Keith Savage's Lounge Discussions

Good question. Over coming writers block. Mint tea for starters. Don't think about the end only the chapter at hand. Carry a tape recorder every where you go. Inspiration is in hand in a sec and can be gone just as fast. Think of things you would do and things you would not do. and lots and lots of notes connecting every thing together. Think in detail and you will never run out of writing material. have a good one.

TAKE A SHOWER, WATER IS A GREAT MEDIUM!

What's worked for me: 1: Start with a complete outline. 3 acts, with enough points per act to make a story. If the story changes, update and complete the outline to the new story before you move on. 2: There are times you'll be stuck with a scene. You can see parts of the scene in your head, but don't have all the points of it yet. Drop a placeholder and move on. - FIGHT SCENE!! FINISH LATER - - WALTER FINDS THE THING - Whatever you have to do to keep swimming. Writers are sharks. If we stop, we're done. Do what you must to keep going. 3: Don't fight the scene. There was a scene I was trying to write as a scene in an Italian restaurant. I rewrote that scene 4 times a day for a week. It just wasn't working out. Ever day was pulling teeth to get the scene down, and I really wanted the setting to be this Italian restaurant. The lead did... The supporting character did.. The waitress... The other table... Someone from the bathroom... Nothing. I hate it, rewrite. As soon as I changed the setting to a casino, the scene was done. It was perfect. There's my 2cents. Do with them what you will. /cheers

The outline gets me back on track, but like Rick said, sometimes you gotta rewrite parts of the outline ' if the scene comes out more delicious than on the outline.

Many times "writer's block" is just fear and insecurity manifesting itself in a way that we don't realize. If we don't write it, we can never be criticized or rejected, so we procrastinate like we don't want to walk out on that gangplank. I have never found avoiding the work a good way to breakthrough that creative block. There are so many reasons to stop writing when it becomes difficult. Trust me, I know just having gone through this myself. The great Stephen Pressfield calls it resistance and I talk about that in my article: http://scriptcat.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/does-procrastination-resistance/ And you can also go back to the creative well and come up dry—what happens then? It's like a vicious circle, anxiety working on fact your writing is NOT working, you can't SEE the scenes in your head, and you are NOT writing: http://scriptcat.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/what-happens-when-you-go-back-...

Oh, barf.

Yeah - a good director directs the actors - which is why actors make good directors - and good actors are good at saying the words written by good writers. Ms. Denis might as well give credit to the casting director for choosing the right actors for the roles in the first place - because that certainly makes the director's job easier. Being French, I have to take what she says with a grain of salt as they are the progenitors of the "auteur theory" which I have railed against in the past. Director's are very fond of taking an inordinate amount of credit for the collaborative work of the many. So in that I would agree with Mr. Birnbaum and his "oh, barf" comment. Also - the French have lionized Jerry Lewis - who I like - but than I like Dean Martin more. Also - with the Wilders and Wylers and Fords and Spielbergs and Hitchcocks and Hathaways etc. etc. - Jerry Lewis?

Let's see Mr Ford make a good movie without a script at all good bad or otherwise.

"Eighty percent of a picture is writing, the other twenty percent is the execution, such as having the camera on the right spot and being able to afford to have good actors in all parts." - director Billy Wilder.

BOOM! Bill Martell. Dropping bombs!. LOL.

try http://www.meetup.com for any local group :)

Awesome, thanks! Good idea!