Dear me, (and all the other wanna-be's)

If you want to write a screenplay, you must first read Save The Cat! by Blake Snyder and The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Fields. Then you'll need to take a deep dive into the world of Joseph Campbell and lose yourself in the midst of the Hero's Journey for days on end. You’ll want to study the structure of all your favorite films, and watch endless YouTube videos until you’re ready to stab your eyes out with the pen you’ve stoped taking notes with. You have to know all the in's and out's to the three act structure... and blah blah blah...

Or you could just sit your butt down and write.

That's the best, and sometimes the hardest thing to do of all. Got an idea? Write it down and play with it. Remember I said PLAY with it, don't dissect it. It's not a frog and this is not eighth grade science class. This is real life; this is your spare time, your passion, and your baby. Don't forget that. Grow and nurture it, let it become what it's meant to be through trial and error. And just have fun with it.

Yes read all the books and study all the greats, that will undoubtedly help your writing. But the number one thing that will help your writing it to actually do it—day in and day out. If you can truly do that you're one step ahead of the game. Most of us, myself included, don't hone our craft as much as we should. So just do it. Even if it sucks at first, it will grow in time. 

That's enough preaching for today, now it's time to walk the talk.

Happy writing!

Dana