8 Screenwriting and Life Tips

When a girl is in need, Screenwriting Tips will do FINE for inspiration.

1. Change perspective, literally.

In film, it's about switching camera angle and shit.  Here, it means, shut up, get out of your own head and think about what other people are thinking about.  Exercise your empathy muscles.  (But if you are one of those weak girls who spend ALL of your time doing that anyway, then STOP.  It's okay for a few minutes a day.  DON'T let other people run your life.  Or what you think of them.  Or what you think they are thinking about you.  Going back to the exercise, you'll pretty soon figure out that they are thinking about themselves.  And maybe freaking out about what they think that YOU are thinking about them.

Got it?

2. Don't wait for perfection.

Something about deal with the take you've got.  

Make this your mantra: "Perfection is the enemy of Good" (originally that was "The Great is the enemy of the Good", or something) So just realize that getting through life is good enough.  There is no such thing as perfection.  Plus, pic your fucking battles.  Drive so you don't get into accidents.  Eat so you don't die of a heart attack.  Work so you don't get fired.  And don't worry about it.

3. Just do it, even if you doubt that you can.

Just do it. And SHUT UP!  Boys don't go through the whole insecurity thing.  Don't punish yourself!

4. Listen to your characters.

Okay, this one could be about the characters in your head, right?  Not like "weird voices" characters.  But like the best versions of yourself.  Like the "Strong Sexy Ex-Girlfriend" for when you bump into your ex-boyfriend.  Or "SuperBusinessWoman" for that job interview.  Listen to what those characters would say, let them take over sometimes.  It's not like you are Sybil or anything.

5. Stop making excuses.

See #3.  Shut up.  (Okay wait.  Maybe take a look at what your excuses are and see if any are legit.  Fix what you can.  Then shut up and do it anyway. This might contradict any advice about following your gut, which we here believe in no matter what.  Except for that time we fell HARD for that married guy and had an instinct that we were together in a past life.  That was bullshit.  But if you have an excuse like, "Oh, I'm too tired today" or "I don't have the right shoes" then stop whining.)

6. Don't care what others think.

Back to #1.  Empathy, but not too much. Like when people start getting all judgey on you, then you can ignore them.  (Unless they are giving you really good advice and you are just being contradictory.  Like when you were 8 and your parents were trying to get you to go to Hebrew school).

7. Start out with powerful images.

Every time you go to a new venue where you can meet new people make sure you are wearing something FABULOUS.  Like the stuff your gay boys tell you that you should always wear.  I know that it's hard to dress up EVERYTIME you leave the apartment, and if you could at least change from your jammies to one nice, simple street dress and maybe earrings, you'd be fine.  But for EVENTS, go whole hog!

8. Keep it simple.

Simple.  Right.  Simple is easier for everything.  Outfits (simple outfits make it easier to make sure you have everything when you leave the guy's house), lies (always do simple embroidery on the truth, makes it easier to remember!) And if you find yourself dating someone who's too complicated . . . like when they won't let you call them at home, or they have an email "situation" and they tell you they don't have a cell phone.  

From http://www.indiewire.com/article/8-writing-tips-from-screenwriting-masters