That Story living rent free in your head...

I have been thinking about my screenplay for several years. First i thought I would write my story as a tv-series, 6 episodes to begin with, and if it turned out to be a success, maybe several seasons would be developed. Thinking back and forth, discussing with friends and industry professionals I decided to try to write a feature film screenplay instead. And so time went by...

As long as my ideas was safely preserved in my head, the story was flawless: brilliant, emotionally complex, and oh, did I mention sexy? LOL!  My film had a radiant future mapped out- with potential and whispered promises of film festival laurels, hello Cannes! 

But the thought of actually writing the first draft to the page-felt like agreeing to go on a terrifyingly awkward first date. What if he showed up and wasn't as charming as I'd imagined? What if I discovered he had a fatal flaw in his second act? The moment I typed "FADE IN," I would have to confront the messy, flawed, and deeply human reality of the work. The first draft would never be as perfect as the imaginary boyfriend.

So, I kept my story in my mind, safe from the possibility of becoming a glorious and messy belly flop onto the page.

Does this sound familiar?

The movie playing on continuous loop inside your head, that opening shot takes your breath away. That dialogue crackles. In the private theatre inside your brain, the crowd is standing and applauding your work. And then you fire up the laptop, and that smug, blinking cursor of that empty page seems to say: "Alright, hotshot. Let's see what you're working with."

And… poof. It's all gone. The brain that was bubbling with ideas a second ago is suddenly completely clean. Your confidence, which was all confident a minute ago, takes its stuff and leaves town without leaving a note.

If that's you, well, welcome aboard. You're in the right place, at least. This feeling's not a fraud; it's the secret password to the writer's club.

When Your Idea Seem Larger Than You

But at the root of this creative paralysis, we're not a lack of ideas; it's the fear of not doing our own brilliant idea justice. We keep our stories safe in our heads, where they can remain perfect and untested, rather than risk failing them in the real world.

How do we break up with our imaginary boyfriend and start having a real relationship with our script?

We let go of perfect. We give ourselves permission to take the sucky first date. We give ourselves permission to belly flop. The first draft has one job: to exist. It need not be pretty. Only written. The goal is not the perfect swan dive. Only to get in the water.

Let’s try it. We aren’t writing your scary, important screenplay, we’re just going to do a fun little exercise with a story you already know by heart.

Your Mission Should You Decide to Accept It: Writing the Synopsis of Your Life

A synopsis is the one-paragraph backbone of any story. It's the formula that takes a big idea and gives it shape. Grab a pen, or your computer, and without giving your inner critic time to object, write the story of one of your own life experiences using these five plot points:

1. THE PROTAGONIST: A character (that's you!) is living their perfectly normal life until…

2. THE INCITING INCIDENT: …something happens that throws a wrench in the works and sends them down a new path…

3. THE GOAL: …now, this character wants to achieve a clear, tangible goal…

4. THE OBSTACLE: …but a formidable obstacle (internal or external) stands in their way…

5. THE STAKES: …and they must overcome this, because if they fail, [what’s the consequence?].

For example, if I were to present the synopsis for my actual screenplay it would go something like this:

"Ingrid, an admired UN leader living a seemingly perfect life in New York, sees her world come crashing down when she discovers that her charismatic husband has a secret family and has emptied their bank accounts. Humiliated and broke, she's forced to flee home to her brother in a small fishing village on Senja, where survival means taking up a job at a fish factory and being reluctantly dragged into the tragicomic world of Tinder. Among all the chaos, she initiates an ice-bathing club for the local women and discovers an inner strength and self-respect she never knew existed. But then, just as she's finding her feet, her charming, regretful ex-husband reappears with the offer of getting her old life back. Now she must decide between the false security he represents and the fragile, authentic future she's just begun to carve out and make choices that will determine whether she remains a victim of her past or takes control of her own story."

See? It's just a story. And you can be the hero of your own - you decide :)

When you can find the structure in your own life, finding it in your screenplay feels a hundred times more achievable. You've just built the first plank on the bridge from your head to the page.

And if you’re ready to stop dating your imaginary screenplay and finally make a real commitment, learn more about how the Aurora Retreat can give your story the focused, inspiring kickstart it deserves.

PS: I will be participating in Aurora Storytelling Retreat myself to continue working and developing my screenplay together with the other participants. Hope to see you there too, lets discuss, laugh, (cry if we have to), and spend a week focusing on our stories!