Writers Advice: 50 Gems of Wisdom from Industry Titans

Every screenwriter needs advice. Put simply, a career won’t progress without listening and taking heed of the right advice. Writers advice can be easy to find. But great advice, well that’s a slightly different kettle of fish.

With an ever-growing pool of aspiring screenwriters comes a seemingly endless supply of writers advice. Reviewing their credentials and weighing up the pros and cons can be a time-consuming exercise. And all this before you’ve even begun sifting through the gems that could invigorate your next script.

Do you turn to the innumerable books on screenwriting and storytelling? Search and scroll your way through Youtube? Or take a chance on an online course? Well, before you do, we’ve gathered 50 pieces of advice from some of the best modern screenwriters that’ll refine your writing and help you stand out.

We’ll look at:

• The Writer’s Mindset.
• How Writers Handle Failure.
• Discipline in Writing.
• How Writers Find Their Voice.
• How to Find Method in Writing.
• Do Writers Steal From Each Other?
• Writing Great Characters.
• Finding Writing Inspiration.
• How Writers Keep Motivated.

A Mindset

As many screenwriters offering advice will attest to, getting in the right mindset to begin is the first step. But before a blank page, comes the niggling self-doubt or perhaps the idea that in the pursuit of perfection a writer isn’t quite ready.

“It took me a good number of years before I put the words on paper because I was worried if it turned out I couldn’t write. I think this is something women do more than men, but definitely self-doubt and this desire to judge yourself before you even start and to think there’s only one way to do when in fact, the best stuff is done by people who don’t have any idea how you’re supposed to do it and are following their own instincts and taking risks.” — Naomi Foner

And then that blank page rears its head. So what should a writer aim to foster?

“Endless patience, commitment and not being scared of the blank page.” – Armando Iannucci

Writer’s block is an infamous ailment of the screenwriter. More often than not writers advice on how to tackle this usually takes the shape of removing yourself from your writing and returning to it later. But above all else, the prevalence of advice on writer’s block simply highlights how it’s a natural state that punctuates the flow of writing.

“I am in a constant state of writer’s block. That is my default position.” – Aaron Sorkin.

All writers learn to embrace solitude as a necessity of the writing process, a time to focus on nothing else. However, being in your head for a prolonged period of time can prove detrimental. It could limit the level of objectivity you have when approaching your work.

“When you are writing all by yourself and you are falling into the trap of being so obsessed with your own work and being so stubborn about what you are writing, and you’re following only that single path, and you end up to go into all this self-contentment and go into self-praise of what you’ve done, become so proud of what you’ve done, that is something you should really be conscious against.” – Park Chan-Wook

Once these challenges have been managed, it’s always important to stay grounded and committed when seeking success as a writer. A good work ethic throughout your career is a must. 

“Laziness is something I really can’t tolerate because laziness speaks at a sense of entitlement. That’s just not a good look in this industry, where you think that you’re entitled to something… you think you deserve something… because you’re wherever you think you are. It doesn’t work like that.” – Spike Lee