ambition

Opening doors with a calling card

Maximum Z ambition, assignments, budget, contests, determination, perseverance, persistence, quality, query letter, screenplay, screenwriting, script, westerns, writing , , , ,
reader
Hokey smokes! This is almost exactly what I’m looking for!

Amazing fact time!

Did you know that for as loved a genre the western is, there is an inordinate amount of hesitation to actually producing one?

It’s true. Shocking, isn’t it?

I can’t blame them. Westerns are an expensive undertaking. Locations, set design, wardrobe, horses. All that moolah really adds up. And fast.

And if the film bombs? Well, that bankroll is now gone with the tumbleweeds, along with an increased level of reluctance to look at other works in that genre.

I knew all of this all too well while I was working on mine (along with a steady barrage of reminders of that nature from those with nothing but good intentions), but it was a story I really liked and was excited about, so I wrote it anyway. Still very glad I did.

Now the script’s done and I’m working on the next one, but I’m also devoting some time to seeing what I can do with it. Contests, queries, the usual rigamarole.

As fantastic as it would be to see this story up on the big screen, the odds of that happening are not exactly in my favor, which is okay. I’m quite content to use it as my go-to calling card script. The ideal scenario: people read it, love the writing, and think I’d be perfect for another project.

A lot of writers write something with the intention of selling it, which 99.9 percent of the time ain’t gonna happen; it’s more important to write something to show, or maybe prove is a better word, that you’ve got talent and skills. Somebody reads your work and can tell this writer is somebody who know what they’re doing.

Would I love for somebody to read any of my scripts and say “I want to get this made!”? Of course.

Would I love for somebody to read any of my scripts and say “There’s no way I could get this made, but I really like the way you write. Would you be interested in this writing assignment?”

Without a doubt.

Progress, 2-3 pages at a time

Maximum Z ambition, goals, motivation, output, pace, pages, productivity, screenplay, screenwriting, script, social media, strategy, writing , , , ,
fingers
The great tallying of how many pages were written today

Part of this whole thing of getting stuff done, writing-wise, is exactly that.

You need to get your ass in that chair and write. Repeat on a daily basis as long as necessary.

While I may not get to write every day, I certainly do try. So far, the target output of 2-3 pages when I can is holding strong.

For those following me on various social media, you might occasionally see an announcement (read: tweet) proclaiming that day’s results. I’m proud of what I accomplish in each writing session, even if it’s only two pages. Progress is progress.

(Incidentally, I also enjoy seeing others make similar announcements. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn.)

Every once in a while, someone will comment about how productive I am, or marvel at my steady output of pages. As if I’m some sort of writing machine.

Well, yes and no.

Yes in that I do try to write every day, but only because I like it, and, more importantly, it’s the only way to do it. This thing ain’t gonna write itself. And the more you write, the better you’ll get at it.

Even at the slow pace of 2-3 pages a day, the numbers add up and you can have a completed draft in a relatively short time.

And no because sometimes there are days where circumstances simply prevent me from having time to write. It happens. Life gets in the way and all that. Admittedly, I don’t care very much for those days.

It used to be that sometimes I’d read about someone who had significantly higher results than me (e.g. “Another 15 pages today!”), and feel all “How am I supposed to compete with that?”

Turns out I’m not. The only connection between me and that other writer is just that – we’re both writers. They have their way of doing it, and I’ve got mine. Do I wish I could be that productive? Of course. Does it mean I’m not as good a writer as they are? Hell no.

I write when I can. Maybe that means a little, a lot, or maybe not at all. But it’s the way I do it, and I don’t care how it compares to anyone else. It works for me, and that’s the important thing.

A little booster shot for you

Maximum Z ambition, blog, career, confidence, encouragement, perseverance, persistence, screenplay, screenwriting, script, self-confidence, success, writing , , , , ,
shot-in-the-arm
Don’t worry. This won’t hurt a bit.

Not a lot of writing done this week due to being slammed with a nasty cold. Hoping to get back on track next week.

In the meantime, waiting to hear about some potential leads. Exhilarating in that they exist in the first place, and frustrating in that things seem to advance as fast as molasses in January.

Each one part of the process we all put ourselves through in this crazy ongoing pursuit. It’s not easy. Far from it. But we knew that going in.

Some days it feels like success is a little closer within reach, and sometimes it feels like you’re caught in a fiery downward spiral of doom.

Given my druthers, I prefer the former.

In the meantime, here are two posts from last year that might help restore, or at least remind you of your confidence in yourself, why you’re doing this, and what you’re capable of.

In it for the long haul

Expiration date: NEVER!

Don’t lose hope, chums. Trust me, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too. We’re all in this together.

 

A label I wear proudly

Maximum Z ambition, art, career, creativity, determination, Preston Sturges, public forums, rejection, screenplay, screenwriting, script, writing , , , , , , , ,
sturges
We work wherever, whenever, and however we can

I can’t remember exactly where I saw it, but a couple of days ago there was a comment in a screenwriting forum that read something like “All you wannabe dreamers are just wasting your time”.

Oh, how I adore the encouraging words of total strangers.

But in all seriousness, I take issue with that statement. Nothing wannabe about me at all. I’m a total dreamer, through and through, and I don’t see this as wasting my time.

Far from it.

I think up stories and put ’em down on paper, and I really like that I can do that. A lot. (So much to the point that I think I could actually make a living at it. Here’s hoping, anyway.)

Other dreamers express themselves using any form of different methods. They’ll paint, draw, sculpt, compose, act, or sing. And it’s probably correct in assuming they get the same joy out of doing it that I do.

Is everybody good at it? No. Does that mean they shouldn’t even try? Of course not. We do it because we enjoy it.

One consequence about being a dreamer is that there will always be somebody like that anonymous naysayer. You don’t have to listen to them. It’s a lot easier to tear someone down than it is to build them up. That person may have had been bad experiences trying to do the same thing, and if they couldn’t do it, then nobody else can (or so the theory goes).

But you should also be realistic. Not everybody’s going to create The Most Amazing Thing Ever. Don’t let that stop you from trying. Speaking from my own perspective, even though I’ve made some forward progress for both skills and career, it’s taken a long time, with the number of setbacks and disappointments being significantly higher, but despite all that, there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. Better to put myself through all of that rather than to have given up and not tried at all.

What can I say? It’s the dreamer in me.

So here’s to all of us dreamers. Long may our imaginations and the ability and methods in which we express them reign in an effort to make the world a slightly more enjoyable place.

Oh, and screw the naysayers.

Actually, Zippy, I am

Maximum Z ambition, concept, deadline, Dorothy Parker, outlines, output, pages, productivity, scenes, screenplay, screenwriting, script , , , ,
zippy
Zippy the Pinhead c/o Bill Griffith

Although the numerical output isn’t as high as I’d like it to be, the daily churning-out of pages for the current project continues. I’m hoping to ramp things up over the next few days and beat my self-imposed deadline of having a completed draft by December 31st.

There are a few factors in play regarding getting this done:

-I’ve got a solid outline to work with. This took a long time to put together and fine-tune, but it’s been a very helpful foundation for keeping both me and the story on track.

-Taking that one step further, sometimes I’ll describe a scene in the simplest of terms; maybe one or two sentences (which can be quite a challenge when you need more detail to make that scene into at least more than a page). A lot of the time, this means I’ll have to come up with something right then and there to flesh it out, and after years of working on this, it’s just gotten easier to actually do that. Fortunately, a majority of my initial ideas seem to work out the best.

-And what may be the most important in helping me continuously move forward – it’s fun. I’m just really enjoying doing it. It’s a genre of which I’ve proven to be somewhat adept. While it may not be the most original concept, I’m able to have a little fun messing with some of the tropes that come with the territory. I’ve got free reign to write whatever scenario I want that works within the context of the story. It’s quite liberating.

All of this combined makes for daily writing sessions that seem to zoom by. I’ll hammer out a scene or page, oblivious to the passing of time. Before I know it, it’s later than I expected, I’ve inched forward in the script, which chips away at the number of scenes still left to do. A very nice scenario indeed.

Dorothy Parker said “I hate writing, I love having written.” I don’t mind admitting I love the writing part too. Sure, sometimes it’s tough, but it’s the only way to get to “having written”.

And if you’re not enjoying writing in the first place, then why do it at all?