Okay, we've all been here. You reach a point in your writing where you think to yourself: “I cannot finish my screenplay!” You might have started your script with a bunch of excitement and energy… And the next thing you know, your inspiration fades.
If you're like a lot of screenwriters, you get 15-20 pages into the script and take a break. The next thing you know, an entire year goes by and you've made no progress. So the question is, how do you avoid this? Simple… Hire yourself to write the screenplay.
Hiring Myself to Finish My Screenplay
This may seem like a goofy concept. But when you hire yourself to write a screenplay, you take your work more seriously. You start each day with a purpose, repeating the following mantra: “My job is to finish my screenplay.” And this encourages you to take action.
The next you have to do is give yourself a deadline. Let's say you'll write 3 pages a day for 40 days, which will bring you to 120 pages. To get started, go to your smartphone calendar right now and enter your deadline. Make an entry “Deadline to finish my screenplay.”
Now it's time to do the work. And like any job, you are on the clock.
Three pages per day is not that much. And every day you exceed that amount, you're getting closer to the finish line quicker. You really need to think of this as your job. It is okay to take a personal day here and there. But don't abuse this. If you had a boss, how would she how would she feel if you decided to skip work? Miss too many days, and you will be fired!
Allocate 30 Minutes A Day
Allocate 30 minutes at the start or the end of the day to finish three pages. This gives you 10 minutes per page, which is more than enough time! And maybe each day you can work to beat your previous record… Challenge yourself to finish 5 or 6 pages… And any time you have an additional 30 minutes, finish more pages.
The bottom line is this… Hiring myself to finish my screenplay has been a solid strategy in my own career. It has helped me prioritize my job. And I believe this strategy will encourage you to take your job seriously and get things done.
If you would like some additional tips on how to write a professional screenplay, please check out this screenwriting course!
