My third book – GO AHEAD AND ASK! INTERVIEWS ABOUT SCREENWRITING (AND PIE) VOLUME 3 is in the final preparation stages, and an official release date of October 7th.
This is the last collection of interviews done for this blog over the years, including helpful and insightful comments from script consultants, writers of TV and film, playwrights, and writers in other mediums.
Responses to the first two books have been overwhelmingly positive, and fingers are firmly crossed for this one. They’re available here and here.
While a lot of other screenwriting books are more of a “here’s how you write a script”, these are geared more towards “how can I make my script better?” The advice from the experts within can help with that.
Plus, lots and lots of pie suggestions, which is always a good thing.
Bonus – the holidays will be here before you know it, and the complete set of three books makes for an excellent gift. A great resource for any screenwriter’s library.
That little paper box full of extra cards is tucked away somewhere
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of being interviewed on the Telling The Show podcast to talk about networking as it relates to screenwriters.
Over the course of the discussion came this question: in pre-COVID times, it wasn’t uncommon for a writer to have a business card. Does a writer still need one?
I thought it was a great question, and had to really think about it.
My initial thought is probably not, especially due to how most networking is now done online, and most writers have their phone with them, so contact – or at least reaching out – can be practically instantaneous.
What good is having a card to hand out when you’re practically isolated and there’s nobody around to hand it to? These days you’re more likely to connect with somebody via a social media platform, so you’ll probably do everything via email and/or texting in order to set up meeting one-on-one.
A lot of writers now have a strong online presence – websites, blogs, an account on Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, etc., so it’s significantly easier to get in touch with somebody to strike up a conversation, or at least establish a professional relationship.
Keeping that in mind, in-person interaction is slowly coming back, so if we get to the point where you show up at a venue where you don’t know anybody, and then have some nice conversations with people, would you want to have a card to hand out, or be comfortable asking for their email address?
There are exceptions, of course. A majority of writers tend to be on the introverted side, so dealing with a real live person can be somewhat intimidating. This makes online networking easier for some people. Somebody quiet and shy in person might be more involved or outgoing on a Zoom call or on Twitter.
Just as an example, I recently tweeted a compliment to the hosts of another screenwriting podcast regarding the interview they did with a high-profile manager (I also included the manager in the tweet). Both hosts and the manager liked it, and another writer friend of mine added in his two cents, leading to a brief discussion among all of them.
I didn’t do it because I was trying to suck up to the hosts or hope the manager would offer to read something; it was because I liked what I’d heard, and wanted to let them know that. Would I have achieved the same results if this had been done in person? I’m going to go with “slightly maybe, but probably not to the same extent”.
Online interaction is one of the things I encourage for writers seeking to expand their network. Nobody’s going to get to know you if you hang back and stay quiet. Become involved. Join conversations. Just make sure to be polite, civil and respectful.
There are forums and group chats to take part in, as well as lots of screenwriting groups on Facebook. I find the smaller ones to be better because the members tend to be more experienced, more mature, and of a more rational temperament.
Networking and interacting has really changed, especially over the past few years. But one thing remains the same: online or in person, business card or no, be the kind of person you’d want to know.
While putting my project-promoting post together a few weeks ago, a few of my writer colleagues asked “how about scripts?”
Since that post was all about already-completed projects, scripts were a no.
But it did get me thinking.
Why not a list promoting scripts?
So that’s the plan.
Next week’s post (26 June) will feature a list of film & TV scripts provided by any writer interested in doing so.
But only one script per person. Total.
Interested? Here’s what I need from you. Email the following info here with the subject “June 26 script spotlight blogpost”
specify film or TV
title
author
genre
logline
awards (if applicable)
your email
DO NOT SEND THE SCRIPT!
You’ve got until this coming Wednesday – 24 June – to submit. After that, you’re out of luck.
A few people have asked me why I’m doing this. I like helping people, and figure it’s a nice way to give writers a platform to promote their own material.
And the emails are included in case somebody wants to ask the writer about reading the script.
Responses so far have been fantastic. This is already shaping up to be quite an extensive list, so don’t delay and send in yours today.
Steve Cleary ManHeat – microbudget webseries A screenwriter takes his filmmaking career into his own hands and started a microseries about action film cliches that’s seen a steady increase in production values https://www.facebook.com/storbangfanpage/playlist/2385554318362169/
Jackie Perez Beachworld – sci-fi/horror short film – authorized adaptation of Stephen King short story of the same name “Stranded crew on an alien planet covered in dunes. Locating their ship’s emergency beacon is their only hope, but when a salvage crew answers their distress signal, it’s already too late.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd7HeWs0jVQ&feature=youtu.be
Hard to believe, isn’t it? Even I’m a bit gobsmacked.
When I started this blog, it was more or less about chronicling my progress – for my scripts, my efforts to make a career out of writing them, and just about anything else connected to all of it. The past 999 posts have seen a lot of ups, downs, and everything in between.
And pie. Lots and lots of pie. Which of course is a category unto itself.
It goes without saying that it would have been nice to be able to call myself a professional writer today. In some ways, I suppose I am – in every aspect except for the “getting paid for it” part. But I can also say with confidence that I feel significantly closer to that becoming a reality than ever. It’ll happen when it happens – but I’m doing everything I can to help it along.
That being said, if I look at my scripts from way back when, the overall difference is quite noticeable. I’m happy to say I’m better at it now.
I’d also wanted to make this as informative as I could, passing along any helpful tips and advice I’d picked up along the way. It was my hope to offer up the kind of help that would have come in handy for me when I was just starting out.
And the interviews. 83, or thereabouts, as of this writing. Writers, consultants, filmmakers, authors, cartoonists. That’s A LOT of information for writers to take in and apply to their own work.
And this blog wouldn’t be anything if it weren’t for you – the reader. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have people not only be interested in what I’ve had to say, but were willing to engage and interact with me about all the stuff I’ve written. This has yielded more than a few professional relationships, many of which continue to this day.
The plan so far is to keep going until further notice. Rest assured that if any big developments happen for me, it’s more than likely you’ll read about it here. I eagerly look forward to the day where I get to write it, and then share it with all of you.
So please accept my heartiest of thanks for being part of this ongoing journey, and I sincerely hope you decide to stick around to see what happens over the next thousand posts.
Maximum Z 