What are some practical steps to move from ideation to action?

Writer’s block. Blank page syndrome. Burnout. Creative standstill.

Call it what you will, but every person who has embarked on the journey to take an idea from inception to creation understands what this hurdle feels like. These struggles have existed for millennia, and we are continuously trying to make sense of where they come from and how to solve them.

Each one of us strives for that chimerical vision of flow state, perhaps imaging ourselves holed up in a log cabin somewhere sipping coffee or bourbon next to a fire and furiously typing away as a brilliant concept takes shape on the empty pages in front of our very eyes.

And yet, for many of us, our reality couldn’t be more different. We wrestle with our words, we numb out or distract ourselves, and we overthink our idea until it sputters out before it’s even began. Or, perhaps you fantasize and build your idea up to be so grand in your mind that the process of expression seems impossibly difficult or derogatory.

In one of our recent (+ogether) director cohorts, one director asked:

Per usual, the other directors in the group offered wry grins and nods of understanding as they listened. This seems to be a universal experience, and one that always finds resonance. These directors challenged themselves to dig into their own experiences, and really distill the steps that yield results.

See what sticks

One of our directors shared that she always makes a habit of getting an idea down onto paper as soon as possible. From there, she translates that idea into a clear and concise logline.

A logline uses 30 words or less to identify the protagonist, the inciting incident, the protagonist’s goal, and the compelling central conflict.

While simplifying an idea can be challenging, it’s always going to be a powerful exercise to distill the central components of a story and help you discern their strength and clarity.

After she’s landed on a good logline, this director will begin sharing the idea around with friends, collaborators, and trusted voices. She says that sooner you get your idea into this stage, the less time you waste chasing an idea that doesn’t work or resonate with any one else.

To offer a word of caution, another director advised to be careful about when and who you share an early idea with. It’s also important to understand how you, as an individual, best receive thoughts and feedback from others. If you’re not careful, you may share your idea with someone who shuts it down prematurely or confuses you with their feedback.

Get somebody else involved

According to a few of our directors, it’s often extremely helpful to involve a co-collaborator early on in the process. They reference that having another person’s interest on the line puts a healthy amount of emotional pressure and motivation to work towards progress. For example, you may have a DP you have been dying to work with and they ask you to write a script for them. Or, perhaps you share an idea with an actor you see in the role, and they are excited about it and want to make it.

One of our directors even shared that they will not sit down to fully flesh out a script until they have another collaborator committed to the project.

Focus on the first draft

Many directors expressed that the hardest part of writing is always the first draft. Oftentimes, we face a temptation to self-edit as we go. While this may work for some, this generally results in a crawling cadence, continuously interrupted with changes that then lead to more changes and on and on. The approach that seemed to resonate as helpful with our directors was instead to focus on fully writing through a comprehensive first draft before beginning the editing process. From there, editing becomes a more enjoyable and accomplishable task.

Make it a date

Set aside focused blocks of time on your calendar to dedicate explicitly to one task, such as writing. Make a date with yourself, and stick to it. Our directors found that setting aside a specific time to work or write on a project helped them follow through, even in an evolving schedule.

It can also be helpful, a director shared, to make it a habit to continuously observe your own habits and tendencies, and learn to set yourself up for ease of success. For example, one of our directors shared that he refuses to schedule calls until the afternoon, as he has learned that if he allows his focused time in the morning to be interrupted, he has a very hard time getting it back. These ideas can become somewhat of a cliche, but their worth is truly found in practicing them.

Join (or plan!) a writer’s retreat

A (+ogether) director shared a story about his experience attending a simple writing retreat with a few friends. They set aside a few days and rented a small house to really focus on committing full attention towards writing first drafts of their respective scripts. While it wasn’t anything extraordinary, the act of going away to a new environment with other people who are all committed to a common goal proved to be extremely effective and enjoyable.

Utilize deadlines with a committed group of people

Here is the time for a shameless (+ogether) Cohort plug! Seriously though, the director who asked this question ultimately shared that because of his experience in one of our cohorts, he has finally been able to move forward into a writing and action stage in one of his ideas for the first time in years.

He has found that having that dose of healthy expectation and pressure from a committed group of people has created a level of conviction and excitement to follow through on his goals and desires that he had found lacking for some time.

Additionally, he noted that there has been a greater sense of encouragement, excitement, and security in having consistent time spent with other directors who can empathize and understand the experiences of his journey and process.