To Be a Good Writer You Gotta Do Good Things
Some genuine thoughts on writing movies.
I do wonder if I have merit speaking about screenwriting; I am no Wilder, Sorkin, Tarantino, or Schrader. I’m just a dude who enjoys the process, to me the writing part of making a film is the most intimate and the most creative.
I did do some maths though: you know that idea that you need to spend over 10,000 hours doing something to be really good at it? Well I started screenwriting in 2017 - about 2000 days have passed since then to now, and I would say since then I’ve written around 2 hours on average a day. A lot of days I won’t write at all, but when I’m working actively on a script (or during Covid because there was nothing else to do!), I write sometimes for over 6 hours, so I think it adds up; I’m barely at the 10K mark I think, but I’m definitely close.
Does all this make me a good writer? Who knows, it’s such a subjective field, and I might be good, or for my age I might be great, or I might be neither, no one can tell me for sure, but I definitely know I’ve gotten better. 100% objective truth, I’m a better screenwriter now than I was in 2017. I would share some of those first things I wrote (that at the time I thought were masterpieces), but the embarrassment might ruin me.
Anyway. I think there are basically three core things that you can do to improve your writing, at least these are things that have worked for me, so these are my five cents as someone who’s spent almost 10K hours screenwriting.
Of course, number one is writing every day. I’ve spoken in detail about this before, and here’s that newsletter, but this is very important and key. It’s also easier than you think, and 100% in your control, so go for it!
Number two - watching movies. I never understand people in the business who won’t watch any films - how can you keep track of what’s going on? There are so many incredible writers out there working right now, so many awesome directors, and you need to watch what they are doing for inspiration and guidance. A lot of actors read these newsletters, so I gotta say, the same goes for acting - I know so many actors who watch no movies or shows at all, which makes no sense! Acting is an art form, but you’re also trying to work in a specific industry, so you need to know what’s going on in that industry. And also, you need to watch great acting to be great at acting, just as you need to read great scripts to be a great screenwriter. And yes, do read the scripts, don’t only watch the movies, but definitely do watch the movies too.
Number three - what even is this newsletter about, Mickey? - doing stuff.
I know a lot of people who write. I find that a lot of the ones who struggle writing - the ones who rewrite for years and can never get it quite right - struggle finding inspiration.
To be a good writer you need to live life. You need to go out there and do stuff! How are you going to write about people if you don’t know people, or about places if you haven’t been places, or make scenes unique without having lived unique things! Of course you don’t need to do everything you write; I’m not even saying you need to go out there and live some crazy life worthy of an autobiography, I’m just saying - you need to do stuff! Have fun, meet people, love people, go on adventures, explore yourself, try new hobbies, change your life, visit places, indulge in yourself, keep being curious!
Sometimes, I’ll need to squeeze out an idea for a script - it just is the way it is - and sometimes those ideas work, but often they do feel forced. Those other ideas that just come from whoever knows where - the ideas that just POP! in your mind because something has inspired you - those are the best. That, to me, is magic. Where does that come from, that scene idea, or that film idea, how did it just come in my brain?! I don’t know exactly, but I think: the more stuff I do, the more ideas POP! randomly. I think it’s natural - the more things you go through, the more your brain has to think about, and the more inspiration for art you have.
I need to make clear, I am not trying to make it seem that I’m living some insane wild life full of 24/7 craziness, I’m no Steve-O, or that my experiences are greater or more valid than anybody else’s because that is not the case at all. I just actively try to do new things and live a life that I consider fulfilling and exciting. It doesn’t always work, I have down days like everyone else, and this newsletter is advice for myself as much as it is for you. But I’m trying my best, like I know everyone else is, too. And I’m not seeking constant adventure - there’s beauty, magic, and inspiration in the little things, but sometimes, you also need to work for the little things.
I have a friend back home who always says yes to things. He’s almost like a real life Yes Man, but in the good sense of the word. He’s always down for an adventure, always looking to meet new people, experience new things, try new hobbies, and look within. It’s not really his thing, but I’ve told him many times, I think he would make a fantastic screenwriter.