiet, still room. They need music or commotion. Try different environments, but in the end, do what works best for you. I used to need a quiet space to write, and no music that contained words, which would distract me. Now I have 3 kids and I can write with the Teenage Mutant Turtles blaring in the next room. This harks back to an earlier tip: people are adaptable. You don’t have to wait for the muse and you don’t need perfect surroundings.
- No But’s. You can’t finish your screenplay unless you stop talking about it and apply the seat of your pants to the chair and write. Learn to love the process of writing…because that’s the name of the game. Neither the pre-game chatter nor the book contract. None of that matters if you don’t love to write.
- Set a finish line. The issue for freelance writers is that no one is expecting them to show up and punch a time clock. There is no Friday payday. It’s all internal. The motivation has to come from inside you. It helps tremendously to set goals, to belong to a writing group, or work with a coach.
- Revision. Let’s look at this word. RE – Vision. When you finish a draft you should be open to complete changes. Some people consider revision just changing a word here or there, but most often it means looking at your screenplay in a whole new light and making major revisions.
- “Kill your babies.” I guess I could find a softer way of saying this, but my mentor used this line when I was in grad school and it’s stuck with me ever since. When revising, if you find a line or passage that you are absolutely in love with, think is the best thing you’ve ever written.—Beware! Often these “babies” don’t fit next to their brethren words. They sound great—to you. But do they move your story forward while revealing character? Maybe they are truly beautiful, but more often than not, they belong somewhere else. Take them out. It may hurt, but you owe it to your story.
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760.815.4341 (California Time)
What happens during this consultation?
This consultation is all about you. Your background as a writer, your goals, your needs, the types of projects you are working on or want to be working on. This information will help me to determine the best of the options we have to support and enhance you in attaining your screenwriting goals. I encourage you to ask any questions you may have.