Ever have one of those moments?

If you have been lurking around here for a while you know I’ve ostracized my self to a Screenwriting Gulag for the past month or so – trying to understand and improve on my weaknesses as a writer.

But during this time I had a ‘brain-fart’ of an idea for a new screenplay and started down the road of outlining, character development – using what I have learned at the Re-education Camp (see posts: Weak Characters, Shallow Stories) – and developing the plot. I had what I thought was a High Concept Story – The Holy Grail of screenwriting: an iconic character – someone everyone ‘knows’; a familiar situation – something everyone has experienced; and high stakes – a worldwide disaster. Then earlier this week I pitched some stories to a fellow screenwriter – of the produced variety – and we both agreed that one idea was worthy of exploration. He suggested that I put together a short synopsis – what’s going on at the beginning of the story, what happens at the end of Act I, Act II, and Act III. I did this and voila!

It became clear to me that I can write this.

Now.

In all fairness the story idea is based on a short story I wrote a year or two ago, so the majority of the story is already in place. The problem – and this was true of the short story too – is with the ending: too damned ‘preachy’. But, developing the synopsis showed me a way to overcome that preachy ending – an ending that should be ‘acceptable’ to the audience. I’m shelving the first High Concept work-in-progress and turning my attention to this new, High Concept screenplay.

So, my question to you – my loyal two or three fans – is this: have you ever started a story then suddenly made a hard U-turn down the road of a different story? And if so, how did that work out for you? Was the new story easy to write? Was the first story ever completed?

Share with me, please.

Keep Writing!