public forums

Please. Pique my interest.

Maximum Z editing, loglines, message boards, originality, public forums, reading, representation, screenwriting, script, story, writing
All of that in one sentence? Gosh, this is tough.
The whole story in one sentence? Gosh, this is tough.

When it comes to online communities and public forums, I’m more of an observer than active participant. Maybe I’ll post a comment when I think it’s appropriate, but for the most part, I sign in, look around a little, then leave.

One of the most interesting sections is always the one for loglines. Writers submit a logline and ask “What do you think?” I’ve done it myself, with mixed results.

(Side note – ask other writers whose opinion you value and trust, rather than a crowd of the anonymous and online. You’ll feel better about yourself.)

While comments and feedback can range from “brilliant” to “are we reading the same thing?”, my criteria is pretty simple and straightforward:  Does it make me want to read this?

Unfortunately, a lot of the time the answer is “No,” but don’t take it personally.

If your logline doesn’t grab me, why would I want to read your script?

And this isn’t just me, a lowly nobody, asking. Those with the power to make things happen are going to ask the same thing. Don’t forget – they’re always looking for a reason to say “no”.

Just as your script has to be totally bulletproof, so does your logline.

Does it effectively encapsulate what the story’s about? I’ve read a lot that don’t.

Sometimes it focuses too much on one part of the story, rather than giving a more widespread view. Counter to that, it might offer up too much information, which just makes things confusing.

Is this a story we haven’t seen before, or at least a new twist on an old one? What’s unique about it?

A lot of the time, someone in the forums will ask about the intent, meaning or significance of a word or phrase in the logline, and the writer will then explain (sometimes with a little too much detail).

My argument is that the logline should be written in such a way that you don’t have to ask; everything should be laid out right there in front of you.

Do your homework and study the loglines of other films and scripts. How are they put together? What is it about them that’s different than yours?

And this isn’t going to be easy. You may have to struggle through several dozen versions until you come up with the one that really works.

But, like everything else we work on, it takes time and is worth the effort when we get it right.

She kicks ass just right

Maximum Z action, characters, determination, feedback, genre, ideas, loglines, protagonist, public forums, screenwriting, script, spec, story, storytelling, westerns, writing
There were too many to choose from, so I opted for a classic example
There were too many to choose from, so I opted for a classic

Encouraging feedback on the western spec continues to roll in, with a recurring theme developing regarding opinions about the main character.

-“calm, cool and witty in the face of danger and indomitable odds”
-“a really great character to get behind”
-“actor bait”

Did I mention the main character is a woman?  More than a few considered that a major plus.

When I first started figuring out the story, which included seeking online help for the logline, anonymous posters on assorted forums pulled no punches in letting me know what a terrible idea they thought it was.

Yet despite all that negativity, I still felt this was a story worth the time and effort to tell. The West was a harsh, brutal place. You had to be tough to survive. Why wouldn’t the women be as tough as the men?

When I write action, I’m hoping to create a sense comparable to a thrilling rollercoaster ride; one that grabs you tight and pulls you along at top speed. Whether the main character behind it all is a man or woman is a non-issue. It really comes down to two things: an entertaining story with three-dimensional characters.

To me, this had both. Being a fan of the genre helped – I know what works, what doesn’t and what I as an audience member would want to see. And as far as I could tell, it was a story that hadn’t been done before.

So I wrote it, and now it’s all about the wait-and-see.

Not surprisingly, articles continue to pop up about how a female main character in an action film is still considered somewhat of a novelty, or that since an action film with a female main character absolutely tanked at the box office, logic can only dictate it was because the main character was female, and not because the story sucked.

Count me among those hoping these ways of thinking will someday not be an issue.

Meeting again for the first time

Aside Maximum Z blog, Done Deal Pro, encouragement, feedback, goals, networking, public forums, social media, Twitter, writing , ,
handshake
Hi there

A day short of one year ago, I wrote this.

Since then, through social media and community forums, I’ve connected with writers from all over the world as well as several from right here in my neck of the woods.

Whether it’s exchanging feedback on a script or offering up a solution to a story problem, or even just meeting for a get-to-know-you chat over lunch or coffee, networking and communicating with other writers can provide a kind of support system that benefits everybody involved.

The other day I met with a guy very busy with several projects, each one offering up a special brand of stress, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s getting to write as well as be involved with the actual production of projects he’s written. Who doesn’t want that?

(An interesting side note – he has severely cut back on his involvement with Done Deal Pro because the negative comments and constant in-fighting became too overwhelming. I don’t blame him and have pretty much done the same thing.)

Try this little experiment to get you started: connect with up to 5 writers a day for one week. Do it through whatever format you want – a blogger you enjoy, Twitter or a respectable forum (Despite the aforementioned issues, DDP is still pretty good). Don’t forget to be polite. Give it a go and see what happens.

Meanwhile, 365 days later…

Maximum Z action, adventure, baking, blog, confidence, cooking, creativity, cycling, encouragement, feedback, goals, half-marathons, manager, message boards, mystery, networking, podcasts, productivity, public forums, pulp fiction, representation, rewrite, running, screenwriting, script, self-confidence, social media, spec, story, westerns, writing
When exactly are the days of auld lang syne again?
When exactly are the days of auld lang syne again?

Things definitely changed for me during 2013, happily for the better.

-My script DREAMSHIP got me a manager, was a semifinalist in a high-profile contest and placed in the top 15 percent of the Nicholl. While I hope more things happen with it this year, I’m also pretty excited about the potential of the western spec and the two still in the rewrite/development stages.

Most importantly, I’d say I finally realized the true meaning of “write what you know”. A lot of what I write could fall squarely into the category of pulp material. A high-flying adventure guaranteed to buckle anyone’s swash. A western where you can practically breathe in the dry and dusty air and hear the thundering hoofbeats. A noir-style mystery that makes you want to hang on to your fedora as you toss back a shot of cheap rotgut.

I live for this kind of stuff, and strive to convey the same kinds of sensations and experiences in my work. It took a while to really understand this, but it’s made a significant difference for me and how I approach writing.

-Through this blog, assorted networking websites and writing forums, I’ve connected with a lot of extremely talented people from all over the world. Pleasantries, experiences and script advice have been exchanged, and I’m looking forward to continuing all of them (when possible, regarding the latter).

-Absolutely nothing happened with relaunching the podcast, mostly because I never found the time. Will do my best to change that.

-I ran 5 half-marathons, including two where I finally managed to break the 1:55 mark and set a new personal best – 1:51:10. I don’t know if I’ll do as many this year, but would like to try and at least hit 1:50.

-The running and bike riding definitely helped me stay in shape, and I attempted to maintain a semi-regular regiment of upper body work. Not as fit and toned as I’d like to be, but it’s helped a little. This will continue.

-The great baklava experiment was a smashing success. It’s been requested I make it again, this time with pistachios instead of walnuts. No reason that can’t happen. Still undecided about what new concoction to attempt this year, but baked alaska currently holds the frontrunner position.

As always, I’d like to thank you for coming along with me on this thrill ride of an experience, and hope you stick around because 2014 holds bigger and better things.

Happy new year, and see you on the other side.

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.