Writing habits/frequency

[zagoraz]

I was wondering what some of your thoughts were on your own writing habits and how they affect your work in regards to daily output, page count, quality of material, etc...

I personally will stew for weeks/months with an idea swimming around in my head, then spend about a week coming up with/arranging scenes and fleshing out characters/backstories. Once I get to the actual writing part, it becomes very mechanical and I can pump out anywhere from 5 to 20 pages in a day and complete a first draft in 1-3 weeks. Then I usually spend about a month re-writing.

Right now I'm three days into the actual writing of my latest screenplay, and I'm at 43 pages. That just seems crazy to me. Despite the output, I don't feel like quality takes a backseat. It almost seems like it should. But I guess that's what re-writing is for.

For me, the "coming up with the stuff" part of it is much more frustrating than the actual writing.

[StephieM]

Zag-

When I come up with a good idea I get to it right away. The first thing I do is think of the ending and then go from there. I do an outline based on Beg, hook, plot points, and middle. After that, I write down all the ideas swimming around in my head, then I write out a four page treatment. After all this you think I would be ready to start writing the actual script. No way. I then have to write out a small character synopsis for each of my characters, (dramatic need, pov, attitude, characteristics, ect. ect.)

I am a very organized person, my thoughts have to be laid out in front of me before I begin. And when I say laid out in front of me, that's exactly what I mean. Pen and paper. I don't start typing until after my first draft is written.
(It's nothing for me to go through a 70 sheet notebook in two days).

If I am really excited about the script I can get this all done in one night. For me laying out the script is easier than doing the actual writing.

I usually spend a few days on the first few pages, after that it gets easier. I can write 10 to 15 pages in one day, depending on how much time I have.

But everyone is different. If you can spin out 43 pages in three days, that's great. It's not crazy at all. Atleast you are writing. No one writes a perfect first draft. That's why there is second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth drafts. If I could sit down and just write without worrying about errors or imperfections, I would probally have a dozen finished scripts.

My problem is, I think to much.

Steph

[terryewalker]

When I come up with an idea, I place half on paper and the rest in my head. I also read and look up on the subject, I don't place well known names to the characters or you intent to place your charecters around, how that person would act.

I could knock up 10 pages a day or more, leave it for a day then come back and write some more. But between that I read up on it, go back and ad some more.
I also take note on what people say on here about grammer and typo's but then again, we spell things different over here then over the pond, some might disagree but its a known fact but thats another story.

I'm not organized you should look at my desk, its like a bomb site but I know where eveything is.:Hammer:

[dpaterso]

I also take note on what people say on here about grammer and typo's but then again, we spell things different over here then over the pond, some might disagree but its a known fact but thats another story.
I can't resist, I can't resist:

"I also take note of what people say on here about grammar and typos (plural not possessive) but then again, we spell things different over here than over the pond. Some might disagree but it's (it is) a known fact, but that's (that is) another story."

:D So I'm a geekfreak, sue me. But not everything is color vs. colour and honor vs. honour; there are basic, universal commonalities waiting to trip us all up. Like your English teacher used to say, neatness counts! So does reading scripts on a regular basis to get a feel for those Transatlantic differences.

Re writing habits, whenever random thoughts swirl and converge to form a story I write the opening to become familiar with the characters and where the story's going. I start out with stereotypes which are easier to work with, and twist them to give them individual personalities and quirks. Then I'll maybe scribble a brief outline of the major scenes that lie ahead plus resolution, final twist, denoument, etc. If something grabs me, I'll continue writing. I don't always get it right first time, in which case I have to go back and repair what doesn't work or pick another plotline. Each to their own, there's no wrong way, we're all different people, different writers.

As for frequency... every day, and most nights. Last night I started a story that's shaping up to be a novella, judging from its initial feel. Today I'm tinkering with script pages written maybe 6 months ago and which suddenly began calling to me in the middle of the night, I just couldn't get them out of my head. Rather unnerving. Some may call my short attention span and lack of control unprofessional; I call it my personal writing style. See "Each to their own..." above.

-Derek
My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)

[terryewalker]

You always get one joker:) Sue me! :faint: can I wake up now?

[gogoshire]

I was wondering what some of your thoughts were on your own writing habits and how they affect your work in regards to daily output, page count, quality of material, etc...
I personally will stew for weeks/months with an idea swimming around in my head, then spend about a week coming up with/arranging scenes and fleshing out characters/backstories. Once I get to the actual writing part, it becomes very mechanical and I can pump out anywhere from 5 to 20 pages in a day and complete a first draft in 1-3 weeks. Then I usually spend about a month re-writing.

I write daily. I don't have a set time all the time, but I write for a minimum of 45 minutes a day. I usually do more than this, but if it's 1am and I haven't written that day, I put in my 45 minutes before lights out. It's the only way for me.

I don't stew when I have an idea. I write it down immediately. Last night/this morning I dreamed an entire movie. It's a great script idea that I had never thought of before, so I hopped out of bed, grabbed a notebook, and got it down on paper. An hour and a half later, teeth still unbrushed, dogs still unwalked, I'm wishing I started typing rather than handwriting b/c it all needs to be transposed now. Anyway, the story is fully outlined. There are a couple of dream-like aspects that don't make sense now that I'm awake that I'll have to fix, but overall, I'm ready to start writing the script.

I think what you said about writing 43 pages in 3 days sounds about right. Ten pages usually takes me about 2 hours, so if you're realy fluid, 43 pages is a terrific output.

[Mightypen71]

I personally do whatever needs to be done next in regards to my script's evolution that day, spending hours every day in between Oprah and Daily Show. Meaning furthering my outline, brainstorming subtext, correcting structure problems, developing character traits and writing down ideas for scenes and plot twists. I don't write any of the actual script until I'm completely finished with my outline. Then, I'm doing nothing but writing and rewriting, 10-20 pages a day if I find the time, until I feel its solid. Basically, 2-3 months on structure/2-3 months on writing, 2-3 months on rewrites, give or take.

It's an odd balance I must seek. For if I spend too much time brainstorming, I lose interest or forget the original inspiration. Or if I go too fast, I feel I haven't adequately explored all of my options scene to scene. But as long as I have plenty of India Pale Ale around, inspiration never leaves me.
Mightypen