December 07th, 2020

By Amelie Tsoungui

Does anyone else get super nervous when it is time to put all your work onto that Final Draft document? C’mon I know I’m not alone. See I’ve been having a hard time trying to put my body into starting this feature film idea that I have but I’m nervous. Nervous to write? Yes, that’s a thing. You know what’s crazy, it’s that I have already written two feature films, two. So why is this 3rd one so hard to write? Motivation, at least that’s what I think.

Something that always stumps my creativity is motivation. If I have none then I cannot get work done. I’m the type of person who does not need to be motivated to write at all, but I think that quarantine has changed that for me. Being home all the time is something that I never thought would happen a senior year, but it did, so I have been doing a lot regarding school and work and my writing. But overall, I am coming around to that especially after watching a bunch of movies that inspired my movies.

I am a neat freak in life. I like to spread that to my writing because it helps me evenly lay out my story, at least my first draft. I like to develop a lot, there is nothing more satisfying than having a plan for what you’re going to write. I’ve searched the internet to listen to all these famous screenwriters talk about their writing process but in the end, it made me feel like I was doing something wrong. Not that what they were saying is wrong but it’s just like I felt obligated to try to write like them. The motivation was not there but I did learn a great deal from some of the best writers.

A piece of my outline for my script While in Tennessee, my first ever feature film !

where do you begin?

My experience with writing a feature is always one that I enjoy. The first draft is the hardest because for the first time you are putting words down on paper ad what if it doesn’t match up to what you’re expecting? It is ok, it’s always going to be hard to navigate yourself through a story but that is the best part about it, it’s your journey.

How you lead yourself is how you will finish no matter how you write. The motivation should come from within and focus on getting your characters to the finish line. Just remember it’s you writing it, but it is their story.

So, don’t feel bad if you need to take some extra time for yourself before you start a writing journey because when you do, you’re going to have to give it 100%. Taking your time when writing is vital. Some of the best moments come to us when we are taking our time to carefully plan something and sometimes that’s not the case. Either way however and whenever you write, be confident because you’ve brought your story that far and it’s time to take it to the next step.

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