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RE: Brian Koppelman, Lessons From a Formidable Screenwriter

in #life7 years ago

This is a great post. It feels like it was written directly towards me. Maybe even from one of my inner voices telling me once again to not stop the habit development.

I've had this so many times. I sat down, opened Word, said here we go let's write and out came nothing.

After a few days of not writing your brain starts to come up with enough bullshit for you to not even care about getting back into the flow. You're not good enough, you're not a writer, your work sucks, no one's gonna read it, if they do they'll hate it... Bullshit! All of it.

Our brain needs to shut up. We have to shut it up. Zoom out and realize that this is not who we are. We are in control after all.

So, when I stopped judging my writing, stopped caring if anybody would read it or what they would think, when I said to myself I might probably not publish so why bother putting yourself down, when I wrote solely to write, to tell a story, to eventually one day in the future produce one meaningful piece of content, when I allowed myself this freedom, that was when stuff started to flow out of my finger tips.

Hammering away at the keyboard, formulating thoughts, putting them into words before my brain even conceived what was going on.

Steven Pressfield talks about the hard part being the start. The actually sitting down and committing to writing. To not get up, not eat, not sleep before the daily writing goal is achieved.

And whenever there is no idea what to write about, tell a story. Document what's going on in your life. As much as autobiographical writing can suck and be pointless it gets the juices flowing.

Document don't create. Takes the pressure away.

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It happens to all of us. Whether it's self-doubt or discomfort, these are all bullshit excuses the brain sends to stops us.

Crazy species we are haha

By the way, you nailed it! Documenting is one of the most important lessons most writers and screenwriters I know keep insisting on.

Some call it journaling but the point stands. It's really invaluable.

Thanks for the awesome comment as usual, it's amazing.

Haha yeah, our brain does not wanna see us succeed, takes too much glucose :D

Yes, journaling, another great way to get something onto the page to feel a little achievement. Seems to be a great way to start your day.

Always! :)

I don't actually think it doesn't want us to succeed, it's just hard from the brain to adapt to a new "you", that's why streaks happen, when you're brain gets used to you being on fire. :)