Screenwriting - Writing And NOT Selling...

So, you have written your 4th, 5th, or 6th screenplay and none have sold. Maybe it's the 8th. Why hasn't one sold? That starts to become the question. We don't have the answer. If you believe in yourself and have passion for what you do... push on. Rally your supporters around you for added encouragement and write the next script... We don't run the universe and need to remember that many factors including; timing, luck, talent, politics and many many more are at play in the entertainment world.

MDJ

If anything is worth trying at all, it’s worth trying at least 10 times.
--Art Linkletter

Screenwriting - Self imposed limits

Do I paint myself into a box with my talent? Thoughts such as; I can only write this... I could never do that... I will never sell... etc... These impose limits upon our talents and our entire lives. Why not take a different approach and focus on opening and expanding ourselves instead of limiting our lives.

MDJ


Sometimes we are limited more by attitude than by opportunities.
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - The Risky Script

How willing are you to risk in life and in your career? There is that one story. The one we have great reservations about placing out into the universe. Maybe it is more about taking the risk than the story. Today we can examine how we operate with our safety net and be willing to try walking the tightrope without it for a day.

MDJ

It is not because things are different that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - The Whole Life Plan

There is more to life than writing. We need balance in our lives. It is great to pursue our passions but we don't want to get stuck there 24/7. Today we can look at how we may make our entire lives successful. Coming up with a plan is a good start.Put pen to paper and see where you are at.

MDJ

I learned about the strength you can get from a close family life. I learned to keep going, even in bad times. I learned not to despair, even when my world was falling apart. I learned that there are no free lunches. And I learned the value of hard work.
--Lee Iacocca

Screenwriting - The Team Approach

Many creative people work in isolation but that doesn't mean we don't need a team to be a success. Have you taken the time to develop your team of readers, editors, teachers, supporters and coaches? We are never good enough to stop learning more about our craft. We all need help no matter what stage of our career we currently find ourselves.

MDJ

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
--Helen Keller

Screenwriting - How Do I Define Failure?

Today we can look at how each of us defines failure. Take a good look at this word and its meaning today. Some see it as an opportunity for growth. Some see it as a sign to quit pursuing their dreams. Some see it as something to celebrate. How do you view failure?

MDJ

I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.
--Thomas Alva Edison

Screenwriting - If We Only Knew...

We all possess greatness within. The problem is that we forget the valuable tools we were born with until that time they are a necessity. Then they appear. We need to remember how blessed we are as human beings to have built in resources. When we recognize these gifts and show our gratitude they seem to come out and play much more often. This includes our imagination.

MDJ

When you are required to exhibit strength, it comes.
-- Joseph Campbell

Screenwriting - Give It To The World

Our creative talents are gifts to us and we must share them with the world.  Today I can make a revised plan as to how I share my creative self with the world.  I may want to consider giving it away in some form.  This could be poems to friends, a blog, a short story and the like.  How much did we pay for our talent?  It was freely given and we must share the wealth.

MDJ

Screenwriting - Honoring Ourselves

Today we celebrate the many ways we honor ourselves. We make a list. Upon reflection we see our uniqueness and our integrity. When we honor ourselves we excel in all other areas of our lives. We honor ourselves by being creative.

MDJ

Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world right in the eye.
– Helen Keller

Screenwriting - Onward and Upward!

Greet this day with optimism. Begin that project which has been whispering to your passion. Celebrate your imagination. Be grateful for your blessings. Tell those you cherish how you feel about them. Live life!

MDJ

You are younger today than you ever will be again. Make use of it.
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - I write again and again and...

It is what we do as writers... we write. Continuously. If this is our calling then we do it... no matter what. Our motivation comes from within not outside. It is a joy for us to travel the journey of a writer. We accept the challenges, set-backs, successes, joys and sorrows that come with our career. We thank the universe each day we have to write because we have found our bliss. A gift so many search for their entire lives.

MDJ

I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.
--Thomas Alva Edison

Screenwriting - What I Live For...

Taking the time to evaluate our lives and the "why" behind our existence is a heavy topic and one generally best contemplated alone. Do I take the time to reflect upon my life and the contributions that I am creating? When we give ourselves this gift of reflection we may find at any given moment we need to correct our course.

MDJ


He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.
--Friedrich Nietzsche

Screenwriting - A New Day

Yesterday is gone. All of its successes, challenges, wonders, dreams and set-backs. Today we have the opportunity to begin again. Plan your day wisely. Express your gratitude and love for all blessings including family and friends. Work on your dreams... they feed the soul.

MDJ

Other people and things can stop you temporarily. You're the only one who can do it permanently.

--Zig Ziglar

Screenwriting - Today's Plan

What kind of day will today be? So much depends upon our attitude. Today we can look at our morning ritual. Do I take time to arise in the morning and greet the day? Do I feed my soul spiritually, physically and mentally each day? Do I expect the best from my day? Do I have a plan for my day to be altered if necessary? Greeting each day with a positive attitude makes for a successful day.

MDJ

On a gloomy, rainy morning, it came little eight-year-old Tommy's turn to say the blessing at breakfast. "We thank Thee for this beautiful day," he prayed. His mother asked him why he said that when the day was anything but beautiful."Mother," said he, with rare wisdom, "never judge a day by its weather. "
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - Adversity

If we take time to review our lives on occasion we see that we are so much stronger than we could ever imagine. It is during life's difficult times that we find our true spirit and strength. We learn to remember what is truly important in life. Reflecting and reviewing our journey gives more depth to our writing.

MDJ


He knows not his own strength that hath not met adversity.
--Ben Jonson

Screenwriting - Some day...

Some day I will write that one special story... The one I think no one will read because its not commercial enough... The one that the structure is a little different... The one everyone tells me I shouldn't write... The one that is too simple... The one that I know will never sell just because it's so different... Maybe I'll write it some day but I have to go to work today, pay bills and just don't have the time...

MDJ

Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.
--Norman Vincent Peale

Screenwriting - Attitude Check

Our attitude is one of the most important things we possess. Today we can take a spot check. Am I happy with my life no matter what? How do I respond to criticism? Do I feel my writing is worthy of the big screen? How do I think other perceive me? Am I an optimistic individual? These are some questions to ponder regarding our attitude towards our self and life. If we feel we need a change. Today is a good day to begin...

MDJ

Attitudes are contagious. Are yours worth catching?
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - My Ordinary Life

It is interesting how many individuals who are extremely famous have lived quite ordinary lives when it comes to the day to day tasks. And guess what? Many of these individuals are writers. Today we can appreciate our ordinary life when we sit down to write.

MDJ

Since most of us spend our lives doing ordinary tasks, the most important thing is to carry them out extraordinarily well.
--Henry David Thoreau

Screenwriting - Decisions

What do I do now? Trusting ourselves as to what decision to make at any given time is often trial and error. The bottom line is that we make a decision whatever it may be. We are human and we can always choose again. Mistakes are lessons if we learn from them.

MDJ

One of our greatest gifts is our intuition. It is a sixth sense we all have – we just need to learn to tap into and trust it.
--Donna Karan

Screenwriting - Sticking With It!

How excited are we when we first undertake a goal? Time passes... roadblocks... stress... life... self-doubt... these things start to creep in and we give up. This can happen in many areas of our lives and with our writing. If we had just stuck with the goal... NO MATTER WHAT, we would have been amazed at the outcome.

MDJ

This one step - choosing a goal and sticking to it - changes everything.
--Scott Reed

Screenwriting - Being Present

How much of life do we miss when we are not living in the present? 100%. We also miss opportunity. It takes practice to remain in the moment. Life throws us curves every now and then and we may want to escape. But, like the movies we write... Our characters as well as ourselves only grow when hitting life head on. Today, we can make the decision to be present, enjoy and experience life

MDJ

Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - A Matter of Habit

Habits can better or destroy us. Taking stock of our life habits gives us the opportunity to see our core selves. We keep and practice the positive life habits and challenge ourselves to replace bad habits with healthier choices. Why don't we challenge ourselves today to replace the time we may be practicing a bad habit with some additional writing time. If we can do it today maybe we can do it again tomorrow.

MDJ

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.
--Aristotle

Screenwriting - Knocking At My Own Door...

Opportunities to write are all around us. Today we can ask ourselves one question: Do I create writing opportunites or do I wait for them?... Something to ponder.

MDJ

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
--Francois Bacon

Screenwriting - Start Today!

No matter what... begin something new today. A successful life requires action. Got an idea for a story?... Make an outline. Jot some notes down. Begin the book. Write the first page of the screenplay. Want to change a challenging life habit?... Brainstorm some ways to start changing today. List healthier habits to replace the old one... No matter what, begin to change your life today. It's all about small daily actions that over time add up to great change.

MDJ

Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.
--Richard L. Evans

Screenwriting - Life Is About We...

When we get too busy we forget that the life experience is to be shared. Love, Sorrow, Joy, Happiness, Humor... whatever emotions we are experiencing at the moment are nothing to experience in isolation. When we allow ourselves to experience these with others all lives are enriched. We write movies about people and experiences so that all of our characters lives may be touched.

MDJ

There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.
--Marshall McLuhan

Screenwriting - A Writer Writes...

When we look at what we do in simple form it appears easy. We put words on paper or type them into a computer. No major equipment needed. If we keep what we do simple it is. This is a great formula for discipline because we must continue to write. It is what we do.

MDJ

It's not the work that's hard, it's the discipline.
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - Achieving Happiness

We all search for it. We need to be conscious of where we seek happiness. Is it in our work? Inside ourselves? Where exactly do I find this thing happiness? These are questions that we may want to look at. I once heard on a movie set from a producer, "I don't necessarily hire the person with the most talent, I hire the person I can stand to be around 12 hours a day."

MDJ

The gift of happiness belongs to those who unwrap it.
--Andrew Dunbar