Screenwriting : 2nd Annual November Write Club: Let’s do this! by Beth Fox Heisinger

I'm in :)

Great to have you, Izzibella!

In, re-writing my Elizabethan action script for competition and querying in December.

Great Anthony! Seems perfect timing for your project. ;) Izzibella, what are you working on?

Wonderful Sarah! What is your November endeavor?

I'm in! Have been collecting notes and ideas, and writing character bios for a TV pilot since last summer and I'm ready to put it all together so that I can pitch it in December. :-)

Putting together a solid first draft for a TV pilot—sounds great, Linda!

Me, I'm finishing up a long-time needed rewrite on one feature, and hopefully finishing a first draft on another. Fingers crossed. I'd love to get these two moving forward!

Sure you can achieve both of those Beth - go for it!

Thanks, Beth. Actually, I'm on my 5th draft of it. lol But, these characters keep changing my mind. lol That's why I'm determined to get it all together in November and fine tune the best draft possible.

Yeah, I know... Working on two simultaneously can be problematic—you are well aware of one script that I'm working on, Anthony. So we'll see. I've been doing a ton of outlining, working things out in my head, etc. I should be able to get far, but I'll need my fellow Write Club members to keep me motivated. Lol! ;)

Oh, you're on the fifth draft, Linda? Whatta great goal for November. After all that preliminary work, you then should be able to pin it down and focus during this month. Get it where it needs to be. ;)

I sure hope so. Every time I think it's taking the right turns, the characters shift gears on me, and then I rewrite it. lol So, my goal is to stay focused in one direction (hopefully the right one) and polish it to the max.

Very cool, Beth! I have plans to catch up on some online writing classes in November, otherwise, I'd be WRITE there with you. I love the idea - it's always nice to have a goal and a group of committed co-conspirators to keep you accountable! :) ...If I catch up sooner than expected I'll jump in mid-month.

Thank you so much, Jean! "Committed co-conspirators"—I love that! Please do join us if/when you can. Best wishes with your online classes. ;)

In!

You're most welcome! ...And will do.

In. Finish screenplay #9.

Hey, great! Welcome Lindbergh and Deenur!

Working on my first ever rewriting commission. I'm going to try and get the first draft finished by the end of November!

Dan, congrats on the assignment! I would love to have you participate. And no worries! No need to share specifics. Just share your general progress, help to inspire and motivate others. ;)

Deenur, wow, script number 9? So are you working on a rewrite or perhaps a final polish?

Hi Kyle. Congratulations on your first commission! First draft finished by the end of the month sounds like a wonderful goal!

Hey, Beth. I'm going to be working on a complete rewrite of a script that I started awhile back. I was halfway finished when I lost direction of where I wanted it to go. I'm also doing NaNoWriMo and writing a book on the same said script. I WILL be done with both by the end of November. Thank you for bringing up this project, it helps to get everyone motivated, sort of a kick in the ass to get us all working again.

Hell-o ... Just starting to write a few holiday skits to be perform mid Dec. for local community theatre ... "Break a leg" everyone !!!

I've got to focus and get this spec rewrite done. I want to start shopping it around! This will be a great motivator for me to power through. Thanks for doing this!

I'm in. Been working on my first feature script since June and about half way through the first draft. Didn't outline at all at first just hit the page running with my idea. I knew where I wanted to go just had to stop for a while with my home flooding in Louisiana and figuring out the details to connect the beginning with the end...now outlining the middle and end to make sure it all makes sense. This could be a really good exercise to get that done.

I can't believe it's been a year. I'm in! It was awesome last year. I'll get everything ready tonight for the blitz!

You are very welcome, Izzibella. Thank you for joining in. :) Not only will I be rooting and supporting everyone all month long, but we also have S32 Happy Writers supporting and backing us as well! We'll see different S32 folks motivating us and inspiring us in the weeks ahead. ...I gotta say, Izzibella, that's a lot to accomplish in one month—a book and a script! Wow! At least they are of the same material. ;) But hey, we're all here rooting for you! You got this!

Scott B. Sowers Why not? I've got a short burning a hole in my head. This might help get it done. Still pushing our first feature "Special Needs". Check it out on Amazon and soon Pure Flix.

Hi Lee! Wonderful to have you! Writing your own material to perform sounds amazing and so much fun! Perfect timing to get ready for your Holiday performances. Will you be able to post a video in "Your Stage" when completed?

We're IN with 2 firsts this year! We will finish the first draft of our first horror feature by the end of November! doing research into horror writing because we've never delved into it, but we'll get it done!

I hear you, Tracie... I too need a kick in the butt to focus and get a couple of specs finished. So you've come to the right place. Lol! Let's motivate each other, all right? Thanks so much for joining in!

I'm in!!!! I just started working on a 1 hr pilot now that I hope to have, no, I WILL HAVE, a full draft of it completed by the end of this month! Yaay!

Hi Brandon. I'm so sorry to hear about your home flooding. Did all your family and friends fare well? Big congrats on working towards your first script! That's huge! So, as far as your focus this month, are you working on an outline and also completing a first draft? Or just an outline? I too like to keep things a little open, see what I discover along the way. But for a first script (well, any script) it is helpful to have a plan. That first one can seem daunting. Let us know how we can help. ;)

WhaHOO! The twins! Double fist bump! Wonderful to have you join in, Evelien and Dorien! ...Yeah, I remember you talking about this horror script in another thread discussion. Sounds great for November! Are you set to produce it? Am I remembering correctly? I too have a script that I'm interested in starting, not this month though, but it leans towards horror. That's a genre I've never done before either. I may have to hit you up later for your research. Maybe you could point me in a direction. Lol!

Hi Ryan! Great to see you! It's been a while. Wonderful to have you join the fun! So you're working on a one hour pilot? Sounds interesting. Can you share a little more? I have NO DOUBT you will complete a full first draft by the 30th! You got this! :)

I'm in.

Brian Walsh, my dear! Great to have you back! ...Yeah, I know, I can't believe it's been a year already! Can't wait to hear what you'll be working on this time around. ;)

Welcome, Scott! Completing a short this month sounds like a great project! :)

Okay, just a side note for everyone: While it's always great to share work in "Your Stage"—it's wonderful to see it too!—or to ask members to look on your profile page to review/comment about a logline or posted script, or to exchange work for peer review through email, I ask that we please refrain from any self-promotion within this thread. November Write Club is about supporting each other through the process of writing, cheering each other on as we all make progress towards our individual goals. All right? Does that make sense? We good here? ;)

Hey Beth! It has been a while! Yes...I'm working on a crime drama, or a slightly serialized procedural which is very much a first for me...we'll see how it goes!

I'm in, Beth! I'm going to write a pilot that I've been mapping for some time. Thanks for the push.

@Beth we were busy outlining the horror feature in the thread before and looking for scripts because we've never really written any horror before. If only things would be so easy as just having an idea and going into production sito pronto, right? :D

and we're double fist-bumping you right back!

Tomorrow coincidentally I begin writing my third.

YES! Katie, Stephen and Christopher, it's wonderful to have you all! Thank you so much for joining the Club! So Katie, what will you be working on this November? Stephen, can you share a little more about your pilot? I assume you're working on a first draft, yes? And Christopher, third feature, right? That's fantastic! Are you working on an outline this month or a rough draft, or perhaps both?

Hey Ryan, that sounds great! I love crime drama! I look forward to hearing about your project and supporting your progress this month. Perhaps post it on your profile page at the end of the month. Club members could then check it out. ;)

I'll take that double fist bump! Thanks twins!

Hi Beth ... Thanks for this inspiration. Prompting "us" writers to share the process is an awesome thing.. As for video(ing) the production it's a possiblility ... I'll keep you posted..

Hey Steven! Great to have you! Wow, you have a lot going on right now. However it sounds like you'll be able to hit your November goal, having much of your third script worked out already. I'm sure it will all come together. Plus we're here to cheer you on. Onward and upward! ;)

Good morning! I'm in. I'm working on a revision of a feature. It's an ghost story about a slave owner hunting boys in a government subsided housing complex. Pleasant, right? At the top of ACT III. I'm working off a detailed outline so this should go smoothly. (lol, she throws her head back and bellows. lol!) But I love having a place to check in and check on others. My goal is to get pages done on this draft by Wednesday. Then I have to revise two more feature scripts while I wait for notes on this one. That's the plan. Write on.

I would love to participate! I'm about 40 pages in on the first draft of a feature and have also been working on rewrites for an old script I'd like to revive. Already told myself I have to be done by end of Nov, so the timing for this is perfect.

Working on half-hour comedy pilot for EDDIE & OTTO, an Odd Couple-style roommate comedy-- only Oscar's a vampire. Because all roommates SUCK.

I'm in. I'm working on an outline for a new feature thriller. Ready to fill in the outline a little more and start writing.

I'm IN!! Rewriting a SciFi feature so let's see how this goes!

I'm in! Planning to have a draft of a comedy finished by Nov. 20.

I am in! :) I want to complete full-length first draft!! by Nov.31

Beth, yes. It'll be a first draft. I'm going to be writing a Pilot that feels like, "Orange Is The New Black" MEETS "Wild." A secluded and off-grid environment that houses the nations' worst juveniles is the only thing that separates the innocent from the evil. The best chance to prevent the spreading of heinous violence is to introduce to the group, a young teen who has everything to loose and has nothing in common. It's going to be fun!

@Beth I'm doing my own adaptation of Paradise Lost, something I've wanted to write since I was a freshman in college 7 years ago. Two features later I'm ready to go. It'll be divided into two stand alone feature scripts, the first focusing on the war in Heaven and the second focusing on Adam and Eve. I've spent the last 6 months primarily fleshing out the first since the war as told is only a chapter and half long in the book and I am oh so excited with what I've come up with. So excited it's finally time to start getting this epic baby down on paper. Time to take the plunge once more. Happy Writers better be watching out in a year or so.

Im in. Im only 30 pages in on the first draft of my current screenplay. That means 3 pgs a day of work to get it done by deadline. I can do it.

Hey Jody. Great to have you in the Club! That's what I'm doing this month as well—working on one rewrite and finishing a first draft on another. Hopefully, we'll both get there! ...Wait a minute, what am I saying, of course we will! Lol! :)

Debi, wonderful to have you onboard! An outline for a thriller sounds great! The scripts I'm working on this month are both thrillers as well—my favorite genre! Lol! So your goal for this month is to have your outline finished and complete a first draft too?

Great to have you, Kathi! Wrapping up a rewrite this month sounds like a great goal! ;) Julie and Tatiana, welcome to the Club! However your project dates seem a little off—you do have until the 30th. Lol!

Okay, Stephen, a first draft. Your project sounds great! Thanks for sharing more. ;)

I'm so happy to hear the timing is right for a lot of projects this month! ;) Christopher, yes, didn't you post about this adaptation within another thread? It sounds great! So, I assume you will be focusing on one of those two related features?

Finishing the 3rd re-write of my sci-fi/comedy. I need to kick my dialogue up a notch by replacing on-the-nose remarks with more subtle, witty humor...by November 30! :)

Write on, Aray and Anthony M!!! Great to have you both in the Club! So you both are working on first drafts on features this month. Fantastic! And Aray you're also doing a TV pilot rewrite—you've been working on FEAR for a while now, right? I've seen you post it in "Your Stage." I'm sure it will all come together this month. We're here to help keep you motivated! ;)

Hey Stacey, I see you found the ongoing thread! Wow, so you are working on—let me get this straight—THREE feature scripts?! You're revising three? Write on indeed! More power to you! Lol!

I decided to put aside all of my project expect one. This one keep jumping out at me. So I'm going to put time into it.

That's what I love too, Aray!

Hey Mark, it's great to have you! Thanks for joining the Club! I hope we can help motivate you and keep you focused on that one chosen project. ;)

I'm in! Working on my first TV pilot! : )

I'm in. I'll be working on scene by scene revisions of my family adventure screenplay. And eating a lot of Twinkies.

I'm in. Need to finish 3 eps for my musical comedy horror webseries, plus logline and summary. Slightly daunting, but I will do my best! Glad to be here.

@Beth Yes. The Angelic War first, then The Fall of Man.

I'm in! Starting first draft of a screenplay.

Kelly, Desiree and Barbara, Welcome to the Club! We're so happy to have you here!

Wow, lots of first draft writers this year! ;)

Welcome to Write Club, Margaree! It's wonderful to have you here. Can you share a little more about your project?

I am in, too! I will be outlining a suspense thriller inspired by a true story during November. Great idea!

Count me in! Currently working on a TV Pilot (Drama). I'm on page 28 and my goal is to have it completed by the second week of November. Good luck everyone! Reach those goals. Meet those deadlines. Believe in yourself!

Happy to have you here, Marci! Thanks for joining the Club. Will you be working on a rough draft of your suspense thriller as well?

Consider yourself counted, Donovan. Welcome to Write Club! Thank you for joining, and for motivating us all! ;)

I'm in! During November, my goal is to complete the first draft of the screenplay based on my time travel novel.

I am in! And hello btw. I have several scripts that I'd like to work on during November.

Hello Write Club. I've been stumbling back and forth between two scripts I wanted to write but haven't made the type of progress on either I'm use to making. Was getting frustrated actually. Then I came across Write Club. Going to participate so I can get over my writing hump and knock out one, or both, of these scripts.

I'm in! Finally started writing again a few days ago after too long of a hiatus. I have a script and a pilot in mind, but I'm going to focus on my feature screenplay for November!

Hey Steven. Sure, you can ask members to check out your profile page. But please, again, let's not delve too far into self-promotion. That's not what this is about. I do, however, ask that all Write Club participants check out each other's profile pages, read loglines and offer review or comment—you can easily do so on each person's profile page. Remember participation is key! Support each other! Please do keep in mind: we will have ample space and opportunity to share our highs and lows, to talk about our work, and to report our progress on every weekly check-in blog. The first check-in blog is this Sunday. ;)

Hi Vivian. It's great to have you! So what are the several scripts you'll be working on this month? Are they all features? Or perhaps shorts? Do tell. ;)

Tia, I'm so happy to hear that Write Club has inspired you to join and to tackle your writing. :) I would suggest that you choose one script to focus on this month. If you've been frustrated and haven't made much progress, perhaps working on only one script would be best. Then to make progress, perhaps work out an outline first. Plan out the script, loosely or beat by beat, before writing a first draft. Of course every writer has a different process, so do what works best for you. But from your post it sounds like you don't have a clear direction for your story. With this 30-day deadline, perhaps an outline would be helpful. ;)

Welcome to Write Club, Candace! It's wonderful to have you here. You just started writing again—that's great! I hope we can help keep you motivated all month long. So you're focusing on a feature? Are you working on an outline? Or a first draft? Or both?

Beth we were fortunate to only have about 4/6 inches of water so we were able to save most of our stuff but as far as construction goes there's little difference between inches and feet. It's still a huge inconvenience and you can't live there during reconstruction...but we've been back in for over a month now...some friends won't be back in till the new year. As far as the script I'd like to finish the outline for sure. I have written two short screen plays in the past year and a half with one already shot and trying to get into Festival circuit. Next one goes into pre-production in the next few months. I have found I'm fairly decent on writing dialogue but a feature is a whole different beast so I need to hone the craft of starting correctly. Made the rookie mistake of just jumping in because I knew how I wanted to start it. It was supposed to be my next short but it just took off. So that's where I am at!

I´m in and for the occasion´s sake I´m starting on a new script I´ve had in my mind for months but was too busy with other re-writes and stuff like that. So... Here we go! :)

Tx, Beth. Yes, I will be writing the 1st draft as well. I just finished a script with the ScreenwritingU Pro Series and will be using Hal Croasmun's techniques to turn another of my books into a screenplay. Thrilled to be here.

My new book, The Wretched, will be released by the end of the month. :-)

I'm in and I might need some advices about screenwriting in general.

Zlatan! Wonderful to have you be part of Write Club! Thanks for joining in! Are you starting a new feature?—an outline and/or first draft? What genre? ;)

Hi Niksa. It's been a while! Great to see you again. Thanks for joining the Club. So what are you working on this month? What is your goal?

YES! It's KICK-OFF DAY! November first! You ready?! What is your goal for today?

Aray, sounds like you're working on structure, yes? Me, I'm hoping to revise/move things around/pound out 10+ pages, which is a lot for me. I usually work at a snail's pace—a very slow snail. Lol!

Hi Beth! Thanks, great to be a part of this. And yes, it´s a new feature I´ve been planning a while and now it´s time to put a first draft in shape. It´s a sci-fi/dystopian drama set in a different human society not too far into the future. You could say it is in the vein of Bladerunner.

Thank you Beth. My goal? To be honest with all of you, the goal is to remove any doubt about WRITING RULES or FORMATTING when it comes to Screenplays. I have a lot of ideas and material to work on. RB has mentioned this many times before "We all have our "System" or "Way we do things" so, I'll explain "My way of doing things" and ask for advice, in case I'm doing something wrong. Since I always work on multiple scripts, I'll mention whatever script I need help with.

Hi. I have two questions. 1 - Is it too late to join challenge? 2- Can I begin with choosing in day or two? I always have multi projects going and need to decide which might benefit most with this challenge.

Sounds great, Zlatan! I look forward to hearing more about it in the weeks ahead!

Hi Jerry. No worries! Of course it's not too late. We've just begun! We're happy to have you be a part of Write Club. Welcome! ;)

Thanks, Beth. The wheels are turning.

Thank you, Beth. Look forward to sharing it with you!

Niksa, I'm sorry to hear you've been dealing with some doubt — we all have. You are not alone. Perhaps it's a matter of adjusting perspective. There are no absolute rules to screenwriting. Much of it is subjective. So perhaps consider all the 'dos and don'ts' and blanket statements generally thrown around as "common practices" and/or "guidelines." We all know there are exceptions to everything, and each writing choice is relevant and dependent upon one's creative intent and the context of a particular screenplay. Writing is much more complex than simple black and white "rules." So I kindly suggest to take, learn and absorb as much as you can from many different resources that are available to you. Use what works what resonates, make it yours, and discard the rest. If you need some book recommendations or other tips, I'm sure Club members will be willing to share. I hope that helps!

Yup, you're not the only slow poke, Aray. Haha! I tend to spend a lot of time working things out in my head. I also love to refine things, I'm in a constant state of rewrite. Lol! Plus my life is very busy and chaotic — I distract very very easily. So part of the November challenge for me is to step up my daily production. Get it out of my head and on the page! Here's a tip for those of you with time/focus/schedule challenges: use a timer. That's right, I've resorted to tactics often used with children. Lol! Because I juggle so much during the day, it helps me to better manage my time. :)

Hi, everyone, I am in as well. I will be working on the structure for my new screenplay, hope to get it to treatment stage by the end of the run. I will be busy doing other stuff this month, so this is the max I can really take at the moment. Hope to get there!

I see some really familiar faces here and I can't believe how exciting this is back for year 2! Beth - thank you for coming up with this kick-in-the-butt motivation. I want to wish everyone the best of luck. Remember it's not the # of pages, it's not the # of minutes you write - it's your own personal goal and sticking to it. I'll be here cheering everyone on! Go writers go!

I'm in again. :)

This is so cool! I'm in. Time to really hunker down on that re-write I've been putting off for months. No more excuses! Excited to read about everyones progress this month! Write on!

And Beth... I know this is a lot of work for you to keep up with the posts for the enitre month... so thanks in advance and I hope you find some time for your own goals!

I'd like to get five scenes laid out today.

Beth doesn't sleep in November. Go, Beth, Go!

Wonderful to see you join in, Sadie! YES! Fantastic! And THANK YOU so much, Amanda! Love all the good vibes and well wishes! ;)

Thanks, Anthony! So sweet of you! And very very much appreciated! :)

Okay, Brandon, you're doing five scenes. I'm working on 10 or so pages today. We got this!

Sleep? Who needs sleep? I live on coffee, can't you tell? Lol! So, Bill... You in? ;)

Hey Beth. You know what keeps me up? Coffee, cigarettes, chocolate and anxiety. It sounds like one of these Magic Potions labeled "For Screenwriters Only".

Beth: I'm not writing these days, but send everyone my best wishes. Good luck and Happy Writing, writers! Steven: I was there over the summer, and tried to contact you, but it appears you cut all of us non-New Yorkers out of your network. HAR-UMPH!

How long should each act be in a teleplay or television script?

I know there is no rule but I've seen some table and assuming you are writing a 3 act episode, Teaser (3-6) pages, Act 1. (12-15) Act 2. About 20 pages and act 3. (12-15) pages. Each page is about 1 minute.

Mark: if it is a 5 Act Teleplay, 12 pages per Act give or take. The first few Acts at times have more pages than the last 2 Acts. It's a guideline so do with it as you will.

Little late to the party here all! Working on two small rewrites and fleshing out three new one hour pilot concepts in between hospital visits with my father-in-law. So I will be getting done what I can over the next few weeks. Rock n' Roll!

Hey Niksa, it's just coffee mixed with a little dash of anxiety that fills my cup. Haha! ;)

Well, I'm more of a feature writer, but the industry standard for the page count of a one hour-drama is between 45 and 63 pages—50-55 is generally where you want to be. For half-hour comedies, this count needs to be between 22 and 32 pages. So it depends on which format you are writing, Mark. Here's an article I found, perhaps it will be helpful to you: https://screencraft.org/2016/01/05/the-screenwriters-guide-to-formatting....

I'm in. #shit2dob4Idie #community

Thought about the goal I set yesterday when I joined this write club and stayed longer at the page today. Tomorrow I can finish the last of Shipside. Do a read through and then pass this draft onto my readers. Whew! It feels good to be so close to finishing up this draft. It's also hard to not get into the next project in my mind before I finish this one. lol!

I'm in.

Step 1: Write a kickass sci-fi adventure novel that appeals to a wide range of audiences for its action, humor, and romance that ultimately comments on the importance of relationships as the main characters struggle against many obstacles to save an alien race while providing clean energy for the future of the human race. Step 2: Write a screenplay based on Step 1. I am about 45,000 words into Step 1 and am using our Write Club to bring it to my targeted 80,000 - 85,000 words... Best wishes everyone - Let's do this!

Today's goal: OUTLINE first of 2 shorts I want to complete this month.

Today's goal: Complete Chapter 23 changes due to minor plot revision and finish chapter, in preparation for starting Chapter 24 tomorrow. Mute the cellphone, close out Facebook and email - Let's go! :)

This is not a question, it's more like a confirmation. ACCURACY. We all do things differently but some writers don't pay attention when it comes to accuracy, in this case, the accurate scene location. If you mess this part up, no manager, agent or producer will ever take you seriously, no matter how good your story is. It all depends what you write about but if you have some of well known public buildings, monuments, famous places mentioned in your scripts, there can be no mistakes. I'm just asking for some opinions regarding this but I'm sure some or most of you did the same thing (at one point). I have a scenes in various scripts that take place in the White House, Pentagon, this secret White House underground bunker...etc. I extracted every possible scene location I could find from some of the scripts, like the West Wing and some others that mention The White House. I'm I doing something wrong here? Just to be clear, I don't even need any lines from any writers, just the accurate description of some place or location. I know I probably sound like an amateur but, if any of us gets this part wrong, we are good as dead. Would any of you agree with this Accurate Scene Location theory or if you have some other way, please let me know.

@Niksa - I am facing something very similar with my science fiction novel. What I strive for is credibility. I make sure that my "science" is plausible if not possible (and I have a physicist friend to check me and make sure I am not being ludicrous - I don't mind stretching the imagination and that is also part of the fun, as long as it doesn't come across as ridiculous), and I research locations. One scene takes place at CERN so I researched CERN thoroughly online so that my locations make sense, but I don't minutely study every detail. And...we are talking about a work of fiction, so I also believe you have some leeway. I read somewhere that one director goes to the extreme of actually having the trash in waste baskets that are in the scene be trash that actually reflect what would have been there in reality - even though no one would ever see it that closely. One thing to remember is that while there are rules, writing is very subjective. What one person loves, another person may label as drivel. One person would think that "trash accuracy" is great - another would think it a colossal waste of time and resources. If I were you, I wouldn't drive yourself crazy with this. GOOD SOLID writing that tells a well-told story will garner a lot of attention - even if there is 1-2 "oops" in it buried within. Just my opinion ;)

Yes, I'm in!

So yesterday (It's Nov 2 here) I began outlining 5 x5 minute scripts for my webseries. That was great! And instead of trying to insanely smash out 'goals' and kill my self doing it, a habit of mine that has slowly broken me down over the years, I have decided to set small, manageable targets and rejoice if they are not met. Failing forward. Enjoying the reduced pressure. And today I simply want to outline my crowdfunding video, and consider the C story for each ep of the series. Loving this group!

Nancy, I know exactly what you mean. I have some Sci-Fi scripts and in Sci-Fi we all predict what the future might look like, what are the living conditions on some planet, its size, atmosphere, color, the technology in general. We have to describe these things, the way we see the movie scenes while we play them in our heads and all of it needs to make a little sense, because it's part of the story and because it's Science Fiction. But, in this case no one can trash any of us if we are accurate. If someone does, he/she is not worthy a second of our time. Does any of this make sense, I'm not sure but there are cases where writers got a big PASS for being sloppy when it comes to this. Anyway, the list of locations INT. or EXT. when it comes to the White House, Pentagon, any landmark in L.A. or New York is always the same and once I have all the possible scene locations, that's it. What I write about is what makes the story Interesting, good or not so good. Thank you for taking time to write all that but I'm not gonna gamble by giving someone even a chance to trash me based on Wrong Location.

Wow! Everyone's on a roll. I love all the new and known faces. Good luck all, let's have fun and encourage one another. BETH is the greatest champion leader.

Today's goal is to rewrite the ending of my TV pilot....so far I'm half way there. :-)

@Niksa - I admire your dedication to accuracy, Niksa. My physicist friend is actually on the team that discovered the Higgs boson and conducts research at CERN. He mentioned that Dan Brown was not very plausible in what he depicted in his story line - yet the book and subsequent movie was a success. I am not saying don't be accurate (I do lots and lots of research so that I am at least plausible which adds to the enjoyment of the story), I am just saying don't go to such extremes that it steals your joy. It's all about the story ;) I LOVE Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing and he is known for doing his research - yet the TV set is not very accurate: http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/special/wwtv.htm It's all about the story :)

Niksa, accuracy/truth is extremely important to me as well; being authentic with the story, characters, settings, etc. The level of accuracy often depends on your subject matter. However as a screenwriter you need not go overboard with details. Capture enough to be "right." Most of the research I do for a story I end up not using it, but yet it informs my writing. The goal is to paint a vivid picture in the mind of the reader. My thought, keep reading scripts from TV shows/films that deal with similar topics and themes as you are creating. See how the pros deal with it and follow their lead. :)

"Most of the research I do for a story I end up not using it, but yet it informs my writing. The goal is to paint a vivid picture in the mind of the reader." Love this! Thanks, Beth!

Wow! So many great goals for our first day! :) David, it's so good to see you! It's been a while. Wonderful to have you in Write Club. Are you sure you can do all that? I don't want anyone over stressing themselves! Lol!

And Jorge! Great to see you too! Thanks for joining in! Always appreciate your support and encouragement. Wow, it's like the band is getting back together. Lol!

Beth, where do we post our updates and respond to other's work. I've decided to change my project for this adventure. I'm going to try and finish my pilot episode and create a series bible for a script that I've been working on. It's based on my Assumptions book series. Still doing the Nanowrimo also, it's going to be a busy month. Can't wait to see everyone's creations.

So excited for this! I'm in. Starting a Page One rewrite of a pilot.

Always ncie to be missed, BethI take each day as it comes! I've been around, just haven't been as active. Issues with both my wife and father-in-law's health took up most of my time, but I never stopped writing or percolating ideas. Over the summer I completed another pilot before I took the Stage 32 Mentor Series of How To Write a Series Bible with Michael Poisson. That took some time to complete but well worth the time! Been reading more scripts than I used to regardless of the time it takes me. Will be working on a few outlines before the end of the month. I thrive off of stress. No worries Beth, in due time I'll spread my genius around (note the sarcasm and bullshit).

Izzibella, go ahead and post your updates in this thread. Or post your update on the first check-in blog this coming Sunday. :)

@Izzibella - Wow - You are amazing! I am doing Write Club with my novel INSTEAD of Nanwrimo - you are doing both! I thought Write Club would accomplish the same outcome but would give me more flexibility and allow me to be more independent in my goal setting...and help me get to know the Stage32 community. Best wishes on all of your writing endeavors!

I look forward to the November Write Club After-Party at RB's place....last year was hella good....converting his hot-tub into a Champagne-Filled Cold Tub was one of the coolest things I've ever seen! How can RB top that this year?

Nancy and Beth. I know what you mean but you know how everyone will advise any one of us: if you wanna learn how things are done (in this line of work) you have to read and that's what I do. I read a lot and when I find some location or settings, I simply copy it. I never go into small details, there's no need, it's pointless even if you MUST do it that way because things inside or outside keep changing all the time, I just need to be sure I got the location and settings right. I honestly don't care what color wallpapers anywhere are or how big is sofa, just important details about settings matter. I remember reading once on some site where a script consultant tried to explain to some writer who in his script described a sound of rocket in space. The consultant told him, there's no sound in space and he was 100 percent right but the writer asked a few times, how come, why not.... These details I do care about and I'd rather spend an hour or two on research than sound stupid. As for the goals, on December 1st, I'll post whatever I complete this month (various scripts).

Alrighty. Here. Goes. Nothing.

David, I'm so sorry to hear about your family's recent health problems. I hope everyone is doing okay. ....You know, you never cease to amaze me—and that's no bullshit. Lol! I look forward to hearing more about your projects in the weeks to come. :)

YES! Matt! I'm so happy to have you in the Club. Thanks for joining in! I look forward to hearing about your progress this month too. :) ...So the big November Write Club After-Party at RB's, think we could pass out club jackets this year? ;-)

My body is ready! And remember "Good ideas star with great coffee", Succes!

Count me in too!

Barbara, thanks for sharing a great tip: set small, manageable targets and rejoice if they are or are not met. That's what I'm doing this November, setting daily goals. Hopefully this 30-day exercise will help me better manage not only the work, but my schedule and my anxiety. By focusing on smaller tasks, within a larger goal, you can make steady progress. Better roll with the punches when that's all you can do. For example, I was doing well today, and like Aray, "life" blew up and I had to adjust. So it's gonna be a late night for me! But I still should be able to hit my goal.

After party?? Hot tub??! I am now tempted to fly in from Sydney for this!

To begin... To begin... How to start? I'm hungry. I should get coffee. Coffee would help me think. Maybe I should write something first, then reward myself with coffee. Coffee and a muffin. So I need to establish the themes. Maybe a banana nut. That's a good muffin.

Make lemonade. Or coffee. ;-)

I prefer to make margaritas with those lemons. Who's with me?

Lol that's a ritual I perform before starting a new feature. Guess neither of you have seen Adaptation recently.

Hi! Pretty much done with this draft. There've been many before it, but I think this one could be it - I've been working on this (feature) since January. Right now, I'm preoccupied with a line of dialogue that could be funnier. Said line, if you're curious, is "Y'all need Jesus" and is uttered by an old, black lady, having overheard a young man reciting a distasteful theory on sex and money to his friend. Trite, I know. It was originally a placeholder. Suggestions for a replacement? P.S I apologize if this isn't the place for me to ask. Thanks, Tamim

Wow! I just did it! I toyed around with C stories, and wrote the basic outline and some of the dialogue for my crowdfunding video. Crap, that feels good. And we are only on Day 2. Well, Day 2 here in Australia. Happy Day 2 to everyone else in advance! Margaritas at mine if you are in Sydney.

I got it, Christopher. Lol! :-)

Hi Tamim. ...Yeah, not quite sure how that's relevant to this thread? Are you working on a project or something that you would like to finish by the end of the month? Perhaps you are working on a rewrite of the script you mentioned?

Dear John. You don't enter Write Club. You join. ...So are you? Joining, that is?

Yes, Beth. I'm finishing up a draft, trying to top funny lines of dialogue and so on and so forth.

Great! We're happy to have you be a part of Write Club, Tamim. But if you are looking for specific personal feedback on a particular line of dialogue, then those requests would probably be better placed in "Your Stage." With so many participants in Write Club, we're more focused on everyone's 30-day goals and how we can support each other while working towards those goals. ;)

Sounds, good. Thanks.

Hang in there, Aray. We only got one mom. Have a Long Island Iced tea. It'll definitely put you in a good mood. Good luck girlfriend. I will be starting to write my ninth screenplay, in a few days. I will call this one, " Infamy."

Thanks for the welcome Beth! I've finished my outline so I'm diving into the first draft. 10 pages in so far!

Congrats, Candace! You're on a roll, girl.

Alright! I´m 18 pages into the script, my pretty eyes (no they´re not) were tired so I took a nap. It´s 7.32 a.m, on 11/2 right now (where I am). Today, I´m going through those 18 pages I managed to write yesterday, re-write those and hopefully I can keep the momentum going. BARBARA- Please, send one of those Margaritas my way? Thank you! :) But first? Coffee!!! And lots of it! :) Have a good night sleep my U.S friends and I will see you again on the other side of the moon :) Beth probably is awake so I´ll probably have her to talk to since she is like a real time Wonder Woman. :)

@Nancy thanks for the compliment, but I wouldn't call myself amazing. Maybe crazy and determined. After 12 books and being in Nano for the past three years, I think it's easy to rip out a book in 30 days. Now, the real issue is trying to get a pilot and bible developed, that's the challenge. I saw that you were writing sci-fi adventure, that's so cool, I wish had that talent to write those sorts of stories. Can't wait to see what you got going on.

Great to see such a good turn out for this. I'm working on my first edit/rewrite of my Hero script. The first draft was pretty good (compared to my other first drafts) which tells me I'm learning, but I want to get it in feedback shape so this will be a good incentive to push hard and get some coverage when I'm done.

My goal is to turn my latest rewrite of a historic drama into a short story. By using an autobio style, the character of the teller-hero, scene descriptions, tone, and premise should develop. How could I post it, in case anyone might read it mid-November and offer comments?

I did some outlining yesterday and plan on organizing my scenes today. Just checking in and holding myself accountable. Onward my fellow Creatives.

I'm up to page 7 in the revision of my family-friendly adventure script. and I'm loving how much richer my characters feel on the page. I'm going scene by scene so I did seven pages in 3 hours.

YES!! Fantastic everyone! Amazing! I'm so happy for you all. You guys are making me feel emboldened. Lol! I should be able to better hunker down today. I had a late night as well. And I'm now hitting the coffee. Hell, even "wonder woman" needs coffee—too funny, Zlatan! Totally cracked me up! ..Okay, here we go! Day two!

Whoops!! I meant Zlatan. Lol! Sorry about that. ...Apparently I haven't had enough coffee yet! I'll go back and edit my previous comment. ;)

Just popping in briefly. I did a little work on my pilot...I need to change the story engines for it and I've been coming up with some interesting options. I'll be researching those today at work (nothing happening at my job) and decide on one later tonight! Yaaay!

"David, I'm so sorry to hear about your family's recent health problems. I hope everyone is doing okay." Thank you for the concern. My father-in-law had a kidney transplant done 9 years ago. Last week, they found one of his heart valves needed replacement. Because his heart was working overtime, his kidney was working harder. Now his kidney isn't working at optimal performance because of the heart issues and has to go back on kidney dialysis for the rest of his life. He's 74 and just like me, a fighter to the end. "You know, you never cease to amaze me—and that's no bullshit. Lol!" Thank you kindly. I never see myself in the light others see me in. I just do what I need to do to move forward and if that provides inspiration or motivation to others, bonus! Have to get back to work on fleshing out those three new one hour drama pilot concepts. Hope to start one of the outlines in a few weeks! Once I know which one it is, I'll let you know!

Writing has been made a little easier since I've installed FD10. Having my beat board just a click away and scrolling rather than turning cards/pages, makes for higher production. Bill C. I'll miss your input!

Oh, dear Beth! You´re forgiven haha :) You´re also based on the west coast of the U.S, right? You sure are up early if my math serves me well. My mother laughed at me today by the way. She asked me how my brain was, since I kind of live on PST- time since connecting with a director in L.A. Is this what jet-lag feels like??? Ánywhooooo, still going strong over here. Page 33 and I have a good amount of hours in me left, well, Before I crash completely :) Where do I get the energy? I just love what I do. And I love you guys! Coffee, type, coffee, type, coffee, type.... Bathroom brake, coffee, type! :)

My dear, Zlatan. You are too kind. ;) Yup, I'm located in the Seattle area. Wow, you must be on some sort of sleep deprivation high or something. Hey, whatever works, right? Lol! ...Okay, more coffee for me!

Okay, I just have to laugh at myself... I can't seem to type very well right now. I keep making mistakes. Hmmm, perhaps I should lay off the coffee... LOL! Anyhoo, happy writing! May everyone's day be a productive one! ;)

I´m actually used to it. For a long time I wrote only at night so I guess my body adjusted or something. Which, of course, as a writer I am SO grateful for. But enough about me :) What´s the plan for today, Wonder Woman? :)

Well, the plan today is: (1) switch from coffee to water; and (2) work on a rewrite—the first 25-50 pages or so. I have a large block of time today with little interruption, so I hope to make a major leap in progress. ;)

Luke is my other accountability partner. He is a little upset that I didn't finish Chapter 23 yesterday because I promised we would play when I was done, before starting Chapter 24. I better get busy!

Beth, switching from coffee to CoffeeLight won't work, you know that, right? Oh, forgive my weird interpretation of English but Water without Coffee is just that, CoffeeLight.

I'll take whatever coffee you're not having! In post, need to get subtitles on the current project.

Awesome, Beth! Sounds like a sound plan! You can do it!

Gonna try this!

Nancy - you can't let Luke down! ;) Great to have such a cute accountability partner!

Laura - Try what, coffee light? Don't.

Short version - 2 projects for Challenge: Notes in Vic novels and blog posts. First task done - decided what to work on for challenge. Kind of cheating maybe, because I would be working on one anyway. Two things I’m pulling first 5 novels in my series to add a page of “Notes” (and think of something better to call it). Each novel has a cameo by real person, at least one cryptid and lots of little mentions of daily life that most people are unaware of (1920’s). Anyone else do this or have suggestions? Not totally an idea out of thin air. Graham Masterton early horror novels - The Manitou in particular - had actual news article at beginning. This is just a tweak to that. I read yesterday how others have had people say they were wrong about historical facts. Me, too, and so far they have all been wrong but it is still irritating, so this might lessen the incidence. Also, I am a Nancy Drew fan (originals) and they always had bits of reality in them. (I like to think of my character as Nancy Drew with a gun and war ax.) 2nd task for challenge is 4 blog posts. Can’t get myself to blog - would rather write novels - but keep hearing that I “should” blog. So I will try to write 4 things to begin posting weekly after holidays. Maybe I can keep going if I have a running start. In spare time will be working on illustrated story, but not totally in control as I am editing around illustrations as they arrive. For fun I’m beginning book 7 in series.

Thanks, Amanda - and you are right! But Luke just doesn't understand when I pause to do some research - he thinks I am playing on the internet ;) I have another cute accountability partner too but he can't come in the house - Pistol is grazing in a pasture right now wondering when I am going to finish the book...

Amanda, a woman with the hypnotizing voice. Always an honor and privilege to see or hear you. How is sunny L.A. this morning?

@Nancy - you'll definitely need to bring those partners to the Stage 32 office some time!

@Niksa - my favorite Croatian. Sunny LA is great - gearing up for our first day at AFM, so about to drive into Santa Monica and hopefully find new and exciting opportunities to make the Stage 32 community proud :) How's Croatia today?

Hi Bety <3 I have just arrived here at S32 :) Literally. I'm from Brazil, and I'd like to understand a little bit more about November 30-day write club, I'm right now imersed on all the site content to get a little more familiar. :) Happy to be here <3

Amanda, not so sunny, no sun at all to be honest. 8:36 PM, light rain but still warm. What's AFM, sounds like All Female (something) or is it movie related. Do I sound like someone who knows so little about life? I hope not.

Changing my goals... in addition to my feature re-write, I'm going to finish the kids book adaptation that I'm 10 pages into...

Sweet to hear how being creative stays balanced with real companions like nephews and horses! My short story version is at the 2% mark, but 12 days at 3 pgs/day avr will do it. The hero's autobio informs me of his sense of humor, with some endearing self-deprecation.

Aray, were you able to finish your revisions to your ending? I didn't get to finish revising the end of mine yet. Tried again this morning but distraction knocked at my door once again. I am now regrouping and shooting for this afternoon. And Nancy, wow! What a beautiful horse! You are so fortunate to have him as an accountability partner.

Beth, just wanted to say thanks again for getting this started! Each day when I click on my email address (I have a separate one for Stage 32) and see the long list of posts from all the enthusiastic writers, it motivates me to keep working on my own projects. :-)

Overwhelmed! Trying to stay present with the gift of writing while not letting the pressures of $$$ and NYC creep into the "you're not good enough" mind and heart place. Hope to finish my 1st rough draft of my VR screenplay this month.

Thanks, Linda - when I need to recharge and refresh a horseback ride on my best equine friend never fails! Amanda T. - I would love to bring my buddies with me for a visit - they are very people oriented and my horse will make himself at home wherever there is a horse cookie to be found...if you are ever in the Dallas area - Pistol would love to give you a ride!

Amanda S. - Hang in there! Writing is very subjective and you have to have thick skin - study your craft and write from the heart and ignore those voices of discouragement...best wishes on your latest endeavor!

Hey Beth, OMG. I just found out you're doing this again this year on my Twitter Page. One of our S32 friends tweeted to me... so I'm a bit late for the party, Timing is everything because I've just started a 'horror' class and this will help motivate me to get it done in 30 days. I'm starting with a beat sheet and then an Outline. It's my first crack at horror. & I have no idea what I'm doing... hence the class ... so being here again with you and fellow writers, old friends and new... I'm very excited. Please remind me... do we post every day on this thread? To all the newbies... Welcome... and you're in for a real treat with Beth at the helm. Love you girl. It's been a while.