For the last couple of years, I've been writing almost every day. Although it is torturous at times, I adore the process.
I've heard some ex-smokers say that when they quit, they really miss the ritual of it more than the hit. I get that. There's something about a ritual. A routine. That's one of the things I love most about screenwriting.
I love taking over my corner of the coffee shop. I love ordering an iced-americano in a glass. I love putting in my earphones and blasting a film score that suits the mood. I love getting lost in my stories and watching (not noticing, really) the hours fly by.
The only issue is, I suck. This craft is hard, man. I've been writing short films for years (most of which I will be taking to my grave), utterly fleeing from the commitment of a feature, because well, I told myself I'm not ready yet.
Well, buckle up, self. You've been called out. By yourself. Me.
I've spent the last few months dreaming up a story and as I began to flesh it out, I realized this isn't a short. It's a feature. Don't be scared. Write the feature.
So, I'm writing the feature.
6 months later update:
I found this post in my drafts...Guess what: I wrote the feature.
It's a coming of age horror about escapism. Kind of. Ish.
The story follows a young girl, River, whose family has recently taken on a sprawling apple farm in the south. They think it'll be a fresh-start for everyone after River witnessed a traumatic event at school, but it turns out to be a total nightmare -- No like literally a nightmare.
It's not great, but I'm proud of the hours that went into it! Maybe one day I'll post it and we can all share a laugh.
All I can say is if you're working on a feature and thinking about quitting...you're finally getting somewhere. Keep going. The resolution is right around the corner. Or really far around the corner, but...you get the point.
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