Failure at writing a screenplay, whats the reason?

[Usmanhere]

Ok, i know it's a very broad thing to ask. No one can answer it without knowing me. Let me try, so it becomes more specific.
I am 19 years old, i became a film buff after 15 and decided that i wanted to make films (write and direct).
And.. after that for last 4 years i have been watching films, talking and reading about films. I have read and watched so much about the craft of making it that i now i feel maybe i have LOST MY INNOCENCE.
Reading all those: 10 tips for writing screenplay and shit. Every fucking article and interviews of my favourite filmmakers. I feel i know so much that even before writing something proper i have lost my flow. Because i know so much.
I have written few handful of synopsis for screenplays but not a proper one.
I am lazy, thats for sure.
There is a inner critic who won't allow me to writer without any preconcieved notion in head..
What should i do, recommend me anything, so that i can stand out of this rubble and do something, rather than just talking about writing. i would write.
Any tips, any kind of .. and please don't judge maybe i am fool to ask something so basic. but tell me simply WHAT WORKED FOR U? .

 

[alex ma whitmer]

Reading all the books isn't really going to do much for you. Too much information without any hands on practice to apply it - or apply what works for you and your unique work habits and goals. Not all of that information will be of use to you.

Just erase everything you know and start from scratch. Being a little arrogant about 'aleady knowing that' you will rob yourself of new perspectives to re-learn the same information in a new and interactve environment.

According to your post anyways, what you know so far isn't helping you write. PM me and I'll share some thoughts

 

[joey1986]

write 10 scenes down on a note pad. Every day try to work on at lease one scene , before you know it you will have 120 pages of a shitty first draft to fix

 

[FreddyLongSongs]

I wrote everyday before I actually started shooting and trying to prepare for my next short. As Quality said Just do it. However, go into writing a little more prepared.

 

[alex ma whitmer]

Usmanhere, what kinds of stories do you want to write? What kinds of films?

There is no magic answer to resolving your writing concerns. I'm happy to have a look at what you've written.

alex

 

[Cracker Funk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdbORXEmbnk

 

[Miked]

My suggestions, Usmanhere, are similar to some already mentioned, specifically the daily writing, or at least some sort of dedicated time you can prioritize to writing on a consistent basis.

I am doing some developmental stuff for a script I want to start writing soon and IMO, you have to set realistic deadlines to get things done.

The last comments I wanted to make are to not be too hard on yourself as script writing is not an easy thing to do and feel you are crafting, "the right," script. I have realized about myself that I have a lot of self-doubt and judgements as to writing a good script that, "others," will like. Ultimately the ball is in your court as to how the plot goes and who the characters are. You control their destiny. Because I am new to actually putting pen to paper, or typing onto a screen being more apt, I want to get more and more practice in and so i have decided to start with a script idea that I can go wild on and know I will have less self-doubt as it is not a story to tell that I hold as close to my heart as other ideas that I have. I intend to get my bad writing habits out by working on this first script and just seeing where the story takes me.

Okay, final comment for sure, no script is entirely final. By that I mean a writer wants a nice finished and polished copy but say you wrap it and a certain character does not develop the way you want or what not, you can always take a break from it and have some new insights come to you and then refine that into the script. Guess the main problem is knowing when you are officially done with the script.

 

[Quality]

I've never been to film school. I learned cinematography and screenwriting online via tutorials, courses or just random videos. It might be an unconventional way to go, but everything film making which I do; including editing software, I have learn online. That's just the world we live now.

 

[sfoster]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdbORXEmbnk

+1 like

 

[sfoster]

I've never been to film school. I learned cinematography and screenwriting online via tutorials, courses or just random videos. It might be an unconventional way to go, but everything film making which I do; including editing software, I have learn online. That's just the world we live now.

online isnt bad - but there are some great books too!!!

In college for computer science it became painfully obvious to me that online education is lacking.
Nothing online ever matched what I learned in my text books.

 

[Quality]

It depends on what online education you are talking about. Because there are video on Youtube such as tutorials, classroom uploads, etc. or an online course which you pay for.

 

[sfoster]

A lecture is a great supplement for a textbook, but it's a poor replacement.

 

[moviebuffy]

19! Wow! I admire you for knowing what your want to do at such a young age........I won't mention how old I am..........Anyway, start writing something and don't pause. Don't write a few pages and start to edit it. It is really true that once you get going, your characters will write for you and you will just become the vehicle!!! Good luck!