A bit of a snag had developed in the rewriting of outline for the pulpy adventure spec. A certain aspect of the story had proven to be too simple, as in “not complicated enough” or “lame half-assed, last-second placeholder”.
It was also falling short in terms of overall pulpy-ness.
Seeing as how this is supposed to be a rousing tale sprinkled with elements of mystery and intrigue, it just wasn’t happening.
I won’t totally jettison a story, but rather see what changes, small or drastic, can be implemented in order to get things back on track.
I don’t know how it is for other writers, but sometimes I’ll go over a previous draft, hit a word or phrase that originally didn’t hold much significance, and all of a sudden it triggers a whole new realm of possibilities. Call it the “How did I not see that before?” syndrome.
In this case, it was a character’s name. This set off the auto-immediate response of “Hmm. What if…?”
Cue the heavenly chorus.
Suffice to say, now it’s back for yet another take on the draft, but this time going into it armed with a whole new batch of ideas.
If you’re looking for a little guidance on your journey to becoming a working writer, then take a look at Notes to Screenwriters by Vicki Peterson and Barbara Nicolosi, who also run the Catharsis script consulting service.
I first came up with the idea of doing interviews with professional script readers and consultants just about a year ago. I was curious about how they got into this, what they looked for when reading a client’s script, and what a writer could do to develop their craft.
And of course, their favorite kind of pie.
Based on my activity in social media and having heard them on a few writing/screenwriting podcasts, I could only think of a handful of consultants.
But the more research I did, the more consultants I found and contacted, asking if they’d be interested in taking part. The number of interviews was growing exponentially. Responses were overwhelmingly positive, with many excited to be involved (with a few opting to decline for their own reasons).
What I thought would be a fun 5-week lark of a project soon snowballed into a 10-month undertaking of monumental proportions. I started with five names, and ended up with 50. Fifty. 5-0. That’s a lot.
Some of you might be wondering what I got out of this. It’s just something I’m interested in. A fascinating subject that also happens to apply to something I want to do for a living. Nobody offered me free coverage, nor did I ask, because this is how most of these folks make a living, and it would be just plain rude and tacky to ask. I’ll also admit right here that a whopping three out of the fifty offered a discount on their rates in gratitude.
As someone who has used consultants in the past, I’ve been very fortunate in getting extremely helpful feedback that’s made a big difference in making my scripts better. Hopefully other writers can connect with any of the consultants in these interviews and have the same experience.
There are those who are against the idea of using consultants, with some claiming it’s just a scam designed for the sole purpose of separating you from your money. No doubt there are some out there that fall into this category, but most tend to be legitimate. Since there are so many to choose from, I’ve always recommended good old-fashioned comparison shopping; do your research and go with the one that works best for you.
Right now it feels kind of weird to not have to worry about editing and assembling an interview to be posted next week. I’ve got a few ideas for what to do next, but for now am going to enjoy the slower pace and return my focus to developing my own material.
Naturally, I’ll be using a consultant for feedback when the need arises.
For the past couple of days here at stately Maximum Z HQ, yours truly has been doing everything possible to fight off a nasty viral infection (Note to self – invest heavily in Kleenex and Halls cough drops) because I’m doing my first half-marathon in over a year this weekend. I do expect to be well enough to run. Fingers firmly crossed hoping to at least break the 2-hour mark.
As a result of being sick, I’ve been home from work the past couple of days, which means a little more time than usual to work on the western rewrite. Latest update: page 38.
When I have a lot of time to write, I’ll give myself a short break after reaching a milestone, such as the end of a scene, or x number of pages written or after a certain amount of time (this also helps prevent premature burnout). Sometimes break-time involves perusing social media or screenwriting forums, just to see what’s going on out there.
What’s been going on this week has been a flurry of activity among my peers. One got a manager. Another finished their latest draft. Another had an agency request their script after a pitch.
And there’s me, filling a wastebasket with snotty tissues, coughing up things of a color not found in nature, and hoping to get to the bottom of the next page before the day is done. Slightly disheartening, to say the least.
But, like when I run a race, I remember that it’s different for everybody. I’ve been working on this rewrite for quite a while, and have confidence that it’ll be done sooner than I think.
I’m also overseeing all of the “Ask a…!” interviews, and have now added this into the mix.
Oh yeah, and training runs.
When you finish a race, you get a medal, and you wear it with pride. You’ve earned it. You finished an hour behind the winner? Big deal. Chances are you didn’t do it to win. You did it to test yourself, to see how you could do with this self-imposed challenge.
When you write a script, yes, you are going up against every other writer out there, but you do it the way that works best for you. You can only manage 30 minutes a day? That’s fine. You tell yourself you’re going to write at least 3 pages a day, and you actually do? Fantastic.
Will others get done before you, or accomplish things faster than you? Of course, but that’s nothing for you to worry about. Focus on you, not them.
I think it’s absolutely phenomenal that these other writers have each reached a certain point with their writing and careers. And so will I. Maybe not as fast, but it’ll happen.
The latest in a series of interviews with script readers and consultants who would be worth your while to work with if you want to get your script in shape. Today’s spotlight is on Hayley McKenzie, founder of Script Angel.
1. What’s the last thing you read/watched that you thought was incredibly well-written?
In film, I loved Philomena by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope. I think it’s hard to make intimate stories in the Drama genre that feel like they deserve to be a feature film, but this one really nailed it for me. Also, Locke by Steven Knight – set entirely inside a car. I honestly didn’t think it would be possible to sustain tension with a guy talking on a phone driving a car for 90 minutes. It’s not a thriller, there is no threat to his life, no car-chase. It was a really stunning piece of writing. For TV, it was probably the second season of UK mini-series/serial drama Line of Duty by Jed Mercurio – a thriller that sustained tension and threat following one story over 6 hours of TV. One interview scene was 17 minutes long and you were holding your breath watching it – amazing writing.
2. How’d you get your start reading scripts?
After a Degree in English Literature, I started in film and TV production as a Runner, then 3rd AD. Then I discovered what Script Editors did – combining story analysis and film production – and knew I’d found my perfect role. I got a job as Development Co-Ordinator at BBC Drama where I got to read scripts for Jane Tranter (founder of Bad Wolf, Exec Producer Industry and His Dark Materials) and Pippa Harris (now Executive Producer for Call the Midwife). I was reading all the submissions to the department as well as everything in development and production. They read all my early script reports and really encouraged me to pursue it as a career.
3. Is recognizing good writing something you think can be taught or learned?
The technical analysis side of it can definitely be taught, and certainly improved through study. But I think good script readers are also very empathetic. Like the writer, they need to be able to imagine themselves inside the lives of the characters they’re reading about. Script Editors also need to be empathetic towards the writer themselves. As a Script Editor it’s not just your job to critique the script but to deliver criticism and useful solutions in a way that encourages rather than demoralizes the writer. You can’t not give the tough notes but as a Script Editor you’re working in a long-term development process with the writer so you can’t just tell them what’s crap and then walk away and wash your hands of it. What comes back in the next draft is in part your responsibility.
4. What are the components of a good script?
It’s got to make me feel something – almost anything as long as it’s not bored or confused. It almost doesn’t matter how you do it. If it’s a Drama I want it to make me cry. If it’s a Thriller it should be a tense, exhilarating read, etc. If it’s achieved that, even only in part, then I know there is something there I can work with.
5. What are some of the most common mistakes you see?
A great plot but poor characterizations; characters doing things because you need them to do it to get the plot to the next beat, not because it is what that character would do in that situation. And the reverse of that: great characters but almost nothing happens to them. Most writers have a natural flair for one or the other and the key is helping them strengthen the areas they’re weak in.
6. What story tropes are you just tired of seeing?
The hard-boiled, world-weary cop. It’s particularly a problem in television development because so many of our shows are in the Crime drama. Trying to find new angles on the ‘troubled cop’ is tough!
7. What are the 3 most important rules every writer should know?
1) Don’t be boring.
2) Don’t confuse me. Intrigue is great but utter bewilderment for huge swathes of screen-time will just make the reader ditch the script.
3) Don’t give up.
8. Have you ever read a script that was an absolute, without-a-doubt “recommend”? If so, could you give the logline?
Papadopoulos and Sons, which was a huge UK indie hit in 2012, outselling GI Joe: Retaliation in some London cinemas! “Following his ruin in the latest banking crisis, a self-made millionaire reluctantly re-unites with his estranged freewheeling brother to re-open the abandoned fish and chip shop they shared in their youth.” I was lucky enough to be brought onboard as Script Editor – such a privilege.
9. How do you feel about screenwriting contests? Worth it or not?
Definitely. Placing in a well-respected contest can really get you noticed. But not all contests are equal. We have a curated round-up on the Script Angel Writers’ Hub of the best UK and US screenwriting contests.
10. How can people get in touch with you to find out more about the services you provide?
Hi there. Nice to be back. And to all you new readers out there – welcome! Feel free to take a look around.
When last we spoke, I was about to embark on a major rewrite of two outlines.
One of them is just about finished, while the other is somewhere in the early parts of Act 2.
Neither has been easy.
The toughest obstacle to overcome has been hanging on so tightly to that which has come before. Significant changes have to be made, or there’s no point to the rewrite.
This isn’t to say I’m totally disregarding what I’ve already written. For example, in a previous draft, a character is killed in a certain way. In this new one, the same method of killing is used, but for a totally different character in a different scenario, and it now holds a lot more significance in terms of the overall story.
While you can’t force yourself to come up with new ideas, you can challenge your creativeness by simply asking “What’s already here is good, but what’s another way this could happen?” There are always options and choices. Don’t limit yourself. Have fun with it.
Another benefit to these rewrites is since I have a fairly strong grasp of how the stories are supposed to play out, I can now concentrate on building up character development (something pointed out and recommended by several note-givers), which also allows for some beneficial quiet and revealing moments between rousing action sequences.
As much as I enjoyed coming up with a lot of those sequences, several have been cut in order to focus more on the characters. I’ll miss them, but they had to go (and could be possibly be resurrected for future use, as mentioned above).
Results so far have been encouraging, but I won’t really know until actual pages get written.
Corny as it may sound, letting yourself develop new ideas and approaches really is quite liberating. And the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Maximum Z 