Growing up, I had very, very long hair that was usually tinged green from all my time spent in chlorinated water. Growing up in the desert meant that you spent the majority of your time in the pool during those blazing summer months. Any time we made up imaginary games, I was a mermaid. Splash was one of my favorite movies. The Little Mermaid still is. So you can imagine my delight upon finding this image.
Happy Writing!
*Image by Lindsay Rapp @ lindsayrappgallery.com
So I (finally) decided to take my own advice and work on something else. One can only bang their head against the same wall for so long. In my last blog about rewriting madness, I mentioned how we, as writers, feel guilty when we leave our unfinished beloved behind. I think for my part, I was just so desperate to make it work, because I wanted it to be ready in time for submission season, that I lost the love. It was quickly becoming a burden, one that I wanted to relieve my self of, and move on. But how could I after all the effort I had put into it? All the time, the worry, the stress, could not be for nothing. It had to be completed. And until a few days ago, I couldn’t take my own advice, because of this desperation. I was so sure it was almost ready. I couldn’t deny myself the next important step of sending it out for consideration, but that is exactly what I have decided to do. On Monday night at my writer’s group I felt I had made some progress, by Tuesday I had shelved it.
I moved on to my fifth script, which is currently in its first draft. It was refreshing to see these other characters I had created, to visit their world, and remember why I had started this story to begin with. Ideas were coming easily and I was happy with the progress. Then it happened…I had an idea for the script I’ve been struggling with. Literally, only three days had passed. I wasn’t even writing when the light bulb flickered. I was listening in on a teleconference about selling to Hollywood. An hour or so in, I’m not even sure what was being discussed, it happened. I wrote it down quickly in case it tried to escape me. I had a new idea that could possibly change the whole story; tell it from someone else’s perspective. I can’t believe I hadn’t come up with this before. We have to know which relationship is the most important, who is the true lead character, and then it seems everything else will fall into place. Or so I’m theorizing (is that a even a word?) / speculating / hoping.
We have to be diligent, but also know when to take a break. Trying to force a story to work for our own vanity doesn’t do our story or characters any justice. I’m thrilled to know my advice evidently works, and maybe I should’ve listened to it earlier, then I wouldn’t have wasted so much time…So here I am at another crossroad, trying to decide whether to let this new idea simmer for a few days and continue on in the other story where I’ve found myself invigorated, or carry on and get the job done…If I am to ever be a professional, I’m guessing that completing the problematic one first might be my best option. I think I’ll touch base with my writer’s group, spitball, and see how I feel about it after. I’ll let you know if this works.
I came across this blog post by fellow writer, Myke Cole, and really enjoyed it, because it really is all about the work and our passion for it. Even when we feel beaten down, it is our passion that carries us forward.
Have a wonderful, passion-filled, productive weekend!
*image from Jeff Bullas’ site
I had a friend who introduced me to this image. I was immediately struck with an idea…
Happy Writing!
I’m wildly fond of imagery. I have dozens of folders on my computer filled with images that strike my fancy in some way, are relevant (or become so) to my writing, or are just simply beautiful. I thought I’d share them in a series of writing prompts in an effort to help get those creative juices flowing. Again, feel free to share your thoughts that this image provokes or just use it as it is intended, as a prompt. Best of luck in your endeavors!
Happy Writing!
I’m finding that most writers have a hard time moving onto something new when there’s still work to be done on the piece they just completed. Take me, for example. I am so determined to get my first script right, that I can’t move onto anything else (I have tried), and what’s worse, more ideas keep popping up for other stories or new ones, so that I feel like my brain is running in every direction possible without really going anywhere, not with any real progress anyway. I should learn from this, go work on something else, and then maybe the answers I seek would come to me…but I can’t. I am compelled, driven, possessed…Last night at my writer’s group, we discussed this very topic. When you’re so close to a piece, it’s hard to gain any perspective. Sometimes you need little break. I’ve written about this before and it was reiterated to me last night. It’s the “forest through the trees” scenario. It’s hard to leave something unfinished. We tend to feel guilty that we aren’t working on it. Why would we spend all this time without seeing it through to the end?
This particular script has always been my baby (but is quickly becoming the redheaded stepchild – sorry redheads, no offense intended, as I’m sure you’ve noticed my love of ginger boys 😉 ). The one I thought would do good things. And yet every pass I make at it makes me feel further away from its original purpose. This is why it would be a very good idea to separate myself for a little while. There are a few impending deadlines, but getting some distance is probably best for everyone involved, because I’m not sure if the new ideas are any better at this point. *If anyone has any resources to utilize to solve this dilemma, PLEASE share them!
When I talked with another writer, a novelist, last night, about the rewriting process, we agreed that being a novelist is better because of ownership. You work with an editor who helps suggest ways of improving your work, but you are the author of that piece. Your name will be the only one on it. Whereas a screenwriter works alone for months or years honing that script into a viable, sellable work, only to be replaced. It makes me cringe every time I think of it. And this is where the crazy begins…
Okay, I realize I’m rambling. Probably because I’m going crazy. This is all madness. Rewriting madness. I believe it’s a state of mind that happens to all writers driven to finalize their work. And then I heard this –
“The mind of a writer can be a truly terrifying thing. Isolated. Neurotic. Caffeine-addled. Crippled by procrastination and consumed by feelings of panic, self-loathing and soul-crushing inadequacy. And that’s on a good day.” — Robert DeNiro
I’m not quite sure how to respond to this except to say that now maybe people will understand what we go through on a regular basis. If you’re also struggling with the “madness” here are a couple of links I shared before about editing. One from The Write Life and the other is a list of essays regarding rewriting from LitReactor so you can decide on the topic that might work best for you.
Here’s to regaining some sanity! Wishing you all the best!
Entrance to a lost world…
Happy Writing!
Depending on where you are on your career path, networking may be something you have yet to encounter, and may need a little help in understanding. Networking is a social device that serves a business purpose. Regardless of your anxiety at putting yourself into large (or small) social gatherings, mingling with strangers, and having to “talk shop”, networking is something all creatives will have to undertake at some point, if they want their careers to progress forward. The goal of any networking opportunity is to build a contact list of potential/hopeful business associates, people who can help you advance your career, perhaps become a mentor, someone you might be able to work on a project with, and in turn, those you might be able to help with your portfolio of work, or when you move up your ladder.
And depending on where you live, like L.A., every new relationship could be a potential networking opportunity. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “six degrees of separation” (there’s a game involving Kevin Bacon), it’s the idea that all people in the world can be connected through just six people, and this has never proven more true than in Los Angeles. Let me give you a little example of one of my “six degrees”. Let’s say I want to connect with dreamy Tom Hiddleston. (You know what that means…picture time!) My sister knows an attorney who represents a man who’s father worked on The Avengers. Only four people stand between us. Then Hiddles to the lovely Benedict Cumberbatch – five. Actually three, if I take another route. And back to Hiddles would still be four. You get the idea. So let’s put this into a business perspective. Any executive, producer, publisher, what-have-you is only a few people away, if you can figure out the path. So every time I meet someone new, I put on my best face, pull out the best conversation skills I have (both speaking and listening), talk about my work and theirs, and then give them my card (and hopefully receive one in return). This is how you start building your rolodex (yes, that’s an old school term) or contact list.
It is after this initial meeting that you must take the next important step, the “follow up”. Depending on how your conversation advanced, you may need to send a sample of your work, you may just want to say “it was nice meeting you”, if other information was exchanged, a “thank you” might be in order. The point of the follow up is to keep you fresh in their mind. Now this is something to bear in mind – don’t abuse the connection. This new contact you made could be in a wonderful position to help your career, but you don’t want to turn them off by bombarding them with calls or emails. Tread lightly. Allow them ample time to reply, taking into consideration their busy daily lives. It’s easy to become overeager when faced with the prospects of advancement, when those six degrees have been narrowed down to two or one, but business is business. Treat each new contact with respect, honesty, and professionalism, so that your reputation grows as someone people want to know and work with.
My previous post was on positivity, and I believe that works in conjunction with networking. Even if you don’t feel it when you’re surrounded by strangers in a new environment, staying positive and being friendly is infectious. People are drawn to good vibes, and even if it’s a temporary façade, do your best to maintain it in public and who knows who you’ll meet. I try to keep this in mind every time I leave the house, in particular, because I recently met one of my neighbors who is also a director and we’re meeting for coffee next week. Who knows where the connection will lead, but if I want my career to go to the next level, I have to be open to the possibilities.
I hope this was helpful, and as always, I wish you all the best of luck!
This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. In an effort to help get those creative juices flowing, I’m starting a series of writing prompts. Take a look at the image and write whatever it inspires in you. Feel free to share in the comments or just use it as a jumping off point.
Best of Luck and Happy Writing!
There’s a reason life is referred to as a roller coaster, or a merry-go-round, because the uncertainty, the highs and lows, and the sometimes nauseating experiences we encounter on a daily basis leave us either winded or reveling in those moments. And sometimes it’s hard to maintain a positive outlook when everything you encounter is telling you to expect the opposite. Most of the battle is uphill, with numerous peaks and valleys, and so many twists and turns that you have to wait quite some time to be certain that you’ve made the right choices along the way. This is also the life of a writer. And people wonder why we go a little crazy sometimes; between deadlines and submissions and the waiting, our own tendencies to sabotage either ourselves or our work, and the years of hard work we have to put in before we can even be taken seriously…yea, staying positive is definitely a trick that needs mastering. Here’s an article that may help a bit, 15 Things that Emotionally Strong People Don’t Do.
I’ve always thought of myself as a positive person. Obviously, as any artist does, I’ve had my low points and questioned if I would ever feel happy again (well that sounded a little dark), because it’s easy to be waylaid by negative outside (and inside) influences and voices that would eagerly delight in our giving up, because it’s easy, and this is why we should be more determined to prove all those voices wrong. This is why staying positive is such a necessity. In order to continue down a thankless path, there has to be something that propels us forward. A reason, a hope, a glimmer of something beyond the darkness, and in order to see it, we have to be willing to stick it out. How would we ever accomplish any of our goals in the face of such adversity if we weren’t positive (at least in some regard)?
I’ve been (mentally) all over the place the last week. There’s been a lot going on. Last week I attended a lecture by a producer whose message was all about “being positive” and creating positive stories, and I left in a great state of mind with a few tools to improve my writing. The entire time I listened to her speak, I was thinking of my own stories and how they might be altered according to these ideas (and my life, as we are the heroes of our own stories). I’ll share a few things I learned, in regards to writing:
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. Stories don’t have to be complicated to be interesting. She used the example of the Disney film, Tangled. Every character’s want is clear and obvious.
We love to watch a character who is really good at something, or learning how to be good at something.
Audiences don’t care about a character’s accomplishment, but the moment after between the hero and their loved one (and knowing which relationship is the most important is key to the whole story). We also love a character’s resilience to overcome great adversity or loss.
Learn to end your story where it is satisfying, not necessarily happy.
Since taking this new outlook on my career; trying to make industry connections, joining writer’s groups, trying to be more social in general, and taking chances, I’ve discovered that the dark cloud has lifted. The knowledge that I’ve taken control of my life is empowering. A lot is still left out of my control, as a screenwriter I can not achieve my goals alone, but doing what I can to achieve some forward momentum has helped reiterate this positive mind set. Then a friend called, inviting me to be a part of a new animated series he’s working on. I’m so excited by the prospects of a “real” writing job that I had to share. Hopefully, this is the first step at that turn in the road that I will look back on one day and remember “this is where my new journey began”…Let the uphill battle continue!
I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors! And remember, stay positive! 🙂
Let me be an example to all. Heed my warning. Do your research thoroughly before you start writing.
I was polishing my first screenplay, getting it all pretty for submission season, when I discovered I had made a rather large error. In trying to create a more compelling version of my female protagonist, I did a little research into women’s roles in Ancient Rome and learned something that would change everything. Ancient Rome was not what I thought. I allowed my ignorant assumptions, probably based on remnant memories of movies/tv/fiction past to create a world that was a bit on the inaccurate side. As I have commented (numerous times) before, I have always struggled with the third act. I have rewritten it so many times, and I’m still sort of displeased with it. I thought if I could change a few character details, maybe that would give me a different perspective on how to alter the finale. So I went into research mode. I’m not sure if I should kick myself now, for not having done this sooner, but nonetheless, here I am…again: major rewrite in progress…*Sigh
Oh, writing. Why are you so painful some days. On Monday at my writer’s group, I did some “reworking” and deleted everything I wrote. Two hours had passed and I was no closer to solving my dilemma. I’m going on two weeks with no new developments, and I have a week and a half before I want to start submitting it. Tick tock. Tick tock.
There’s this idea that in order to get the story out, you just write. You don’t worry about it being good or bad, you just get it on paper. We discussed this on Monday, and I agree, but this isn’t currently where I am on this piece. It had its days of being “bad”. Until a few days ago, I loved the first two acts (and I still do). I just wanted a way to wrap it up nicely. Stupid period piece and your historical inaccuracy.
My tip of the day: Do your homework. Seriously. Don’t follow in my footsteps. Unless you really know what you’re talking about, don’t rely on fictionalized accounts and a faulty memory, do a little research. I love doing research, so I’m quite surprised to learn I was not more thorough. Create special folders on your computer of sites you visit for information as a quick reference tool for each story. Read up on different aspects (time period, male/female roles, political climate, cultural influences, scientific advancements, etc.) of the story you’re telling, and you may be surprised to learn something that changes your story for the better (or worse, for your characters anyway, depending on your tale).
Now I must go and stare blankly at my script in the hopes “M” will come to life by some sheer force of will. That picture above is the equivalent of my mind at the moment…
I hope your day goes better. Wishing you all the best!
A Writer's Discrepant Memoirs and Other Tales 