Tag Archives: Writing Tips

Taking Chances

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There is something to be said about a writer who can do something as bold as killing of a “lead” character.  When it translates to television, having a face and a visual to connect with, their death, if unexpected (if you’re like me and maybe haven’t read the source material to shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones), can be tragic and almost heartbreaking.  It’s even harder nowadays to keep incidents on shows a secret when everyone is so apt to talk about it the moment it happens.  So, if you’re behind on any of your shows, like I am, you scroll past Facebook posts with eyes averted for months so that when that dramatic, surprising moment occurs, we can still be shocked, angry, or sad.  And the writer has accomplished something great.  It takes something special to surprise me anymore and when that does happen, it creates a loyal follower.  The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones are among my favorite shows ever and for good reason.  (TWD has the highest ratings of any show practically ever, and GoT is second only to The Sopranos on HBO, so I’m clearly not alone in my devotion.)  They keep me guessing and rooting for the characters, that’s why when one of them falls, I feel like I’ve lost friend.  On The Walking Dead, as it’s a fight for survival, I want this small band of people that I’ve been following to find a safe haven and a moment’s peace.  On Game of Thrones, I want vengeance, often.  After the last season of GoT, it took quite a few days to overcome the sadness that I was surprised took hold of me.

Now you may be asking why I haven’t read the written works.  Once I’ve started a series, either tv or film, I don’t want to know what’s going to happen, I want to remain in the dark, so I only read up until the current season (I still haven’t finished Harry Potter, I know, I know…).  I’m just about to start George R.R. Martin’s series for insight into his writing style and technique.  I find Game of Thrones so fascinating that it’s only proper that I read some of the novels to learn more.

After another tragedy during my viewing today, I started to think about my own stories and how I play it fairly safe.  I’d like to blame my upbringing a bit because in fairytales, the layers of darkness and deception, etc. only go so deep.  My sister likes to call me naive, which in part is true, because my mind just doesn’t go to certain places.  This is why I need the influence of writers, such as these, to help me think beyond my own boundaries/limitations.  I love the feel of that tugging on my heartstrings, the pit in my stomach, when I realize I’ve been holding my breath, and clenching my fist…I’m emotionally invested.  And I want to do that for my readers and hopefully/eventually my viewers.  I want them to be surprised and to worry and hope for my characters as if they were friends, loved ones.  Stories are like walking into a character’s life and we should be moved by what we witness.

As writers, we owe it to our readers to take chances.  We are in a unique position to create worlds that draw people in.  What we do once were in there is up to us, but we should be willing to be bold and daring.  I’m not saying to shock for the shock value alone, but if done well, can be among those memorable moments that people will talk about time and time again.

Here’s to taking chances!

The Zombie Condition

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DesertAbout seven years ago, my sister and I moved to a new state and my creative pool dried up and looked as barren as the Arizona landscape that lay outside my front door.  I told people I was a writer, because I hated the inevitable question that all servers/bartenders get, “So what else do you do?” or the yet worse, “This isn’t all you do, is it?” (because to outsiders, waiting tables is like purgatory, but the question is an insult.  It’s a slap in the face that what you’re doing right now, isn’t good enough, and they’re concerned for you).  Oh goodness, that’s a rant for another day.  So, about eight months pass, and I haven’t written a word, and yet I keep telling people that’s what I really do.  I’m a writer.  The thought that plagued me all those months was how could I call myself a writer if I wasn’t writing.  A few drafts in on one screenplay does not a writer make.  I had written more, all through my youth, but it’s not worth mentioning.  And there was a little fear lingering as well.  What other stories did I have to tell?  Then I remembered a quote from Maya Angelou.  “You can’t use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have.”  Creativity is a fountain.  And as writers we observe.  We are never short of ideas, stored in that so-called “vault”.  So after a little self-loathing and a metaphorical kick in the ass, I got back to work.SwarovskiFaceFountain, Austria

Writing is hard, it’s an art form, and not everyone can do it.  But, if it’s who you really are, then don’t let anything derail you!  That’s my tip of the day.

I was reminded of this condition when I read this funny article today on Script about Writer Zombies.  Don’t let this happen to you.

Best of luck in your writing adventures!

*Swarovski Face Fountain, Austria

“Killing Your Darlings”

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This morning I read an article about the 3 Signs You Should Give Up On Your Story by K.M. Weiland — 1) You’re losing focus.  2) You lack passion.  3) Your gut says stop.  I think there should be an asterisk at the end of that title that leads you to a footnote that reads *Temporarily, because I’m not sure I believe any story you’ve poured so much effort into should ever really be dead.

Obviously we started the story because we liked it or what’s the point?  If you’ve lost focus or passion, perhaps it’s time to just shelve the story for a little while or retrace your steps to remind yourself why you started the story in the first place.  (I recently wrote about how I was reminded why I started my latest screenplay based on a snippet from Elfen Lied, and it reinvigorated the idea for me.)  If your gut is telling you to quit, it may be your inner voice, the one that always knows, that something has gone amiss, but to me, that doesn’t mean the story is dead in the water.  Sometimes we struggle.  Sometimes we get lost.  Sometimes we get buried, but I have never felt relieved to let a story go.  I put it on the back burner for a little while and work on something else.

When I was about 15 I started a romantic period piece that I was too inexperienced to write.  I have had this story shelved for quite some time because I lacked the knowledge of how to write it.  What did I know about that life?  What did I know about life in general?  I had started reading romantic fiction and I think I was inspired and wanted to imitate those stories in some regard because the themes I was hinting at were well above my age/emotional level at that time.  It is a story I have always planned on returning to, I just needed the right mindset to write it.  Since those first few drafts, I have changed.  I’ve become older, wiser, and much better at research.  I love history and have studied it a great deal since I was 15, so much so that I actually have a fairly wide knowledge base about certain time periods.  Plus, as time goes by, you learn more about the world and the people in it.  Those are the ingredients to make you a better writer.  And I loved those characters.  They were my first “couple” and I think it’s time they were resurrected (in time…).

Maybe you need more life experience.  Maybe you need more research.  Maybe you need someone to bounce ideas around with.  I find that talking out the story will sometimes help put it in perspective because you’ll find the holes immediately when trying to tell it.  And the big thing I’ve learned as a writer is that our characters will speak to us.  Sometimes they are the ones to fix a problem.

I’d love some feedback on this one.  Have you ever had to put one of your beloveds to rest?

Wishing you all the best and a great weekend!

Opportunity: Write Start Contest

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I always figured I’d be some kind of writer.  I remember (way, way back) in elementary school writing stories — I think I was trying to write a biography once, as if so much had happened in my 8 short years…maybe it was meant to be some sort of diary — I still have some of them.  In fifth grade we had this great project to create a hardcover book, artwork and all.  I wrote a story about running away after my bike was stolen.  Oh, yeah.  Not a true story by the way.  I kept writing, but always struggled.  I rarely finished anything.  It wasn’t until many years later that I found my calling.  I had taken some time off from college, not finding a degree that I wanted to spend money on and then brag about later.  That is, until I found screenwriting.  I graduated with a film degree and loved pretty much every moment of it.  That is a satisfying feeling.

So for those of you interested in becoming a screenwriter, I just discovered an opportunity for you.  Sponsored by Stage 32, The Write Start Contest will give you a chance to study screenwriting for an intensive 8 weeks at the New York Film Academy.  You don’t need to have written a screenplay, just an idea (remember I just said something about how everyone has an idea?!).  Anyway…screenplays take a different approach then novels do.  You leave so much description, dialogue, and “fluff” by the wayside.  It may not be for everyone, but I find it liberating.  One can get so bogged down in the details, and with screenplays, those details are left to the hands of all those creative departments.

So if you’re thinking about trying your hand at screenwriting, this may be a quick, intensive lesson in whether or not it’s right for you.

Good Luck!!

Editing Tips

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EditingAll writing is rewriting.  So editing is something we writers must be good at (well, good might not be the best word for the ninja like precision we must hack away at our beloveds).  We must be swift and merciless when it comes to cutting down description, dialogue, and the stuff I like to call “fluff” (the extra things you might like and want to add but aren’t truly necessary to tell the story).  Sometimes we have to cut whole, beautiful, emotional scenes or likable characters…there’s that pang in my chest just thinking about it…because it doesn’t work.  It doesn’t drive the story.  As a screenwriter, I think it’s worse.  You only have 120 pages (or less) and there’s so much blank page (and then there are so many more hands in that pot as it moves forward).  As creatives, placing limitations on our process is a contradiction.  That’s why you write from the heart in the first draft and from the head in the inevitable numerous following drafts.  *And this is why you don’t need to read the following articles until you are ready to edit.  Don’t let them sway you.

Yes, we create something out of nothing.  But.  That first draft is never as good as it seemed in our heads.  Sometimes to get our character from point A to point B they have to take a few detours and that changes the story on the page from where we originally imagined it.  So, there has to be finessing, finding different ways to say the same thing, and the inevitable (just in time for Halloween) horror movie style slashing.

I, myself, am in the midst of yet another rewrite on one of my scripts, my baby, and am really having a difficult time separating my emotions from the story I’m trying to tell and the best way to tell it.  I’ve had this story in the works for quite some time and every time I go in for a rewrite, it changes dramatically.  This time around, I’m cutting the entire third act and reworking the earlier scenes and it’s starting to morph into something else entirely, yet again, which at this point, I’m not even sure I like yet.  And what’s worse, I’m on a deadline.

So today I offer up two sites with some tips.  The first is an article by one of my favorite authors, Chuck Palahniuk, on LitReactor about “thought” verbs.  The other is a checklist by The Write Life — 25 Editing Tips for Tightening Your Copy.

I wish you all the best in your writing efforts!  Have a great week!

*Image found on professionalnoveleditors.com

Writer’s Pet Peeves

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TypewriterFontWriterMore often than not when I tell someone I’m a writer I receive the response, “I have a great idea for a story!”  And sometimes they add, “Maybe we could talk about it…”  Why?  Have I mentioned something about running out of my own ideas?  Has my well run dry?  This may indeed be one of the first lessons every writer learns…everyone has an idea.  I’ve had old friends, people I hadn’t spoken to in years, call to ask if I wanted to write these interesting ideas they had because they had learned that I was now a writer.  I understand their enthusiasm for wanting to share their story, sometimes it is indeed interesting (I mean, we all have stories…you tell them at parties while standing around the kitchen with a glass of wine), but (and that’s a big but), I feel almost like they’re trying to validate not just what I do, but themselves as well for having lived with this glimpse of a story for as long as they have.

Maybe this sounds a bit callous, but in the end, I think their eye is on the possibility of money.  Novels can have hordes of followers and then can be turned into movies, and writers have a level of celebrity now that I don’t think existed prior to the internet.  I write because I have to.  I don’t want to do anything else, I’ve tried other avenues and this is it for me (and what would my poor brain do if I didn’t do this?  Hmm…), and hopefully, in time, the money will come, but that’s not why I do it.  This is my lot in life.

I was reminded of this pet peeve when I read an article about The 6 Things Only Writers Understand About the Writing Life on the site The Write Life.  Here’s a snippet from this particular pet peeve:

I always feel a little disrespected when someone brings up their story like we have something in common.  Do they think my job is just me wistfully going about my day with big ideas?

If you find yourself cornered by someone else’s half-baked dreams, try to steer the conversation toward the reality of your career and lifestyle to help them understand that you’re more than fantastical ideas. Explain what your day really looks like, and the deadlines and commitments that drive your work toward the finish line.

And usually we have to try to find time for our passion in between family, work, friends, and other commitments.  So stay strong fellow writers!

I wish you all the best of luck and a productive weekend (if you’re working and not “taking the weekend” like I’ve suggested)!

*Image from DL Koontz site

Network, Network, Network

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As a (currently unemployed) writer, sometimes I go days without speaking to anyone other than my sister and my dogs.  A writer’s life is already fairly solitary and add a few other non-social qualities and you’ve got a creative hermit.  My sister and I moved to Los Angeles together without knowing anyone and I would still say our acquaintances are few and far between.  It’s been a bit of a struggle (I will write another post, or three, on moving and living here for those of you considering it) and meeting people has been difficult…and as an aspiring screenwriter, meeting people is key.  You have to get out, mingle, socialize, network.  So last night I attended an event at the Writers Guild.  It was specifically for animation writers, which I am not, but the guest speaker is a friend, so I went to support.  In the course of the evening I met a few people with shared interests and it felt good to be around others creatively inclined.

AboveLAWhen I used to vacation in LA, I couldn’t imagine living here.  The city is HUGE and I was always a little unsure about the move (because I was a big chicken), but I knew it was something I was going to have to do in order to make my career aspirations a reality because this is where the action is.  For those of you who do live here, there are so many opportunities to take advantage of; free screenings, free seminars, meet and greets, events, etc. through numerous organizations.  For those of you who do not, there are still plenty of avenues at your disposal; states have a film commission where information can be found in regards to film companies and productions shooting in the area which might lead to other opportunities (guest speakers), the website Meetup lists writers groups (genre specific groups available as well) and opportunities to mix and mingle, and some groups, like Women in Film (which is not only for women), have chapters worldwide.  You may also want to look into your university or community college for classes that offer a chance to meet other writers or offer other opportunities like monthly meetings.

My tip of the day (which I must also take to heart): Get out of the house.  Escape those four walls.  Meet people.  Network.  It’s not only good for your writing but your mental well being too.

Have a great weekend!

Taking the Weekend

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CastleGardensI’m not sure if all writers are like this, but I find that being an artist (yes, that is what we are no matter how snooty that may sound) can sometimes be all consuming;  I’m always thinking about my writing, that I should be writing, that something random might work well in my writing, etc. and that can lead to burnout.  There are two given days at the end of the work week that are meant to be taken and enjoyed.  I, myself, have found this very hard to do, but gave it a try this weekend by undertaking two big projects that would be too distracting and exhausting to leave me creative.  Side note: what I’ve learned about most writers is that we all have a little crazy about us.  I am borderline OCD when it comes to being organized, so I decided to reorganize the garage and this storage/crawl space in my apartment (and my body is thanking me for it).  Another side note, I still felt guilty that I hadn’t done anything with my writing for two days…baby steps.

Wizard'sHat, OR

So here is my tip: Take the weekend!  Recharge your creative battery.  A little distance from your work might actually be good for both of you.

*These pictures are just reminders that I don’t live near either of these places, but need to get outside more.

Good luck and have a good week!

Network: American Zoetrope

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When I set out to maintain a blog, it was part of a professional to do list I had created for myself (1 of 25 items, of which approaching my career more professionally was also on the list, hence the list).  Another item was to find and research useful sites that offered either information, sound advice, networking opportunities, or all of the above.  So yesterday I shared Stage 32.  Today, American Zoetrope.  The site was developed by Francis Ford Coppola and is open not just to screenwriters, but all writers, artists, musicians, actors, directors, etc.

The site offers you the opportunity to have your work read by a wide audience and receive feedback, in return you must do the same for others, but a little heads up, there are deadlines and rules.  In the screenwriting “room” you must read 3 scripts and offer feedback before being allowed to submit your own work, and there is a time limit for how long your work will be available (30 days) on the site and how long you have to read and review others (you receive an additional 10 days to write the review).  I think this is a great service as it allows you to be more objective which in turn might help you in your own writing.  Plus, it’s free!  Also, there’s an annual contest (deadline was in September, I missed it by 2 days…).

I hope you find this useful!

Happy Sunday!

Network: Stage 32

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Happy Saturday!  I thought I’d share this great networking site, Stage 32.  I joined it recently and it’s a great way to meet people in different capacities (mostly film related) all over the world, share ideas, ask questions, and find work.

Give it a look!  Have a wonderful and productive weekend!