S.T.A.S.I.S

Contrary to popular belief, a screenwriter’s worst enemy is not preposterous or outlandish notes from the studio nor an indifferent agent. It is not the unreasonable deadline nor the dreaded blue screen on the computer that forces you to realize that you forgot to backup the rare, brilliant forty pages that poured out of you like manna from heaven.

The screenwriter’s worst enemy is solitaire, plain and simple.

Drugs: if you are so inclined, you have to go out to get them. The alternative to that is to have someone whom you would rather not have around, come to your house and deliver them if you want a re-supply. Likewise, all of the above for alcohol.

Food (which is my drug of choice)? You have to go out or have someone slightly more tolerable than the drug dealer deliver it. Better yet, cook it yourself. Food is not the screenwriter’s enemy if he or she knows moderation and exercise. Plus most of us think better on a full stomach, so food isn’t that much of a distraction.

But solitaire? Don’t listen to that siren’s song. So sweet...so warm...you are in a Zen-like state...red over black and you are not coming back. Spills over when you win and you want to do it again. Click, click, clickety-click, and you are heading for the procrastination rocks.

That’s why I’m starting “Screenwriters Together Against Solitaire Interrupting Screenplays” or “S.T.A.S.I.S.” You can join me by taking that solitaire icon off your desktop, your taskbar, your “start” taskbar, or by deleting it entirely if you can (don’t blame or email me if it crashes the computer). You too can help defeat procrastination in our lifetime.