𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝙴𝚕𝚖𝚜

Painful AF Lesson 1 of 7. In 2005, I spent THREE YEARS rewriting a screenplay. And never cracked it. The film got made. It was... good. Not great. And here's what haunts me: if I sat down with those same elements today, I could write that script in three months. And it would be better in every way. Not because I'm more creative now. Because I have a system. Before that script, I'd been to NYU Film School. Done Bob McKee's workshop. (Mesmerizing, by the way.) But mesmerizing and useful are two different things. Blake Snyder's Save the Cat changed that for me. Step by step. A real process. That was a revolution. So I took what Blake built, went deeper, and pressure tested it in the Hollywood trenches for 20 years. That became my own 9-step system. One of my first coaching clients learned it, got a paid assignment. And on that script he felt so confident he decided to skip a step -- but it cost him months of extra revisions. He hasn't skipped a step since. Thing is, screenwriting is already figured out. So don't reinvent the wheel. Use the wheel. Then do your wheelies on that. More tomorrow. (One of my clients finds out Sunday if he won an Oscar. All week I'm sharing my own war wounds that led to my coaching an Oscar-nominated writer-director.)

* Tip for your rewrite (from the head reader of a screenplay contest) SERIOUSLY consider CUTTING your first 10 pages 😯 Truth is, this tip makes 85% of screenplays stronger #AnswerTheCall

* hey Screenwriter How often do you make a bold choice in your process that requires a deep gut check? "Has this gone too far?" "Will this piss people off?" "Will people cry?" Go there, my friend Again and again #AnswerTheCall

* Screenwriting books can be AWESOME BUT the glaring problem is - how do you know if you've learned anything from them? Get yourself an amazing feedback system to be sure you can apply what you've learned from the book #AnswerTheCall

* hey Screenwriter Watch this convo with Pamela Jaye Smith about how myths relate to YOUR life and your screenplays We explore Joseph Campbell, Chris Vogler and more... youtu.be/ttMWeBZ04SQ

* hello Screenwriter When you pick your next story, consider brainstorming 20+ possible ideas first And then pick the best of the best of the best Your chances of success will probably skyrocket #AnswerTheCall

* hey Screenwriter Are you in it for the art OR the money? Trick question! Because professionals get both Don't embrace that #StarvingArtist identity Be a #WealthyArtist

* hey Screenwriter got questions about the THEME? this conversation will help it's with Scott McConnell (The Story Guy) @ScriptEditing  who's a master on theme drive.google.com/file/d/1G0WSj3…

* hey screenwriter How often do you feel like the king or queen you were born to be? If it's less than "pretty much all the time" ...then which habits block you? Find out And choose new habits #AnswerTheCall

* The awful story goes... elephants were chained to a tree when young, and they associate the shackle with limited movement When older, if shackled, but NOT attached to the tree, they STILL limit their own range, out of habit But YOU have the power to break your shackles

* hey Screenwriter one of my favorite films to study when thinking about THEME is SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION we go deep into HOPE vs DESPAIR in the interview from @filmcourage  youtube.com/watch?v=FEtAQm…

* hey writer, What if you KNEW you couldn't fail with your next project? Which one would you write? (Answer with a GIF or emoji about the FEELING you have with this mindset, and then GO WRITE YOUR STORY!)

* The screenwriter's path careens up & down - which can be maddening. But if you love creating, find ways to endure. Because on a deeper level, the same challenges await for you in other fields anyway. So ride the rollercoaster of your dreams. #AnswerTheCall

* Heard of this film? No, you haven't Made it when I was 22. It's good for what it was (a scene has 1.1 million YouTube views) But nobody saw the film Yet, since then,  I've sold a bunch of scripts in Hollywood You can too I'll show you how BrooksElmsCoaching.com

* Time to retire the phrase "comfort zone." Because there's nothing comfortable about being stuck. It's really a "familiar zone." The change we desire comes when we Answer The Call and move into Act 2...the New World. So... hit the gas and GO!

* hey Screenwriter Bulletproof Screenwriting is 1 of the top 2 podcasts in the biz & nobody devotes himself to your education more than Alex @IndieFilmHustle  so it was a total honor to do his show & talk about becoming a pro writer youtube.com/watch?v=gkAbBm… @bpscreenplay

* hey Screenwriter As you write, you will face problems and feel doubt One way to keep you on track is to turn to a comparable story you LOVE How did THAT writer solve this problem? Then return to your script, apply the lesson in your own way, and stay on your path

* When connecting with adults - see their inner child When connecting with kids - see them six feet tall

* screenwriter... beware THE SWAMP OF CONFUSION You'll enter it in every script, and in every chapter of your career It's okay Don't freak out Just relax and keep moving through And keep your eyes open for a Swamp Boat #AnswerTheCall

* Why is this screenplay taking so long to write? There's a reason It's a deeper reason beneath your current awareness What if your pace is perfect? And when your pace grows swifter, that's perfect too Gently ask yourself how that could be...

* I coach screenwriters the same way I coach my sons in basketball - with a much greater purpose The paradox is that when you embrace the bigger picture, the little things come easy - like winning 3 championships in a row and crossing screenwriting career milestones