writing process

From the archives: FBD is a BFD

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This post from July 2024 is about when I was first starting on this new story idea. I’d put that one on hold to spend a lot of time polishing and rewriting another script, so work on this one has resumed. There has been some progress on figuring out the story, but a lot of what’s mentioned in here still rings true – especially the subject.

Enjoy.

Working on this new script idea is proving to be quite a challenge. It’s still in the very early development stages, so any and every idea is being written down for potential use. No doubt some will stay, some will be trashed, and some will be altered/revised/modified to varying degrees.

Adding to all of this is that a big part of the story is similar to parts of a very beloved and well-known film – so similar that it’s one of my comps – so I also need to come up with ideas so my story safely falls into the category of “Familiar, But Different” – FBD.

It’s my goal to have this story be reminiscent of that other one, but not so much that it feels like I’m totally ripping it off. I’ve read a lot of scripts that fall short of that, so doing what I can to avoid falling into that trap.

This film also has a lot of iconic scenes, so it’s even more important I put my own spin on the concept to really hammer home its FBD-ness. The absolute last thing I want is for somebody to read this and think “There’s nothing new here”.

A key part of this is breaking down the components of the original film – not just the story, plot and characters, but seeing what worked, how the various storylines and subplots were laid out AND how they were connected. I can then use all of that as a springboard to putting my story together, and then fine tune as necessary.

Challenging, but not impossible.

Great as it would be to have the final result ready now, finding a new way to tell this familiar story is part of what I enjoy about doing this. I like to call it “go for the hard turn”; Just when you think things are going to go a certain way, there’s a yank on the steering wheel and all of a sudden things are heading in a whole new direction that makes you want to keep going.

One thing I’m fairly certain will play a factor in putting this together is that I’m just enjoying working on it. I don’t think there’s anything like it out there, so there’s a certain thrill to exploring the unknown, so to speak. It’s a priority for me that when it’s totally done – no matter how long that takes – it makes a strong impression for both the story it’s telling and how it’s written.

Even though it’ll take a while for me to figure it out, I’m confident I can make it happen.

Narrowing things down

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Sometime in the fall of 2024, I started working on this new script. As is my standard practice, I came up with the main plot points and then started filling in the blanks.

Made some good progress – to a point. Act One came together pretty quickly, so now it’s all about Acts Two and Three. Those are proving to be a bit more challenging, so work has slowed a bit. But not stalled, which is important.

Part of this stems from not wanting to have things come across as too similar to the films that inspired the idea (so much that they’re the comps). Obsessing about finding the perfect solution won’t help, so I’ve opted to write down any and all ideas, see which ones are the best fit, and then figure out a way to put that “familiar but different” spin on them.

As is usually the case, there will probably be a ton of ideas that end up unused, but better to have a lot of those rather than fall short.

I already had a list of possible scenes/ideas, and have started expanding on each one while also considering how it could involve or affect the protagonist, the antagonist, or possibly both.

It’s also very important to not get frustrated about how long this is taking. It’s better to spend time figuring things out now while still in the early stages rather than have them cause problems later. Also good – not having everything locked in. Flexibility is a good element to work with.

And by coming up with a lot of ideas, if something doesn’t work in one spot, maybe there’s somewhere else in the story that might be a better fit. Wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.

I’m making a deliberate effort to really take my time with this one, and am confident it’ll all pay off.

A most influential guideline

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Development of the latest story has been moving along smoothly. The jotting-down of ideas and my excitement about putting this together both continue to hold steady.

Part of this is simply because I think it’s a fun story worth telling.

It’s also something I advise writers just starting out:

Write something you would want to watch

Pretty simple, isn’t it?

It’s always worked for me. I like a particular kind of story, so I feel best suited to write that kind of story. And it shows.

I’ve always found that a writer’s enjoyment and appreciation of the material can be seen on the page. In how the story is told. What mental imagery it creates. The overall vibe.

Really embracing the elements and components of the story goes beyond just telling the reader or audience a story. It should get them invested just as much as you are. Make them feel all the emotions you would if you were reading it, and then some.

How do you feel about your current project? Would a reader get the sense that you love this kind of story? That you had a great time writing it?

It can also be a challenge to not overdo it. You don’t want to let how you feel about the story get in the way of solid storytelling and good writing. The last thing you want to do is alienate a reader or belittle them because they don’t share your enthusiasm. Look at your script as an opportunity to showcase the things you like about this kind of story.

You also want to be careful not to fall victim to relying on whatever tropes and clichés this kind of story may involve. What’s a unique and original spin you can put on it to really make it feel “familiar but different”? It’s always great when somebody starts a story with pre-established expectations, and then you surprise them by taking them in a new and different direction that still works within the context of the story.

Although the whole process of putting it all together takes time, I’m excited to be doing it. Figuring it all out and playing around in this particular sandbox adds to the enjoyment. I totally accept there will be some stumbles along the way, but I have a great time putting myself through it, and hope the reader does too.

One chapter ends, another begins

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Seeing as how 2024 just passed the halfway mark, and taking into account how many drafts I’ve done on the animated fantasy-comedy, it’s safe to say that for now, this script is as solid as it’s going to be.

Naturally, that could change, but I’m quite thrilled with how it’s turned out and don’t want to mess with it any further. It’s a strong writing sample/calling card script and I’m already prepping to enter it in a few contests next year.

So what now?

My initial intent was to go back and revise the sci-fi adventure, but earlier this year I came up with an idea I am absolutely crazy about, and since they say you should work on that which excites you, this one definitely fits that bill.

Far as I can tell, there hasn’t been a story like this before.

I’ve mapped out the plot points and started jotting down the ever-increasing number of ideas for scenes and sequences. The more I work on it, the more ramped up I get about working on it. I’m sure things will change as things develop, but as has often been the case, the core of the story should remain the same.

Ideally, I’ll have a first draft done by December 31st, but also want to take my time in plotting it out. Once that’s set, it’s diving headfirst into pages.

Excitement levels are pretty strong, and doing what I can to keep that going.

Wish me luck.

Talking to writers about writing

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As the 15th(!) anniversary of this blog approaches, this is a good time to also mention that my multimedia empire – such as it is – is expanding.

For the past 4 1/2 years, I’ve been involved with a podcast called The Creative Writing Life. First as one of three co-hosts, then one of two, and since earlier this year – the only one.

The show is all about talking with writers from various genres and mediums about themselves and their work. Authors, playwrights, cartoonists, comic books, and of course – screenwriters. We cover how they got their start as a writer, their projects, their processes, a lot of writing-adjacent topics, and what advice they’d offer to other writers.

You can catch it on both Spotify and YouTube. I’ve been really enjoying doing this and hope you’ll give it a listen or a watch.

-Friendly reminder: Enrollment in Kaia Alexander’s Entertainment Business School Summer Session officially opens today (June 28th) and continues until July 28th with the session getting underway on August 5th.

Click here for more details, and use the code PZ50S24 for a $50 discount on the enrollment fee.