Ask the Coach: Help! Do I Abandon My Current Script for a New Idea? – On Script Mag

Welcome to the next installment of my “Ask the Coach” column on Script Mag!
 

This month’s question is about whether to abandon a current script in favor of a new idea, or not:

“I recently committed to working on a particular script idea, and almost instantly became fascinated by another story entirely. Should I move to the new idea? Or is this a distraction getting in my way?”

Great question. Ultimately, this is a choice no one else can make for you, but here are some possibilities about what’s going on, and some possible strategies to consider.  [more…]

 

When it comes to choosing what to focus on, and possibly letting go of a current idea, there’s a lot to reflect on. Brand, career, preference, genre, instinct, market, and more. And because there’s often a fine line between recognizing resistance versus intuition, pay attention to how and when new ideas come cropping up. The beauty of writing is how it begets new ideas. It’s your job as a creator to corral that surging herd into a manageable strategy that works for you.

 

 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash

Ask the Coach: Do Experts Help or Hinder Writers From Reaching Their Goals? – On Script Mag

Welcome to the next installment of my “Ask the Coach” column on Script Mag!   This month’s question is about whether or not writing and marketing experts and gurus help writers or just get in the way: “With so many claiming to have the secrets to either writing or marketing, is this just another layer […]

Ask the Coach: How Can I Find an Idea Person for My Story? – On Script Mag

Welcome to the next installment of my “Ask the Coach” column on Script Mag!   This month’s question is about getting past feeling stumped and how to find an “idea person” to help make that happen:   “My writing style is that I get an idea and start writing to see where the story goes. […]

Ask the Coach: When Should I Give Up On a Script? – On Script Mag

Welcome to the next installment of my “Ask the Coach” column on Script Mag!   This month’s question is specifically about finishing, and when — or if — to give up on a project:   “How can I deal with the indecision that comes with looking at what I’m writing and reaching a point at […]

Ask the Coach: Not Three-Act Enough? – On Script Mag

Welcome to the first installment of my new “Ask the Coach” column on Script Mag!   This month’s question is specifically about the three-act structure in screenwriting:   “What I’m running into is the common criticism that my stories are not strongly three-act. They have a beginning setup, mounting problem, and ending resolution — good […]

Ask the Coach: Your Writing Questions, Answered – On Script Mag

My new “Ask the Coach” column on Script Mag launched this week! As a writing coach, I answer a lot of questions for writers about how to make the work of writing actually happen. As you may already know, I specialize in helping writers get out of their own way and back on track with what they […]

Sensitive Writers, Keep Fulfilling Your Calling, Even In Difficult Times – in the 2021 Empowerment Guide for Sensitive People

  “… it’s so very valuable to keep working to fulfill your calling.”     My article, “Sensitive Writers, Keep Fulfilling Your Calling, Even In Difficult Times,” was featured in the 2021 Empowerment Guide for Sensitive People. As you may know, a prior incarnation of my coaching career was coaching highly sensitive people (HSPs). Many writers fall […]

How to Write All Year Round, The Pandemic Edition (+ Tuesday’s the Last Day to Join!)

This is the third and final article in our “new year to write” series! This article is about some of the lessons we learned in 2020 about writing all year round even in the most difficult and unexpected circumstances.  In our Called to Write community, it feels like we’ve been through it all together — […]

7 Mistakes Writers Commonly Make With Goal Setting & Writing Resolutions

Since it’s the first day of the year, and like many writers you probably have goals and resolutions on your mind, I want to highlight a few common mistakes writers tend to make when setting goals for the year, to save you the trouble of possibly making them and stymying yourself or creating unnecessary frustration […]

Complete Your Writing Year (+ A New Year to Write Registration Opens Today!)

I’ve got a special exercise for you today. As we begin working through the Make This Your Year to Write process in my Called to Write community, we start by completing the current writing year.  To give you a taste of what we’ll be working on (and give you a jump-start!) here’s the first step of […]