WHEN Are You Writing?

One of my favorite screenwriters is Simon Kinberg. Love that guy. I can't stand to sit through Jumper or a XXX movie (the Vin Diesel ones or the ones hidden in your closet in shoeboxes; I fast forward). I liked Mr. & Mrs. Smith, liked his versions of X-men Last Stand & Sherlock Holmes. But Simon Kinberg the Writer? Love him (and the faults of those movies aren't necessarily the writer's).

What I love most about Mr. Kinberg is his process. Simon writes. Every day. Is he obsessive? Borderline, but he has to be, and so do we. Disciplined? Very. He has definite "office hours", and we should too. Do you have certain times carved out for you to write on a daily or weekly basis? If you don't, you're cheating yourself.

I'm well aware of how busy life gets and how unexpected things crop up (not to mention the expected stuff). I have a wife, a 4 year old, 2 dogs and a day job. I'm also in the process of moving into a new home which is a major fixer upper and will require more of my scant time. But at least 5 nights a week from 9 until 1/2 a.m., I'm writing. Plus any extra moments I can take advantage of. I take care of any other "computer business" - this blog, emails, web surfing, screenwriting/career research, etc. - at other points during my day so when that "writing time" comes, I can just focus on my projects.

I have a writer friend who has a high-powered day job and a family. But 5 days a week this guy wakes up at 4:30a.m., works out and showers, hits the computer by 6 and writes until 9. Then he goes to work, comes home to the family and squeezes two more hours in every night before bed. That's 25+ hours of solid screenwriting work this guy gets done every week. Yeah, he's tired. But he's also a working writer, living the "dream" and loving what he does. Where there's a will, there's a way. Do some research, you'll find every successful writer has definite hours for "butt in seat" time.

A screenwriting career is one of two things: a hobby, or a profession. There is no in between. If you structure your time and act like a professional (see A Major Difference Between Professionals and Amateurs), you are treating your "dream" like a reality. You're giving yourself the best possible shot you can.
But if the only time you write is "here and there, whenever I can", you're not giving your "dream" the respect and attention it deserves. You're treating your career aspirations as a hobby. Work that way, you'll never get anywhere, you'll just be one of the countless other "wannabies" and "dreamers".

Simon Kinberg knows this. My writer friend knows this. I do too. You?

Creative Screenwriting Magazine did a very insightful audio interview with Simon here about his work habits and process. I highly recommend it, as well as the hundred or so other interviews on there (I've listened to almost all of them).