Category Archives: Posts

My 100th Post

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100I can’t believe it…100.  Have I really had so much to say?!

I didn’t have any expectations when I started this blog, because I really had no idea what I was doing.  The only thing I did know was I needed a plan of what I was going to talk about.  I’m a writer who always thought she should be a teacher, but I don’t want to be lumped into one of those “if you can’t do, teach” sort of people yet, because I am just starting out. 😉  So here we are.  I share what I learn along the journey into “the business”, share a little of myself and my passions, and hopefully am useful to those of you who have decided to follow my ramblings.

I get a thrill each time I see that little orange icon at the top of my screen informing me of a new follower, comment, or like, and I appreciate every single one!  So thank you to all of you who have decided to spend some time with me.

So, on that note, and since I’m finally back on track, I’ll share a little about how I’m moving forward.  Besides the rewrite (this should now require some sort of expletive attached to it), and the possibility of writing for a new animated series (if it gets picked up – keep your fingers crossed), I’ve been working on my portfolio (which is why that blasted rewrite has been plaguing me).  For my fellow screenwriters, this is an absolute must.  Screenwriting coach, Lee Jessup, listed the following as a well rounded portfolio:

  • 2-3 “ready” scripts
  • 1 TV pilot or web series
  • 5 fleshed out like-genre ideas
  • 2 outside your genre ideas

Here’s a more in depth post about this topic and branding if you’re interested.  I’ve been able to get all of this in order, except for a viable option for a television pilot.  I sort of had this vague notion of something I wanted to do about powerful women throughout history, but about a week ago I had an idea for a comedy, and then one for a sort of fantasy based drama.  That one still needs tweaking.  And then they both need writing, or some outlining, which I suck at, by the way.  So there’s that.  From there, I need to start attacking my list of potential agents and industry people.  That’s a whole new level of stress-inducing madness just waiting to be explored.  *For those of you who have taken part of this process, I’d love some advice or feedback.  Please and thank you.

As for the blog, since I decided to start sharing images for writing prompts, I’ve collected a stockpile of articles to share, and I’d like to branch out a little in what I post, I just don’t know what that means exactly yet.  So stay tuned.

I suppose that’s enough rambling for now.  I’m going to try out a new writer’s group tonight and see what comes of it, so wish me luck.

I wish you all the best everyone!  And thanks again!  Let the journey continue.

The Business of Rewriting

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EditingAs I embark on yet another rewrite, and hopefully the last, on my first screenplay, I’ve been reviewing all the notes I’ve taken on rewriting (from books, articles, webinars) and thought I’d share a few things that should be relevant for all writers.  We’ve all heard it, and I’ve said it a time or two here, that all writing is rewriting.

First off, there should be a distinction made between editing and rewriting.  Editing is working with that final draft to make it great (and ready).  Rewriting is improving each element within your story; characters, dialogue, scenes, using the right words for impact, etc.  According to Dictionary.com – Editing means:

1. to supervise or direct the preparation of (a newspaper, magazine, book, etc.)
2. to collect, prepare, and arrange materials for publication
3. to revise or correct

Whereas Rewriting means:

1. to write in a different form or manner
2. to write again

So we will first rewrite, then edit.  Unless you’re like me, who loves to edit while they write.  Don’t follow my lead.  The first draft should be all the things you hope your story will be.  You should write it from the heart, because the subsequent drafts will be from the head.  The first draft should be free of restrictions, over-thinking, and self-censorship.  You should be carefree and wide-eyed, because it might be the last time you feel that way for the rest of this story.

One of the first lessons I learned in regards to rewriting is to remember “your vision”.  Sometimes while writing our vision gets lost.  Rewriting is the time to get reacquainted with it.  Remember why you wanted to tell this story.  Look for holes, problems with story or structure, forgotten characters (I did this once.  I had a character in the first half of a screenplay who I forgot to use later.  Oh yea, they must have been really interesting.), and logic.  Logic is one of my favorite rewriting techniques, “What would really happen?”  Trying to force a situation to get our characters where we want may make it read false.  How our characters (and people in general) would really respond in any situation is a great way to judge if our story is reading true, and might actually solve some problems we’ve run into.

I primarily write screenplays, so I have a lot of rewriting tips specifically designed for screenwriting which I can share in another post.  I wanted to keep this one a little more broad and offer some sites with helpful tips.  Many I’ve referred to myself.  LitReactor is great.  If you haven’t discovered them yet, take a look.  Use the search bar for editing or rewriting tips and you’ll come across articles like, How To Break Up With Your First Draft, Writing Sentences With Impact, or 5 Steps to a Successful Digital Rewrite, in addition to a great many other articles.  The Write Life has articles about 25 Editing Tips, or Write Better Stories By Asking These Questions.  This may be part one in a series, because there is a lot of information out there.

So, if I find anything else, I’ll pass it along.  I hope you’re all having a great and productive week!

How To Survive The Writing Highs & Lows

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TypewriterFontWriterWriters are a misunderstood bunch.  To the outside world, one might think our lives are spent wistfully daydreaming the day away.  That we spend our time living in imaginary worlds, not staring blindly at a blinking cursor on a white screen for long stretches of time while we try to find the exact right words for every single word we want to put down, or the time spent learning and honing our craft, or the mental (and sometimes physical) obstacles we need to hurdle to finish a piece, in addition to all the other things we’ve learned we need to do in order to write professionally along the way.  Writing can sometimes be an exhausting pursuit.

After last week’s admission of current shortcomings, I discovered that I sometimes follow a pattern.  What’s nice about this “light bulb” moment is that I can now use it to my advantage.  Being aware of the non-productive periods can help me lessen them in the future.  All of life is a learning curve.  Sometimes we are made to repeat certain instances until we come to an understanding, learn the lesson, and stop repeating them.  I’ve written about the marathon-style sprints I’ve been on and I’ve written about the dry spells.  There is no more or less passion during either of these times, but there is an ease in which the flow occurs.  This is something that “other” people will not understand.

So, as I decided to stop the madness and get back to work, I had a bit of a serendipitous moment when I found this article entitled, How the Ups and Downs of Writing Can Improve Your Craft.  Again, from The Write Life (who are quickly becoming my go-to site).  The third bullet point in the lows is exactly where I’ve been – finding out what has brought me down and fixing it…the only way I know how – Get back to writing.  I’ve reassessed some of my goals and am making some imaginary deadlines to get me focused again.

I’m not sure where I read it, but I have it on my board, a mantra of sorts that I’ve had to get back into the habit of repeating:

Discipline, Focus, Positive Energy

It is one of my goals to remain positive.  It may sound strange, but I’ve seen a few things that suggest that positivity is a choice.  It’s easy to fall prey to depressing thoughts, or feelings of inadequacy, and I would prefer not to, not anymore.  This recent low has reminded me of that.  So I suppose there’s good in that.

I wish you all the best in your writing endeavors and lots of positive thoughts!

Good luck!

A Rambling, Ranty Journal Entry

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FlyingLettersFirst off, I’d like to thank all of you who have been supporting me along this journey.  All of your encouragement has really helped to boost morale and it is greatly appreciated.  The following ramble is really just a journal entry of a few things I need to get off my chest.  I’ve never been able to keep a journal, but when I started this blog, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t slack off as I had done so many times before.  I wanted to keep track of my progress, the highs and lows, and the things I’ve learned along the way.  So I hereby forewarn you (“Avert yer eyes” – in a Scottish brogue (from the film Brave)) of the following bump in my journey:

I think I’ve discovered the reason(s) behind my recent melancholy.  As a writer, mood swings are hardly unheard of, but sometimes they do happen because of “something”.  The last few days I’ve been trying to put my finger on what’s been causing it…I didn’t have to dig too deep, because I already knew, mostly.  1) I haven’t been writing.  Not really.  I know, I suck.  I was on a tear for a while there, and suddenly all the wind has gone from my sails.  There are multiple reasons/excuses going at the moment; motivation, money, lapses in creative judgement, reallocation of  priorities, what-have-you…

2) I have lost enormous chunks of time.  I’m not even sure how.  I haven’t even been gaming.  I’ve been at my desk, doing what I thought was “work”, and even though I know I haven’t opened up Final Draft in days (at a time), I’ve made notes on current ideas, come up with a few new ideas, I’ve been researching for the hopeful/potential writing job, but evidently there have been big gaps of non-production.  Insert question mark.

3) I was reminded of a deathbed regret.  While talking with some new friends, I was cornered into revealing some things I’ve buried, in particular a man I let slip through my fingers, Nicholas.  If you’ve read the excerpt about my story Fate(s) or this post, that’ll give you some insight.  I felt something I hadn’t ever before, or since.  I don’t like to admit that a man might solve some of my problems, I’m a bit of a feminist, but I suppose the “right” man might.  I like to say I’m a romantic on the page, but in truth, I’m one in real life too.  There’s a whole other story here, but it’s not for today.  I was just reminded of a loneliness I’ve been ignoring.  I think a good snuggle may be in order.

So there it is.  Maybe now that I’ve sort of voiced them aloud, I can move forward.  Or use the angst to the good of my writing.  It’s a day like today when I wish I were a poet.  Maybe I should give it a try.

Thanks for letting me vent, again.  (I’m not even going to share this one around.)

I wish you all the best!

A Little Writing Help

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TypewriterFontWriter

I’m feeling sort of negative today.  A few things have compounded leaving me a little sour.  So rather than give into those feelings or give them any power, I’ve decided to be helpful.  My blog is supposed to be about writing, romance, and fantasy, in addition to the journey of becoming an established writer, so maybe this week I’ll pursue some of those other avenues in the hopes that it will lighten my mood.  Maybe I’ve been too serious, too focused on one goal…maybe I should cut loose, at least a little. :\

I came across this interesting article that deciphers the various questions you might be asked in a creative meeting whether with film executives or publishers, such as “Why this character?”, “Why this story?”, “Why now?”.  If you’re struggling with a particular story, asking yourself some of these questions might help you resolve those issues, or might reiterate to yourself why you were inspired to write this story in the first place.  Also, within each question topic are further tips to explore.  I’ll give ’em a look, and pass on the details.  If you beat me to it, please share.

Then there’s The Write Life.  You may have noticed I reference them, occasionally.  I follow them on Facebook and find a lot of useful tips and offerings.  They recently posted an article about 20 Inspiring Pinterest Boards.  As you are all probably aware by now, I love Pinterest.  I’ve been doing the whole cork board thing for years, and really wish I would’ve come up with this idea.  (That would’ve been one way to supplement my lifestyle.)  I’m currently going through the boards suggested to see which would be helpful.  This idea alone has inspired me to search out more useful tips to share on my boards, so look for those new additions soon.

I hope you’re all having a productive week and I wish you all the best!

2 Writing Opportunities

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So I’ve come across two writing opportunities that I’d like to share:

1.  NBC is casting a net to find new comedy writers.  Here’s the link.

2. Disney ABC Creative Talent Development is looking for scenes for their talent showcase.  You can find more info on their Facebook page, and because I couldn’t find a proper link, here’s a screenshot of the details.

ABCshowcaseI’ll keep my eyes and ears open for any other opportunities!

Good luck!

A Screenwriter No-No

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I had to share this.  And just to forewarn you, it’s painful.  One of the first rules of etiquette in this industry (or any), don’t abuse your contacts.  This should almost go without saying.  I understand the excitement that goes along with finding someone who can help you with your career (I’ve talked about this before), but this is not how to go about it.  If this writer had done any research on how to network, how to maintain relationships, and how to take any amount of criticism, this may have been someone he could have contacted again in the future, but now he’ll be lucky if he’s not blackballed from the entire industry.  It’s a small world and people talk.  All I can say is wow.

Enjoy!

Why producers will not read your script – shocking case study from one exec.

Have a great week everyone!

A Little Screenwriting Help

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TypewriterFontWriterSometimes I have to question my sanity.  As writers, it’s something we probably do more often than we should.  I recently watched the documentary, “Tales from the Script”, which is available on Netflix, and I highly recommend it to any aspiring screenwriter.  Which is why I was again forced to reevaluate my sanity.  There was one comment that has stuck with me, it was something to the effect that “if you can do anything else, do it”.  That’s when it was reiterated to me that I can’t.  I love screenwriting.  It’s my calling.  And I hope all of you have found yours.

If you can quit, then quit. If you can’t quit, you’re a writer. – R.A. Salvatore

I’ve tried my hand at poetry, and just for kicks and giggles, maybe I’ll post some one day.  They’re terrible.  Which is probably why I’ve never tried to write any more beyond my angsty teenage years.  I wrote a few short stories, and I’d be willing to try again, I’m just not sure when.  I wrote a one-act play that I really liked, but I feel that was a one-hit wonder moment.  I’ve never written song lyrics, but I’m actually going to give that a try this year.  I have this interesting opening line that I’d like to explore.  I actually finished a novel (based on one of my screenplays) and have another, that one that I started in my youth that was too advanced for my adolescent mind, that still needs to be finished, but now am thinking could be a screenplay…I’m satisfied knowing I’ve at least tried other avenues, and have found the medium that works best for me.

I’m pretty sure it all started with my love of film.  I see my stories like a movie in my head.  I used to get buried in the details of description when I was trying to be a novelist, the only form of writing I thought there was, and screenwriting allows me to get my story out quickly.  So for those of you who are following a similar path, I’ve attached this article on how to improve your screenwriting descriptions, and if you can ignore the off-putting color of the page, there’s some wonderful advice.  I made lots of notes.

I’m keeping this one short and sweet.  I’m not going to rant or ramble, as I have to get back to the many things I have lingering…

WritersEcard

Have a great week!

Moving On

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OldVegasThis week I returned to my old stomping grounds – It’s an odd feeling to find that you no longer miss something.  I remember having this sense of nostalgia and an almost relief at driving over the hill and seeing the lights of the city I once called home…but upon my last visit, I discovered those feelings were gone.  I haven’t been too personal on this blog (so far).  My goals when starting it were to document my career path, and hopefully, help other writers, but here’s a little background.  I grew up in Las Vegas; the former Las Vegas when the mob still had an active role, not this current garish nightmare.  Now it’s all lights-advertisements-high rises-bottle service-day clubs aka the pool-more lights-revamping/reinventing/let’s go retro-ferris wheel-find the new “it thing”-bring your kids even though it’s not kid friendly-ridiculousness.  Yes, I’ve grown a little cynical.

Driving around town, I could only find traces of what once made the city unique.  Any history the town had has been torn down to make way for a building 10x bigger and looks exactly like the one next door.  Residents had to protest when the city thought about removing the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign.  Have you seen Casino?  It was filmed nearly 20 years ago, based on the events of the 70s, and the ending rings more true than ever.  What would any of those men have to say about the current state of the town they built?  Or Hunter S. Thompson?  I realize that things must evolve but look at these before (when I was growing up) and after photos —  ModernVegas

I always wanted to escape, feeling like a fish out of water in that town, and for years after moving away, it still remained “home”.  After moving to Los Angeles, I was unable to get back for about three years.  When I finally did have the chance to return, I still felt excited by the lights over the hill, but it had dramatically lessened.  Now, it’s nonexistent.  I’m not sure what changes within us, when we realize home is no longer home.  There’s that scene in Garden State where Zach Braff’s character is talking to Natalie Portman and he says —

You’ll see one day when you move out it just sort of happens one day and it’s gone. You feel like you can never get it back. It’s like you feel homesick for a place that doesn’t even exist. Maybe it’s like this rite of passage, you know. You won’t ever have this feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, you know, for your kids, for the family you start, it’s like a cycle or something. I don’t know, but I miss the idea of it, you know. Maybe that’s all family really is. A group of people that miss the same imaginary place.

My family doesn’t live there anymore either, so maybe it has something to do with that.  I wouldn’t even visit again if two of my best friends didn’t still live there.  And the sad thing is, that when I return to Los Angeles after being away, I don’t have that sense of “home” either (except that I am happy to return to my space).  So maybe we are all missing some imaginary place?

This has nothing to do with writing, just merely an observation as I continue this journey called Life.  I felt a sort of melancholy at this discovery, and thought that writing about it might help a bit.  I guess realizing this in some way unifies all of us who have lost our “homes”.  I am thankful that since I decided to get myself out more (joining my writer’s group) I’ve made some new friends that have made the transition easier – we create new families, develop new relationships, become adults…I’m not sure if this could be used in reference to our characters and their development, but it’s something to consider.

Thanks for letting me getting this off my chest.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Wishing you all the best!