Quoted from ajr When I was writing my feature, since it's set in the '80s, I gave myself a steady dose of Heart, KISS, Billy Joel, Bruce, etc. to keep me in that head space.

Nice.  

I don't really "dedicate" any specific amount of time to write.  It just kinda happens.  It can be anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

I've always got music on, but nothing really "set" for writing.  Sometimes it's jazz on the radio but most of the time it's either oldies or some variant of rock n roll.    It's actually the Christmas music in November/December that inspires me to write the most.  I guess it's the soothing calmness that it brings to the table or something.

-Greg

Quoted from ajr Right now, since I'm working on more of a psychological thriller, it's been a heavy dose of Pink Floyd... AJR

Thats work fot me too. But not when im writing. Before i start writing. Now i listen Pink floyd all the time to help me finish my script. Especially: Echoes.

Damn, I don't own Echoes - or Obscured By Clouds - gotta get me an Amazon gift certificate...

I did a full turn of "The Wall" and that got me over my writer's block.  I also dug out "The Final Cut" - if you remember, "Not Now, John" was the hit off that CD, and it cracks me up because with all the censorship nowadays that song was allowed to go out clean over the radio.

For those of you who don't know the song, Gilmour constantly repeats the phrase "eff all that", as do the female backup singers.

The other Floyd disc I've given heavy rotation is "The Division Bell" - sure, it's not pure Floyd because Waters is gone, but it's Gimour experimenting. It's very jazzy, with hints of U2 and Steely Dan.

I can't write everyday, even if I wanted too, I couldn't. I have to be in the mood, if I'm not, anything I do write is deleted the next day as it doesn't look right. There are some days when I have hours to myself but I can't write anything because I'm not in the mood. Other days I can write 10-15 pages and be happy with them the next day. Very inconsistent.

I've just spent a decent amount of time writing a feature comedy, finished a first draft but binned it a few days later as I wasn't happy with it. I'm happy with the concept, just not with the direction I took the story, all because I was forcing myself to write when I had other things to sort out. Time wasted. Now if I feel that anything I write isn't my best, I close my computer and watch a DVD. That helps a lot.

In case anyone cares, I got off the Floyd and switched to "Wrecking Ball" from Emmylou Harris...

Incredibly, powerfully emotional album, full of pathos...

Yeah, not quite sure what pathos is, but I'm sure these songs are full of it...

Quoted from ajr Yeah, not quite sure what pathos is, but I'm sure these songs are full of it...

Pathos is the greek word for passion.........

Yes, and sarcasm is the American word for oh never mind...
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I write a minimum of 5-10 pages every day.

I wrote a short today. I didn't say it was good. Just said I wrote a short...

A Memoir from Ghost...

It varies. When I start I write as few as five pages a day, which might well take less than an hour. But I might have spent six hours prior to that thinking about what I was going to write, playing and replaying the scene in my mind over and over again until I get it right. By the end I could be writing 20 to 30 pages in damn near eight concentrated hours.

I don’t write every day atleast not now.  Sometimes I might go for a month without writing. But I am always thinking and plotting. I tend to write by seeing the scene in my head, like a movie, and describing what I see. If I have a lot of scenes in my head, I write a lot. If my head’s blank, the words won’t come, no matter how long I sit in front of my laptop!

Ghostwriter

Ghost, I couldn't agree with you more.  Exact same deal with me.

I sorta write whenever i get time. I write it by hand first then copy to the computer.

I'm a lazy bastard, so I write not nearly enough.

David Goyer's view on this issue (point 1) is interesting, however.

Andrew

Quoted from Andrew I'm a lazy bastard, so I write not nearly enough. David Goyer's view on this issue (point 1) is interesting, however. Andrew

I think if you genuinely want to be a professional screenwriter, that's just a screenwriter, not say a writer/director or whatever...it's probable you have to be able to write every single day.

How can you be trusted enough to work for pay, under pressure if you can't get into thst routine?

You at least need to be able to complete an assignment within a given time. So if you have to finish something within two weeks, you need to be able to call on your muse enough times within that time period to get it done. If you are someone who only writes when the mod takes you, can you guarante that yo'll be able to manage?

If you direct your own stuff, it's probably a bit different as you just need to make sure you've got that one script you like, every now and again.

You also need to develop the ability to come up with ideas all the time, as many as 6 workable ideas a day (that figure is one that the head of writing at the BBc told me).

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films I think if you genuinely want to be a professional screenwriter, that's just a screenwriter, not say a writer/director or whatever...it's probable you have to be able to write every single day. How can you be trusted enough to work for pay, under pressure if you can't get into thst routine? You at least need to be able to complete an assignment within a given time. So if you have to finish something within two weeks, you need to be able to call on your muse enough times within that time period to get it done. If you are someone who only writes when the mod takes you, can you guarante that yo'll be able to manage? If you direct your own stuff, it's probably a bit different as you just need to make sure you've got that one script you like, every now and again. You also need to develop the ability to come up with ideas all the time, as many as 6 workable ideas a day (that figure is one that the head of writing at the BBc told me).

I agree that that work ethic is the minimum requirement for any screenwriter, working or not, to be successful.

For me, the bigger question it raises is whether or not that work ethic is innate when it comes to writing, or is something you can develop, which is what Goyer was loosely suggesting.

Andrew

Thanks Andrew for the David Goyer's view you post..... I think this is an excellent tip:

''I found a place to work (i.e. “office”) that wasn’t in my home.''

The times that i cant work are the times spend surfing internet ,watch tv or girlfriend time. If i had a place especially for writing and nothing else i feel my problem will end.... Now i need someone to pay my << office>> rent....