Writing Prompt Challenge Accepted #14

Posted in Posts, Writing Prompt by Rachael C Marek

So I finally decided to write something other than fanfiction. Yay me.

For those of you new to my site, I (try to) post Writing Prompts each week in the hopes that they will inspire you, in some form or another. Maybe the image will be relevant to your work, or maybe it will trigger something, or maybe you’ve been suffering from writer’s block and just need to write anything else. Visit me each Wednesday, or take a look at my Pinterest page for more – there’s loads more.

I write flash fiction pieces. No planning, not a lot of editing, just whatever comes to mind in less than 200 words, generally, although not this week. Here are a few I wrote last night, each influenced by other pieces I’m working on.

BarelyTouching Inhibited

It had been made clear, fraternization was frowned upon, but we had been drawn to one another just the same. He was wise, beyond his years, and he was gentle, and he had the best intentions. His eyes were boundless pools of kindness, and his smile was hesitant, but sweet. I was being groomed to lead. I was almost always at the forefront of all of the major events, and I was the one to make the big decisions. I was being hardened to do what had to be done, and I was afraid that what he once found good in me might one day be lost.

The day had been overly long, and we stood together seeking solace, reflecting in silence. With no one around to take notice, we took advantage of the opportunity we had been given. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his hand draw near, ever so subtly his pinky finger reaching out. I slowly reached out to find the comfort I so desperately needed, and allowed my eyes to find his for the first time in days. My heart stopped in that moment, my cheeks warmed, and my body swayed, longing for more than either of us could give…at present.

ReadingByCandlelight Honor

Arranged marriages rarely allowed any room for sentimentality, but on the rare occasion, true love could be found. They had been fortunate, although upon their first meeting, neither would have believed it possible. He had had this smug look upon his face, and the arrogance in his overall presence had left something to be desired. She had been a right snob, barely dignifying his presence with a response. It was most fortunate in their case that those first impressions did not represent who they truly were.

When the king asked her husband to lead his troops into battle, the honor of such a request had not failed to instill in their family a deep sense of pride, and fear. They were less than a year into their new life, and he had been away for nearly six months. It had been weeks since she had received any word from the front, and when she heard the knock upon the door late that night, the cold fingers of dread wound their way around her heart and held tight.

She found herself short of breath as her shaking hand reached out to receive the letter. She involuntarily shivered as she began to read the words not in her husband’s hand. She took a long, steadying breath, straightened her back, and offered the messenger a warm meal. She was a Lady, after all.

TheDayWeLeftEarth A Letter

C –

Do you remember the day we left Earth? Some days it’s all I can think about. That was the day I lost you. I could never have guessed that a simple trip to look at the stars would have led us to this – where we now live among them. Our sky is so dark in comparison, and the stars’ light is often times so faint. Right now I’m staring out a window and I see colors beyond imagining. I am in awe of it all, and it is all I have ever wanted to see, and yet all I want to do is scream at them in the hopes that you will hear me, somewhere out there.

I’m coming for you. I don’t know how yet, but I am. I’ve found myself on a ship with…well, aliens who are currently discussing what to do with me. They found something in my head, a chip, and I am at their mercy. Oh, how I wish you were here.

You are so strong, so much more than I am, which reassures me that you’ll be all right. So just stay that way. If this crew chooses not to help, I’ll figure something out. I’ll find myself a pilot or barter for passage. All I have to do is find a cantina and a handsome rogue with the heart of gold, right?! Oh, gods…we’re so frakked! Sorry. I’ll figure something out. There has to be some sort of human embassy out here, don’t you think? There has to be someone who is willing to help a lost human or two?

Their voices are drawing near. I should go, for now, but I’ll write to you again soon – I have so much to tell you!

Be safe.

– S

Don’t forget to share your work if you’ve been inspired! Happy Writing!

6Nov2015

10 Films That Surprised Me In the Last 10 Years

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

After my post about the unfortunate Crimson Peak, I started thinking about the movies I have seen and loved. They had to be out there, right?! I’m kidding, of course. I can easily list a number of films I’ve seen in the last few years that I thought were brilliantly done.

Oddly enough, in my email the following day there was a message from StumbleUpon, a site I haven’t visited in quite a while, about The 30 Best Films of the Decade (this list discusses films from 2000-2009). I decided to utilize this list as a spring board to create my own “10 best in the last 10”.

This was a difficult task. There really have been some wonderful films in the last 10 years, a great many of them that I still have yet to see are on a virtual running list, so this list is about the films that truly surprised me and left a lasting impression from a variety of genres; those I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first saw them.

In order of their release date, I present to you the following:

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) – I adore this animated film. The characters make their full length feature debut in this wonderful tale about a man and his dog trying to save the annual giant vegetable competition from a destructive beast with a taste for veg. The thing I discovered about Wallace and Gromit, and why I love it, is the subtle humor and the dark side of their stories. Almost more for adults because of the humor, kids can definitely still enjoy the movie because they won’t understand half the jokes anyway, just like Pixar films. This one takes multiple viewings to catch all the little nuances and cleverly placed verbal and visual cues, and then you’ll find yourself like The Sis and I, quoting it fairly regularly in your daily life.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) – The Sis had not seen this film prior to Halloween, but after watching Crimson Peak, and being disappointed, I encouraged her to watch this beautiful, moving, and surprising adult fairytale by Guillermo del Toro. This import was nominated for dozens and dozens of awards, and one viewing will give you the insight as to why. Set in the 40s during a rebellion against the fascist government in Spain, a young girl with a wonderful imagination takes a journey to discover who she really is. I like to mix reality and fantasy in my own writing and I think that’s why this film struck me – it does exactly that, perfectly.

V for Vendetta (2006) – I knew nothing of this film upon seeing it, and I’m not sure who introduced me to it, but I enjoyed every minute of it. I like the idea of alternate universes, and the idea of “what if” in regards to history. England is in a police state following Germany’s win in WWII, and V, voiced by Hugo Weaving, is considered a terrorist for his actions that would lead the people to freedom from their government. Along his journey he saves a young woman (Natalie Portman) and discovers an ally to his cause. One of my favorite aspects of this film is that we never see V’s face. He wears the Guy Fawkes mask the entire time, and although you think that would lead the audience to disconnect, it’s more symbolic that he could be any of us.

Lars and the Real Girl (2007) – I turned this film on out of curiosity and discovered a truly moving film. Ryan Gosling plays Lars, a man who is sort of detached. He doesn’t like to be touched, and desperate to find a connection, orders himself a girlfriend – a full size doll. Despite his family’s protest, that he’s crazy, a doctor encourages them and the whole town to embrace his delusion, and his girlfriend becomes an active member of society. It sounds strange, but it’s a wonderful story about family and how easy it is to write someone off rather than try to help them. As adults it’s easy to become self-involved, we constantly worry what others might think, and sometimes we want the easy way out of a situation, but this film shows us otherwise.

Let the Right One In (2008) – I had already read the book by John Ajvide Lindqvist before seeing the film, a rarity, so I knew the story going in, but the film still surprised me. This Swedish film about the bond of friendship is an interesting take on the vampire genre. Oskar is a shy boy, bullied at school, who befriends his new, odd neighbor, Eli. Oskar comes off as a bit of a goof, but he’s a 12 year old boy, so, you know, it’s expected, and Eli is wary of him, but also intrigued. Eli is compelling to watch, and going against Hollywood standards of “beauty”, there is something so interesting about her. The story builds like a romance, so much so that sometimes you forget you’re watching, what is technically, a horror movie. An American remake was filmed within 2 years and it wasn’t nearly as memorable. Give the original a watch.

Tropic Thunder (2008) – You may find this a surprising add to the list, but I think it’s an underrated comedy about the Hollywood system. Ben Stiller directed the film, and there are a few versions available strangely, but despite not loving all of Stiller’s films, this one is hilarious. I’m not kidding. Stiller plays the typical action star who has had a string of flops, including a turn in a serious role as a man with a mental disorder who has been cast as the lead of a Vietnam War epic based on a novel. His costars are Jack Black, a crude comedy actor, Robert Downey Jr., a multiple Academy Award winning actor who really gets into his roles, and Brandon T. Jackson, a rapper who wants to break into acting. They end up having to become actual soldiers as the location where they’re shooting is an actual war zone. There are homages to other war films, the jokes are funny to those who know about Hollywood, and the casting choices, I thought, were spot on. One of my favorite parts of the film is the fake trailers at the beginning of the film.

District 9 (2009) – As you know, I like sci-fi. I’m currently writing a space odyssey. So believe me when I say, this movie completely took me by surprise. This is not an invasion film like so many other alien movies, it’s about what happens when they seek refuge. They become second class citizens, relegated to internment camps, where their well-being is not a concern, but learning more about their technology is. They are not cute, friendly looking aliens, they are hard, bug-like creatures which makes empathizing with them an even greater challenge, and one director Blomkamp achieves. This story could be looked at as a metaphor, but let’s keep it simple. This story takes place through the eyes of a government worker who contracts an illness upon visiting one of the districts, and learns first hand how cruel and brutal the humans are and have been to their refugees. There have been rumors of a sequel for years, and after watching this film, you’ll definitely want one.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – This is the first of two Wes Anderson films on my list. I didn’t plan it, I swear. The Fantastic Mr. Fox is based on the book by Roald Dahl, one of my favorite writers, and is the perfect story for Anderson’s signature style. Using stop motion animation, this is the story of Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) who is doing his best to fight his true nature for the sake of his family. Eventually he can’t fight it any longer, and his stealing starts a war with three local farmers. First off, the film is beautiful. Then there’s that subtle humor and dark side again that I so enjoy. You don’t have to have children to watch this or Wallace and Gromit, and you don’t have to be embarrassed that you liked them, just remember that animated films can be smart and fun.

Inglorious Basterds (2009) – By far, my absolute favorite Tarantino film, and one of my favorite movies in long time. Following that same “what if” idea that I like, Tarantino proposes a fantasy about ending WWII by killing Hitler and his closest advisors. This film introduced us to a wonderful villain, and the actor who played him, Christoph Waltz, that I think scared more people with his cool demeanor, and random bursts of excitement, than any horror movie villain. I tried to stay away from the big-budget Hollywood movies for this list, and as I think Tarantino is still more of an independent director, I think I can get away by adding this one. His signature brutality is still prevalent (and how could it not be in a war movie?!), as is his penchant for killing off everyone, but you still leave the film satisfied.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) – I appreciate Wes Anderson’s sense of humor, but that wasn’t always the case. It had taken a few years of cultivating my own dry sense of humor to appreciate his work more fully. Sometimes his stories take a strange turn, but that was not the case here, and that is why I was so pleased with Grand Budapest. As The Sis is a big fan of Ralph Fiennes, we were going to see this movie regardless, but what we discovered was a beautiful film with a wonderful, surprising story – it is no wonder why this is considered his best work. Keeping in line with his signature style and set in the 30s, a grand (pink) hotel serves as the backdrop for a mystery involving Fiennes’ character, Gustave H., the hotel’s concierge, who provides his clients world class service. Along with his protégé, Zero, the lobby boy, they embark on a unique adventure. This film garnered Anderson a slew of nominations, including best film, and it is because of his quirky characters and interesting story that you will understand why.

So there you have it. When I first started putting together my list, I was at nearly 30 movies that I considered truly wonderful in the last 10 years, so as you can see, this was really taxing to decide on just 10 (and by no means is this list complete).

I’d love to hear from you. Do you agree with my list? What movies have you loved these past 10 years?

30Oct2015

The Dragon Age Obsession Saga Continues…Part 4

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

As I’ve now finished a second playthrough of Dragon Age: Inquisition, I felt it was time to wrap up this series of posts. Here are posts one, two, and three which are in regards to starting the game and importing a history, character creation, and dialogue and romance options with companions to bring you up to speed. I am unable to discuss any of the DLCs because after the first one was released, Bioware decided not to release any others on the XBox 360, so I haven’t purchased any of them.

The anger I have about the gaming industry’s ploys to wrangle more money out of their gamers is real. I was not ready to fork out $400 for a new gaming console, but if I want to know the rest of the story, that is exactly what I’ll have to do, and because you all know I’m passionate about this story, I’m going to do it…very, very soon. ARGH! As this post is not a rant on that, I’ll save that for fuel for another day.

This post is about the grand scale of the story of the world of Dragon Age. Inquisition is part three and a culmination of the events in the previous two games where story lines and characters come together.

In Origins, game one, your protagonist is from one of six “origin” stories (2 human story lines, 2 elf, and 2 dwarf) in which each avenue ends with you becoming a Grey Warden, an old order of warriors chosen to fight a specific evil known as darkspawn and their archdemon, an old god twisted by their tainted blood. They live underground and are rather hideous, similar to Tolkien’s orcs. The presence of an archdemon is a time referred to as a Blight and when the Grey Wardens are needed most, as they are the only real solution to ending a Blight. In this first game, there are a number of obstacles to overcome while you try to unite the country against the impending threat, and there is treachery around every corner as the Wardens are declared traitors after an initial battle against the darkspawn.

There are a number of characters who you meet in game one that will progress forward through each game, some of them taking on major roles in Inquisition. Same can be said of characters from game two. Fun fact: if you’re game one character is a human mage, you will be related to the protagonist in game two.

In game two, you are a human whose family has escaped the Blight and traveled across the sea in search of a safe haven. The entire game takes place in and around the city of Kirkwall. Although many people didn’t care for this game, especially in comparison to Origins – you could only play as a human, there was a lot of repetition in the floor plans, and the primary single location of the city as the backdrop – this is where game three is setup; the conflict between the mages and the Templars. Without giving too much away, one of your allies takes drastic action that incites a war between the mages, who are considered dangerous and are required to live in prison-like societies called Circles, and their captors/overseers, the Templars.

Fun fact: there is a Dragon Age 2 DLC that introduces you to a powerful darkspawn named Corypheus. It was Hawke’s father, a mage, and the Grey Wardens who imprisoned him.

Game three begins 10 years after the events of game one. Your protagonist is found as the sole survivor of a terrible, cataclysmic tragedy where a resolution to the Mage-Templar War was supposed to transpire. A conclave was called at the Temple of Sacred Ashes in Haven, a village you will have discovered in game one. With no memories of what happened and a strange mark upon your hand, you are considered responsible for a number of the current problems, including a giant hole in the sky; a Breach in the veil, the line between reality and the spirit world, is the source of a demon invasion. An old form of justice, an inquisition, is formed to solve the many problems that the world now faces.

Everything you’ve learned from the past two games will pay off as you make your way through Inquisition. The things you know about the Wardens are relevant. A relic you found in game two has resurfaced with a vengeance. You will see old, familiar faces (Hello, Flemeth) and meet interesting, new ones (Well, hellooo Solas). The world of Dragon Age is vast and all encompassing, and you will discover how well it’s constructed. I instantly became devoted to the series because it combined things I love such as fantasy, medieval times, old world orders, magic, dragons, romance, and adventure, and then went above and beyond to make it a fully fleshed out universe.

As I’ve tried to end each of these posts with some relevance to writing, you will find, if you choose to play, how key world building is and character development. It’s key to think multiple steps ahead, whether you’re writing a single story or a series. How do people know one another? This may reflect in how supposed strangers speak to one another upon meeting – there may be a history there. What is their religious affiliation? How do they feel about the history of their people? Their government? What consequences do their actions have later? This is a good one to consider, especially in a serial. Actions taken by a character may have unforeseen consequences that may be fun to explore later. Think of the domino effect.

Consider epic tales like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. I would count Dragon Age among them. There is so much more going on than the happenings of one person, and you get to live it first hand, well, vicariously through your character. Your decisions have bearing on the world around you and shape it. You become a leader in each game; you build loyalty and friendships or enemies. You get to save the world, and maybe the boy too. 😉

Aren’t these a few of the reasons we write?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of posts as much as I’ve enjoyed talking about it. I could do so much more. I’m continuing my fanfiction shortly, so if you’re not inclined to play, you can follow along the journey of my Origin character as she tries to save the world and the boy. I will continue to post them here, as well as on Wattpad and Archive of Our Own (which I just realized needs to be updated).

Have a great weekend and Happy Writing!

16Oct2015

In Need of a Proverbial (or Actual) Kick in the Backside

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

This Discrepant Writer

Yesterday I started a blog post that was a little on the bitter side. Quick version: Bad job = poor wages = self-imposed restrictions = bored. After writing it, I thought on it for a while and decided to wait on publishing it. That was a good decision, I think. I don’t want to put that out into the world, and I know you don’t want to read it. As creatives, we have to keep hope alive, against insurmountable odds, and often times without the support of those who truly understand what our lives are like. When I was still living in Los Angeles, I had my writer’s group, but since moving back to Las Vegas, I have lost my writer friends, those who “know”. I miss them.

Work has got me down, and unfortunately, that’s affecting my creative life, which is usually where I escape. I’ve been skirting the start of the pilot, but I don’t know why. I have pages upon pages of notes and ideas, and now they just need to be organized and fluffed, but I’ve lost steam. Hence, the proverbial kick.

I read this quote today, something about people who are optimistic all the time are delusional. It made me giggle, because although I try to be as optimistic as I can, especially in this space, as writers we are constantly afflicted with a variety of emotional states and the stress of the balancing act of our multiple lives, so it’s okay to not be happy and perky all the time.

I know this attitude shift is mostly because I’m looking for a new job, again. There is also a teensy bit of regret that I have so few skills other than food and beverage service. I feel as if I’ve been perpetually looking for a job for the past 5 years. I’m ever so tired. I don’t have high expectations, I just want to make decent money to support The Sis while she finishes school, and I’d kind of like to look forward to it. That should not be asking too much.

I would love to hear from you, my friends. How do you survive the daily grind in order to maintain your creative life? How do you maintain your sanity?

Tips, tricks, and inspiration welcome!

Have a great weekend!

*So, this post isn’t that negative, right?

9Oct2015

Fun(ish) Fact Friday

Posted in Posts, Tips by Rachael C Marek

I discovered this wonderful infographic in my email and had to share with all my writer friends! Originally posted on Global English Editing’s blog The I Love Writing Blog, it offers 8 reasons why writers make great, excuse me, incredible friends. I suppose we could use some of these tidbits in the way of a personal résumé when trying to make new friends, or to help us feel better about all those random things we know, or how OCD we may be. 🙂

Do you agree? Are there other reasons missing?

Have a great weekend!

30Sep2015

A Little Shameless Self-Promotion

Posted in Posts, Tips, Websites by Rachael C Marek

AllAboutMeBunny Happy Wednesday!

I’m breaking from the norm because it’s technically my Saturday and I’m feeling a little lazy after a hard week, and because I received my final rejection from this year’s round of submissions, ((sigh)) so I’m moping, just a bit.

I was going to post a Writing Prompt, but nothing quite struck me today, so instead, I thought I’d do a little self-promotion and hopefully find new ways to connect with all of you and find interesting new sites, creative resources, etc. I’m also hoping it will make me seek more things out in order to be useful and resourceful myself.

The following is a list of social media sites and the like and how I currently use them. I’m open to suggestions on how to utilize them better or any others you would like to recommend.

I use Facebook as a means of sharing quotes (y’all know how I love me a quote) and any helpful writing tips, submission deadlines, or other writing related info I come across.

I started out using Twitter as a means of connecting with other screenwriters and people in the industry, but at the moment, I really use it to just geek out. I share Dragon Age and other gaming related topics of interest, Captain America, Doctor Who, Star Wars, etc. and the occasional screenwriting tidbit.

By now I’m sure you’re all aware of my Pinterest fixation. I currently have 34 boards (and counting) that include everything from writing to cosplay to castles to fandoms and so much more.

For screenwriters and industry people, Stage 32 is an organization for networking, promotion, and employment I’m a part of, although I haven’t utilized it to its fullest.

I recently joined Wattpad, but am unsure of how I want to utilize it so far. I was thinking about uploading my fanfic(s) and maybe my flash fiction pieces to get a little feedback…are any of you using this site? Do you have any tips? Do you like it?

I’m planning on updating my YouTube channel to offer more/better playlists you can write to, so stay tuned for that.

If you decide to connect with me on any of these, please send me a message that you’re a fellow blogger, and I’ll be sure to follow you as well!

Wishing you all the best in your endeavors!

22Sep2015

Developing Your Characters

Posted in Posts, Tips by Rachael C Marek

In Sunday’s post, I mentioned how I’ve been struggling to get to know the protagonist of my space odyssey pilot. I have nearly every other character worked out, backstories in place, and even a number of future episode ideas plotted, but this one character, the main character, still sort of eludes me.

I decided to find ways of getting to know my character better and found two useful tools. The first is a list of personality traits ranging from positive to negative from MIT. The second is a list of questions to answer that will help you create a fully fleshed out person, not just a character. I found two separate sources:

1) Gotham Writers has two lists.

2) Is a link to a page entitled, The 100 Most Important Things to Know About Your Character. This page incorporates many of the questions from Gotham and then added on.

I have found both tools rather useful. I went through each character and assigned them all a handful of positive, neutral, and negative traits each to encourage diversity and to better understand them individually. Not all characters are all good or bad (I’ve written a bit on this before. Click here.), and this helped me to learn more about them and how they might respond in a given situation.

The questionnaire is a bit more daunting, at 100+ questions, but even just looking over the list allowed me to take other facets of my character’s life into consideration. There are big things to consider, such as what were her biggest fears or her dreams before arriving in this new world? And there are trifling matters, such as did she secretly have a crush on someone? Will she be upset that she’ll never know how Game of Thrones ended? I know I would. Okay, I threw that one in just for giggles, but you can see my train of thought and how these questions will shape your character.

Novel writing and screenwriting vary in a great many aspects, but knowing your characters is not one of them. Although many of those personal aspects will not find themselves on the page of your screenplay or even on the screen, and some of those topics may never be visited within the pages of a novel, but as the writer, understanding your characters will help you determine their actions, their feelings, and their responses – and sometimes it’s with this understanding that they help us write the story. If we know how they will react to a certain situation, it makes the writing that much easier, because we are writing what is in their nature, and not trying to force a situation to work a specific way because it’s what we want.

I hope you find these tools useful, and if you have any other sources or tips, please share!

Happy Writing!

21Sep2015

Quote Monday-ish

Posted in Posts, Quotes by Rachael C Marek

I was scrolling through my quote board on Pinterest and came upon the following. Not exactly a quote, but as writers, it is something we should have prominently displayed, pretty much everywhere.

Have you ever been in the midst of a conversation and suddenly had an idea of how to fix a story problem? Did you overhear people talking and think, “I am so stealing that line!” Yeah, we all have. 🙂

Have a wonderful and productive week!

20Sep2015

Writing in Character (Even If They Aren’t Your Own)

Posted in Posts, Tips by Rachael C Marek

I’ve been struggling to get into the head of my protagonist for the pilot I’ve been working on. I have a few big decisions to make, but have yet to settle on anything definitive. As the story is about sisters who have been separated – set against a space odyssey backdrop – I had this idea to begin or end each episode with the elder writing letters to the younger. I thought of it as an exercise, in the hopes it might give me more perspective on these characters as a whole.

While I’m at work, I often find I have large blocks of time to make notes, write scenes, story ideas, etc. and it was my plan to utilize this time for this specific purpose, instead I have begun to write letters from Dragon Age characters to each other.

Yes, yes, I know.

I’m currently on my second play-through of Inquisition, so I suppose it was just a matter of time. I had this random idea of what some of the current characters might say to their old friends from the first game, specifically, the hero, who is referenced in each game, but has yet to make another appearance. A number of other characters make appearances throughout the series, a few becoming major characters in Inquisition (game three, and the most recent).

My first letter is from Leliana. In Inquisition she is one of your advisors, but she was previously a companion, and possible love interest, and her growth as a character has been noted throughout the series. Her letter is a companion piece to the fanfiction I’ve been writing, so the letter is addressed to the mage of that tale. The second letter I’ve been writing is from Cullen, a Templar who, although has had only small parts in the previous two games, has become an advisor and love interest in the current game. As my protagonist of the fanfiction knows Cullen from their time together early on in the first game, I developed a story in my head that they have remained friends all these years.

I’ve written quite a bit in just a few days, and although it’s not truly relevant to my own portfolio, it’s a fun exercise to get me out of my head, and it helps to break up the monotony at work. I may post them, I haven’t decided yet.

As writers we have dozens of characters roaming around in our heads at any given time, and sometimes it’s difficult to know them all intimately. We have to figure out techniques to bring all their traits and quirks to light. In regards to my pilot, I’ve discovered I know some of the characters I wasn’t even focused on entirely much better than I thought. As I’ve been concentrating on figuring out the protagonist, I found a couple of interesting sites and tips to help understand our characters better and will share those in the next few days.

In the mean time, if you are struggling with character development, try having them write a letter. They could write to an old friend, someone they admire, a teacher they’ve always meant to thank, or maybe a letter to their past/future self. Who knows what you’ll discover.

Good luck and happy writing!

4Sep2015

Fun(ish) Fact Friday

Posted in Posts, Tips by Rachael C Marek

Once again, upon clearing out my email, I discovered this wonderful series of infographics from Good in a Room entitled “Screenplay Writing Explained in 7 Infographics. I really need to be better about checking my email. This was an interesting look at the world of screenwriting as a whole and a bit eye opening. Take a look! There’s not only great information and tips, but some stats that show what one reader saw within 300 scripts.

And then there was this…

A couple of days ago while scrolling through Twitter, I found this article from Screencraft entitled “How to Survive the Screenwriter Grind“. I was left with a sort of “ugh” feeling. I don’t think that was its intended purpose.

*Disclaimer: I did not intend for Fun Fact Friday to be defeating in anyway. I just wanted to share what I read. Okay, with that being said…this is my train of thought.

In the first article and the first infographic, of those 300 scripts, it does not say how many are by first time writers. I think the first story we, as writers, put out in the world, should be one we are passionate about. I, personally, am not passionate about the horror genre. I’m not a fan in general. Horror was the most submitted genre – 49 scripts. I find this surprising, especially in light of Spielberg’s comments recently about superhero movies going the way of the western. I nearly roll my eyes every time I see yet another advert for a horror film/sequel.

Now, I did not see Ant-man, and that is in part because I don’t really care for the character of Hank Pym. Now his girlfriend, Jan, I do like, and she’s not even in the film. Then I discovered, it really wasn’t about them anyway, and we can’t get a Wonder Woman movie?! Yes, I am just like the rest of the geek girl squad calling out for a female driven superhero film. Lynda Carter already portrayed the Amazon goddess and she deserves a return to the big screen! Because seriously, did we need another Fantastic Four movie? Or a whole new series of Spiderman? ((sigh))

But I digress.

Screenwriting is a business. I understand this. All screenwriters understand this. And it is a tough business to get in and stay in. But what I learned is that until we make things happen, we need to live our lives. This is something that needs to be reiterated. We may have jobs we don’t really care for while waiting for the “big break”, but we don’t have to be unhappy in the interim.

I want to be a working screenwriter, so I’ve been taking jobs that maybe aren’t the best to allow me some extra free time to work on my writing, but, and this is a big BUT, I need to be satisfied in my daily life in order to write the kind of stories I want to tell. At the moment I’m going to a very unfulfilling job and finding escape in my writing. Now yes, I write fantasy and sci-fi so it’s easy to escape into those stories, but I’m not sure it should be a refuge from the outside world.

Finding balance, maybe that’s how I’ll survive the screenwriter grind.

What are your thoughts on surviving the writer’s life?