Embrace a Fresh Narrative: Allocate Time for Your Passions
Justin Hedges, affectionately known as "The 3 a.m. Screenwriter," has built a successful career in the film industry, all thanks to the influence of his mother, best friend Larry, and wife Laura. His love for reading and movies, instilled by his mother in his early years, led him to the world of screenwriting.
Hedges' writing journey began with an early morning routine, inspired by the works of Elmore Leonard, who shared his writing habits on the blog Screenwriting From Iowa. Initially, Hedges would rise at 3 a.m. every day to write, but he later adjusted his schedule to be more flexible, ensuring he could maintain a balance between his personal life and his writing.
Despite the changes, Hedges' writing routine remains consistent. He sets daily writing goals, such as a page count, word count, or number of hours writing, and finds opportunities throughout the day to meet these goals. For instance, he averages about thirty to forty minutes of writing during his one-hour commute to work.
Hedges emphasizes the importance of emulating the habits of successful writers to achieve success in writing. He advises aspiring writers to stop making excuses and just write, emphasizing that successful writers write every day, even if it's just fifteen minutes here and twenty minutes there.
Hedges' current projects are with his creative partner, Angelo Bell, and they are aiming to secure a "Yes" from major networks through pitch meetings. They are working on several spec television series and movie-of-the-week projects.
Hedges' writing philosophy is focused on making forward progress every day. He advises aspiring writers to start out simple, develop one good writing habit, and gradually increase the amount of time spent writing to find a balance between life and writing.
Despite his busy schedule, Hedges manages to maintain a commitment to his writing, even answering questions while in the car. His dedication and perseverance are a testament to his success as a screenwriter.
[1] Screenwriting From Iowa blog post by Elmore Leonard [2] Interview with Justin Hedges on The Writers' Panel [3] Article about Justin Hedges in Script Magazine [4] Podcast episode featuring Justin Hedges on The Script Lab [5] Biography of Justin Hedges on IMDb
- Justin Hedges cites Elmore Leonard's writing habits discussed on the Screenwriting From Iowa blog as an inspiration for his early morning writing routine.
- Alongside his creative partner, Angelo Bell, Hedges is working on multiple spec television series and movie-of-the-week projects, aiming to secure a "Yes" from major networks through pitch meetings.
- In his philosophy, Justin Hedges encourages aspiring writers to adopt the habits of successful writers, stressing the importance of daily writing, even for short periods, to achieve success.
- To maintain a balance between his writing and personal life, Justin Hedges adjusts his writing schedule, finding time to write during his daily commute, averaging about thirty to forty minutes of writing.
- As a screenwriter, Hedges has a dedicated lifestyle, even answering questions during his car rides, demonstrating his commitment and perseverance in his career.
