Daily Screenwriter

Screenwriting - Telling The Truth

2011-04-17T05:11:00.000-07:00

Our larger than life characters who tell the truth in every situation generally have conflict attracted to them. Why? Because most people don't like hearing the 100% complete truth. We fear these people in real life and yet we honor them on the screen. When we are completely honest with the characters we create they will define how large they become in our movie.

MDJ

Truth is the secret of eloquence and of virtue, the basis of moral authority; it is the highest summit of art and of life.

-- Henri Frederic Amiel

Screenwriting - Working For Success

2011-04-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

There are those lucky few who seem to have success practically given to them. The rest of us develop our plan for success and stick to it. We may alter the plan to meet current circumstances. A little work each day makes goals manageable.

MDJ

Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it.

-- Author Unknown

Screenwriting - Writing While Present

2011-03-30T04:09:00.000-07:00

Our best writing presents itself to us when we are completely in the moment. This type of writing takes practice. If I am not able to be present for my life then I will always be missing something.

MDJ

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.

-- Alexander Graham Bell

Screenwriting - The Worst Day Writing

2011-03-21T04:09:00.000-07:00

We all have bad days. Unfortunately the toll they take on us when they are strung together by time may be more than we can bare. This is especially true when our passion and talent is involved. What do we do when this happens? The best thing to do is to take care of ourselves. Step back. Take a break. Regroup. And then throw ourselves into our work once again. Setbacks are temporary even when they last a while. We remind ourselves that we are here to create.

MDJ

Most people achieved their greatest success one step beyond what looked like their greatest failure.

-- Brian Tracy

Screenwriting - Where Do I Stand?

2011-03-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

Our attitude either attracts or repels success. It's good to check in with ourselves regarding this fact. Are there changes I need to make in my life today in order to attract my dreams success?

MDJ

Better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.

--Chinese Proverb

Screenwriting - Visualize Your Writing Success

2011-03-13T05:32:00.000-07:00

This isn't an excuse to avoid practicing our craft. In addition to the hard work we do to make our writing the best it can be... practice visualizing your success. Practice your award winning speech. Picture yourself running up on stage. What does the auditorium smell like. Engage all of your senses. It has been scientifically proven that the mind cannot decipher something real from something vividly imagined. You would be amazed when practiced what this technique draws to us.

MDJ

The secret of achievement is to hold a picture of a successful outcome in the mind.

--Henry David Thoreau

Screenwriting - Observe & Apply

2011-03-11T08:37:00.000-08:00

We writers are great observers. It is when we apply our craft like no other that we discover our unique writing gift. It is during these times that masterpieces are created. To get to this place we need commit to practicing our talent persistently.

MDJ

To achieve the impossible, one must think the absurd; to look where everyone else has looked, but to see what no one else has seen.

-- Author Unknown

Screenwriting - The Truth Makes Me Who I Am

2011-03-06T05:13:00.000-08:00

When our movie characters reveal their individual core truth to us, they reveal their character. We can take a lesson from those larger than life beings we create. When we speak our truth we live a complete and full life.

MDJ

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for truth.

-- Benjamin Disrali

Screenwriting - Respecting Ourselves & Others

2011-02-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

The entertainment industry is filled with "dream killers," those who shoot down others talent because of their own failures or need to control others. Commit to be true to yourself and your talent. And remember to be nice.

MDJ

There is no respect for others without humility in one's self.

-- Henri Frederic Amiel

Screenwriting - Write What You Want!

2011-02-27T05:32:00.000-08:00

It's amazing that when we stop trying to please others with our writing and become the writers we were meant to be that everything seems to change. I first need be true to myself.

MDJ

Enjoy the journey, enjoy every moment, and quit worrying about winning and losing.

-- Matt Biondi

Screenwriting - Today I Focus...

2011-02-22T08:55:00.000-08:00

Today I focus on what I can do to be a better person. A better writer. A better story teller. A better partner. A better listener. A better friend. A better neighbor. A better member of my community. If I remember this, the rest of life will take care if itself.

MDJ

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.

-- Henry David Thoreau

Screenwriting - Success Secrets...

2011-02-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

Why as a writer am I looking for the secrets to my own success outside of me? This is a good question to examine. No two famous writers ever took the exact same path to their success.

MDJ

Look within!... The secret is inside you.

-- Hui-neng

Screenwriting - Pain or Pleasure

2011-02-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

A happy and peaceful life requires self-reflection. If one area of life is causing me undue pain, maybe I should make some changes. Increasing pleasure and decreasing pain should be our constant focus during the pursuit of a happy life.

MDJ

Be absolutely determined to enjoy what you do.

--Gerry Sikorski

Screenwriting - What To Write...

2011-02-17T09:59:00.000-08:00

Ultimately, we need to write that which makes us most happy.

MDJ

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

--Albert Einstein

Screenwriting - Honoring Our Strengths

2011-02-16T04:08:00.000-08:00

We writers are talented people. It is in our best interests to let our works reflect this. Humility and respect go a long way in the entertainment business. Practice being the type of person who shows more interest in others rather than oneself.

MDJ

We confide in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it.

--Thomas Jefferson

Screenwriting - Love Is An Action

2011-02-14T04:09:00.000-08:00

Something that belongs in almost any script is love. The big question for us writers... How do I show it? It is in one's behavior that this is best translated. And it doesn't matter if it's in a movie or real life. Choose the more powerful option. Show the love.

MDJ

One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life; That word is love.

--Sophocles

Screenwriting - Writing for the Future

2011-02-13T05:16:00.000-08:00

If we believe that our writing is bigger than us, we have been given more than talent. We have been given the ability to create works that heal our world and make things better for the next generation.

MDJ

You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.

-- Pablo Casals

Screenwriting - Do I Believe?

2011-02-11T04:08:00.000-08:00

Ask yourself, "Do I believe I am a successful screenwriter?" Take some time and write spontaneously your answer to the question. The answer may hold clues to where we are today in comparison to where we want to be. We have all the answers if only we would listen.

MDJ

Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true.

-- Napoleon Hill

Screenwriting - Consistency Brings Power

2011-02-10T03:51:00.000-08:00

Internally we all possess infinite power. The type of power that makes dreams into realities. As a screenwriter the best way to access this power is to keep on writing. Whatever our writing schedule, we stick to it. We see our dreams as if they have already happened because our determination makes them so...

MDJ

It's the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance and sweeps away all obstacles.

-- Claude M. Bristol

Screenwriting - The Screenwriter's Focus

2011-02-08T08:08:00.000-08:00

Every screenwriter should be aware of the business side of entertainment. Knowledge surrounding the inner workings of Hollywood and the movie business is beneficial to one's career. Ongoing education and practice when it comes to the craft only enhances one's ability to become the best screenwriter one can be. What steps can I take today to enhance my craft?

MDJ

If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.

-- Henry Ford

Screenwriting - Pressured Writing

2011-02-07T04:10:00.000-08:00

The days writing flows from our fingertips are masterful times. How do we create this environment within ourselves? It is great to develop an individual practice so that under stressful times we can return to the calm, inviting, free writing environment. The one in which our best writing occurs. This is an internal job and unique to each person. If we don't have access to this tool it would be in our writings best interest to create it.

MDJ

Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.

-- Albert Einstein

Screenwriting - Creating Greatness

2011-02-06T08:31:00.000-08:00

We need to acknowledge that we have all of the tools necessary to create greatness each and every single day. When we take the time to look deep enough we find that they are within us.

MDJ

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

-- George Bernard Shaw

Screenwriting - Write Today. Write Tomorrow. Write Everyday...

2011-02-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

Showing up is the key to success in any field. Writing requires us to practice our craft, day in and day out. When we continuously practice our craft we naturally improve upon the talents with which we were so blessed. Consistency brings many rewards.

MDJ

Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence is the key to unlocking our potential.

--Liane Cardes

Screenwriting - Believing Is Seeing

2011-02-04T03:49:00.000-08:00

To eat, sleep and drink screenwriting points out our passion. To touch, smell, hear, feel, and see our story and our success is yet quite another. When we embody our current work, the outcome will astound us. Success is internal.

MDJ

To believe in things you can see and touch is no belief at all. But to believe in the unseen is both a triumph and a blessing

--Bob Proctor

Screenwriting - Levels of Writing

2011-02-03T04:12:00.000-08:00

I remember questioning one of my college professors years ago regarding the meaning of some literature that we had read. He would ask our small group what the deeper meaning was within each chapter. Hands flying in the air became nonexistent after a few classes. Why? He used to publicly ridicule the student (and me being one of those) if their interpretation was not exactly how he had understood the reading. Today... I know some of the best writing has different meanings for different people. It operates on many levels and is open for interpretation. I also know that sometimes, "A glass of water is just a glass of water."

MDJ

The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water; but to walk on the earth.

-- Chinese Proverb

Screenwriting - Action Is Power

2011-02-02T03:45:00.000-08:00

The most boring type of movie is the "Talking Head" type film. We want to see our larger than life heroes taking bold larger than life actions so that we can live through them. In our own lives as writers, we can do the same thing. It is easy to hide behind the keyboard and pound out a story. The challenge comes when we want to sell it. What innovative and bold actions can I take today to make my script sell?

MDJ

If doubt is challenging you and you do not act, doubts will grow. Challenge the doubts with the action and you will grow. Doubts and action are incompatible.

--John Kanary

Screenwriting - One Excellent Character Trait

2011-02-01T08:56:00.000-08:00

I was recently in a restaurant out of town with a group. While there that night we discussed plans to celebrate the birthday of one of our friends two nights later. Birthday night arrived and we ended up in the same restaurant for dinner. After our meal we noticed that the entire staff was approaching our table with a birthday dessert, a candle burning on top. Happy Birthday was written on the plate along with the name of our friend. The employees sang happy birthday and all the while I was trying to figure out who had tipped off the wait staff. Little did I know we were all contemplating that simultaneously. After the staff left we all questioned each other as to who had spilled the beans. It was none of us. The wait person we had two nights previously had told her coworkers about the birthday, even remembering our friend's name. We were all amazed and surprised beyond belief. This was a true life movie moment. The extreme act of kindness was now forever imprinted on all of our souls.

MDJ

Giving is the secret of a healthy life. Not necessarily money, but whatever a person has of encouragement, sympathy and understanding

-- John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Screenwriting - Writing In The Present

2011-01-31T04:01:00.000-08:00

We write our screenplays in the here and now so that the reader can feel as if they are a part of the story. When our scripts are cluttered with items that take us out of the now, we lose the reader. Much like the distractions in our lives regarding the past and the future. Reflecting on the past is great... living there isn't. Projecting into the future may be how we set goals... living in the fantasy world takes us away from what is happening today and the opportunities this moment brings are often missed. The value of being an active part of our day is a gift we have the opportunity to experience with each new sunrise.

MDJ

Only when your consciousness is totally focused on the moment you are in can you receive whatever gift, lesson, or delight that moment has to offer.

-- Barbara De Angelis

Screenwriting - Everyone is a writer...

2011-01-29T05:57:00.000-08:00

An extremely high percentage of the population has an idea for or is writing a screenplay. The seven figure screenplays have something 99.99% of all other scripts don't possess. They contain all the basics of a well structured script, twisted in such a way that appears to be unique beyond belief. The ultimate page turner is our goal and we strive to get closer to that destination each and every day. The only way to make this a reality is to consistently write.

MDJ

Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.

-- Booker T. Washington

Screenwriting - Turns and Twists

2011-01-28T03:50:00.000-08:00

What if life were completely predictable? How boring would that be. The mystery life presents us with each and every day is what makes our existence exciting. We experience twists and turns in our lives all the time. We need to remember to amplify these in our writing.

MDJ

What we anticipate seldom occurs, what we least expected generally happens.

-- Benjamin Disraeli

Screenwriting - True Power

2011-01-27T05:53:00.000-08:00

When we take the time to get to know ourselves on the deepest of levels we gain a power that is unmatched by any other. The problem is that most of us are too afraid to look. Today we can honor our truest selves by being willing to open the door to self if only slightly.

MDJ

Some say knowledge is power, but that is not true. Character is power

--Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Screenwriting - Writing Brick Walls

2011-01-26T03:41:00.000-08:00

Everyone has an opinion on what it takes to be a successful screenwriter and many will tell you that it is impossible to sell a screenplay. Screenwriters are like snowflakes... all different. And the road to success is different for each. Why not let today be the day that we choose our own road to success?

MDJ

One of the virtues of being very young is that you don't let the facts get in the way of your imagination.

-- Sam Levenson

Screenwriting - Writing The Impossible

2011-01-24T04:01:00.000-08:00

Our writing goal is to create something new and innovative. The "experts" say its all been written before... We as individuals who have been given the gifts of creativity and imagination must challenge ourselves to write stories that others experience as new.

MDJ

Doing easily what others find difficult is talent; doing what is impossible for talent is genius.

-- Henri Frederic Amiel

Screenwriting - A Plan For Life

2011-01-19T03:55:00.000-08:00

We have a personal plan for the stories and scripts we create. And we accent the plan with our own style. Our screenplays conform to our interpretation of a blueprint, maybe similar in format yet unique in other ways. The plan helps make our creation better. Learning from our craft and then applying those lessons to our lives is an added bonus we writers are given.

Maps encourage boldness. They're like cryptic love letters. They make everything seem possible.

-- Mark Jenkins

Screenwriting - Character Development

2011-01-15T04:16:00.000-08:00

We writers are very concerned with the players in our stories. How concerned are we with our own character development? We have the opportunity to experience in this lifetime all of the goals, dreams and desires that we write about. We must be open and willing to the change we create on screen. The "larger than life" people that we fall in love with on paper can teach us to dig deeper ourselves.

MDJ

Character is destiny.

--Heraclitus

Screenwriting - How Many Goals Do I Need?

2011-01-14T03:51:00.000-08:00

It's great to have goals in all areas of our lives. Problems arise when we try to have too many at the same time. Simplifying our lives is a natural stress reducer as well as a formula for goal achieving.

MDJ

Nothing can add more power to your life than concentrating all your energies on a limited set of targets

--Nido Qubein

Screenwriting - Imagine It!

2011-01-12T04:07:00.000-08:00

We writers create. What a gift and yet do we squander it? Our imagination is one of the most powerful forces in our lives and yet like our brain there are areas within that remain untapped. Today I will exercise my imagination in a new way.

MDJ

To imagine the unimaginable is the highest use of the imagination.

-- Cynthia Ozick

Screenwriting - How Do My Characters Give?

2011-01-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

When looking at our lives, who can we identify that has given to us freely of their time, expertise or other valuable resources without any expectations? These are the types of people who leave a lasting imprint upon our soul. And generally, they are far and few between. When looking at our screenplays and stories it is often good to work this type of character into the mix. It's not a bad idea to practice this in our own lives as well.

MDJ

To give without any reward, or any notice, has a special quality of its own.

-- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Screenwriting - White Space In Your Life

2011-01-07T04:04:00.000-08:00

Readers love to see "white space" in our screenplays. It makes them an easy read. Maybe we can all take a lesson from the scripts we create and apply it to our lives. When we are doing too much everything gets less than the attention it deserves. Our relationships and health can suffer as a result. Let's focus on how we can make more white space in our lives for 2011... It will probably improve our writing.

MDJ

Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say let your affairs be as one, two, three and to a hundred or a thousand. We are happy in proportion to the things we can do without.

--Henry David Thoreau

Screenwriting - The Bold Screenwriter

2011-01-06T03:55:00.000-08:00

We journey to create "larger than life" stories and screenplays. Why stop there? Our lives provide us ample opportunity to grow and become the people we have always wanted to be. Maybe our bold decisions in our writing can assist us in living.

MDJ

Fortune befriends the bold.

-- John Dryden

Screenwriting - The Perfect Screenwriter

2011-01-05T03:46:00.000-08:00

We all know this person doesn't exist... or do we? Do we put so much pressure on ourselves to create the perfect script that we fear our own failure? It's something to think about.

MDJ

Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Screenwriting - Write Different, Everytime

2011-01-03T03:50:00.000-08:00

If you ever want your screenplay to rise to the top of the pile, You need write different... starting on page one.

MDJ

An actor entering through the door, you've got nothing. But if he enters through the window, you've got a situation.

-- Billy Wilder

Screenwriting - Writing A Lifetime

2011-01-02T03:57:00.000-08:00

In choosing writing as a lifetime career, we need to ask ourselves about our end goal... is it really to just sell screenplays?

MDJ

If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; in terms of 100 years, teach the people.

--Confucius

Screenwriting - Regular or Premium?

2011-01-01T04:48:00.000-08:00

Do I accept the challenge in 2011 to be extraordinary?...

MDJ

We must overcome the notion that we must be regular... it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre.

--Uta Hagen

Screenwriting - Open Your Eyes to The World

2010-12-30T03:46:00.000-08:00

Everyday we are blessed with what happens in front of us. The key is to pay attention to the current moment of our lives. We are given these gifts freely. It is up to us to make good use of them.

MDJ

Some people see more in a walk around the block than others see in a trip around the world.

--Unknown

Screenwriting - This One Could Sell...

2010-12-29T04:10:00.000-08:00

I always wonder when working on a project if this is the "biggie," the one that is going to hit the mark... The script that everyone wants... The seven figure sale... I wonder too, if I am just waisting my time. Screenwriting has no guarantees. We create and release our ides out into the world. Doubt is a good thing. It keeps our feet on the ground,

MDJ

Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise.

-- William Shakespeare

Screenwriting - Write Some More...

2010-12-27T04:11:00.001-08:00

The bills are piling up. My dream of being a successful writer with a steady income just isn't happening... Get a "real" job if you must. We need to prioritize the essentials in our lives. Just keep on writing anyway. It may be only an hour a week for a while. We just keep writing... no matter what!

MDJ

When I thought I couldn't go on, I forced myself to keep going. My success is based on persistence, not luck

--Norman Lear

Screenwriting - My Fingers Are The Messenger

2010-12-24T06:08:00.000-08:00

It is amazing when we are in the flow of our passion. Words come effortlessly. The story writes itself. Our goal during these times is to be the vehicle and let it happen.

MDJ

When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

--Henry J. Kaiser

Screenwriting - Where is my true challenge?

2010-12-23T05:45:00.000-08:00

We owe it to ourselves to be totally and completely responsible for our own lives. Our true challenge in life is to conquer our inner demons not the distracting roadblocks outside of ourselves. It is only us that we can change.

MDJ

It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.

--Sir Edmund Hillary

Screenwriting - Keep On Writing

2010-12-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

There are those days when we experience complete frustration with our craft. The key to success is to acknowledge the fact that we all have bad days. Consider taking a small break and do something good for yourself. Nurturing ourselves gives us the energy to recommit to our passion.

MDJ

When on the brink of complete discouragement, success is discerning that... the line between failure and success is so fine that often a single extra effort is all that is needed to bring victory out of defeat.

--Elbert Green Hubbard

Screenwriting - Success or Failure...

2010-12-20T03:58:00.000-08:00

It all starts with us. If we live a life focused on success then we will see the small successes in every action we take. Road blocks become opportunities. "No's" become growth filled. Life becomes a success... It's all up to us.

MDJ

There is but one cause of human failure. And that is a man's lack of faith in his true self.

--William James

Screenwriting - Inner Peace

2010-12-10T08:33:00.000-08:00

We all have writing tools which we rely upon for our craft. We also possess tools to protect our inner peace. We may be out of touch with them or in need of new ones. When we take the time to calm our body, soul and mind we become more valuable to all other areas of our lives.

MDJ

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind

Christian Larson

Screenwriting - What If?...

2010-12-06T04:59:00.000-08:00

What if you could see into the future and knew for a fact that you wouldn't sell a screenplay for at least the next 10 years? Would you write anyway? What if you knew that after those 10 years chances are that you only might sell a screenplay within the following 10 years? Would you write anyway? What if during the 27th year of your writing career you wrote an Academy Award winning screenplay? And... it was your first sale... Would you write anyway?

MDJ

Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow.

Dan Rather

Screenwriting - Do I enjoy writing?

2010-12-05T07:27:00.000-08:00

Honest self appraisal is necessary from time to time. Asking ourselves if we enjoy what it is we are doing at any given moment may help us avoid a future bitter life. If there is anything we are doing in our lives that we are disliking then why are we doing it? Life is too short to avoid the pursuit of our dreams and passions.

MDJ

Be absolutely determined to enjoy what you do.

--Gerry Sikorski

Screenwriting - Deep Commitment

2010-12-03T06:01:00.000-08:00

When we resolve to see our dreams reality from the depths of our soul operating with integrity, honesty and humility we may be amazed how the universe lines up to help us.

MDJ

There's no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love. There is only a scarcity of resolve to make it happen.

-- Wayne Dyer

Screenwriting - What I Need to Write...

2010-12-02T10:06:00.000-08:00

A story burns within my soul. It festers for years. I ignore the calling. I write other things. That same story is still within me. It reminds me that it wants to be told. Finally, I give in and write it. And the universe rewards me.

MDJ

Where your talents and the needs of the world cross lies your calling.
--Aristotle

Screenwriting - The Creative Mind

2010-12-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

We will probably never know the the vastness of the human mind. We as creative people have the opportunity to exercise and explore our own minds, striving to be the most original and innovative writers we can be. Each day we have ability to dive deeper into our imagination and apply it to our current work. What an amazing gift we have been given.

MDJ

Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!

--Dr. Seuss

Screenwriting - Commit to your vision

2010-11-27T13:18:00.000-08:00

When we commit to the vision we have for our success we are often surprised how many things begin to fall into place.

MDJ

The achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it.

-- Mack R. Douglas

Screenwriting - Never stop knowing thyself...

2010-11-24T07:47:00.000-08:00

The greatest challenge and aid to deepen our writing is to further our journey into self. It is only when we begin to know us on the deepest of levels that we truly begin to understand the human condition.

MDJ

Know yourself. Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.

--Ann Landers

Screenwriting - Owning Ourselves

2010-11-19T08:37:00.000-08:00

When we begin to take complete responsibility for everything in our lives we are well on the way to creating a destiny full or our wildest dreams.

MDJ

Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself.

--Henry Ward Beecher

Screenwriting - We All Fail...

2010-11-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Failure is not unique. We all fail from time to time. It is what we do with it that matters. A writer writes... and writes... and writes. If I live in the challenges of yesterday I am failing today.

MDJ

Most people achieved their greatest success one step beyond what looked like their greatest failure.

--Brian Tracy

Screenwriting - It all begins with desire...

2010-11-17T05:24:00.001-08:00

We have been given the writing gift. If we choose to use the gift we are blessed. If we continue to use the gift a fire ignites within us to do amazing things with our writing. The key is to constantly feed the fire with our desire.

MDJ

If you care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it.

--William James

Screenwriting - Why we do what we do...

2010-11-12T14:43:00.000-08:00

There is nothing greater than to create something that long after we are gone improves the lives of those who come after us. Maybe that's a deeper reason for writing...

MDJ

The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.

--William James

Screenwriting - Writer's Insight

2010-11-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

Insightful living is something that takes practice. As we explore our craft we learn to trust our own writing instincts. When we struggle with character or story we learn to step back and look at the bigger picture. It is often during these times that we have access to our greatest insights.

MDJ

A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience.
--Oliver Wendell Holmes

Screenwriting - One more day...

2010-10-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

Frustration happens to the best of us. The key is to know this is only a temporary condition. If things aren't happening with my career, I can take a day off and do something nurturing for myself. Tomorrow is a new day and success might be part of another days plan. We will never know if we give up.

MDJ

Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.

--William Feather

Screenwriting - Life Purpose

2010-10-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

Am I able to define my life purpose? Today we can take some time to define or redefine the mark we want to leave on this planet. A life purpose drives us to pursue our goals and dreams no matter what our current circumstances.

MDJ

Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes.

--Kenneth Hildebrand

Screenwriting - My Writing Success Template

2010-10-27T03:49:00.000-07:00

If I was able to create my own formula for success what would it look like? The truth is that we are able... Creative endeavors allow us to be imaginative when it comes to formulating our success journey. -- Operating from the inside out is one of the best ways to meet our dreams.

MDJ

Six essential qualities are the key to success: sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom, charity.

--William Menninger

Screenwriting - Imagining Greatness

2010-10-26T03:31:00.001-07:00

Do I take the time to imagine and plan my greatness? Successful writing careers are about more than just writing. Inner visioning and planning go far when we are creating an amazing life filled with our goals and dreams.

MDJ

Each of us is great insofar as we perceive and act on the infinite possibilities which lie undiscovered and unrecognized about us.

--James Harvey Robinson

Screenwriting - A Series of Small Steps...

2010-10-25T03:53:00.000-07:00

What small step am I willing to take today to see my dreams realized?

MDJ

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.

--Vincent Van Gogh

Screenwriting - I Want To Sell...Today!

2010-10-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

We pour our hearts and souls into our writing and we want the rewards. It is challenging to wait for the sale of our creations. We need to remember that timing is everything. What's old is new. What's new is new. Originality may take time to find its champion... Patience is the key and continuing to work on our craft in the meantime is the therapy.

MDJ

Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you, but not in one ahead.

--Bill Mcglashen

Screenwriting - Better Than Caffeine

2010-10-21T03:27:00.001-07:00

What gets you up in the morning?... When we are excited beyond belief with all areas of our lives we then approach each day with immense joy. This type of attitude comes from being content with our lives, our dreams, our goals, our families, our communities and our work. If some area is lacking in self-fulfillment maybe it's something to look at deeper.

MDJ

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.

--Zig Ziglar

Screenwriting - The Book On Success

2010-10-20T03:41:00.000-07:00

Each of us has within the capacity to write our own map for success. If we simply take the time to listen to what our inner guidance is telling us.

MDJ

If you want to be successful, it's just this simple: Know what you're doing. Love what you're doing. And believe in what you're doing.

-- Will Rogers

Screenwriting - Trust The Adventure

2010-10-19T04:06:00.001-07:00

We have the opportunity to go on a new journey with every screenplay. We feel the fear, the joy, the struggle, the excitement as we travel. The key is that we take the journey. We will not receive the gifts if we fail to take the first step.

MDJ

You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.

--Rabindranath Tagore

Screenwriting - Does Your Movie Have Legs?

2010-10-18T03:17:00.000-07:00

One of the ultimate gifts of writing is to create a work that people talk about for years to come. How does this happen? How do we create the movie that lives and breathes for 10, 20 or 30 plus years? It all comes down to writing a larger than life, four quadrant, multiple level story. Think Pixar...

MDJ

The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.

--James Bryce

Screenwriting - Making Your Screenplay Work...

2010-10-17T03:37:00.000-07:00

Thousands upon thousands of screenplays on the market at any given time, what makes the ones that sell work? One key element is that the writer has taken the time to make the script work... from story to character and all the intricacies within those elements. Do I value my writing enough to take the time to make it amazing?

MDJ

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

--Thomas Edison

Screenwriting - The Ripe Idea

2010-10-16T06:21:00.001-07:00

We strive each day to pursue our dreams. We follow our gut instinct. We dream big. We work hard. We trust... then we let go...

MDJ

There is no force so powerful as an idea whose time has come.

--Everett Dirksen

Screenwriting - Writing Risks

2010-10-15T03:50:00.000-07:00

The tools needed for writing are minimal and this is a blessing when we look at writing as a business. Paper and pen can get us started... The internal tools needed for success as a writer require much effort to access. One must be willing to dig to their core in order to bring to life the movie we have all been waiting to see. Are you willing to take the risk?

MDJ

What you risk reveals what you value.

--Jeanette Winterson

Screenwriting - Dimensions Of Writing

2010-10-14T05:21:00.000-07:00

Great writing operates on multiple levels. To achieve this we need to work hard at our craft and commit to excellence. It doesn't come easy. And if we only live our lives on one level that's all we can give. We become better writers by becoming better people.

MDJ

Experience shows that success is due less to ability than to zeal. The winner is he who gives himself to his work, body and soul.

--Charles Buxton

Screenwriting - What Am I Going For?...

2010-10-13T05:31:00.001-07:00

As writers, we have the choice as to what type of material we are going to put out into the world. Do I want to make a difference or a quick buck? There is no sure thing when it comes to creating any new work.... One thing history has taught us is... Quality always finds its way to the top.

MDJ

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

--Author Unknown

Screenwriting - How Far Am I Willing To Go?

2010-10-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

The pursuit of a dream can become so all encompassing that we begin to lose parts of ourselves. When we take the well balanced and oftentimes slower route to success we maintain the one thing that is often difficult to retain had we gone the quicker route... ourselves. "Slow and steady wins the race," may be cliche yet there is much wisdom within those six words.

MDJ

Strive for integrity - that means knowing your values in life and behaving in a way that is consistent with these values.

-- Author Unknown

Screenwriting - Our Creativity

2010-10-11T03:30:00.001-07:00

We need to take the time to appreciate and nurture our creative minds. It is truly a gift to be able to create a masterpiece from a blank sheet of paper.

MDJ

To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted.

--George Kneller

Screenwriting - Excellence In Writing & Life

2010-10-10T03:50:00.001-07:00

What standards do you hold yourself up to in your writing and in life? This is a great question to contemplate. When we live by a certain self-defined code committed to doing our best in all areas of life we never have a day without success.

MDJ

I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business.

--Michael J. Fox

Screenwriting - A Strong Desire

2010-10-09T03:35:00.000-07:00

It is amazing what life draws to us when we have a strong desire for something. "But I've never written a screenplay before?" ... So what! There are many success stories of 1st time writers going on to do great things in the movie business.

MDJ

It sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents.

--Eric Hoffer

Screenwriting - Healthy Success

2010-10-08T03:55:00.001-07:00

What does healthy success look like? Success comes in may forms and the way we handle it can make or break our future. Humility goes a long way in life and in any business. When we are secure with ourselves and our talent, life becomes so much more enjoyable no matter what the outcome.

MDJ

When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

--Henry J. Kaiser

Screenwriting - Great Movie Moments...

2010-10-07T03:32:00.001-07:00

Memorable movie moments are just that... moments. We are in the business of creating scenes that touch and inspire. We write stories that rocket people into reality. We write entertainment. The challenge is in presenting these moments in a concise way so that we don't lose the reader.

MDJ

Much wisdom often goes with fewer words.

--Sophocles

Screenwriting - Same Topic, Different Movie

2010-10-06T03:41:00.001-07:00

Whatever genre we choose to write in, our story in some form has probably been told before. Ouch! It is the new way we choose to tell an age old story that sets us apart from others. When we bring new innovative life into the familiar we then have gold.

MDJ

There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted.

--Henri Matisse

Screenwriting - The Exciting Idea

2010-10-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

We have chosen the one great idea as the focus of our script. How do we know it's the right one? Time will tell... We move ahead with blind faith for a while as our story and characters further develop. When we are able to maintain our excitement despite all of the challenges we are on our way to creating our next masterpiece.

MDJ

One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the man who has it for 30 years who makes a success of his life.

--Edward B. Butler

Screenwriting - Trusting Me

2010-10-04T05:30:00.001-07:00

Creative endeavors require a great deal of trust. We trust ourselves and our talent to the depths of our core. It is only when we continually do this that we are prepared for the highest form of success.

MDJ

Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.

--Foster C. Mcclellan

Screenwriting - The Writing Success Model

2010-10-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

Well... The truth is that there are many writing/screenwriting success models and they are person specific. The model you choose is created by you. If we follow the road of others we may arrive at success or we may not. We may arrive later. We may never arrive. The greatest gift we creative folks have been given is our imagination. When we trust our gut and use our imagination to create our own individual formula for success we may be amazed what happens in our lives.

MDJ

The key to happiness is having dreams. The key to success is making your dreams come true.

--Anonymous

Screenwriting - My 1st Screenplay Was Crap!

2010-10-01T05:37:00.000-07:00

Excellent idea, horrible execution. A near sale. Innovative and multidimensional character, wrong story. Wrong idea, weak character... These or other scenarios may be part of your experience as a writer. The thing to remember is that they are all part of the writers journey. We need to crawl before walking. Writing is learning and practicing. It's trial and error. It's about risk taking. It's about passion. It's about never giving up on our dreams.

MDJ

Unless you're willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won't happen.

--Phillip Adams

Screenwriting - Commit To The Impossible

2010-09-29T04:06:00.000-07:00

When we challenge ourselves to go beyond our limits with a firm commitment we are often surprised at the results. Is today the day when I commit to the impossible with my writing goals?

MDJ

It's kind of fun to do the impossible.

--Walt Disney

Screenwriting - Character Polish

2010-09-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

We define and refine our movie characters, making them multidimensional and unique. We spend hours upon hours making them just right. What about our own character? Are we so busy creating fiction that we ignore our own reality. Knowing and refining ourselves may be the missing link to success.

MDJ

If you create an act, you create a habit. If you create a habit, you create character. If you create a character, you create a destiny.

--André Maurois

Screenwriting - Impossible Dreams...

2010-09-27T04:19:00.001-07:00

I wonder if the reason I have not become a more successful screenwriter is because of me... We may be stopping ourselves from becoming a success simply because of our fears and limited beliefs. We need to believe to the core of our being that we deserve the success we seek. What one action can I take today that I don't want to in order to counter my limiting beliefs about my career?

MDJ

The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking.

-- Robert Schuller

Screenwriting - Just Start Writing...

2010-09-26T04:39:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest gifts of screenwriting happens when you arrive at the place where the characters and story speak for themselves. This is our gift of the imagination in full bloom.

MDJ

It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers
-- James Thurber

Screenwriting - Rule #1

2010-09-25T03:38:00.000-07:00

The best way to achieve success in any entertainment venture is to hold true to who you are! The key is finding that out to the core.

MDJ

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Screenwriting - Dream The Extreme

2010-09-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

Each and every day we have the ability to give thought, passion and action to our dreams. Life dreams are only limited by our thinking. The Academy Award is possible. The seven figure script sale as well. Today we remember these things have happened to others and they can happen for us.

MDJ

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

-- Harriet Tubman

Screenwriting - The End...

2010-09-23T03:34:00.000-07:00

Do I have any screenplays or writing projects that lack the words, "The End"? Unfinished writing projects may hold a clue to our limited success. Life has cycles and it is the norm to allow them to finish. When we have unfinished cycles or business we are automatically being held back from the next great thing in our lives. Finishing unfinished business casts us into the next phase of our lives.

MDJ

When you get right down to the root of the meaning of the word succeed, you find that it simply means to follow through.

--F. W. Nichol

Screenwriting - Rethinking Success

2010-09-22T03:16:00.001-07:00

Each and every day we have the opportunity to grow. This means change. We have the ability to change our thoughts about anything. It all begins with awareness and the commitment to do something different. I am able to change my thinking about my writing success instantaneously. The challenge is to make my new thinking habit.

MDJ

The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.

--Mark Caine

Screenwriting - White Space

2010-09-21T03:32:00.001-07:00

White space is the gift we give to the reader when we have written an amazing screenplay. One that is a quick read and filled with the essentials of amazing character, story and dialog. This is not easily achieved and when it is creates success for the writer.

MDJ

The more you say, the less people remember.
--François Fénelon

Screenwriting - Here And Now...

2010-09-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

Appreciating what we have right in this moment is the key to living our dreams. If we are unable to accept our current life and circumstances then we are either living in the past or the future. True happiness comes from being in today and making this today the day we live our dreams.

MDJ

After a visit to the beach, it's hard to believe that we live in a material world.

-- Pam Shaw