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The Screenwriting Spark Volume 1

The Screenwriting Spark is my way of pointing people to the blogs and articles that inspire me to sit down and write screenplays.

Sometimes, it can become incredibly difficult to summon the motivation needed to stare down the blank pages free of intimidation.

Sometimes creativity needs a SPARK to ignite.

It’s up to you to keep the fire going but it’s nice to have a few tricks to remain focused on the story you are developing.

My first trick is to watch a movie that inspires me.

If that doesn’t work I move on to screenwriting books and online blogs. It doesn’t take long before the fire gets going again.

Volume 1

Twitter Sparks:

Recommended Follow: @thescriptlab

The Screenwriter as Benign Dictator – The Script Lab

Screenwriting Back to Basics, Day 2: Protagonist Metamorphosis Arc – Go Into The Story

Screenwriting for success: Ten mistakes to avoid when writing your screenplay – Glenn Magas (Helium)

The New 10 Commandments of Writing Screenplays – Screenwriting U

Movie Scene Structure – Screenwriting Foxhole

The Blatant Truth About Screenwriting – Hal Croasmun

Adding Emotional Depth to a Plot Via a Subplot – FilmmakerIQ

When the Characters Out-Write the Writer – Niya’s Place (Everything Screenwriting)

The importance of character names – Go Into The Story

Never Ever Sell Yourself Short – The Story Department

On The Blogs:

Featured: Daily Screenwriter
Inspiration, Motivation

This is a site I found recently that updates a few times a week with simple and short posts to get your brain moving. There are definitely sites out there that offer more in depth information but I featured this site because of it’s main focus of inspiration.

Robert McKee — Worth Watching – The Unknown Screenwriter (Video)

Writing better dialogue – John August (Video)

Professional Writing and the Rise of the Amateur – John August (Video)

Setting Up Story and Character – Syd Field (Audio) Screenwriter’s Corner

Screenwriting with passion! Why screenwriters write… – The Screenwriter’s Place

Featured NERD Post: Is My Screenplay Ready For Competitions?

Bonus Book Review:

How NOT To Write A Screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make (Nerd)

Easily one of the best screenwriting books I’ve ever read. I’m constantly flipping through the pages to pick up some quick tips and inspiration. Highly recommended.

FADE IN:

As Volume 1 of The Screenwriting Spark comes to a close, I wanted to use this first edition of FADE IN to ask what inspires you to write?

For most it will likely be one of the usual suspects:

Watching Movies
Reading Books
Reading Screenplays

What fascinates me are the wild cards unique to each individual screenwriter out there. We all have strange ways to motivate ourselves. I’m no exception. I tend to move all my furniture around before I begin a new script. It makes my office feel new and it’s an atmosphere I love.

What are your unique methods to help inspire your imagination?

FADE OUT.

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Era 7: A Screenwriter Evolves

September 1st, 2010 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in Screenwriting - (0 Comments)

September 1st.

My personal screenwriting year end.

It’s an extremely important date on my calendar because it gives me a chance to reflect on what I’ve accomplished and set some goals for the new year.

This will be the seventh anniversary of this holiday and I consider it a new era.

Era 7 has begun.

It sounds strange to number each era but I feel like each year should be a leap forward.

New year. New goals.

It’s time to evolve.

Like every September 1st, I go back and review literally everything I’ve written as well as everything I didn’t. This year is especially important because I really didn’t write that much. I spent a lot of the last year and a half being a director with Playing Through completed and The Climb in post.

Sadly, directing those films in addition to my career left me with little to no time to write.

Until a few months ago when we wrapped The Climb.

I suddenly realized I had regained my free time. Screenwriting had returned and with it, a new focus.

Era 7 is going to be my most productive to date. You can only truly call yourself a writer if you shut up, sit down and write screenplays.

Before I get to next year, it was time to reflect on the previous 12 months.

Like I said, I didn’t write much but that doesn’t mean I wrote nothing at all. I finished a number of short film scripts and put a serious dent into my latest feature script. I also went back and rewrote some old scripts to get them ready for potential competitions.

It’s been a while since I entered a screenwriting competition and it’s time to put myself out there again.

I’ve spent the last few weeks finishing up old projects and I started writing a series of shorts I’m thinking could work well as a web series.

Now it’s time to focus more on my feature screenplays. I haven’t finished one in a while and it’s time I fixed that problem.

Era 7 will be the year of the feature screenplay. I couldn’t be more excited.

I’ve got 3 stories I’m planning on writing this year and I’ve never been more committed to creating entertaining scripts.

My goal for Era 8 is to be able to look back on my accomplishments and be proud of the work I’ve done this coming year.

There’s a lot to do but I feel like I’m a screenwriter again.

When it comes to being passionate about something, it doesn’t get any better than screenwriting for me.

Bring on Era 7.

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Writing About Screenwriting… Instead Of Screenwriting

March 26th, 2010 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in Screenwriting - (0 Comments)

I have many passions and almost all of them involve being creative in some capacity. My favorite among them has always been screenwriting.

I’m dedicated to developing my skills as a filmmaker, editor, and blogger but screenwriting has always been my number 1 priority and for good reason. I’ve been writing screenplays for years and each page is more challenging than the one before. There’s always something new to learn. There will always be new stories to tell.

I simply can’t get enough and it goes well beyond writing screenplays. I’m a student of the craft and I’m constantly looking for ways to get better. I also spend a lot of time writing posts about screenwriting. This post has a pretty in depth section on screenwriting as a matter of fact. However…

Am I losing valuable time better spent… screenwriting?

It’s an interesting irony given the fact that I spend a lot of time writing about screenwriting instead of writing screenplays.

The one thing I’ve learned when it comes to writing about screenwriting online is that there are millions of sources that illustrate HOW to write screenplays.

I’ve purposely avoided instructional posts so I could focus on writing about WHY I write. There are so many challenges to being an amateur screenwriter. People have jobs, families and responsibilities. It’s hard to balance it all out and still be proud of the pages you produce.

But it’s supposed to be challenging.

Every writer faces different challenges on the road to success. The trick is staying committed and passionate until that wonderful day comes and you see your words on the silver screen.

Until I reach that goal, why not write about what I love as much as possible?

I dont’ see anything wrong with it.

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Finding Time To Write

September 16th, 2009 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in Screenwriting - (0 Comments)

One of the advantages of taking a bus to work is having time to read.

Currently, I’m reading a book called Alone In A Room. It’s a screenwriting book by John Scott Lewinski about the working habits of professionals in the industry.

The lesson is simple.

Everything begins with the writer actually sitting in the chair and writing.

It sounds simple but I’ve learned over the last year that it’s anything but simple. It got me thinking though.

Working screenwriters FIND time to write.

Facing a white screen is simultaneously the coolest and scariest feelings you can have as a writer. But that’s not my problem right now…

My issue is sitting in the chair and working on my new script. It’s a feature film that’s been in my head for about 3 years and I’m about 40 pages deep right now. What bugs me is how much I love to talk about the story yet I can’t seem to locate a few hours a day to get the work done. Until now…

Over the last few weeks I’m been actively challenging myself to sit down and type. It started with a re-write of my new short screenplay Ti amo.

For a long time I felt pretty guilty about not writing as often as I used to. In my defense, I was directing a movie but I now find myself with a lot more free time to create new material. The one thing I noticed is how much better I feel when I write. It’s practically connected to my moods.

I’m easily agitated if I’m not being creative in some form. Not the case when I’m writing something new.

I haven’t been this excited in a long time.

Hopefully the momentum continues.

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The Screenwriting Spark Volume 1

Sometimes creativity needs a SPARK to ignite.

Volume 1

Twitter Sparks:

On The Blogs:

Bonus Book Review:

FADE IN:

What are your unique methods to help inspire your imagination?

FADE OUT.

Era 7: A Screenwriter Evolves

September 1st.

Era 7 has begun.

It’s time to evolve.

Writing About Screenwriting… Instead Of Screenwriting

Finding Time To Write

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