Month: April 2024

Did it before. Can do it again

Maximum Z acts, animation, characters, comedy, determination, fantasy, notes, perseverance, persistence, progress, protagonist, rewriting, screenplay, screenwriting, script, structure, westerns, writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The biggest note I’ve received on the animated fantasy-comedy is that my protagonist needs to be more involved; be the thing that drives things forward, and how what she does affects those around her.

The challenging part is figuring out how to do that while keeping a lot of important story details.

Challenging, but not impossible.

Just as I imagine this task becoming more insurmountable the more I think about it, I’m reminded that I did a major overhaul on my western that involved the same thing. The protagonist needed to be more proactive in driving the story forward.

The end result had A LOT of changes that required a new approach. It took some time, but I was able to accomplish that, and the script ended up being better for it.

No reason to think I can’t repeat it this time around.

Thus the revising is underway. Slow, but steady.

I’ll get there.

Spark: re-ignited

Maximum Z animation, characters, comedy, determination, enthusiasm, excitement, fantasy, rewriting, screenwriting, story, writing, writing process , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Despite how busy I’ve been the past few weeks, one of my ongoing projects has been the animated fantasy-comedy. It’s been rewritten and polished many times, but I knew it still needed at least one more draft.

A slow but steady influx of exceptionally helpful notes will make a significant contribution to this effort.

More than a few of the notes had the same thing to say, and after some intense analysis and evaluation, incorporating the intent of those notes into this new draft could have a major impact on really elevating the quality of this script.

I don’t say this from a place of ego or hyperbole; just about all the notes said the script was really good, but with a few tweaks and adjustments, it could be really, REALLY good.

How could I refuse?

Although extensive rewrites are sometimes necessary, going into this draft having a much more established idea of what I need to do – along with a few ideas of how to do it – fills me with a renewed sense of excitement and enthusiasm.

Suffice to say I am really looking forward to taking this one on.

This is the part of the writing process I’ve always enjoyed – having fun with putting it all together. It probably also helps that I love the story and the characters, and want to present it all in the best possible way.

I’m also glad I decided to skip this year’s contests because now I have more time until the next round of deadlines to get this thing into shape (along with saving a decent chunk of change).

The initial round of planning and outlining is already underway, with confidence levels running strong. Definitely looking forward to see how this all plays out.

So many plates!

Maximum Z adventure, burnout, community, disappointment, frustration, organization, progress, rewriting, science fiction, screenplay, screenwriting, script, time management, writing , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The past few months have not been as productive as I’d hoped, writing-wise.

My initial intent for this year was to complete the rewrite of the sci-fi adventure. January started out strong, but more and more other projects needing attention kept shoving it to the side to the point where it’s practically invisible.

I’m hoping to get back to it soon.

In the meantime, there’s been an inordinate amount of other stuff going on. It’s getting to the point where I worry about burnout and spreading myself too thin, which could result in nothing getting done.

And that’s definitely the last thing I want to happen.

I’m trying to focus on one thing at a time, and also not stress about what I’m not focusing on. It can be challenging, but I’m working my way through it.

Another interesting aspect of this is seeing a lot of other writers touting their latest progress. Scripts completed, deals signed, etc. I’m happy for them, but can’t help but feel like I can’t get out of first gear.

I wouldn’t call it writer’s block; more like an inadvertent short attention span. I work on something, then remember I need to also work on this other thing, so I work on that, and so on and so on.

Sometimes it feels overwhelming, but doing what I can to keep things under control and manageable.

Granted, there are also times when things go smoothly and get completed. Those victories, no matter their size, are always savored, as well as act as a reminder that yes, I can do this.

I’m sure more pieces will begin to fall into place and that most of this will eventually get back on track.

Until then, one plate at a time.