feedback

Just a few more things to squeeze in

Maximum Z feedback, loglines, manager, rewrite, running, screenwriting, script, synopsis, writing
Plenty of room to work with!
Plenty of room to work with!

-The rewrite continues. I’ve checked a few items off the list, but there are still some more that need my attention. I think it goes without saying that hopefully my manager will become even more confident in the script.

I’d love to speed through it all and just be done with it, but that’s probably the worst thing I could do. This is not something to rush, and I have to keep reminding myself of that. It’ll get done the right way.

-I’d also sent them my logline and 1-page synopsis for some further tinkering. The logline is apparently still a work in progress. They liked the 1-pager, but I’ve been asked to see what I can do to make it stronger, which includes incorporating more of the “mystery and whimsy so prevalent in the script.”

Going for the silver lining angle, I’m seeing this as an opportunity to really go all out and play up the sheer adventurousness of the whole thing.  Time to let out my inner pulp novelist.

-I received feedback on the script from a well-known screenwriting guru. I hold his opinion in very high regard.

But if you took out all of his flowery speech about the writing process, the cliches and assorted material you just know he’s used on many others many times before, you’d be left with just a few sentences of constructive advice.

But he liked it, which is nice.

-A few months ago, I had the good fortune to connect with Barri Evans.  She’s been very supportive, so the least I can do is plug her upcoming seminar in Emeryville (across the Bay, next to Berkeley, home of Pixar). She does them all over the country, but this one’s local. I won’t be able to attend, but if you can and want to make some good progress with your writing, it’s definitely something you should consider.  Sorry –  no discount for mentioning me or this blog, although that would be pretty cool.

-Just a few words about yesterday’s tragedy at the Boston Marathon. As someone who takes part in these kinds of races, and has seen my family waiting for me at the finish line, this hit me especially hard.  I can’t imagine the pain and suffering of the victims, and can only hope that something like it never happens again.

Fear of such a tragedy will probably always be somewhere on the minds of runners of future races, but the best we can do is stay strong and keep running.

Nevertheless, I still play well with others

Maximum Z blog, feedback, public forums, screenwriting, social media, Twitter, writing , ,
I was told there'd be ice cream afterward...
Hey gang! Who wants ice cream?

I was reminded this week why it’s important to build up your own network of trusted friends and colleagues.

Even though I’m pretty confident about knowing certain things, and am more than willing to admit when I don’t know something, I need and always appreciate good feedback.

I’ve been very fortunate to be able to connect with a good number of talented writers over the past few years. The more we communicate (pretty much via email & Twitter), the more we respect and value each others’ opinions. So I’m extremely appreciative when they’re open to reading my stuff if I ask, or offering to read it, as well as asking if I’d do the same for them.

Everybody who’s read my script has liked it, but has also given thoughtful suggestions on how it could be improved.

This system has worked out pretty well for me, and hopefully it’s been reciprocal for them.

Which is why I don’t think I’ll be very active on public forums anymore. Not that I was overly active to begin with, but it’s hard for me to value the opinion of somebody I don’t know and has never seen anything I’ve written compared to somebody who knows me and my writing style.

Case in point: I once posted questions about what should and shouldn’t go into my query letter.  I got about a dozen responses, each with different answers and opinions. Of those, maybe two, possibly three, actually answered the question with well-thought, insightful and unexpectedly supportive comments. A majority weren’t very helpful, and one was just too cryptically-worded that I had no idea what they were talking about.

Don’t get me wrong – there’s a lot of helpful information out there, and connections are made all the time.  But reading responses to various posts, sometimes it feels like some folks don’t exactly have a firm grasp of what they’re talking about, or give advice not related to the original question.  Pointing you in the wrong direction will not help you in the long run.

Most of my connections have come through the other person’s online presence. I read their blog, newsletter or website, it gives me a bigger window into what kind of writer and person they are. I introduce myself, maybe there’s some email correspondence, and before you know it, both of our networks have increased by one.

It’s harder to accomplish that based on a 1-2 sentence not-as-helpful-as-you-had-hoped answer to your question.

It takes time to build up your network, but in the end you’ll be really glad you did.

But I look so good in jodhpurs

Maximum Z Comedy Film Nerds, directing, editing, feedback, podcasts, rewrite, screenwriting, writing
And a beret, too
And a beret, too

I’ve been poring over the notes I’ve received, and included within were a few suggestions for improvements, including cutting back on the use of CAPITAL LETTERS for emphasis.  In fact, it was recommended I cut them out altogether.

I always thought doing that really got the point across, especially for really active verbs. Add that to the list of things to consider/investigate.

It was also mentioned that I could cut about 4-5 pages if I eliminated my ‘directing the action’ in so many scenes.

Directing? Me?

I looked over some of the pages in question, and wouldn’t you know it? They were right.

This isn’t about camera angles or more technical aspects.  I put in too much detailed description of the action between lines of dialogue, or give too much of a suggestion how a line should be delivered.

Apparently I do it a lot, not even realizing I was doing it.

I’ve always made an effort to avoid an excessive use of adverbs and parentheticals, but this really is something new.  While it’s something I’ll definitely need to work on in the future, making the appropriate fixes this time around doesn’t seem to be too challenging.

At least for now.

Teaching myself to not do this seems a little daunting at first, but the person who pointed this out to me added that he’s been a working screenwriter for 30 years and is still learning.

So there may be hope for me yet.

Just wondering – has there ever been something about your writing that was pointed out to you that completely caught you by surprise?

-This post was written during a very quiet Christmas morning shift at work. Hope you made watching a movie part of your day. Happy holidays!  One of my gifts was the COMEDY FILM NERDS GUIDE TO MOVIES, which comes from the always-entertaining and incredibly hilarious podcast of the same name. Definitely worth subscribing to. Please note the very apt ‘explicit’ tag on iTunes.

My jets can cool no longer

Maximum Z feedback, networking, rewrite, screenwriting, self-confidence, social media, writing ,
Oh, how I love visual jokes
Oh how I love sight gags

I had it all planned out. The rewrite’s done, but I won’t be able to send it out for professional notes until after January 1st, so until then, I’d have plenty of time to research the best places to query and work on my western outline.

It was nice to think that.

But as is usually the case, things have changed a bit.

A trusted colleague sent some extremely helpful notes, and more are due from another.

*side note – I connected with both through social media and networking. Proof it has benefits!

It would seem a short rewrite session is in my immediate future.

I welcome these latest developments.  They contribute to making the script as strong as it can be, and that’s what counts the most.

Added bonus: a lot of this first set of notes deals more with format, rather than story, so fixing them won’t be too difficult.

Even better added bonus: the notes ended with the words every writer lives to hear: “I wish I wrote this.”

If that ain’t a confidence-building good omen, I don’t know what is.

-Winter break begins this weekend at our house. Hoping to take V to see THE HOBBIT and LES MISERABLES during that time. Anything a parent should be concerned about with either? (She hasn’t seen LOTR, but seems eager to catch HOBBIT)

Three to get ready…

Maximum Z creativity, editing, feedback, goals, motivation, productivity, rewrite, screenwriting, script, self-confidence, writing
Yeah, it kind of feels like that…

It took a while, but the initial editing phase is complete.  There aren’t a lot of significant changes to be made, but almost every page has something that requires some kind of fix. Fortunately, most of them are very minor, like changing a verb or rearranging the way a scene is described.

There are at least 3, maybe 4 scenes where something needs a little more attention, so I circle it and write my standard “Work on this”.

So all that’s left is one or two thorough typing sessions, one more read-through, a little feedback (professional and trusted colleague), and then diving headfirst into the fray and getting the script out there. (which reminds me I really need to get on the ball and get back to the research phase)

And honestly? I’m getting a little nervous.  But in a good way.

This is what I’ve been working towards, and now it feels like it’s just about here.

Is it wrong for me to think there could possibly be a good chance of something happening?

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not expecting a million-dollar sale.  Although selling a script would be fantastic, I’d much rather get representation and take some meetings that result in steady projects.  That would be phenomenal.

For some reason, I’m flashing back to a meeting I had about 11 years ago with a professional writer. I’d written 2 scripts and he read both of them purely as a favor.  When we met, the first thing he said was that I was a good writer. I had the talent, but really needed to keep writing in order to get better.

Which is exactly what I’ve been trying to do ever since.

Keep in mind that like everybody else, my first efforts were incredibly lousy (at least compared to my current stuff), so either he was being kind or he actually meant what he said. I really hope it was the latter.

For now, this remains an ongoing process. I’ve said many times it’s all been an absolute blast, and that still holds true.

And something deep inside tells me there’s bigger and better things ahead.