5 Ways to Conjure Screenwriting Inspiration

By Jameson Brown · September 3, 2014

The initial process of ideation is a challenging one. It’s riddled with trap doors and lags that can detour writers and cause he or she to spin down the perpetual rabbit hole of creativity limbo. These five tips will help you break free from this black hole and put together the story and characters you’ve always wanted.

5. Do a “Mad Scribble”

This is for serious blockage so use with caution. Grab a pen and a piece of paper and force yourself to keep the pencil moving and on the paper. It’s not allowed to come up or stop writing until you just can’t handle it anymore.

4. Carry a Voice Recorder Everywhere You Go…Like Everywhere Everywhere

By carrying this around everywhere you go you are forcing your brain to think about it. In doing this, you will run through creative ideas to record on the device. Within one day you will be surprised how many good (and crappy) ideas come to you. Make sure you record everything, even if it seems like a bad idea. Listening back to a “bad idea” 24 hours later is much different than when it first clicks across your brain.

3. Bask in Editing (But Only for a Minute)

If you cannot, whatsoever get words onto paper, then edit something else. Have an old screenplay or short story? Edit that and make it better. Editing an old piece of work can grease the wheels for your current piece of writing. The key is to always provide yourself with stimuli.

2. Get Distracted in the “Write” Ways

With today’s media being an all surrounding force, it is hard to not be distracted at all times. Allow yourself one or two outlets that act as breaks from your current screenplay, but still keep you writing. This can range from a pencil version of hangman to a quick few rounds of Words with Friends.

1. Create an Environment for Thinking

This sounds much easier than it is when executing. Environment is a large factor in your mood and thought process – two things that must be in full form when constructing a story, its characters and the world in which they live.