"Writer's Laze" - Kevin Smith

I was taking notes the other day and realized something. The more notes I took, the more notes I came up with. Which goes back to what I've been saying FOR YEARS - keep writing. I haven't written much in the past few months because, frankly, I let myself think that I had nothing to write. But once I sat down and started to jot down a few things I had been thinking of, more ideas came. Keep writing!

For nothing more than my own sake, I will get into a little detail about this particular writing incident, which, I should add, happens quite often and I, myself, often forget it. Incidentally, this will typically be in the pre-production stage of your flic.

I have a blank sheet of paper in front of me. I always start on paper, really, just to take notes. This story is one I have already started. It's a story that's been in my head awhile that I have been away from awhile. So, this isn't starting from scratch. I'm sure you have a few "incompletes" that you're not sure where to go with.

I began with a simple outline. What (little) I had for Act I, II, & III, I jotted down. Really basic.

Example:
A1 *Opening scene *Intro(s) to all characters *Plot Point, PP1 (in this case, my heroine starts to fall for the bad guy.

A2 *Bad guy, (hmmm) works for Main Villain. *They're out doing evil and heroine comes along and foils the job but puts herself in danger... *Bad guy saves her. *PP2 Saving her and reveals to her unknown knowledge of her father.

A3 *Heroine and "Bad guy" team up *Villain doing evil *They foil Villain's plans *But "Bad guy's caught...

Finale
Close

I know those notes don't make much sense to you but that's not important. What's important is that you can break down the entire flic into tiny, little pieces. From the outline, detailed little stories began to emerge and I started writing them down in more detail. Things like, "Who is my Villain and where did he come from?" "What is he attempting to do?" "How is he able to accomplish his goals?"

Answers to those questions came to me by way of little scenes materializing in my head. Write 'em down, flesh 'em out.

I don't like to call this "block". Especially when, if I just stop and concentrate a little on my story, the writing comes. That's why Kevin Smith calls it "Writer's Laze."

Don't be lazy. Keep writing.
FlicMakerScott