I Need Some Inspiration! 25 Quotes to Keep You Motivated.

Hi All,

2020 continues to be beyond strange and unprecedented.

If you’re the type of writer who thrives in a crisis - fantastic! Keep going! But, if the events of this year have railroaded your creativity and drive - you might need a little inspiration to get you back on track.

Sometimes when I just can’t focus, or feel like ‘what’s the point,’ a bit of solid advice from someone I admire gets me going.

Here are 25 quotes about screenwriting from writers and filmmakers, for when you need an extra boost of motivation:

1. “Stop finding the ways that you can’t do something and find all the ways that you can and just go for it.” - Issa Rae

2. “You have to believe that you might be good at what you do, even though everyone else is telling you that you’re not.” - Phoebe Waller-Bridge 

3. “One of the big things you have to learn is who to listen to and when; and you can’t listen to everybody.” - Amy Holden Jones

4. “Don't get it right. Get it written.” - Art Arthur 

5. "Start writing, no matter what. The water doesn't flow until the faucet is turned on.” - Louis L’Amour

6. “…that’s my advice with dealing with writers block. Follow the fun. If you aren’t having fun, you are doing it wrong.” - Jordan Peele

7. “Rewriting is a lot easier than writing, because you have a problem to solve.” - Aaron Sorkin

8. "Screenwriting is like ironing. You move forward a little bit and go back and smooth things out.” - Paul Thomas Anderson

9. "A professional writer is an amateur who didn't give up.” - Richard Bach

10. Don’t write what they want, they don’t know what they want, just make it GOOD.” - Nora Ephron

11. “Being a good writer is 3% talent, 97% not being distracted by the internet.”  - Unknown

12.  "Don't give up. You're going to get kicked in the teeth. A lot. Learn to take a hit, then pick yourself up off the floor. Resilience is the true key to success.” - Melissa Rosenberg

13. “Just write, and write, and write and try and stay in the present as much as possible. Don’t try and impress anybody, or find one friend that you love and care about and write it for that person to make that person laugh and make that person cry. Write like you’re not afraid. That’s the thing I keep telling myself and I have to remind myself every time I sit down to the computer to do it. And then the sort of naughty writing hand comes out and that’s when it all starts cooking.” - Phoebe Waller Bridge

14. “Interesting things happening to interesting people is basically the only rule of screenwriting.” - Brian Duffield

15. "The best way to get an agent? Write a good script. If your first one isn't good enough, make it better. If it still isn't good enough, write a new one. Once you write a good script, the rest will work itself out.” -John Swetnam

16. “I force myself to sit down, write and hope it doesn’t turn out shitty. If it turns out shitty, I change it.” - Will Beall

17. “I’m not romantic at all about the creative process. I feel like a plow horse — just one foot in front of the other.” - Caroline Thompson

18. “I rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. I know in advance that my so-called first draft will be my tenth draft.” - Carol Foreman

19. “There’s so much creativity in brokeness. Brokeness will have you making it work.” - Issa Rae

20. “That’s something I always ask myself: ‘Is this a movie that I would go to see?’” - Charlie Kaufman

21. “If I could say anything, it’s keep going. Don’t go back and fix that scene, that dialogue. Just write the next word.” - Anna Hamilton Phelan

22.” When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.  - Stephen King

23. “If you’re doing it to tell stories that need to be told, you can get yourself through the bad moments.” - Naomi Foner

24.  “Writing is the best gig in the whole business, as far as I’m concerned. You just sit down and make shit up.” - Robert Mark Kamen

25. ”Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” - John Steinbeck

What famous quotes inspire you? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!