Sorry. No post today.
A bit preoccupied with reading scripts, giving notes on some of ’em, working on my own stuff, and setting up a new round of of getting-to-know-you meetings with other writers.
See you on Friday.
Month: December 2016
Try the direct approach
Sometime last week, I received a very nice compliment via on online forum regarding the quality of the script notes I give. A mutual associate of ours chimed in with the grumbly “Well, he never does it for me.”
To which I responded “Because you never ask.”
I don’t know what this writer’s standard M.O. is for getting notes, but from what I can gather, usually involves them posting “Anybody want to read my stuff?”
There’s nothing wrong with that, but the drawback is you run the risk of getting feedback from somebody with less experience than you, or worse, has no idea what they’re talking about.
This is why networking and establishing relationships with other writers is so important. If someone posted a generic request for a read, I’d be less inclined to respond. Even if I knew the person. I figure they’ll probably get a few other responses, so why bother?
But if someone came to me specifically and said “If you have the time, would you be able to read this?”, I wouldn’t hesitate to say yes. This shows me that they value my experience and opinions, along with respecting that I can’t simply drop everything to accommodate them. They’ll also include an offer to read something of mine, if I’m interested.
Sometimes I’ll get an email asking me for a read, and it might be because of any number of reasons. They’ve read my stuff before and think this new script is similar. They know I have an eye for fill-in-the-blank. All of this could only have come from myself and this other writer having already established a good professional relationship.
While I always encourage writers to get out there and network, it’s also important to build on those connections once you’ve got them. You don’t have to become somebody’s best friend, but being supportive or offering the occasional words of encouragement really go a long way. Plus, people are much more likely to remember that sort of thing, adding to the likelihood they’d be willing to help you out.
More than often I’ve read about another writer’s projects and introduce myself, tell them how I found them (usually via the forums) and of my interest in the script in question, then ask if they’re cool with me taking a look at it. It’s a rare occurrence when someone says no.
Both of you are writers constantly striving to improve, and some good, solid feedback can play a big part in that. And that can be best achieved by getting to know other writers and treating with the same respect you’d expect to be treated with yourself.
Getting to know you
I can’t stress it enough. A big part of making it as a screenwriter, from both professional and craft points of view, involves networking. I honestly believe that the more writers you get to know, the bigger an impact it will have on your writing (along with your networking skills).
While I’ve always been a big proponent of inviting my fellow creatives for a get-to-know-you coffee or lunch chat, I decided I’d take it one step further and actually host a networking event, primarily geared towards screenwriters in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout northern California.
I live relatively close to the ocean, and there’s a small-but-charming deli a block from the beach. The owner is a big supporter of the arts, and always seems to be having some kind of event there (live music, poetry readings, stand-up comedy, etc), so I asked about having my event there. He was quite receptive to the idea.
I posted an announcement about it on Facebook, sent out some invites, and hoped people would be interested.
They were.
As you’d expect, several people were very interested in attending, but had previous engagements. A few had last-minute cancellations. Some just couldn’t make it. In the end, 15 of us enjoyed an afternoon of meeting and connecting with other screenwriters. A good time was indeed had by all.
More than a few attendees, especially those I was meeting in person for the first time, asked why I’d decided to do this.
A few reasons:
-I really enjoy networking and getting to know other writers. It’s always great to meet a kindred spirit, and is a pleasant reminder you’re not the only one trying to do this.
-Not being in Los Angeles, there aren’t as many screenwriters around here. For those that are, this seemed like a good way to try and bring a part of the community together.
-Networking and social skills are two of those underrated tools for helping you develop your career, and you should take advantage of being able to work on both whenever you can. From swapping script notes to industry connections, the more people you know, the better your chances of helping yourself out.
-An event like this gives you and others that you meet the opportunity to talk about your work and everything going on with it. One of the writers was just starting out, and I got to hear another writer (with a lot more experience) help them figure out the story they were working on and the most effective way to pitch it.
I was also asked if I’d be doing this sort of thing again. Based on the positive responses, I believe I will. Probably sometime in the spring.
In case you’re wondering, it wasn’t too big an undertaking. If you’re interested in expanding your local network of writers, I heartily recommend looking into it. Pick a date. Find a venue. Get the word out. Be social. Wins all around. Both you and the writers in your neck of the woods will benefit and appreciate it.
Good or fast? Pick one.
As some of you may recall, earlier this year I had to get a script done in order to send it to somebody who’d requested to read it. Seeing as how I had all of eight pages written, I wanted to finish it and sent it out as soon as possible.
It took a grueling 10-day writing marathon, but somehow I managed to do it. I got a draft written, polished it up and sent it out.
It was quite an experience, and the end result could best be described as…adequate. I’ll be the first to admit the script still needs a ton of work.
My sole objective was simply to get it done to the best of my ability in as short a time as possible. Would I have benefited from more time? Of course, but at the time, it wasn’t an option.
Fast forward to the beginning of November. My goal: have a completed draft of the latest project by the end of the month. Sadly, I wasn’t able to get as much writing done as I’d hoped, so I’m heading into December with a script that’s right at the halfway point and the intention to have the whole thing done by the end of the year.
Sure, I could push myself through that exhausting process of cranking it out just to get it done, but by working with a slightly longer timeframe, I can take it slow and spend more time fine-tuning the script. In theory, this increases the likelihood the end result will be more acceptable and not require as much extensive follow-up (i.e. rewrites).
Would I love to be done with this draft sooner rather than later? Again, of course. But I’m also willing to be patient and focus on a few pages at a time. If that means it takes me until the end of the month/year to have a quality script ready to go, so be it.
Everybody writes at their own pace. Some are extremely prolific, some aren’t. It doesn’t matter how many pages you write. The important thing is that you’re actually writing.
This whole process can seem excruciatingly long at times, and we all want to produce lots and lots of quality work. But it already takes time to learn how to do it properly, let alone effectively. Patience is one of those things that gets easier the more you work on it.
There’s nothing wrong with churning out a draft in record time, but be aware that focusing on quantity rather than quality will definitely be reflected in those pages. I went through this firsthand, and definitely see it as a positive learning experience. I know I can write something quickly, but also know it’ll require a lot of cleanup work.
But given my druthers, I prefer to take my time. It’s less exhausting.
Maximum Z 