Oscar Winner Aaron Sorkin Talks Dynamic Tips for Writers During Virtual Montclair Film Festival

This week Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin spoke during a virtual presentation for Montclair Film Festival

Moderated by Stephen Colbert, the lively conversation focused on the phenomenal career of the filmmaker. While massive success has come his way it was a road to get there full of some ups and downs for the famous screenwriter.

“When I was in my 20s, I found I wanted to write. I found it literally kind of painful to start the process, because I had so much in my head, and so little of that got in my fingers….it almost felt physically painful to start and fail and start and fail, so I just wouldn’t do it,” said Sorkin during the event. “And then it wasn’t until sort of necessity drove me to do it that I broke through my own. I guess fear of it. Well, I know that pain really well and starting is the hardest part for me.”

He continued to speak on how writing is one of those things that you just have to just do — like Michelangelo working on ‘David’ — you just have to chip away to find the masterpiece. “You have to think of it before you can write it. Don’t sit down at the keyboard and say okay, characters takeover! Let me be the vessel through which you needed attention…You need to organize your thoughts, and you need to know what the first scene is going to be. You don’t need to know what the last scene is going to be, but you do need to know what the first thing is for you right now.”