Ideas for Breaking through Writer's Block
By Linda Seger
A phone conversation with Linda Seger on the subject of Writer's Block ~~
'What happens with a lot of people is that they stay within their safety zone, always doing things where they're safe and secure. So I say go and do something where you don't feel safe or secure and see how you feel. See what you learn. So if you've never been to a Country & Western bar, go. Or take a flying lesson. Or take the train down to San Diego to see what it feels like to be on the train, who you see, what kind of people they are. You're learning how to be a sponge, to get more material, but you're also learning to be bold, to be constantly with your antennae out.
Also, you're learning feelings. In so many scripts I read, nobody feels anything. No one reacts to what is going on around them. If a person is not reacting, either she's emotionally dead, or you, as a writer, have not been putting yourself into situations that are forcing an emotional reaction from yourself.
Push your boundaries. Keep a journal and write about what you feel. What will happen is that you'll find your writing has become very lively because it's very immediate and connected to the present, your gut and your heart.'
Meet the Author: Linda Seger
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Dr. Linda Seger created and defined the job of script consultant when she began her business in 1981, based on a method for analyzing scripts she developed for her dissertation project. Since then, she has consulted on over 2000 scripts, including over 40 produced feature films and about 35 produced television projects. Her clients have included TriStar Pictures, Ray Bradbury, William Kelley, Linda Lavin, Suzanne de Passe, Tony Bill, as well as production companies and writers from six continents. Dr. Seger is an internationally known speaker in the area of screenwriting, having taught and lectured in over 30 countries on 6 continents. She pres... |