Reader Question: What’s the fastest way to speed up the learning curve to write at the next level?

Question from Eric Harris:

What’s the fastest way to speed up the learning curve on writing at the next level?

I’m tempted to say that’s not the right question.

Oh, hell, I’ll just say it:

THAT’S NOT THE RIGHT QUESTION!

It shouldn’t be about the fastest way. It should be about the best way to get your writing to the next level!

‘Fast’ suggests a cursory degree of understanding, skimming through the learning process. Seriously, what kind of writer can you expect to be if that’s the approach.

A surface level writer! And there are thousands of those whose scripts get rejected by Hollywood every year.

No, I advise you to immerse yourself in the craft. Deep immersion. Read every script. Watch every movie. Listen to every podcast. Write pages. Then more pages. Even more pages.

Give yourself over fully to learning the craft.

The more scripts you read, the more you will pick up on structure, characters, themes, subplots, how to write scenes, how to handle transitions, the writer’s voice as expressed through scene description and dialogue, and on and on. Some of this learning will be conscious. But some of it will seep down into your subconscious. And as you feel your way through writing pages, it will be that part of your psyche which will instinctively guide you into and through those scenes.

The more movies you watch, the more you will increase you knowledge about the language of cinema. This is important not only for your writing, it’s also critical in your ability to carry on coherent conversations with studio executives, producers, talent, and reps, all of whom constantly reference movies in conversations. If you’ve seen those movies, you won’t just be nodding your head with the stunned gaze of a deer in a car’s approaching headlights, you’ll actually have something to contribute, which will enhance your chances of landing the writing gig.

The more pages you write, the more comfortable you will get with the medium. To a novice writer, writing a FULL LENGTH FEATURE FILM SCRIPT is a daunting task in part because it seems so damn impossible to accomplish. If you write 1, 2, 3, or more screenplays, you demystify the process. That script is not this monster waiting to devour your psyche, rather it’s simply a series of scenes and sequences, small components of a larger whole.

Then there’s the whole matter of living life. While I can’t say it’s impossible for a young person to write a great script, there is something to be said about getting experience in the real world, then bringing that experience to bear on your script pages.

That said, if you want to expedite the learning process, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort to do it right. Deep immersion! If you’re in a hurry, then immerse yourself as quickly as possible.

But don’t do a half-assed job by living on the surface. Rather go deep into the world of movies and learn as much as you can to support and stimulate your creative process.

How about you, readers? Any thoughts or suggestions for Eric? I’ll see you in comments to continue the conversation.

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