With one click
Export a perfectly formatted traditional script.
Many years ago, I lived in Los Angeles and worked in post-production on episodic television and independent features. On the side, I was taking screenwriting classes at UCLA Extension, Writer’s Bootcamp, and other schools around town. I must be honest with you; this wasn’t the best situation to be in if you genuinely want to write. Post-production isn’t a job; it’s a lifestyle. It’s a job that can easily become seven days a week, 12 hours a day for weeks if not months.
There was little time to write, so there was little time to improve. When I was in between jobs, I’d try to write as much as possible. One of my instructors came to me and said, “Your writing lacks emotion.” (OUCH!!!) It hurt, and it still makes me wince every time I think about it, but he suggested I see the personal writing coach he worked with years ago.
What are Morning Pages?
I met with my writing coach, and the first thing she had me do was journal every morning when I woke up. These were called Morning Pages, and I still do them to this day.
Morning Pages is based on a technique developed by Julia Cameron in her book The Artist’s Way. It’s an exercise in which you hand-write in a journal for three pages every day when you first wake up.
During these three pages (I made my goal to write for twenty minutes, which would stretch out to five to six pages depending on the journal's size), your writing is a stream of consciousness running from your mind directly onto the page. It’s important that this writing is handwritten with a pen instead of typed on a keyboard. Many believe that a connection is lost when typing.
When writing these pages, don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or even if what you’re putting on the paper makes sense. The words on the pages could be “blah, blah, blah” or the letters “jkjlkljlllkjj.” If that’s what’s coming out of your mind at that moment, then that’s what you put on paper.
The first sentence my coach would have me write when I started my Morning Pages was, “Right now, I feel...” From there, I’d write what was on my mind or how I felt. In all honesty, most of my Morning Pages are negative, cynical, and frustrated.
Something to remember about Morning Pages is that this isn’t work that will ever be published or read by another person. In fact, you should never read these pages after you’ve just written them. This is private writing.
Watch this quick video on how to complete Morning Pages.
The Discipline of Morning Pages: Same Place, Same Time
I’m a big believer that discipline is more important than talent. If you have discipline and work on something daily for several years, it can develop talent, but talent without discipline will never get anything completed.
It’s important to try to write your Morning Pages at the same time every day. If you wake up at 6:00 AM, then it’s important to write from 6:01 AM to 6:21 AM. If you need to wake up at 5:30 AM to be done by 6:00 AM, then set your alarm clock earlier.
It’s also important to write in the same place every day. If you have an office with a desk, write from that desk every day.
If you can, put the journal on the desk the night before so it’s waiting for you. Maybe even open it to a blank page and leave a pen on it so you’re ready to sit down and start writing immediately when you approach the desk in the morning.
If you want to add a ritual feeling to your Morning Pages, have certain activities like a cup of coffee, listening to the same song or doing yoga right before you start writing. This way, it tells your mind what you’re getting during those daily warm-up activities.
Accessories to Morning Pages
Due to the stream-of-consciousness nature of this process, ideas and memories are floating in and out of my head as I’m writing. It’s not uncommon to remember that I must call the doctor to schedule an appointment or get a car repaired while I’m writing Morning Pages. I’ll have another notebook beside my journal to write down reminders like, “Call a mechanic to look at an oil leak” or “Follow-up appointment after lab results.”
I also set a timer on my desk for 20 minutes, and sometimes, I have my laptop ready if I want to go directly into other kinds of writing when I complete my Morning Pages.
Look at Morning Pages as a warm-up and script writing as the actual workout. This is designed to prepare your muscles, not the actual workout. It’s like a musician warming up with scales before practice or a painter doing quick sketches before focusing on the big canvas.