The Home of Steven Barnes
Author, Teacher, Screenwriter


Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Finished the script



Over the last three months, I've sacrificed much of my other work to concentrate on my script, and yesterday I sent it off. Whatever remains to be done, and whatever happens next, I have learned new and deeper things about the process of writing, and I'll treasure the experience.

I win.

No matter what happens. And this ties into that equation I've spoken of before:

(Clear goals) X (Faith) X (Constant Action) X (Attitude of Gratitude) = Optimal performance and results.

Now...nothing can GUARANTEE your success in the external world. Anyone who promises that is just lying. But having spent my entire life studying the science of personal achievement, I can say honestly that these four aspects are a perfectly elegant and effective checklist.

1) Clear Goals. I knew I wanted to write the best script I could, channeling current frustrations into the process. It was to be as honest and entertaining as I could make it, but also speak to a truth underlying the "facts" of the situation. And it was to hold all the love I could pour into it.

2) Faith. I had to believe that I could do it. The question of whether someone else would appreciate it, buy it, or produce it was totally separate. In an odd way, I didn't care. This was pretty pure art. And I believed that if I gave it everything I had, I could create something that would make me proud. As the process continued, and I made contact with a gentleman who could actually make it happen, I had to have faith that he would interact with me honestly and fairly.

3) Constant Action. Every day, I worked on it one way or another. Flying cross-country? Carry a stack of 3x5 cards bound with a rubber band. Work on scene selections. Carry a paper printout and re-read and edit. Carry it on my iPad and read a PDF at odd moments. Think about it before I go to sleep. I got my "Diamond Hour" every day. Every single day.

4) Attitude of Gratitude. I realized that i could NOT do my best work and carry my pain with me. But wanted to use the pain to motivate me. So I had to strive to resolve the duality of pain and pleasure, hope and regret into a single energy flow. Pure sensation. Pure sense of "I am alive, and life is sensation and awareness. Some of that is called 'pain'. I embrace the entire experience. Thank you, God, for giving me another opportunity to find out who I am."

It is returning individual colors of the spectrum to the prism of perception to harvest pure white light. THAT is the energy that will raise me to the best I can be.

Will the script be purchased? Produced? Successful? I cannot effect any of that, very much. But I can, and did, do the best I could. And learned hugely from the process. And will take that learning into whatever project is next.

And am grateful for my life.

And wow...just maybe...

4 comments:

Pulchritudinous said...

Steve, You are truly amazing. I don't expect anything more from what what you are currently writing, simply because it is already perfection, what more could i ask for. Your ideas flow unbelievable easily and you made me understand and accept so much since i have started reading and then following your posts. I can feel the authenticity through you writing and all i can suggest is keep it up : you are truly inspiring and so incredibly motivating. - Much love , Sylvia.

Steven Barnes said...

Why, thank you Pulchritudinous! What a delightful name.

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