Was thinking, why does it just have to be about what we do badly.

So, I don’t think anyone ever stops to give themselves a pat on the back, so here goes.

I definitely wouldn’t consider myself to be the best writer around. I do believe I'm very competent though.

I think my greatest strength is being about to write scripts that people want to make and can make. For a while I just thought it was luck, but I think the numbers are starting to speak for themselves.

I’ve only ever written 20 shorts in my very short time on SS, less than 2 years at this point. From those 20, 8 have been filmed and 5 are still under active options.

I'm very thankful to the SS community and Don for making that possible.

Why don't you write a feature, Warren? Or do you have them?

I have written two and I'm about 10-20 pages away from finishing my third one.

Are they here, on the site?

The first thing I ever wrote was a feature, it's on here. It's really bad and I guess it was more a learning experience. I have polished it as much as I ever plan to. The second one I haven't put on SS but it is on my website with my first feature. I'm quite happy with it but it's not the most original story. James and Brandon from SS have both read it and given me some feedback.

Quoted from Warren Was thinking, why does it just have to be about what we do badly.

It's tough to crow about ones self in an area subjective as writing.  What some love, others hate. But I'll participate.

For me: dialogue is my greatest strength.

I think my greatest strength is action lines/descriptions. I've worked on them for a long while now. I used to be super descriptive to the point where it would leave little-to-no room for the director to hop in and give his or her own spin on things. I've learned that less is more and to only describe what is necessary to the story, and leave the nitty-gritty details to whomever wants to film it.

Quoted from eldave1 For me: dialogue is my greatest strength.

Teach me your ways, Master.

Quoted from Warren Was thinking, why does it just have to be about what we do badly.

Much as I agree with the idea of this post, there is an answer (mostly) to your question: you don't actually learn anything from focusing on what you're good at.

As for the thread's question: plotting, creating a story. I can't put characters or dialogue inside of it, but I'll get you a damn story. Lol.

Quoted from Zombie Sean I used to be super descriptive to the point where it would leave little-to-no room for the director to hop in and give his or her own spin on things.

Have you ever had a feature filmed, Sean? Take my advice: put every bit of detail into the script that you want to be in the finished product. If you don't, I guarantee you that it won't be put in the film.

This is a really tough one. That is why I really value feedback on this site, while others pay hundreds of dollars/ pounds on script coverage.
I like to think that I write interesting unusual stories. I've learnt this past year that I really enjoy writing these unusual stories, and would love to do that for a living rather than a boring 9 to 5.

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Have you ever had a feature filmed, Sean? Take my advice: put every bit of detail into the script that you want to be in the finished product. If you don't, I guarantee you that it won't be put in the film.

I have not! But I will take this as word of advice. Now, how much detail is TOO much detail?

Quoted from Zombie Sean I have not! But I will take this as word of advice. Now, how much detail is TOO much detail?

Depends on how much they like the story.

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Much as I agree with the idea of this post, there is an answer (mostly) to your question: you don't actually learn anything from focusing on what you're good at.

- I appreciate that this is a common held opinion, much like how negative criticism of your work is valued far more than positive criticism but I'm not so sure. I think you can learn a lot from identifying what you are good at and playing to those strengths. The same way you improve your weak areas by identifying them.

Quoted from Colkurtz8 I think you can learn a lot from identifying what you are good at and playing to those strengths. Just like how you can improve your weak areas by identifying them.

It's true that playing to your strengths is a good thing, overall, but if that's all you ever do, it can be your downfall. For example: overall, I love Tarantino. However, he is somebody who has focused solely (and even doubled down on) his strengths and not tried to improve his weaknesses. As such, his newer stuff has grown stale (and, at times, become downright unwatchable) and if you go back and look at his old stuff, it's not not aging well, in my opinion. Much as I love a good portion of his films, the only one that I believe is actually aging well is Kill Bill Vol. 2, and it's aging very well.