I had a friend who introduced me to this image. I was immediately struck with an idea…
Happy Writing!
Tag Archives: Writing
Writing Prompt #3
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!
Rewriting Madness
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!
Writing Prompt #2
Entrance to a lost world…
Happy Writing!
What It Means To Network
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!
Writing Prompt #1
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!
Staying Positive
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! 🙂
Do Your Homework
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!
Reminiscing
Today is my birthday. It goes without saying, as with the passing of the new year where I might reflect on unkept goals, that I will reflect upon the current state of my life. I’m another year older, and I’m working harder than before to get where I want to be, but I have to wonder where I would be if I hadn’t decided to take this chance; moving to Los Angeles to become a writer. For those of you who have been following me for a little while now, you know I am working at becoming an established, professional screenwriter in Hollywood. This is not what I thought I would be doing when I was growing up. When I was a kid, I thought I’d be a teacher, or an artist of sorts (I always liked to write and tell “stories”, some of which got me into some trouble), or maybe an astronaut. I’d definitely be married with at least four children, living somewhere nice in a house with a picket fence, and where the kids could build forts in the wild. My life would be “settled”. It’s strange how things do/don’t work out. I look at some of my friends, their grown up lives, and wonder, “Have I veered off track?”.
I’ve written about this before, about not comparing lives. What works for some does not work for all, and neither should it. If I had married when I was younger, stayed in the church life, had a family, and started a career of another sort, I have to wonder what kind of person I would be now? Would I be happy? Would I still be writing? Would I still like to play video games? Would I be content in the life I had built, or have a nagging feeling that I did not follow my dreams? Do dreams change? I love the line at the end of Tangled (the Disney movie) about how they each became the other’s new dream, which is a lovely sentiment, but as with all princess stories where the end goal is to catch the prince, is that the best message? I think I’ve grown a bit cynical in my “old age”. Yes, I do want my own happily ever after, but now I want it wrapped with a different bow, one of my own making. This is something that has come with age — knowing yourself better. I’m not unhappy about where my life is, but sometimes I just wish I would have realized earlier that this is what I really wanted to do. But then again, who knows if I would have had the nerve to do this. Life is a series of events and decisions that makes us who we are today. Maybe now I am the best version of myself to accomplish this dream.
I thought about this woman I know, a professional with a family. She has no hobbies, no further goals, her movie watching and book reading are limited, and I have to wonder if I’d be more like that at this point had I followed a similar path? To each their own, but oh, how boring that sounds.
I was reminiscing this weekend…I think I was about thirteen or so when I knew I wanted to be a writer. I was writing a romance novel, of which I had no actual knowledge by the way. While vacationing, I left my pages on the balcony and a wind picked them up and scattered them to the world below. I went from floor to floor in a panic, trying to gather all the pages from the balconies I could see them on. I never did recover them all. I’m not sure exactly why this memory came up, except that I am much older now, and finally working at making that little girl’s dream a reality.
I also thought about my first love. I would have married him at twenty-one years old. He broke my heart, letting me go to follow my dreams, and although it took some time to get here, I have to thank him for that. He had a great impact on my life. We shared some extremely romantic moments that I refer to in my writing still to this day. He was a good man, and I hope he is well, wherever he is.
I don’t really have any tips or words of wisdom from all this, take from it what you will. It was basically a ramble as I reflect on my life, but thanks for letting me do it. If you have a dream, I hope you’re brave enough to follow it. Today, again, a friend told me how they admired my passion. I’m glad I have people in my life rooting for me to succeed. I hope you all do too. If not, let me be the one who says — “I admire your dedication and passion!” I wish you all the best of luck!
Have a great week!
Too Much Information
Does anyone else find the endless stream of information almost nauseating? For some of you, who may be a little too young to remember a time before the internet existed (yes, I’m going to sound like an old woman reminiscing about the “old days”), we didn’t always have every little bit of information available at our fingertips. Sometimes we had to wait until the next day to read about some event in the paper or see it on the news. We had to go to the library for research. We taped shows and maybe waited a few days, maybe a whole week, to watch it. Not everything required a “spoiler alert” label, because the time to actually read or watch something before everyone started talking about it could be months. All the insight and information from so many sources is sometimes overwhelming. The constant updates about every small detail numb the senses. And yet, I know more about things because I have access, I have this window. It’s a catch-22.
This whole rant was sparked because I saw yet another update in regards to the new Star Wars movie, its shooting schedule. Who needs to know this? The film hasn’t even begun production and I’m already tired of hearing about it. And I’m a Star Wars fan. My sister does not use the internet to the same extent that I do, so for her, most things are still a surprise. And I try my best to keep the many things I learn a secret to keep her in a state of awe. At least one of us should be able to enjoy the pleasures of remaining in the dark, to harken back to the days before the endless stream began. To be surprised. Ah, those were the days. The phrase ignorance is bliss is truly difficult to maintain in such times. Do you know how long I’ve been holding my tongue about Game of Thrones’ Red Wedding?! Or *SPOILER ALERT* that they killed Brian on Family Guy? We’re a little behind on everything in our house.
We, as a whole, are becoming too accustomed to instant gratification. If an internet page takes too long to load, we become incensed. If a blog is too long, we skim or skip it all together. So many creations that are supposed to aid in making our lives easier and in turn giving us more time, only make having more time a waste of time. And I still never feel like I have enough time. I have a love-hate relationship with the internet. It’s a window to the outside world, but also an enormous time sucker. I love that there are programs that make it extra easy for me to get my story down without wasting reams and reams of paper. I can edit as I type. I can find information to help my story in the blink of an eye. And yet…
How does this relate to writing, you may ask? Well, there are a few things to keep in mind. Our audiences are much smarter and worldlier than ever before. They have access to so much, but are also developing shorter attention spans. So we have to entertain them. We have to grab their attention and make them want to invest their time. As writers, we have a wealth of material to draw from on a regular basis; being exposed to a variety of newsworthy topics, cultural differences, scientific discoveries, and any number of amazing facts about our world. I recently heard that scripts should be “easy reads” (breaking up blocks of text and giving it the appearance of a quick read) because whoever is reading it already has a lot on their plate, so they’re more inclined to give yours a better look if they think they can fly through it. Ugh. Really? I feel like sometimes we’re dumbing ourselves down.
So my tip of the day: Continue to be passionate about your writing. Write the story you want to tell. That speaks volumes, but just be prepared. You may have to alter a few things so it “looks” better, but who knows, maybe you’ll end up in that endless stream where everyone is talking about you!
Best of luck!
A Writer's Discrepant Memoirs and Other Tales 