Actually the two screenplays I talked about (and everything else on "the shelf") had gone all the way to FADE OUT. It's so much easier to fix a screenplay that is written than one that is not. The shelving thing only works if you don't abandon them! Which is what the question was - should you ever abandon a screenplay? No! If you finish it and it doesn't work, put it aside and work on something else until you figure it out. If you think all of your screenplays work... that's a different problem.
Exactly right! The mind and spirit don't work from force, but from "lightness." Try to remember where you put your car keys, force only makes the memory move further away. Taking a break many times will solve the problem.
This is exactly what I do. To me, inspiration is a lot like love. You fall in it, and it cannot be forced. I am an artist. If I am not working on one book/script, I am working on another, and if I am not writing at all, I am painting, making jewelry, etc.. but I have a visceral need to allow myself the freedom to buterfly from one project to another following my inspiration. When I get stuck in writing, usually my first reflex will be to go back a few chapters hoping to get some momentum going again, or make a plan of the scenes and/or events that I know have to happen down the line somewhere, and hope to be able to link them all the way back to where I got stuck.. or just skip that part altogether and go on writing the next chapter if I already have that one laid out, and I can always come back to the difficult part later. But when everything else fails, then yes, definitely, just shelve it and forget about it for a while. In my experience, the answer always comes to me at some point, and I am always very glad I didn't try to force the story down a path it just wasn't meant to go.. To me a good story is organic. If it's not coming to me, it's just not coming to me. No point in dwelling on it.
The best way I found to avoid that problem is reread what I've written at least 4 times before I start writing the ending. I try to read it and make sure it flows smoothly, and if it passes that test, then you can work on your ending. I found it best not to "make sure the story is long enough before I end it," but to make sure the ending is well paced and runs with the plot. I hope that helps.
Always great with Mr. Martell; but, even though I understand the idea, I did hope for a better method than "shelving." Simply because I know this to be sort of a slippery slope. I "shelve" things all the time; but, that's because I have this "GREAT!!!" idea, get started writing it, lose interest because it's not coming out PERFECTLY and then I shelve it just in time to come up with another idea I'm equally excited about knowing this one will have the same fate.
William Martell seems like really nice dude. I appreciate this advice which is stepping away from it for awhile (and coming back to it later)....if only I wasn't writing my thesis for grad school!!! LOL
I did the same cause I couldn't figure out a turn! I have the beginning -I have the what's going on next I don't have the turn to connect them🤢 I have a deadline as well.
Actually the two screenplays I talked about (and everything else on "the shelf") had gone all the way to FADE OUT. It's so much easier to fix a screenplay that is written than one that is not. The shelving thing only works if you don't abandon them! Which is what the question was - should you ever abandon a screenplay? No! If you finish it and it doesn't work, put it aside and work on something else until you figure it out. If you think all of your screenplays work... that's a different problem.
Mr. Martell. You are the man. I hope one day I can meet you and discuss story.
You are a king 👑
As Peter Mattheissen said once "great works of art are never really finished, they are simply abandoned." Great encouraging words to not give up!
Exactly right! The mind and spirit don't work from force, but from "lightness." Try to remember where you put your car keys, force only makes the memory move further away. Taking a break many times will solve the problem.
This is exactly what I do. To me, inspiration is a lot like love. You fall in it, and it cannot be forced. I am an artist. If I am not working on one book/script, I am working on another, and if I am not writing at all, I am painting, making jewelry, etc.. but I have a visceral need to allow myself the freedom to buterfly from one project to another following my inspiration.
When I get stuck in writing, usually my first reflex will be to go back a few chapters hoping to get some momentum going again, or make a plan of the scenes and/or events that I know have to happen down the line somewhere, and hope to be able to link them all the way back to where I got stuck.. or just skip that part altogether and go on writing the next chapter if I already have that one laid out, and I can always come back to the difficult part later.
But when everything else fails, then yes, definitely, just shelve it and forget about it for a while. In my experience, the answer always comes to me at some point, and I am always very glad I didn't try to force the story down a path it just wasn't meant to go.. To me a good story is organic. If it's not coming to me, it's just not coming to me. No point in dwelling on it.
My biggest problem is fear of rushing the ending. In my short stories, I get to a point where I don't want to end it for this reason.
The best way I found to avoid that problem is reread what I've written at least 4 times before I start writing the ending. I try to read it and make sure it flows smoothly, and if it passes that test, then you can work on your ending. I found it best not to "make sure the story is long enough before I end it," but to make sure the ending is well paced and runs with the plot. I hope that helps.
So... procrastination? Ha ha... no i actually get it. Thanks!
Great advice, and I've found it to be true.
I would so watch the one about the murder victim. Sounds fascinating. And I do the same thing, shelving work and coming back to it with fresh eyes.
Always great with Mr. Martell; but, even though I understand the idea, I did hope for a better method than "shelving." Simply because I know this to be sort of a slippery slope. I "shelve" things all the time; but, that's because I have this "GREAT!!!" idea, get started writing it, lose interest because it's not coming out PERFECTLY and then I shelve it just in time to come up with another idea I'm equally excited about knowing this one will have the same fate.
William Martell seems like really nice dude. I appreciate this advice which is stepping away from it for awhile (and coming back to it later)....if only I wasn't writing my thesis for grad school!!! LOL
I'm scared that I'll never finish my story due to working on another and vice versa for what happens to that story.
You did it, son, and your novel is getting published!
This video was brought to you by Procrastinators Anonymous. Come and join our group ... tomorrow.
I also cross-train with my stories.
I did the same cause I couldn't figure out a turn!
I have the beginning -I have the what's going on next I don't have the turn to connect them🤢
I have a deadline as well.
When I'm blocked, I eat a little extra fiber.