This one is simple in concept; difficult in execution.
The thing is, I already know how to write a screenplay. I have about a dozen books on screenwriting in my house, and I’ve read at least a dozen more. I get regular emails about how to take my screenwriting to the next level. I have four different brands of screenwriting software on my computer. I even have a couple of screenwriting apps on my phone and iPad. I have listened to multiple podcasts and have been reading screenwriting web pages since Clinton was in office. I talk constantly about screenwriting. I always have new ideas for movies, television shows, video games, and webseries. I watch movies and then I read the screenplays when available. I’ve even managed to write some scripts—a few of which were actually produced and shown to people. I know a lot about the craft of screenwriting, but what I truly excel at is the art of not screenwriting. I am a past master at avoiding putting text on a screen. If I were being entirely honest, I would list procrastination, stalling, and looking busy while avoiding writing as special skills on my resume. Along with the Microsoft Excel that I’m expert level at wink, wink.
So, what to do?
I’ve got to put the butt in the chair. In the next year, I will not be reading about screenwriting. I will be writing. I have set a goal to write three completed feature-length screenplays by October 2, 2020. This is challenging, but not impossible. If I churn out a screenplay every ninety days—which is just over a page a day, I should have plenty of time.
What do victory conditions look like for this?
I’m looking for three shitty first drafts.
They will be 90 - 120 pages in length. These will be features, not shorts, not episodes of a television show. Movies. You know, movies.
As long as the page count is correct, and it says, “The End” on the last page, every last of these can truly, madly, and deeply suck. Just be big old flaming piles of the suckiest suckitude that ever sucked sucky sucks. Suck.
This is about process, not perfection. Can I stick to a writing schedule? Can I write at least a page every day? Will I keep the damned story moving no matter what? When I am stuck, will I write a crappy scene now in order to get something on the page? Can I trust that future Jeremy will figure out a solution later?
The thing is I’m actually pretty good at screenwriting, but when I get to a point in a script where the choice is to suck it up and write something crappy to keep the momentum, or to stop and ruminate indefinitely, I choose rumination. Yesterday I gave myself permission to suck and today I put my trust in future me to save my scripts from sucking. That future Jeremy wants my scripts to be awesome, but I need to get something down, so he’ll have something to work with.