Salvation: The Writer's Schedule

Okay, so incorporating a writing schedule isn’t rocket science, but being true to the basics is often the hardest thing to do.

We live in a world of instant gratification. Take this and lose 20 pounds. Inject that and get bigger, faster, stronger. Botox, tummy tucks, no money down interest-only home loans. We’re constantly offered false promises to the easy way out, but here’s the reality – record screech – whether you’re trying to lose those extra pounds or purchase your first home, it doesn’t happen over night. It takes hard work because it’s not some quick fix to fit in a reunion dress; it’s a lifestyle.

Eat right and exercise: you’ll start enjoying the mirror. Save your money and put 20% down: you won’t lose your house. And if you call yourself a screenwriter, you absolutely must follow suit. Schedule your writing. Make it a part of your daily routine, and stick to it like crazy glue.

But be realistic about your own situation.

I’ll offer myself as an example: married with three kids and a plethora of professional demands, leaves me little time to work on my spec scripts? But I’m a screenwriter, so I make it happen. 4:30AM. Everyday. Just me, coffee, and my script. Imagine: two to three hours every morning, I can bust out 15 pages a week, and in few short months, I have a completed screenplay.

Writing takes discipline, and if you really want to be a writer, then do it. Make a schedule and stick to it – no matter what.