#learn writing

[scratchmonitor]

Hi Good evening, I'm taking an IELTS test in the near future. My biggest struggle lies in the writing test as I find it really confusing to choose right words and structure good sentences. I believe like any other skill, writing requires practices. Therefore, I plan to write at least 3 times a week on topics that usually come up in the IELTS test. I will post my writing in this Tumblr. So, if anyone happens to find my writing, I would greatly appreciate constructive feedback.

Wish me luck, Man Jadda wa Jadda.

[weandthecolor]

Learn Creative Writing with Shaun Levin

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SCREENWRITING TIP: FIGHT THROUGH THE DOUBT

         For those who don’t know, I’m gearing up to write a new screenplay for a story called ‘Molly Cheese’. I have been developing a free writing guide and ‘Molly Cheese’ hand in hand as a real world example. Upon completion of the guide, I will take the fully developed idea and create the screenplay as additional material to reference. Why do I bring this up? I wanted to provide context as it corresponds with a story that happened to me just the other night.       Sitting at home late Sunday night, I received a text from a friend of mine asking what I was doing. I informed her I was finishing up a new chapter to my writing guide and I had a great breakthrough on ‘Molly Cheese’. As many writers will experience, I was overjoyed with my progress on the story. I texted back with such gleefulness that she asked if I would tell her what ‘Molly Cheese’ is all about. I happily agreed and she rang my cell.          The conversation started out on a light note with a little small talk. As we finished catching up, she asked to hear about my story and I dove right in. I took her step by step through the summary I created, explaining what’s going to happen. As I concluded the high level summary, I brought up the ideas and major breakthrough that came to me just that day. It was at this time that something struck me. I hated everything about it.          I can’t explain what happened or why it did. All I know is my attitude toward ‘Molly Cheese’ went from excitement to doubt in the blink of an eye. I still liked the premise, but I absolutely hated the journey I was taking Molly on. I doubted my every move. Not only could I feel the doubt inside me, you could hear it in my voice as I explained more and more to my friend. My confidence had faded.          Defeated, we hung up and I went to bed in an attempt to sleep it off and start fresh the next morning. This too was a struggle. My mind was racing. What happened? How do I fix this? Do I scrap the idea and move on? What is my next move? Eventually the sandman arrived and I drifted off.          As the sun rose, so did I, with the doubt that I still wore as a badge of honor. I couldn’t shake it. I went to work and focused my mind elsewhere. Around lunch time, I spoke with my friend once more. I opened up, sharing my feelings with her and quickly my attitude began to change. The doubt started to fade. My confidence slowly came back and I felt good about the story once more.          As you write and create, you’ll experience this same doubt. It’s a roller coaster ride of emotion, in which you’ll need to buckle up and brace yourself for the times the ride goes down hill. In these moments, try taking your mind off things. Go out and have fun doing something you enjoy. Maybe even open up to someone you trust with your thoughts and feelings. Hell, send me a message and we can talk it out if you so choose. Whatever you do, don’t quit. Fight through as I promise, the doubt will fade and everything will be okay.          Doubt is inevitable and you shouldn’t let it stop you. Let it motivate you. Use that doubt to drive you to be better. Use it to work harder. Without doubt, we would just accept whatever garbage we may put on paper and never progress. Don’t see doubt as a step backwards, see it as a wall blocking your path forward. Break through and continue the journey. Sean LaFollette www.scriplit.com Facebook Twitter Tumblr LinkedIn Google +

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7 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR STORYTELLING

         Anyone who is serious about film making and screenwriting in particular knows that there is always room for improvement. If you are not learning and developing then you will never progress as an artist. If you want to achieve your goals, whatever they might be, then make it a point to better yourself as often as you can. The following list explains a few ways I have developed myself as an artist and they’re simple enough that you could do them too.

1. Read Books

         To me this seems so simple. If you want to start writing screenplays or want to improve on the work that you’re already creating, then educate yourself. There are some great screenwriting books available, you just need to read them. Read on your free time at home, read during your lunch hour at work or read on the weekends. Find what works best and just read. Think of yourself as a toolbox with nothing in it. You will gather tools with each book you read and fill it quickly so you are better prepared to create or fix your script. A few of the books I enjoyed early on are displayed above. If you decide to not make the investment do to financial reasons, at least read my free writing guide, it’s FREE so you have no excuses.

2. Follow Social Media Pages

         Hate reading a full book or can’t make the time, then utilize the various social media platforms that are available to you at no cost. There are several Facebook pages, Twitter users, YouTube channels and Tumblr blogs that offer great advice on a variety of topics. Join these pages or follow these users on whatever platform tickles your fancy. It’s a great way to read and learn when you have a spare minute of time. Even better, when you subscribe to these places, sometimes the information just finds you when you’re not even looking. I myself prefer Facebook pages and below are a few I subscribe to.

No Film School - http://ift.tt/2yJJmu1

Indie Wire - http://ift.tt/1ncjilS​

3. Write Often

         It’s said that you should write 3 screenplays when you’re first starting out. The first 2 can likely go directly into the trash bin and the 3rd might be considered acceptable. In order to improve, you need to write. Think about professional athletes, did they just become great overnight? Hell no! They worked and practiced and dedicated their lives to becoming great at the sport of their choice. Did they have some sort of natural ability or skill when they started out? Yes, but you do too. You likely went to school and learned to write, now improve on that skill as much as you can

4. Share With Friends

         Share what you write with your friends and family. Ask for open and honest feedback from each one. Generate a list of questions that you want answered and ask them to respond. Feedback is a great way to understand where your stories work and where they fall flat. You can also get new ideas that can be incorporated into your script, helping improve the story being told. Following are the questions I always ask when I’m seeking feedback.

Did you like the story?What did you like most?

What didn’t you like?

Was the story easy to follow?

Did you like the characters?

Could you relate to any of the characters?

Was the story predictable?

Did the story make you (laugh, cry, cringe with fear, keep you on the edge of your seat, etc.)?

5. Analyze Other Scripts

         Want to know what a great script looks like? Then read a great script! You can find plenty of scripts available on the web. Hell, you can even get a great script written by one of your fellow writers on our stories page. This is a wonderful way to get out of your own head and into somebody else’s for a change. See how they do things and construct a story. Just make sure that when you read the stories, you don’t lose your own voice. Let Aaron Sorkin, be Aaron Sorkin and you, be you

6. Watch Great Movies

         A lot can be learned from simply watching a great film. Upon completion, sit down and consider the things that made it so great. Was it the characters? The construction of the story? The dialogue? Break down the masterpiece you just witnessed and figure out what made it so great. Again, use this as a tool and don’t lose your voice along the way. Everyone has different tastes but listed below are a few of mine.

The Breakfast Club

The Kings Speech

La La Land

Chasing Amy

Whiplash

Reservoir Dogs

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Ex Machina

7. Film Your Screenplays

         I cannot stress this enough, film the stories you write. As I stated above, you will likely write 2 shitty screenplays before you write a decent one. Get as much education as you can from each script. Early on I thought my scripts looked great on paper. Once I filmed them, I could see where I went wrong. I was able to identify what went right and what went wrong. I could see what I was good at and what I needed to work on. My advice is to start small. Write a 15 page short, get a cheap camera or use your phone, gather some actors and shoot. It’s much simpler than you think and can be done for little to no budget. Want to know how? Shoot me a message and ask!

Final Thought

         Do what you can to better yourself in any way possible and at the end of the day just remember one thing. Keep working, keep learning and keep your dreams alive. I hope you found this list helpful as these items have helped me along the way. Sean LaFollette www.scriplit.com Facebook Twitter Tumblr LinkedIn Google +

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THE BEST SCREENWRITERS KNOW WHEN TO LISTEN

         I’ve always struggled with the opinions of others, as you may have gathered from some of my previous posts. Not only when it comes to my creative endeavors, but in my personal life as well. Early in my career I would complete a script or film, send it out to people and wait anxiously for their judgments. When the feedback would come, I would be crushed. I had it set in my mind that constructive criticism meant that I wasn’t good enough. I would ignore any comments or advice and just move on. This is not a smart approach because movie making is a collaborative process and I believe that even begins with ideas from those close to you who might not even be involved directly with a project.          Just last weekend I was sitting down at lunch with my friend Ann, We were discussing films and more specifically my new project “Molly Cheese”. As I walked her through the story at a high level, she naturally had several questions about where the story was going. At certain points I would say, this is where I see it but I’m not really thrilled with it. Or I would say I have no idea, which is fine since the project is still in development. However one moment stuck out most which in turn has sparked this post.          For anyone who has read my free screenwriting guide, you know that in “Molly Cheese”, Molly gets robbed by an unsuspecting man towards the beginning of the story. As I walked Ann through the plot, she asked if the man comes back or plays a bigger part in the story. I assured her that he does. I explained that Molly and Charlene notice him park his car at a diner and enter to have lunch. Next they wait for him to come back outside, confront him and get her purse back. At a high level, this is fine right? I can get creative with the situation and add dialogue to have this make sense. It’s an idea that works but that doesn’t mean it's the best idea.          The conversation between Ann and myself continued as I finished walking her through the rest of the story. We both agreed it’s an interesting tale that would make for a great movie. However you could tell that something was still on her mind. I began to ask some probing questions in order to get the information out of her and she came back to the idea of the girls confronting the man that robbed her. That’s when she said one simple thing. What if they just steal the car? Genius.          See the idea I had was flat and seemed a bit forced. It’s realistic but could lack drama and doesn’t exactly move the story forward naturally. By having the girls steal the car, there is a heightened sense of emotion and drama. It’s a natural transition in the story that can add more drama later. Plain and simple, it’s just a better idea. It’s so simple but something I just overlooked. Hell I never even considered that as an option. This is the type of feedback you need to listen to and take into account.          As you write, you will get feedback that resonates with you and some that doesn’t. People will love your story but hate your characters. You will hear things like, I don’t think character X would talk like that. You have to sift through the feedback and take away what you can. Learn to take the good ideas and incorporate them. Set your ego aside and use the good advice that comes. A good idea is a good idea regardless of who generates it. Remember this is a collaborative process and it begins in the early stages of development.

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BE BRAVE ENOUGH, TO BE VULNERABLE

         We all have our own insecurities and I’m definitely no different. There is a fear in all of us and when it comes to the film industry, it MUST be ignored. Fear of failure, fear of what people think, fear of not being good enough, fear of success. It differs for everyone and you cannot run from the fear. You have to face these fears, use them and push forward. That is the only way to progress in your dreams and push yourself to be great. Do you think Martin Scorsese cares about what people think? I can assure you he doesn’t because if he did, there would be no The Wolf of Wall Street.          When I started in film over 10 years ago, I was trying to make it as an actor. Talk about being vulnerable in the most extreme sense. You have to be willing to become the character you’re playing and make a fool of yourself in public, if the scene calls for it. There is no room for doubt or fear. If a scene calls for you to roll around on the ground yelling and screaming like a child, then you have to go all the way with it. If you half ass a scene like that, the audience will clearly be able to tell and you will leave yourself with a different type of embarrassment. Would you rather have people praise you for the great job you did or talk about you to their friends, saying how poor the performance was? This is a no-brainer but something many actors struggle with including myself at the time. You must push through it to improve and move onto the next steps.         The other issue I had as an actor was the fear of auditioning. I took acting classes for 3 years and never auditioned. I wanted to be in the industry but refused to allow myself to actually be in the industry. This is a problem that many face. Fear of rejection and fear of what people may think of you. I also had a fear of success. What happens if I get the part? Do I have to quit my day job? Will I be able too? The answer to these questions is that it doesn’t matter. You just do it. Put yourself out there and get in the game, handle the obstacles as they come. Be a problem solver when you need to be a problem solver. If you refuse to take a step, then you will never go anywhere and everything will always remain a dream. Don’t be that person.          So how does this correlate to writing? It’s the same concepts. If you are new to screenwriting, you will write your first story and it will likely be bad. That’s great! You know why? Because you made the decision to write the damn thing. You didn’t sit there thinking it would be fun to do and then fire up Netflix for another binge session. But that’s just the first step. Next, give it to someone to read and get their feedback. It will likely be hard to hear and that’s great too! Again, because you made the decision to move forward. You didn’t write something and then place it on the shelf for nobody to read because you were afraid of their thoughts. Now this is where the next big decision comes into play. Do you write another, trying again or do you throw in the towel?          Look, people always fail up meaning for every year of success there is likely 10 years of failure behind it. That’s how you learn. Failure is nothing more than a great learning opportunity. Hell I’ve learned a LOT in my 10 years doing this. I don’t consider them failures at all, just different learning opportunities. See I like to set small goals for myself with each new project. The very first film I ever did I told myself to just complete it and get it out for people to see no matter what. Doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, it’s completing the goal, learning along the way and taking a chance. Then instead of giving up, I said let’s do it again but try to do it better. So I did. This is the mentality you need to move forward, progress and succeed. Be brave enough to be vulnerable.          So as you sit there ready to start your first screenplay or working on your 10th, don’t forget to take a chance. Try something new. Submit to a festival or try finding a producer. Hell film the thing yourself if you’re able to. No matter what, face your fear and take a step forward. You’d be surprised with what might happen next.

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SCREENPLAY CHARACTERS - MAKE US CARE

         We are clearly turning into a society that cares more about big action and graphics than anything else. I would love to blame the studios and writers for the subpar storytelling making it to the big screen but let’s be real, the general public is the driving force behind this. You see, if the studio puts out a real piece of shit but it makes a billion dollars worldwide, then they will continue to make that same shit over and over again. This is why superhero movies and fast car movies based around a furious crew have taken over. They will beat that dead horse until the money runs dry, which it wont anytime soon.          What I want to point out is that just because it seems to be acceptable to write a subpar, garbage story, doesn’t mean YOU have to. Why can’t these superhero films keep the action and graphics but also include a good story? Do all the fast car movies have to use the cheesiest dialogue and plots ever? No, they sure the hell don’t! Dammit just write a better story! I understand that it’s all a money grab but do you need to leave us unsatisfied as well? Perhaps I’m a minority in this thinking as the example I’m going to bring up did in fact receive great reviews. There are no spoilers as you read on so take a look if you want to know my thoughts on how to avoid the issues pointed out. ​          I made my way to the theater earlier in the week to take in the spectacle that is Thor: Ragnarok. After only dozing off 4 times, I was able to make it through the film which in turn left me unsatisfied. Why? Why was I unsatisfied? Why did I go see this film? Why do I continue to put myself through the disappointment that is most superhero movies? I’m either a glutton for punishment or a complete dumb-ass, I’m not sure which one yet. Anyway, during the film I could only seem to care about 1 character in the entire movie, Korg. He’s a funny little guy made of rock that you can’t help but love. Now I don’t know about you, but I would expect to care for the main character in a film, especially if his name is in the title. But again let’s remember, I might be a dumb-ass.          The problem I see with a lot of stories and movies is you don't get a reason to root for the main character. This is a problem. If I don’t care about the character then why the hell do I want to see a story about them? The answer is that I don’t, so always give the audience a reason to care and do it in the first 15 pages of your script. That should be your main focus before you even consider writing the entire 90+ pages. Write the first 15 and give it a read. Do you care about the protagonist? Do you want to know more? If the answer is no, then scrap the damn thing and start again! This isn’t rocket science and if you’re unsure, have someone else read it and answer the same questions. It just seems foolish to me that one would decide to continue on if they determine the first 15 pages are shit. What is the thought process there? Do they really think the next 75 pages are going to be great? You couldn’t get the first 15 right!          Okay, my long winded rants are over. When writing your screenplays, focus on the main character and give the audience a reason to root for them. Make sure you care and want to know more because the audience will feel the same way. A simple way to make us care is to have the main character lose something that the audience can relate too. A job, a relative, something meaningful. For more information on how to approach this, take a look at my free screenwriting guide.

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