Or basically, what motivates you to write and write well? Do you read a lot of pro scripts, scripts on the SS boards (many of you write like pros!), or watch a lot of movies?

Personally, it's a combination of all of these. Currently writing a new feature and I find myself staying up late reading screenplays, stalking the SS boards -- hoping that keeping my mind in a screenwriting zone will somehow translate to the page.

My motivation method is reading novel and watching movie in the cinema.

I wish I could!

Talent is obviously essentially, but I think the big differentiator is work ethic, tenacity in the face of rejection and the uncontrollable variable of luck if someone is going to make a living out of it.

The elusive trio!

Luck just might be the biggest factor out of that trio.

And contacts, which can also fall under luck.

It's not easy. Procrastination is my middle name.  

The discipline of just sitting down and writing is not as easy as it seems. Routine is essential but it's easy for other commitments to sideline me.

I get inspired by reading great stuff, and watching movies of course.

Motivation is my enemy.

Joking aside, I'm not really sure what motivates me to write. The daily grind of a 9 to 5 job sucks, sure. But honestly, I'm just lazy. I enjoy writing screenplays. And if someone out there enjoys reading my stories, then that's all the motivation I need to continue writing.

Quoted from LC It's not easy. Procrastination is my middle name.   The discipline of just sitting down and writing is not as easy as it seems. Routine is essential but it's easy for other commitments to sideline me. I get inspired by reading great stuff, and watching movies of course.

Procrastination has always been my nemesis - in almost every facet of my life!

Definitely reading great scripts is way up on my list. How else am I gonna steal shit and pass it off as my own?

By watching you great people achieve things - makes me want it lol

My motivation - self fulfillment and seeing trash have been by two motivations.

I typed Fade Out on my first script on August 1, 2014 at age of 57 after spending 30 years as a government bureaucrat.  I wanted to be a writer since my early teens but a marriage at 20 and two kids by the time I was 25 meant I had to pay the bills - ergo, I didn't give writing a shot until after I retired.

I plunged through that first one and when done, just had an overwhelming since of fulfillment. Maybe like a wood worker after carving something or a Potter after they put the glaze on the first vase they crafted. I had something concrete I created all by myself and it just felt rewarding. That feeling keeps me going along with --

Seeing trash.

I'l bet that many of us got into this because we saw so many dreadful movies that we thought - fok, I can do better than that! i.e., the intimidation factor isn't there like it might be for other art forms - take singers for example. The vast majority of them can sing and you don't think - fok, I can do that.  Long winded way of saying I get more inspired to return to the keyboard when I see a crap movie then when I see a great one. Hope that makes sense.

Writing is my hobby, my escape from the norm and it is like the best meditation exercise for me. I watch a lot of movies and TV but that isn't to motivate myself, it's because I enjoy watching them. It's the same with writing, I enjoy it.

Now, the morivation I need isn't the writing but the sheer effort in trying to achieve something with the writing. I do find that hard. Entering comps, sending off query letters, networking - all that stuff is hard work, although the networking can sometimes spur my motivation onwards.

One day I want to quit my day job and switch to writing full time. Reminding me of that motivates me.

I pretend to be into writing so my mrs doesn't think I'm a total loser and that maybe one day I'll achieve something.

She's so gullible.

That's really funny, Max.

There's a script in there too... Get on it!

Quoted from Pleb I pretend to be into writing so my mrs doesn't think I'm a total loser and that maybe one day I'll achieve something. She's so gullible.

Lol

Won't keep smashing the board with links, but this seemed to serve as a nice little addendum to the motivation thread.

Perhaps you have a dream, but you're not trying.

Change it.