Screenwriting : Simple Expert Question!! by Harold Ferré

only 1 hour for me, bcoz my world is always on 24/7 lol

Great question, Harold!

Yeah, it definitely happens. Most writers hit that wall. For me, it’s usually a few days to a week, depending on whether I’m just drained or something in the story isn’t clicking.

What really helps is grounding and breathing—just taking a moment to reset, get out of your head, and come back with fresh perspective. Maybe coloring!

And honestly, it’s less about constant inspiration and more about consistency over time.

I believe that we all hit a road block at times, for me I just walk away until the urge hits me.

For me, since I moved to various avenues of screenwriting instead of traditional narrative prose, the problem hasn't been inspiration. I'm not always writing, of course, but I tend to have a strong sense of when an idea is percolating, continuing the brainstorm, and not yet ready for a one-pager or scene yet.

I wouldn't call it a lack of inspiration, no, but sometimes I just get stuck with a story, as if I just have had enough. And this requires a temporary break. It can take a day or two, my longest was actually 2 years after I'd written myself in a burn-out after putting way too much pressure on myself.

Now I am usually working on up to three stories at once. So, if I am stuck with one, I turn to the other and continue there.

If I feel completely empty (feels better than to say 'lacking inspiration'), I grab a novel and just read, forcing the brain to create images and connections. OR I talk to other writers and help them with their stories. I think it's helpful to get input from the outside.

And motivation is a whole different topic. There are days where I lack confidence in my own skills and just hate everything and question everything. And that's actually quite normal. Get out of your head, do yoga, meditate, take a walk, do laundry, whatever presses the stop button. And then try again.

Oh for sure! It's important to take breaks. After I finish a script, my brain is typically pretty drained and I'll take a couple weeks off from writing to let it reload and not think about anything creatively for a beat!

Definitely! I write sometimes for hours (mostly editing and re-editing) and I hit a wall where I can't do it anymore so I set the laptop aside and occupy my mind with something else. I usually take about a day or two before I pick up the laptop again and start again. Works for me and I'm sure everyone has their own way of dealing with it.

I feel like that a lot. Recently, I haven't been creative at all. For me, it's not always a definite time range. It varies, sometimes maybe 2 weeks or (rare occasions) 2 months. It's very common to a lot of creatives: whether you're a songwriter, a novelist or screenwriter.

What I do to regain my momentum is step outside my creative world: no scripts, no rewrite, no drafts. Just exist. Hang out with friends and family, watch a movie. Listen to my favorite songs.

Depends on how my mood is.

I have had expereanced the lack of inspiration, then I read some newspapers and got inspired!

I think if you are writing all the time & submitting, but not receiving any feedback that’s positive or not meeting real industry professionals that can actually move your ideas forward, that would make anyone hit the brakes for a while.

It's a very relevant question Harold Ferré ! The reality is whatever you are doing has to have some kind of return on your investment. And I'm not talking about money. Although, money is nice and I really like money! But mostly it is your time that counts. If you aren't getting payback for something you are doing, then you aren't doing the right thing. If you want to write, if you need to write, and it thrills you, that is the payoff! If it makes some coin, that is the bonus.

I took a four-year break from writing. I had ideas, but no will to write. I was going through some personal trauma. Life was hard. When I made it through, I wrote a script about it. Part of the healing process. But my will to write also returned. I'm seven scripts into my creative renaissance and not slowing down. Breaks are necessary sometimes.