Screenwriting - The Lucky Writer

Luck always seems to be attached to something. Usually, it is hard work. When we are consistent with our writing we accomplish more. When we challenge ourselves to become better writers and seek out those avenues to help us do so, we become better writers. These things may seem obvious but definitely worth repeating and doing and doing and doing...

MDJ

There is no luck except where there is discipline.
-- Irish Proverb

Screenwriting - Loss Of Creativity

Have I ever thought to myself how much my creativity is worth? The true value of our imagination is priceless. Just ask anyone who has lost the ability to do the very thing they love. We may not be making millions exercising our creativity... So what? We have the ability today to share a great gift that has been entrusted to us. What we do with it exactly is quite up to us.

MDJ

If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money can't buy.
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - Star In Your Own Movie!

Character and story are key elements to any highly acclaimed movie. We write them why not star in them?... Everyday we do actually. We are the stars of our life movie and we have the opportunity to rise above difficulty, adversity and challenges. We have the opportunity to make a difference in peoples lives. We have the ability to dream and achieve. We have the ability to make a lasting mark. We just need to tap into the one amazing movie character already created... Us!

MDJ

Be the change you want to see in the world.
--Ghandi

Screenwriting - Rejection Revelations...

How we handle rejection reveals much about us. Today we can take a look at how we handle rejection. One exercise is to look back at significant events when you didn't achieve what you had expected. How did you react? Did you accept it as a part of life? Did you learn something from the experience? Did you lash out? How would you like to have reacted? Finally, we can ask ourselves: How do I handle rejection today? Do I need to change my thinking and attitude? ... When we exercise the gifts we have been blessed with everyday can be an adventure.

MDJ

How a man plays a game shows something of his character, how he loses shows all of it.
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - The Final Push

Our script is almost finished and we think to ourselves, It's good enough. We honor ourselves and our creative talents by taking every step in making it the best. This doesn't necessarily mean taking 10 years to write a screenplay, it means trusting and knowing that there are final edits and rewrites still in me. I exhaust those and then release my script out into the world.

MDJ

Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world.
--Jane Addams

Screenwriting - Control Over A Sale

How much control do we have when it comes to selling our writing? Some may think much and others may think little. The key is in the doing and not focusing on the sale. We ultimately have little control of anything outside of ourselves. What we do have is control over our actions. When we make the decision to write, we are taking an action that supports our talent. The more we do this on a consistent basis the better. We then release our masterpiece out into the marketplace. If it is to sell it will. It's pretty darn simple. We then start writing the next one.

MDJ

To live for results would be to sentence myself to continuous frustration. My only sure reward is in my actions and not from them.
-- Hugh Prather

Screenwriting - My Personal Dream Machine

How many dreams do I have for my life? Today we take the opportunity to list all of them. We may have few or hundreds. Making a list shows us that we have a passion for living. We make it a practice to review our dreams often. We then pick a dream and go after it. After achieving one, we move on to another. Dreams do happen as long as we are conscious of them and take action.

MDJ

A man is not old until regrets start taking place of dreams.
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - Our Writing Foundation

How strong is your writing foundation? A great practice is to take the time to evaluate our writing foundation. Take the time to ask yourself the following questions: What are the root items regarding my talent that are strongest? What areas do I need to strengthen? What can I do today to become a better writer? Who can I ask for help? Time spent evaluating our career and talent is some of the best spent time. Most of us just don't do it.

MDJ

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
-- Henry David Thoreau

Screenwriting - Failure in perspective

Looking and looking again as to what the word failure means to me can remove the negative connotations this little word possesses. Failure has stopped many from pursuing their dreams. Have I let any past failure with my writing or with another dream stop me from moving ahead with my life passions? Today might be a good day to take a look. It just might be the one thing holding me back.

MDJ

Success is the proper utilization of failure.
-- Anonymous

Screenwriting - Am I living through my characters?

When reflecting on life am I able to say that mine has been an adventure up to this point? Our movie characters take inner and outer journeys. We root for them. We watch them overcome adversity and grow. But wait... I have my life too. Today we can take the time to list the adventures we are yet to fulfill regarding our own dreams. After we complete the list, we can start planning the date of our next great life adventure.

MDJ

Adventure is worthwhile.
--Amelia Earhart

Screenwriting - The Healthy Writer

What does it mean to have perfect health? Health encompasses our bodies, minds and spirits. We honor ourselves today, looking at how we feed those areas in an enriching and positive way. If we are falling short we can use our imagination to create a better plan and then put it to practice. Everything we do to better ourselves is reflected in our writing.

MDJ

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.
--Siddartha Guatama Buddha

Screenwriting - Living Outside of Me

Whenever we place our focus on outside circumstances life can become a disaster. When we operate from within we realize that we do have control in our lives. Today we remember to operate from within and remember what we have control over and what we do not.

MDJ

The remarkable thing we have is a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.
--Charles Swindoll

Screenwriting - Today's Focus

Where do I put my focus today? A good question to ask ourselves at the beginning of each day. We can focus on our goals and dreams and the steps we need to take on our daily journey or... We can make the choice to focus our attention and actions elsewhere... Free will gives us the opportunity to choose. Choose wisely today.

MDJ

Never let the odds keep you from pursuing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.

--Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige"

Screenwriting - Who to be today?

As writers we create unique characters that others grow to love. If they fall short of our goal for them maybe it's because we don't fully know ourselves. When we are in touch with who we are on the deepest of levels we have access to an array of emotions. The old expression, "You can't give what you don't have," rings true in this regard. People who spend the time and energy to become more intimate with themselves tend to excel in all other areas of life.

MDJ

If you want to be somebody, somebody really special, be yourself.
--Anonymous

Screenwriting - The Mystery of Writing...

We have an idea for a story. We think it's pretty creative. We exercise our imagination and put it down on paper. We fine tune the story until it is just right. We release it out into the marketplace. What happens from we may have little control over but we trust that our story finds a home... This can only happen if we take the very first step. When we keep our ideas locked in our head they are trapped forever.

MDJ

Goals. There's no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There's no telling what you can do when you believe in them. There's no telling what will happen when you act upon them.
--Jim Rohn

Screenwriting - The Tools Within

It's amazing that if we take the time to truly know ourselves we discover resources within that we never knew existed. Our creative talents are gifts and if they are worth discovering and developing then why wouldn't other powerful tools be given to us as well. Many ask, "How do I sell a screenplay?" Try asking yourself and see what answers you discover.

MDJ

You already have every characteristic necessary for success if you recognize, claim, develop and use them .
--Zig Ziglar

Screenwriting - My Ultimate Competition

As creative people we may think we have an overabundance of competition when it comes to acknowledgement either financially or through worldly exposure. The truth is that our ultimate competition may be an inner battle. One that when we overcome all else falls into place. I don't need to compete with the world. I only need to focus on me.

MDJ

Get out of the blocks, run your race, stay relaxed. If you run your race, you'll win. Channel your energy. Focus.
--Carol Lewis

Screenwriting - Our Best Character(s)...

We have compassion for a character that is fully alive and experiences life. One that lives life, learns and grows. This is also the type of character we can practice being. It is okay for us to learn from the characters we create. Today we can bring our best character into the light both on the page and in real life.

MDJ


Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.
--Thomas Carlyle

Screenwriting - Regret, What's that?

Our lives are as individual as they are numbered. Each life on this earth unique. Each and every experience shaped who we are today. We are the star of our own movie each and every single day. There is only today and we need to make the best of it. If my life isn't going in the direction I desire, I can choose to change. What has been only a memory. True power comes in living in the moment.

MDJ


Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it; it’s only for wallowing in.
-Katherine Mansfield

Screenwriting - Please Keep Writing

Our purpose in life is to create. The gift of an imagination requires that we use it. Please keep exercising your imagination. The world needs it.

MDJ

DON'T QUIT

When things go wrong as they sometimes will
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill.
When funds are low and the debts are high.
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out:
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you must not QUIT.

--Author unknown

Screenwriting - My Writing Destiny

Where do you see your writing career in 5, 10, 15 years? It is good for us to nail down specifically where it is we want to be with our creative careers today and in the future. We have more control over our lives than we think. It all begins with creativity, discipline and a plan.

MDJ


Control your destiny or somebody else will.
--Jack Welsh

Screenwriting - How's My Flexibility?

Our personality quirks play out in all areas of life. We love to see multi-dimensional characters with quirks and larger than life challenges on screen, but... Hollywood doesn't like to deal with artists and writers that are a pain in the _ _ _. Today we can take a look at how flexible we are, asking ourselves... How do I react to feedback regarding my work? How do I react to criticism? What about change? These can clue us in to see if we need to do some work on ourselves.

MDJ


Only in growth, reform and change, paradoxically enough, is true security to be found.
--Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Screenwriting - Laughter

Humor in our lives as well as in our screenplays brings true pleasure to the human experience. A robust belly laugh is healing. Try to incorporate them into your life daily. A good question to ask ourselves: How lightly can I take myself today? If you can laugh at yourself, you're on the right track.

MDJ

People who laugh actually live longer than those who don't laugh. Few persons realize that health actually varies according to the amount of laughter.
--James J. Walsh

Screenwriting - What Have I Got?

Everything that I have, every life experience, emotion, physicality, challenge, gift, belief... all these things are part of my make up as a human being. I can accept them or reject them. When I accept them, they are strengths. When I reject them, they are forever challenges. Today what I have got is me and all my unique qualities, and all are tools for my writing. I only need choose to use them.

MDJ

Free will and determinism are like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you is determinism. The way you play your hand is free will.
--Norman Cousins

Screenwriting - Polishing

Polishing our screenplay requires us to fine tune the segments that are not quite to the standard we envision. How often do we think of doing a polish on our lives? It is amazing how much everything else improves when we just focus on improving ourselves. Today we can take the time to see where we need to polish certain segments of our own lives and begin to do some work in that area. It just might improve our writing.


MDJ

The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.
–– Chinese proverb

Screenwriting - My Life As A Movie

Have you often thought that your life would make a great movie? One thing we need to remember is that our lives are real. Every action we take makes a difference. The actions we do not take lead us down another life road. Today we can evaluate our lives and where it is that we are headed. Ultimately we need to continuously ask ourselves... Am I doing exactly what I want to be doing at this point in my life? If the answer is "No," what needs to change?

MDJ

Screenwriting - Just Screenwriting...?

We need to remind ourselves that we are writers. We write. We create. We use our imagination... hopefully to better ourselves and the world in some way. We do not have to limit ourselves to only screenwriting. And... we need to remember that we need to give back to the gift that was given us. Today I ask myself... How can I give my talent away?

MDJ


If you have a talent, use it in every which way possible. Don’t hoard it. Don’t dole it out like a miser. Spend it lavishly like a millionaire intent on going broke.

–– Brendan Francis

Screenwriting - Honoring Our Writing

How do we decide to let part of our safe world go and pursue our dreams? It seems like most of us have an event or situation that sparks us into reality which then causes us to take the leap into the unknown. It is for this very action that we need to commend ourselves. It takes courage to pursue our dreams. Many never do it and live a life of regret. Honor yourself today while you write for being so bold.

MDJ

Think before you act and then act decisively.Fortune favors the brave.
--Brian Tracy

Screenwriting - Am I There Yet?

Are your screenwriting goals crystal clear? Do you have a "Plan B?" Two great questions for us screenwriters to visit and re-visit. We all need to know our goals or we may flounder for years. As screenwriters, writers and creative people. There are many outlets for our creative talents. Are you aware of those options? Exploring other ways to make a living using our talents while we are waiting for the big screenplay sale may be an option.

MDJ


You cannot make it as wandering generality. you must become a meaningful specific.
--Zig Ziglar

Screenwriting - Stubborn or Determined...

What if I used these words interchangeably regarding the pursuit of my writing career? The movie business is a challenging one and we should know this to be true. We think of... our current status within the industry, our talent, those "A" list writers, challenges, odds of success, on and on and on... We then remember that we are unique, as is our talent, our journey, our history, our life experiences, our level of determination... Maybe we are stubborn or just plain brilliant. It all depends how we look at the world and where we place our focus.

MDJ

When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it - but all that had gone before.
--Jacob Riis