by Jenna | Jan 22, 2025 | Writing Articles
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 wasn’t sleep deprived anymore and could “afford” it).
I got up every day at 6 a.m. to write for about an hour while my husband played with him and got him ready for the day, then I’d hang out with him for a while and take him to preschool. The rest of the day was for my “day job” (my work as a coach).
Later, during an extremely difficult personal life phase, I wrote a script in 15 minutes a day, often late at night just before bed. It took me about 6 months, but given the adversity I was facing, I was thrilled with the accomplishment.
Despite my progress and success (I was hired to write an original script for a producer-director based on a writing sample), I was longing for longer writing days.
Long writing days, or not?
Ironically though, pre-kids, long writing days did NOT work well for me, not at all.
If anything, they were abject failures.
Before having kids, I used to set aside every Friday as a full writing day.
And then when Friday would roll around I would do ANYTHING ELSE other than write.
Turns out those long stretches were stopping me from writing, by triggering huge amounts of fear and resistance. I didn’t understand that at the time. (The other challenge was the infrequency, but that’s a story for another time.)
I see this same issue come up around long writing days for my clients and community members too, especially for those who are retired, don’t have a separate day job, or who are trying to set aside big chunks of writing time. They often struggle to write.
Big blocks of writing time can trigger big time resistance.
It turns out those big blocks of writing time — as much as we say and believe we want and need them — can spark proportionate amounts of resistance and “blocking energy.”
Big blocks of time (often) => big blocks of resistance.
This is why writing for smaller increments of time can be hugely beneficial when building or rebuilding a writing practice.
And yet, … and yet!
Those big blocks of time are so satisfying! … when they work.
Especially while I’ve been in creative recovery over the last two years, I’ve found I need to write differently. I can’t and don’t want to “write on command” the way I could and had to when my kids were little.
I need and want those long days.
The magic of making space for “sideways drift.”
I especially need and want time for “sideways drift” built into my writing days, so I can get up and wander, ponder, shower, drift, walk, imagine, brainstorm, explore, and journal as needed. I’m also allowing myself time and space to “find” my way to the page each day. Sometimes this looks like goofing off, but it’s mainly about getting myself into the state I want to be in to write. Sometimes I’m listening to music, tidying up, or taking care of distracting tasks (something I used to avoid). The net effect is that I’m shifting from kid-focused morning time over to Jenna-focused writing time.
This helps me move into a potent, liminal space that opens up story ideas and possibilities unlike anything else.
I also want enough time to get something on the page, too, in addition to the drift space.
In order to have both, I’m back to designing long writing days into my schedule now.
My sideways drift approach to these long days means fear and doubt don’t get triggered the same way any longer. Partly this is because I’m not currently using definitive time, word, or page goals (though they can be useful tools at the right time).
Instead I’m focusing on progress wherever I am in the process with a particular story.
For example, with the script I’m currently working on, I’m in the midst of reverse outlining the story so I can evaluate it for a rewrite. I’ll keep working on that each writing day until it’s complete, then move on to the next step.
Taking the focus off specific goals and putting it on making progress overall takes the pressure off me, and makes more space for that magical sideways drift.
So does setting aside long days to write.
It’s a kind of double magic: long days plus space to get into a liminal flow state.
Bliss.
by Jenna | Jan 16, 2025 | ScriptMag Articles
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 script, highly regarded by my writing community and others I trust – but the number of contests and fellowships I’ve submitted to passed on the script. Should I give up on it?”
In the main article, my reply included looking at some possibilities that might be at play here.
Here’s a list of the highlights of the article:
1. Contests and fellowships aren’t the final referendum on your script.
2. Not all contests are created equal.
3. Your script may not be as polished as you think it is.
4. You may want to write something else and come back to this script.
5. You’re the one in charge of you and your writing.
6. You get to decide.
This one reader, producer, agent, or manager may not love your script. But the next one might. That means it’s your responsibility to shepherd your script into the right hands, which will involve research, networking, querying, and more. A fellowship or contest is just one way to do that work.
Want the full scoop? Get all the details in the full article on Script Mag:
Image credit: Script Magazine / Canva
by Jenna | Dec 19, 2024 | ScriptMag Articles
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 valuable time and failed getting more work out, and just don’t know where to pick up the pieces. What are some tips on how I can get out of this rut and headspace?”
In the main article, my reply included some strategies for how to rebuild, with some favorite specifics, particularly about reframing the way we think about time off and “failure.”
Here’s a list of the highlights of the article:
1. First, let’s acknowledge: you did the right thing.
2. Next, let’s reframe the time off.
3. Then, let’s see about getting you out of the “rut.”
4. Watch for hiccups and revise as needed.
5. Be aware of your overall state.
6. Notice when you choose “comforts” over writing.
7. Ramp up to more writing, gradually.
8. Take care of your creative self.
‘There’s no failure, only information.’ You learned something about what works and what doesn’t work for you. Don’t worry about catching up. Focus on rebuilding.
Want the full scoop? Get all the details in the full article on Script Mag:
Image credit: Script Magazine / Canva
by Jenna | Nov 21, 2024 | ScriptMag Articles
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? I’m using (Ninja) for all of them, even though there are many. Their faces are covered so can’t see each 1 anyway.”
I dug around for some extra links and resources for the article, including some nifty tips about naming characters from other writers, including John August, which should be useful for writers of all sorts, not just screenwriters.
In the main article, my answer included some tips about ways and reasons to differentiate even minor characters to make the script more interesting and clearer for readers and for potential actors.
One other opportunity to keep in mind here is that by naming them creatively, rather than keeping your characters in the background and/or generic, they may begin to differentiate themselves in your writing and storytelling too, stepping forward into the story a little more than they otherwise might.
Want the full scoop? Get all the details in the full article on Script Mag:
Image credit: Script Magazine / Canva
by Jenna | Oct 18, 2024 | ScriptMag Articles
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 they don’t answer. I called CAA by cellphone and they turned my call off. Can you please help me make the next steps?”
There are a number of aspects to this question, so I’ve addressed them one-by-one. Here’s a quick high level view of the article’s main points:
- Be aware the signals you’re sending.
- Understand who you’re approaching.
- Recognize marketing one script at a time will position it best.
- Pick your best script to market first.
You’ll want a professional, simple, and direct query letter that positions your script as attractive to industry professionals and demonstrates that you can clearly convey both the story and what makes it marketable.
Want the full scoop? Get all the details in the full article on Script Mag:
Image credit: Script Magazine / Canva