ANDRE BEGIN

When I first decided to try my hand at writing a movie screenplay, the first idea that came to mind was a holiday-themed romantic comedy.

Despite having years’ worth of writing notes sitting on the back burner, the story idea I could most easily work with was one that I experienced, that I hadn’t seen play out on the screen yet and that I felt many people could relate to.

With that story so close at hand, I thought what a great way to dip my toe into the genre. Of course, this wasn’t a documentary by any stretch of the imagination, but I could definitely pull some threads from my personal experience and weave them into a light, upbeat story with new characters, situations and settings.

As a new screenwriter, I wondered to myself if it was better to wait until it was the holidays to be surrounded by the traditional feast for the senses to help me get in the mood to write. Fortunately, I didn’t dwell on the question for too long because once I had decided to write the story, I was bursting with motivation and inspiration to get rolling.

At the time, I hadn’t yet discovered the benefits of outlining my story first, but I did scribble ideas over a timeline, which plays an important role in the story. I also started doodling the details about the main characters and their family members who might be along for the journey.

Once I had established that connection with my characters, it was like they were talking to me through that little writer’s voice inside of me, telling me more about their backstory and where they were headed in the storyline. The dialogue came quite easily after that.

Even in the absence of the sight of delicate falling snow out my window or the scent of fresh pine wafting through the house, I just wanted to seize the day and have those characters tell me what was happening.

As it turned out, I had completed the first draft of the story as well as a sequel before December. I discovered that I didn’t need to be in the weeks leading up to Christmas to be able to infuse the essence of that special time of year into a story.

After a lifetime of Christmases, I had enough memories and experience to make the story come to life with all of its trimmings.

That being the case, to me, the outcome was pretty clear. When I have a strong concept, well-defined characters, and the inspiration to carry it off, I don’t think it really matters the time of year I might decide to write a seasonal story.

To me, as a screenwriter, it doesn’t seem to matter what’s happening in real life. It’s about what is happening in the imaginary world where my characters and I are collaborating, to be effective in telling a heartwarming holiday story that can also evoke a feast for the senses.

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Sincere thanks for reading!
Have a great day,
André