Ever The Opportunist

As an aspiring scriptwriter the thought of sitting down and writing a feature film both excites and scares me to death. I mean nobody learns to run before than can walk - it’s just common sense. Recently, there has been a steady flow of writing competition that are less daunting to the amateur scriptwriter but just enough to get the creative juices flowing, for example, BBC Writers Room had the Rapid Response: In The Red competition, which was looking for a 5-10 minute script relating to the recent government cuts. Then there was NSFS Screenwriting Competition which also asked you to produce a short script but this one had an open brief. A new website that I recently joined, Circalet was running a 30 second script competition, yes just 30 seconds! (Which turned out to be harder than it sounds)

So what’s the point I’m trying to make here?

Basically, competitions are a great way to motivate yourself to get writing! Even if it’s as short as 30 seconds, every script will improve your writing. Short scripts still need structure and just because it’s short doesn’t mean it has to lack story and eventually slowly by slowly you can build you way up to that longer script. The other great thing about writing short scripts is that people are more likely to read them and sites like Circalet have a great community of writers who are happy to give both praise and criticisms, which is great for both confidence and improving as a writer.  Remember even if you don’t win or don’t make the shortlist of a competition it doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer then fact that you have written something is what matters because you can only improve your writing by writing!

Finally, I leave you with two of the sites I’m constantly checking for new competitions. Firstly, as you probably are all aware of BBC Writers Room and secondly, a site I’ve only recently found which is also a great resource for both scriptwriting advice and industry knowledge Script Angel run by Hayley McKenzie so check it out!

PS: I didn’t win the BBC Rapid Response: In The Red competition but I did make the shortlist, which was a great boost for my confidence and I can’t wait for the next one of its type.

Look forward to competing with you soon, happy writing!

Quote #10

 “If you are not intending to write something that has never been written before then your wasting everybody’s time” 

- David Seltzer

Quote #9

“Never write a movie that you yourself would not pay to see.” 

– Billy Ray

Quote #8

“Don’t be discouraged if you think you’re not a great writer because terrible writers are successful in Hollywood” - David Seltzer  

Quote #7

When it comes to scriptwriting “fail as quickly as possible” – Andrew Stanton

Quote #6

“You have to get the clay on the table first then you can poke and prod at it.” - Michael Arndt

Quote #5

 “You have got to trust your instincts." - Nia Vardalos

Self Vs Self

Sylvia Plath once said that “the worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt” and as an aspiring writer, these words have never rung more true. The battle of self-vs-self begins to rage even before you have sat down to write. Before pen has hit paper, fingers have hit keyboard, or chisel has hit rock (whatever your preference), your poor, helpless, unborn script is already being subjected to mental abuse: poked and prodded and told it’s just not good enough for this world. I wonder if the Spartans believed in second drafts? (Back to topic) So how does an aspiring scriptwriter beat these demons and build the courage to finally start? Well, I could go to Amazon and purchase a copy of Confidence Booster Workout: 10 Steps to Beating Self-doubt and then I’d be the best and most confident writer in the world! A kind of Shakespearean Hoff! Or maybe not. So instead I decided to look for help from those who know best, the professionals, in the shape of writer Danny Stack, whose Screenwriting credits include EastEnders, Doctors, Sofia's Diary, CBBC's Roy and CiTV's BAFTA-winning Amazing Adrenaline Brothers. Promptly he replied…

  “Every writer struggles with confidence from time-to-time. The thing is to ignore the inner-critic, and just continue regardless. Even if it is rubbish, at least it'll be a first draft that you can work on rather than having an incomplete (or no) script in the first place!”


So there it is straight out of the horse’s mouth! We are always going to struggle against our own self doubt and so do the professionals. So I end this blog with a quick note to self: Stop being so judgemental! Sit down, shut up and start writing!


Check out Danny Stacks Blog for great tips and advice and his all new podcasts.

Quote #4

 “Always write from your gut, no matter what the project is.” 

- Paul Haggis

Quote #3

“In writing a first draft you should never feel like ‘Oh this is what is going to be read’ you should feel free enough to write badly.” 

- Ted Griffin 

Quote #2

“Your story is like a house on fire what are you going to run in and save” - Brad Bird

our stor

Quote #1

An interviewer once asked Vladimir Nabokov “Why do you write?” he answered… “To get the stories out of my head.”