The past few days have been all about doing some major rewriting on the animated fantasy-comedy.
A lot of it has remained the same, but I can also say that a lot has changed about it, and coming up with new stuff – or at least new approaches to what was already there – seemed more effective this time around.
I started with the mindset of “do what needs to be done, no matter what”. Apart from the core of the story, nothing was safe; not even material that had been there since the very first draft. I knew what was needed and would do what I had to to get there.
It wasn’t as tumultuous as I expected. In fact, it was a bit surprising how much ended up being changed, and even more surprising was how easy it was to come up with new stuff; almost as if some kind of door had been kicked open and the ideas wouldn’t stop coming in. If only it could be like that all the time, right?
This is the part of the writing process I truly enjoy. Just being creative and putting it on the page. It felt like I’d lost touch with that, and got a real kick out of experiencing it again.
Next up – sending the script to some beta readers. Fingers, as always, firmly crossed.
The timing of this burst of creativity was also fortuitous because I’ve been feeling very non-productive lately, so this was a nice remedy for that. Being able to recharge one’s batteries is an underrated skill.
With this rewrite now in the past, I can now focus on a few projects that got put on hold because of it.
One of my biggest challenges when it comes to rewrites has always been letting go of what’s on the page now and making whatever changes are needed.
It’s taken time to learn to get better at this.
Such was the case with the current rewrite.
I was going through the previous draft, marking up what needed to be done.
I got to a scene that I loved, but ultimately realized that it simply didn’t need to be there. Broke my heart to take it out, but I had to do what was best for the script, not me.
There were a few scenes that had to be adjusted a bit as a result of that, which in retrospect was a pretty good thing. Those scenes are now tighter and help keep things moving along.
And it’s not like I can’t use the content of the cut scenes again. They’ll just be stored away for potential use in the future – for this script or possibly another.
Cutting that one scene has also resulted in being more open to doing more with other scenes. I’ve enjoyed working with the mindset of “Is there a different way to do this?” and then exploring the possibilities. It’s not uncommon to go through several versions before finding the one that works.
Don’t know how long it’ll take to get through the rest of the script, but I’m quite happy with how it’s going. This in turn makes me want to work on it more, so there’s a chance it could even be done sooner than expected.
I honestly think the end result will be a much better script. All because I was willing to get rid of/change material I thought was already good.
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.
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.
“And then he actually asked, “But what’s your Save the Cat moment?””
My next few weeks are quickly shaping up to be busy with all kinds of meetings with other writers; both in-person and over Zoom. Some are first-timers, others are “great to see you again!”. This really is one of the things I appreciate and enjoy most about the writing community: interacting with other writers.
It seemed only fitting to repost one of my favorite posts – this one from August 2016.
Enjoy.
It’s been a busy week around here, and not just in terms of writing.
I’ve had some great in-person meet-ups with three other local writers over the past couple of days. Two were first-timers, the third was someone I’ve known for a couple of years. Each one was great in its own way. This really is one of my favorite parts of networking – actually meeting somebody else and getting to know them.
Because of my work schedule, lunch or early afternoon coffee are ideal. I prefer a nice little cafe because it always makes for a better one-on-one environment: quiet, sociable, pleasant. Larger networking events, usually at bars, tend to be pretty crowded and noisy, which makes it tough to establish a solid rapport. I’m not too keen on having to continuously shout and not be entirely sure either of us can hear the other.
The first meeting usually involves the exchanging of “here’s my story” mini-bios, and then moves on to what’s going on for both parties. Over the course of about an hour, we’ll share and discuss our individual journeys as writers. Everybody’s journey is different, and I always find each one quite fascinating.
We often share many similarities: our constantly working in the hopes of eventually succeeding as a writer (or filmmaker), the noticeable excitement while discussing our latest project(s), wondering how it’ll go and how it’ll be received.
We are also allowed free rein to vent our frustration about whatever’s currently sticking in our respective craws. Bad experiences, lack of funds for a project, feeling stuck with developing a story, dealing with lousy notes, and so on. One of my new connections even stated, “It’s nice to know I’m not the only one this has happened to!”
That may be what’s at the heart of all of this: knowing you’re not the only one trying to do this, and that somebody else totally understands what it is you’re going through. Simply being able to chat about it in a casual social setting can do wonders; one might even call it therapeutic.
I also make a point of offering to help out in any capacity I can, which tends to usually be either giving script notes or suggesting potential contacts and strategies, and just about everybody is more than happy to reciprocate. Who can’t use a little help?
If you haven’t done so already, I heartily recommend reaching out and connecting with somebody in your area, especially if both of you are within close proximity to each other. Chances are they’re seeking to do the exact same thing.
You know the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”? Well, this not only applies to breaking in, but also to helping you work your way towards that. Building up your personal network of fellow creatives is easy, won’t cost you that much (just what you’d spend on a cup of coffee or a meal), and is a definite plus for all involved.
Maximum Z 