If you’ve ever wanted to write a movie but never started, find a way to start writing. Start with 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, and just write but do it everyday. If you write one line, one page or one word. Let it be what it is, don’t put an expectation on it that it needs to be 10 pages, perfect or even make sense. Maybe it doesn’t make sense, maybe each scene jumps from scene to scene, or the dialogue isn’t how you want it to be. With that freedom you’re giving yourself permission to create, discover and explore. But ultimately do this enough times, regularly, with frequency, and that 5 minutes will become 10 minutes, to 15 minutes. The 1 line will become, one paragraph to one page, to 2 pages. Scenes will make more sense, dialogue will become better. Naturally. Instinctually. Intuitively.
You’re building the mechanics of writing, the foundations, the mind body connection between your thoughts and fingers typing the keyboard, making that reflex seamless and instantaneous. And even if this is all you did, without putting together a process or progression, you would organically become a better writer. Many of the mechanical parts or rough edges that seem difficult and awkward at first will start to become more automatic, developed and polished. So not even talking about, creating a process because that’s a different topic I’m not going to get into that here, this topic is just meant for how to get from zero to 1 – your first one. We are starting from the beginning so take on the beginner’s mindset, but the beginner’s mindset isn’t just for beginner’s it should be a lifelong principle to embrace and embody.
If you’re like me, creative expression is a difficult process, getting the idea out of my head and into the world, then you probably have a lot to say but sometimes it’s not all that clear, even to myself. The journey of discovering the storytelling process has really helped me formulate and crystalize my expression. And I just want to encourage you to be bold but humble, have passion and conviction in what you do but do it with openness and authenticity. Embrace your own uniqueness and differences so that we can embrace it with you. We need more compassion, understanding and grace, but unfortunately these are usually not the loudest voices. Be rare. Be open. Be bold.