Triumph of the Unconscious?

Billie Mernit - author of 'Writing the Romantic Comedy' and blogger extraordinaire, also teaches screenwriting.


His blog today http://www.livingromcom.typepad.com/ is linked to a course he is running with guest of honour Nick Kazan -


'Perseverance was a theme in our discourse: working sometimes for years on a story to get it right, with the particular kind of stubborn will-power that's central to the modern storyteller's craft and career survival.

Simultaneously what struck me as a through-line in our conversation, surfacing in different contexts as we discussed how a story takes shape and develops on the page, was how much of the screenwriter's method is intuitive.
When he starts to write a scene, Nick favors literally closing his eyes and letting the images flow.

"Just watch what happens in the scene, don't try to force it," he said, "then write down what you see.

Then close your eyes again.

You're tickling the unconscious... If you let the movie happen, let the characters speak, then what you get is more visual and cinematic."

And we talked about how film operates like a dream.'



















I have heard romance authors speaking about how they work in a similar way.

Maybe it is something I should try for myself? Give the girls in the basement something to work on during the night? Could be...










What's playing on my YouTube right now? Guys from Roswell to Toxic. [Yes, I know, I have no time to watch TV shows like Roswell.]
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KqDFWKCeYHs&feature=PlayList&p=CB2A008B473B9A92&index=8