struggling with the blank page
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you dread the blank page?
I’m normally an idea machine. Too many ideas, too little time. But for the past few months, I’ve been struggling with a very particular set of blank pages.
Lying next to my bed (yes, I’m writing to you in bed) is a file folder and a yellow legal pad covered in scribbles. Also, socks, an empty dish with remains of a peanut butter breakfast, and my earthing mat.
But messy bedroom aside, the real problem is that pile of scribbles.
I’m writing a screenplay for the first time in years. If you’re on my email list, you probably know I’m a solo filmmaker. I’m passionate about helping other aspiring or existing filmmakers take their solo filmmaking skillset to new horizons.
But, most solo filmmakers get to a point where they want to collaborate. Or make something bigger than ever before. And that’s where I’m at right now. And it sucks. It feels like I’m wading through five feet of mud just to get an idea on the page.
There’s a reason I advocate so hard for getting started on your own as a solo filmmaker.
There are way less obstacles to getting started when you’re in control of everything. There’s nobody to stop you. You get to give yourself the green light. You don’t need to put together a crew, and your projects are doable. And, usually, you don’t need to write a script.
You don’t need to stare at the blank page for hours because there is no blank page.
But no matter what, we’re all storytellers. Whether you’re making a documentary, doing brand videos, telling the stories of the people in your neighbourhood, making music videos, or putting together your first narrative feature—you’re a storyteller.
And sometimes, in the middle of working on a story, you’re going to get stuck.
Really stuck!
Next week, I’m going to send you an article I’m writing about the story circle. It’s a tool based on Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, but super simplified. It’s an amazing way to see if your story works and figure out how to drive it forward.
Sometimes all you need is a set of great tools and a solid understanding of story structure.
But other times, despite being a decent storyteller, you get stuck. For weeks. Or even months. The muse has vanished. And it’s slog time.
When I get stuck on a story project, I usually have to do one (or more) of these five things:
Start reading story books. Weirdly I often get super inspired and unstuck when reading books about storytelling.
Go away. Sometimes I’ve had to get on a plane and fly to the wilderness to get unstuck. That happened with one of my solo shows.
Create a hard deadline with external pressure. I had to submit myself to five theatre festivals to give myself enough pressure to finish my first solo show.
Be aggressive about a self-prescribed writing regime until the piece is done. Same time, same place, every day, until it’s done.
Walk and write. Yes, this makes me look like a crazy person. But you gotta do what you gotta do to get it done!
I think for this particular bout of stuckness, I’m going to have to do every single number on the list. The more realistic a big dream project is, the greater the resistance. This script I’m working on is something I plan on shooting in October, and it’s totally doable.
Thus, the resistance is HIGH. Very high.
As it stands, I’ve got the main BIG plot points down. I’ve run my story through the story circle multiple times and have a backstory that makes sense.
But it’s the 2nd act build where things are falling flat. Not an uncommon problem.
Now, what about you? Are you working on something that’s got you feeling stuck?
I’m interested in your big dreams as a filmmaker and what you’re doing to take that next small step toward achieving them.
Everyone gets stuck. Every storyteller has moments where the blank page is terrifying, or the story doesn’t seem to work.
There’s no filmmaker on earth who hasn’t had to wade through metaphorical mud to get to the other side of a project. If this job were easy all the time, every movie ever made would be a firecracker! But that’s just not the case.
Creating something from nothing IS challenging.
Sometimes it works. Sometimes it falls flat. But at least you’re tackling a dream project.
At least you’re on the court.
You’re hitting balls.
As humans, we rarely regret the things we’ve done. It’s the things we DON’T do that we regret. I wish I’d just made that movie, spent time with that friend, or told her I loved her.
So as I’m struggling to get this story on the page, I just have to remind myself that I will NEVER regret writing this script, getting through the blank pages to the other side, and getting it done!
But if I give up—that, I’ll regret it.
Until next time,
Colette
