Good Morning Storytellers & Creatives!
Happy Monday!
Today, we are going to discuss how to face our fear of that dreaded blank page, whether it is on our computer screen in Final Draft or on a piece of notebook paper.
Now, we all know that blank page can be daunting and downright intimidating. Why is that? I'll give you a few reasons.
The fear of "writing something bad."
Striving for "perfection."
Unrealistic expectations.
We have all been there (myself included) when it comes to writer's block and that fear of not getting it "right" the first time.
I'll let all of you in on a little secret.
Nobody actually gets the first draft right the first time. Remember, rewriting & revising is 99.9% of what screenwriting is all about. This fact alone should give you solace during the writing process. It is a marathon, not a sprint.
That perfection piece can also hinder our writing progress to the point where we simply stop writing or don't even begin. We start to overanalyze every single thing.
Does any of this sound familiar?
Oh, I don't feel motivated.
I don't feel inspired.
It's not the right time.
Nobody will like my idea.
This concept is stupid.
Am I speaking your language? We tell ourselves these things and before we know it, we've talked ourselves out of writing that TV Drama, that feature film, that short film, or web series. Sometimes, we can be our own worst enemies because of that pesky thing called fear (and perfection).
Instead of saying those negative things to ourselves, make a choice to say positive things to yourself, such as:
This is my story to tell.
It is always the right time for me to try.
The right people will love my idea.
This concept is unique.
It is amazing how the right words and positive self-talk can put you in a totally different headspace. How can we feel comfortable in our creativity when we constantly attack it?
This week, I challenge everyone to conquer your fears and face that blank page head on!
Do it scared!
Do it uncomfortable!
Do it unsure!
Do it messy!
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