I was thinking about that today. In my case my scripts tend to resonate with a social question that I care about, although I don't usually plan that: it's very intuitive (but my background as sociologist helps). I realized that because I'm having trouble in the current pilot script I'm writing, since it tackles a social issue that it's quite hot in the US, but personally I don't have a strong opinion about it. I also tend to be very influenced by Gaston Bachelard's philosophy of poetry, particularly his thoughts about the projection of elemental imagery. For example: I wrote two screenplays of what I want to be a trilogy infused with aquatic imagery. Finally, and that's a more recent trend in my writing, I've been trying to subtly associate my last scripts to classics of literature. One of them has elements of Dante's Inferno, another Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, etcetera.

[…] Yes, …read more […]

I tend to do some research before I start to write, saving web pages and images I like to my computer. Whenever I'm stuck I look at the project's research file. And I have also discovered that going for a walk helps me. It's hard to describe how or why it works but sometimes inspiration just... arrives. Online: I have used the "Random article" feature on Wikipedia, then I think how could it be related to the project. Sometimes it helps. I also have used http://tvtropes.org/ for things like finding out which clichés to avoid.

Usually when I'm still outlining and planning, I'll look for existing movies with similar plots/genre. Once I hit a wall in the writing process, I'll shut off the computer and watch one of those movies. For some reason, it helps get the juices flowing again when I imagine someone else having problems writing a similar script, until presto - their script got produced so I could watch the DVD right now. When all else fails, going to http://www.stumbleupon.com and stumbling through pages (filtered into story-related interests) seems to help.

Nature, music, art, sport, movies and books inspire me. Many quotes inspire me, one of them being: “I have spent many days stringing and unstringing my instrument while the song I came to sing remains unsung.” (By Tagore)

I often ask myself "what would I want to see? What am I not getting from everyone else?" and most importantly, "wouldn't it be nuts if this happened?" I take notes when I watch movies for the first time, and more often than not, that's the phrase that starts many long, rambling lines of ideas, brainstorming, wild theorizing, or whole exchanges of dialogue. And if I have a crazy idea, I'll run with it, I'll leave a movie on pause for 15-20 minutes while I do that. I love doing that.

This is a beautiful video that I find motivates me anytime I hit a mental block: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BppqSwvuLRA

As a writer, I'm just naturally observant. So I'm always fascinated and curious about what I see around me. But lately, my inspiration comes from going inward. I always find great ideas when I confront my fears. "What am I afraid of?" is where I tend to start. Several years ago, I had a professor at NYU say "we should write about what scares us." I've always found that to be a catalyst for my best work.

Thanks, everyone, for your reflections and information. As writers, we spend so much time putting creative energy OUT into the world, it's important for us to have something coming INTO our 'souls' to nourish that creativity. Here's something I subscribe to: The Writer's Almanac. Daily email with a poem and interesting bits about writers.

To paraphrase Mr. Mencken... - There are always a pair of headphones (Focal). - There is always music (iTunes and vinyl). - There is always a way down into the collective unconscious via Carlos, Eric, B.B. and ZZ...Wynton, YoYo and Paddy Moloney...Dylan, Lightfoot and Browne...Billy, Ella and Etta...Nelson, Sinatra and Robeson...Mozart, Bruckner and Bach...Joni, Janis and Jimmy...Franklin, Shaula and Scott...