An interesting twist on the old “write what you know” adage comes from aspiring screenwriter Mark McCann, who also is a policeman. One of his shorts was produced and has won some prizes and one of his feature scripts has just been optioned–for the fifth time.
He told Arkansas Online: “I try to avoid writing movies about cops. That may seem illogical, but let's face it… being a cop is not all roses and sunshine. Nobody calls 911 because they're having a good day.
“Being a cop means you are there for the worst time of people's lives; they're bleeding, crying, or both. Rarely are there happy endings. So when I write, I create my own world with happy endings.”
In that sense, writing about what you don't know may be a great strategy. Stuck in an office? It'll probably make you happy to write a story set on an idyllic island. (If you're stuck on an idyllic island, will you want to write about an office?)
Writing about realities we wish were so is a powerful motivator. If you've felt constrained by the ‘write what you know' idea, give it a try.
– – –
For more tips on screenwriting, visit Filmmaking Stuff every Tuesday for a new post from Jurgen Wolff and also check out his site, www.ScreenWritingSuccess.com. You may also find his “Your Writing Coach” book useful.
