Hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving holiday and that Black Friday has not done you in.
Been a while since my last post (an understatement, I know) and for that I apologize. Strictly my bad. Call me lazy. Call me busy. No excuses. I can only hope my one or two faithful followers are still lurking in cyberspace and will forgive me and continue to follow me.
What have I been up to, you might ask? Writing. Rewritiing. And more rewriting.
Since we last chatted I have finished one script — a Sci-Fi thriller called Bad Penny (logline available on the Logline page) and started work on a contained thriller called Cocos Island (which now sits on the shelf waiting for me to figure out how to end the damn thing). Most of my time has been taken up by sending out email queries to, well, let’s say a lot of managers and producers with very limited success. It wasn’t a total loss though. Out of some forty-two requests for scripts, fifteen are still out there awaiting a decision. So Hope floats.
In the future I will attempt to be more consistent in posting on this site. Don’t know exactly what we will discuss, but I’m sure I can think of something. If there are any subjects you wish to see discussed here, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
For now, that’s a wrap.
Keep Writing!
Sorry to have been away so long… life always seems to get in the way. But, I am happy to say that things have finally settled down. The mother-in-law is safely ensconced in the Skilled Nursing Facility (aka: Nursing Home) and the wife-unit has recovered from her surgery and the anesthesia debacle. Now, I can concentrate on writing.
Which segues into my Epiphany.
Although I did not get much writing accomplished this last month I was able to read/analyze several scripts. I would write a short paragraph (3 - 4 lines) on what transpired on each page. I would flag paragraphs that represented a Complication. I would also flag those paragraphs representing Resolutions. When I sat down to review just when, where, and how often Complications and Resolutions occurred, I discovered…
First, I should explain something relevant. Over the years I have been aware — through reading screenwriting books and listening to interviews with screenwriters — that it is important to pile Complication after Complication on your Protagonist until he experiences the so called Dark Nigh Of The Soul (or The All Is Lost Moment). I knew this. I think we all know this. But I never consciously practiced it. And that, my Dear Reader, is why my scripts SUCK!
Now, back to that Epiphany….
As I said, when I finished reviewing all these Complications and Resolutions — the when, where, how often — I discovered this:
Act I: Complication changes Protagonist’s Ordinary World and takes us into Act II.
Act II: two more Complications for a total of three (3) in a row before we have our first Resolution around the mid-point.
Act III: another Complication, then two (2) quick Resolutions of previous Complications. Followed by: Complication, Resolution, Complication and Act III’s final Resolution, which takes us into…
ACT IV: Another Complication (the All-Is-Lost-Moment), followed by two (2) Resolutions of previous Complications which leads to the Story’s biggest Complication followed by the Resolution of most, if not all, of the previous Complications.
To simplify things (my new Mantra for 2011: SIMPLIFY!) you could use the following as a simple reference/template:
ACT I:
Complication (takes Hero out of Ordinary World into New World)
ACT II:
Complication
Complication
Resolution
ACT III:
Complication
Resolution
Resolution
Complication
Resolution
Complication
Resolution
ACT IV:
Complication (Dark Night of the Soul)
Resolution
Resolution
BIG COMPLICATION
BIG RESOLUTION
Wrap Things Up (Resolve most, if not all, previous Complications.
That’s it! My Epiphany. I hope it helps you to get a handle on how to complicate your Protagonist’s life, when to do that, when to resolve things and how often.
Let me know your thoughts on Complications and Resolutions as you,
Keep Writing!
I know it has been a while since we last had a chat, but a hell of a lot has been going on in my life. As usual I will not bore you with all of the details, but in a nutshell….
Spent most of December settling into the new house — looking more and more like a home.
Up to the hospital almost every night/day to visit the mother-in-law. Got very, very old (she’s been in the hospital since October 7th).
On December 21st the MIL was released from the hospital and admitted to a skilled nursing facility for physical therapy.
On December 22nd my wife was admitted to the hospital for surgery. Complications from her anesthesia required her to spend the next ten days in the Cardiac Care Unit (ICU) and yesterday she was transferred to a regular room. With any luck she will be home tomorrow.
A POX ON 2010!!
On the writing front 2010 wasn’t that bad. Although I didn’t reach my goal of writing two new specs, I did manage to write one pretty good thriller/horror story and completed around 20 pages of a contained thriller.
In addition, I rewrote/polished three (3) older scripts to push out into the world when Spec Script Season starts in late January/early February.
My goal once again in 2011 is two (2) new specs and to wrangle some representation — preferably a manager.
What are your writing goals for 2011? Did you meet your writing goals for 2010? Share, dear reader.
That’s a wrap for now. I wish you all a Happy, Prosperous, Safe and Successful New Year. And please,
Keep Writing!
A quick update on what has been going on of late.
On the personal front:
The new house is beginning to look more and more like a home.
The mother-in-law is still in the hospital — ICU — eight weeks and counting.
Still have to work for a living. L
On the screenwriting front:
Completed a polish on A Soldier’s Honor. Logline: During World War I a young Quaker farm boy, with a violent past, experiences the reality of war and struggles to remain true to his peaceful values.
Completed a polish on Red Frenzy. Logline: A serial killer meets his match when he answers a lonely woman’s personal ad only to discover she is a bounty hunter hot on his trail — and a vampire.
Working on polishing up my thriller, Lawyers, Guns and Money. Logline: An ambulance-chasing lawyer lands a malpractice case worth millions only to learn he is up against the best lawyer in the state – his older brother.
Working on the first draft of my contained thriller, Cocos Island. Logline: Four friends awake in an underwater cavern, on an isolated island, unable to remember anything about their lives, how they got there, or why. Slowly, they come to the realization: they’ve located a Spanish treasure worth millions and one of them will kill to keep it.
Over at the GITS Club (http://www.gitsclub.proboards.com/index.cgi) we wrapped up the inaugural Treatment Challenge. Scott Myers (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0616851/) and blogger at Go Into The Story (http://www.gointothestory.com/) generously offered to critique the winning treatment. The November winner was Brock Weaver for the treatment of his screenplay, House On Wheels. Scott’s professional critique will be up on Go Into The Story later this week.
We also completed the November screenwriting challenge. November’s challenge was to write a 3-5 page short with absolutely NO dialogue. Voting for the winner continues over at the GITS Club. Stop by. Give the entries a read. Vote for your favorite.
Finally, we have a weekly script critique called Pick of the Week (POW). This is the place to offer up your babies for scrutiny by the GITS Club membership. If you have a script that needs some feedback send me an email at: mscherer0@gmail.com. I will put it in the queue.
That’s a wrap. If I don’t get back to you before the end of the year, please have a wonderful Holiday Season and a safe and Happy New Year. And, of course,
Keep Writing!
One of our best friends has disappeared. The Unknown Screenwriter has vanished from cyberspace. Gone. Kaput. Nada.
What the fuck happened LOL?
Has he given up? No longer writing? No longer interested in sharing his knowledge with us mere mortals? These are all questions I asked. And his response? Alas…..
No.
Turns out Unk got screwed. I quote:
“Long story… I was out of the country and my domain expired and I
didn’t have access to the net till I got back to the U.S. However,
you’re supposed to have 30 days from the time the domain expires to
renew for the regular price… Then if you STILL don’t renew during
that time, you can pay $150 to get the domain out of the expiration
queue… I got back home well within the 30 day period but the domain
had already been sold to a domain broker… LOL.The fuckers at
1and1.com didn’t even give me an opportunity to renew… They sold
it out from under me. I’ve tried contacting the new owner who has it
parked at Sedo.com but I never get an answer.”
Then, yesterday I receive this follow-up from Unk (I have replaced actual amounts with the ‘xxxx’):
“I am actually undergoing negotiations right now to get the domain
back… LOL. The domain broker is definitely holding the domain hostage.
He wants xxxx Euros for it which as of today, comes out to $xxxx USD and
for that amount of money, he can shove it up his ass. I can do it all
over again if need be… In fact it might be fun.”
‘…it might be fun’. It would be a lot of fun for us if he follows through: either getting back his domain name or creating a new one. Either way we all win.
Hang in there Unk. Your fans will be back when things shake out and The Unknown Screenwriter returns to cyberspace.
Recently had a fellow GITS Club member ask me: When do you stop with a script and move on?
For me, it’s like eating at a Chinese buffet. You are confronted with a spread of food, you’re hungry as hell, and you dig in. You go back one or two more times until you are completely stuffed. Then you leave, only to return again when you are hungry for more Chinese.
Same with screenwriting.
You are confronted with the blank page, you’re hungry as hell to tell your story, and you write. You go back several more times (rewrite) until you are completely stuffed (had your fill of the story). Then you leave it alone, only to return again when you are hungry for more of the story.
A clunky metaphor at best, but accurate, I think. So, to answer the question: When to put the story aside? When you know you can’t eat any more. You feel it.
My first screenplay, and all the others for that matter, are works in progress. I write, rewrite, then put them aside when I am somewhat satisfied. But… as you grow as a writer; learn new techniques; develop your style, you keep going back to those old scripts and apply what you have learned. Some get better — some don’t.
There are scripts I will probably never touch again. These are screenplays I have sent to producers, received some feedback (usually ‘…not for us’) and have decided to archive. As a writer you have to remain fresh and relevant and I think working and reworking a screenplay that you know deep inside isn’t getting any better, only hinders that growth.
Bottom line: if you don’t like your current script or think it’s a piece of crap — move on! Start a new one. The old scripts will always be there waiting for the day when you are hungry again to tell that story.
Keep Writing!
I apologize for neglecting you, my one or two consistent readers, but things have been hectic since October 1, 2010. I shouldn’t bore you with the details — but I will. I will consider it therapy.
In early September we sold our home in three (3) days, but had yet to sign a contract on a new home.
In late September we did sign that contract. On a house under construction but weeks from completion. We wouldn’t be able to close until October 25, 2010.
On October 1, 2010 I moved into an extended stay hotel with my lovely wife and my mother-in-law.
October 7, 2010: mother-in-law takes ill, admitted to hospital. (in all honesty I think she didn’t like our hotel). She’s still in the hospital three weeks later. Very sad situation.
On October 8, 2010 we closed on our old home.
October 25, 2010 rolls around and the lender does not the have paperwork ready for the 10:00 am closing. My attorney and realtor spend the entire day calling people trying to get this done. We finally sign the HUD documents around 7:00 pm that night, but too late to receive the keys to our new home.
So…. on October 26, 2010 the lender claims to have wired the monies the night before. Turned out to be a lie. My attorney discovered they wired the money at 9:46 am —– but to the wrong account. Now, we have furniture coming around 11:00 am. But, we don’t have any keys to let them in the house. After many, many calls by my realtor and attorney, we finally get the keys around 2:30 pm. Bottom line: we have a home, but no furniture.
Another night at the hotel.
October 27, 2010: I call to reschedule furniture delivery. Our furniture won’t be back into the system for 1-2 days then we can reschedule.
Another night at the hotel.
October 28, 2010: I call to reschedule furniture delivery once again. Our furniture is still not in the system. They tell me it will be 1-2 days. Heard this before, still don’t like the answer.
Another night at the hotel.
October 29, 2010 I call the furniture store and threaten to cancel the whole order if nothing is done. They promise to have at least the mattress and box springs delivered the next day.
Another night at the hotel.
On October 30, 2010 we receive our box springs and mattress. Yippie! We can finally sleep in our new house! Yet, we don’t have our sofa and chair and three tables. Won’t come till Tuesday or Wednesday.
In between these disastrous events we have been making nightly visits to the hospital. Depressing. Boring. Tiring.
But here I am. Finally. Able to write at Panera Bread for the first time in a month. Now, I have to admit, this particula Panera is NOT as writer friendly as my old stomping ground. Few outlets for power adaptors. It’s get there early, snatch some electricity, or burn up your batteries.
Now it’s a matter of redeveloping a routine.
So what does all this have to do with screenwriting? I don’t really know. Maybe the lesson learned is that no matter what disaster befalls us, what events transpire, what obstacles our muse puts in our paths we need to, at the very least, think about the writing, think about the story, think about the process because eventually the dust will settle, things will calm down, the muse will become our friend again and we will ultimately,
Keep Writing!
Huh? GITS? Yup! Go Into The Story.
The GITS Club message board. Ever heard of it?
NO? Get on over an check it out.
New and improved.
Writing Challenges.
Pick Scripts of the Week.
Need a collaborator? No problem. Join the GITS Club and find one.
Where is this spectacular site you might ask? Well, it’s right at your fingertips. Just type in: http://www.gitsclub.proboards.com/ and have at it. You won’t be sorry, only inspired.
Keep Writing!
This is going to be a rant — a venting of my frustrations with the writing life in general and screenwriting in particular. So I will forgive you, my gentle reader, for CLICKING away from this blog and surfing on over to a more upbeat web page.
I have had two of the worst writing weeks ever. I have managed to write a total of one page — that’s O-N-E. Uno. 1. And, it is frustrating. I’m pretty sure the script is at fault: four folks trapped in an underwater cave, who can’t remember who they are, where they are, or why they are there. Very hard to write. Very. But, I’m stubborn, if nothing else. I’m not a quitter either. Remember the Three Ps? Perseverance. Perseverance. Perseverance.
Maybe I was wrong.
I know I have said this before — turned out I lied — but I’m ready to quit. For good. I’m frustrated with my writing. Frustrated by my lack of representation. Frustrated when I see crap up on the silver screen knowing I can write better than… whomever. You get the idea.
So now, I’m seriously thinking of returning to fiction. I had some success early in my ‘career’. Published the first short story I ever wrote, then the third, then the fourth. Trouble with fiction writing? — not many markets left to submit to any more. Maybe I should write that novel I’ve had simmering in that darkest corner of my mind oh these many years?
Added to my current frustrations — my latest script; lack of progress in my career; my inability to get representation in Hollyweird — I’m in the midst of selling my current home (under contract in three days); buying my new home (won’t be completed until 20 days after I close on my current home); and figuring out the logistics of moving into an extended stay hotel, storing my furniture, and deciding how to handle an 88 year-old Mother-in-law who doesn’t want to move. Add to that my wife’s disability and my 75 mile commute (one way) to work and I’m ready to <fill in the blank>.
Deep in my heart I know I will always write. Can’t not write. But, does it have to be screenwriting? Should it be fiction writing? Can it be both? Or should I surrender to my latest script — give up altogether? I hate that option — I really do. But maybe a strategic withdrawal for a month or two until the dust settles in my life. Maybe a hiatus of sorts. No writing at all. Zippo. Nada. A breather to recharge my literary battery; gather my thoughts; let my script think it has beaten me down — then pounce on the bastard!
I hope none you ever have to go through such self-doubt. I wish you all nothing but writing success. I wish you more story ideas than you could possibly write in a lifetime. Most of all I hope you will,
Keep Writing!
Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the long weekend. Why can’t every weekend be three days? Sigh.
Still plugging away at Pilar’s book. I realize you are all probably sick of hearing me rave about this book, so this week I am giving you a break. No The Coffee Break Screenwriter this week. Instead, I thought I would do some complaining. About my latest script. And ask: what is the most challenging screenplay you have written to date, why was it so difficult, and how did you go about completing it?
If I use a ‘giving birth’ metaphor: for me, Cocos Island will be a long and difficult and complicated labor. The script presents me with several problems:
1. Limited cast: four characters who can’t remember who they are, where they are, or why they are there.
2. One location. An underwater cave system. Okay, maybe more than one location because my characters do explore and roam the cave system. But it’s all rock and slime and dark.
3. Not much for these folks to do other than:
a. Figure out who they are.
b. Figure out where they are.
c. Figure why they are there.
Here’s the logline: Four people awake in an underwater cavern, on an isolated island, unable to remember anything about their lives, how they got there, or why. Slowly, they come to the realization: they’ve located a Spanish treasure worth millions and one of them will kill to keep it.
My initial thoughts: this must be a character driven script. The audience learns about each character along with the characters themselves. Learn the why and the where too. But my problem is, I just can’t envision how to I can write a ninety-page screenplay about four people hiking through a cave. Any thoughts?
That’s really all I have this week. Really, really struggling to write this one. What makes this so difficult to accept is my last script, Red Frenzy, took me thirteen days to write. If Cocos Island is a breach birth, Red Frenzy was a Cesarean — pulled whole, kicking and screaming into the world. It flowed. A breeze to write.
Guess we screenwriters need to understand that not all screenplays are created equal. Some will be good. Some will be bad, maybe even atrocious. Some will flow. Some will be a struggle. You get the idea.
Share with me, and the one or two readers of this blog, your horror stories about difficult scripts and how you overcame those issues. Help us all to,
Keep Writing!
