Ask the Coach: How Can I Deal With Distractions From Writing? – On Script Mag
In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to two readers in response to their submissions to a recent reader survey I conducted. Their comments and questions coalesced around dealing with distractions from writing: “I’m struggling most with distractions...
Ask the Coach: Why Am I Stalled With Writing? – On Script Mag
In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a writer who’s commented about feeling like they’ve stalled around writing. "I’ve made so much progress with my draft but… I’ve just stalled again, and I have no idea why. I’m just not FEELING it right now....
Ask the Coach: What Is the Purpose of Writing? – On Script Mag
In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a few readers in one article, in response to their submissions to my recent survey about the classes, workshops, and programs I teach. Their comments and questions coalesced around the purpose of writing:...
Ask the Coach: 7 Strategies for Dealing with Procrastination and Self-Criticism – On Script Mag
In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a writer about overcoming procrastination and dealing with self-criticism: “I need to overcome my procrastination. I am trying to write a screenplay, with a proposal, for a funding opportunity. I had...
The magic of “sideways drift” and longer writing days
When I first started writing fiction regularly (screenwriting, specifically), our first child was quite young — like 3 ½. I really had to "steal" time to make writing happen, mostly from my own sleep schedule (thankfully he was sleeping by that age so at least I...
Ask the Coach: Should I Give Up on My Script? – On Script Mag
In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a writer about whether to give up on a script after not getting the response they anticipated from contests and fellowships: “I’m ready to throw in the towel. I sent out what I thought was a strong polished...
Ask the Coach: How Do I Pick Up The Pieces With Writing After Burning Out? – On Script Mag
In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a writer about picking up the pieces after getting burned out: “I was on a writing streak but then I took on a project that completely burned me out. I took 4 months off from writing. Now I feel like I lost...
Ask the Coach: How Can I Name Minor Characters Who All Appear the Same? – On Script Mag
In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a writer about character naming, who says: “If I have many characters of a certain group, Ninjas for example, too many to name individually in the story, though they have some dialogue, what do I call them?...
Ask the Coach: On Marketing Multiple Scripts… Or Not – On Script Mag
In this month's "Ask the Coach" article, I'm responding to a writer about script marketing, who says: “Hello, I come by this way to be informed about where to send my 44 movie scripts? I sent it to CAA (Creative Artists Agency) and wrote to Steven Spielberg... and...
Ask the Coach: 7 Approaches to Finding Confidence Again as a Writer – On Script Mag
In this month's "Ask the Coach" article, I'm responding to a writer about confidence, who says: “I’ve had a rough year and a half, which is affecting my writing confidence hugely now.” In the article, I share some thoughts about approaches and strategies you might...
Ask the Coach: 5 Tips to Regain Post-Summer Writing Momentum – On Script Mag
In this month's "Ask the Coach" article, I'm responding to a question about recovering a writing practice after a busy summer. Hi Jenna, I’ve lost a lot of my writing momentum over the summer between travel and my kids being off school, though I’ve been able to keep...
Ask the Coach: Help! I Can’t Write the Same Way Anymore — 7 Ways to Find Your New Writing Practice – On Script Mag
In this month's "Ask the Coach" article, I'm responding to a comment from a writer about recovering a writing practice. Hi Jenna, I’ve found recently that the way I used to write just isn’t working for me anymore. I don’t know if it’s because of the pandemic exactly,...