Screenwriting : Whose Writing from Am/PM by Raymond J. Negron

Honestly, really late or early, like now it's 3:39 a.m NY time. 1 hour, 2 max. Good luck , Aray.

It's great to set your own deadlines and stick to them. As writers working for yourself you have to keep yourself 100% accountable or you will never get anything done. Much Love

Good luck Aray, hope it's going well. Have you gotten your script into any contests yet?

Hard to say because my writing is very organic. In the past, I have forced myself to write based on a scheduled time but challenging moments in my story cause me to deviate. All I can say is discover your writing process because due to it, I'm writing all the time. I need to improve my log lines, synopsis, treatment writing.

Dan MaxXx Unless you turn the volume up...to 11.

Yeah... But here's the thing... How one works is really subjective, specific to an individual. While any and all writing is ALWAYS a good thing—developing a solid "work ethic," if you will—whether or not it's actually moving you forward is another matter entirely. So if you are just doing the same thing over and over and over (just practicing), and not learning something new or advancing or challenging yourself or honing your craft, then volume really may not matter that much. Now... encouragement and support... Every creative person needs that!!! Thanks Raymond! ;)

I've been doing the ISA 30 day screenwriting challenge http://www.thecraftcourse.com/, which has been terrific. It's keeping me busy up to 3 hours/day. I wish I had more time to devote to this! Anyone else at S32 in on this thing?

I signed-up and am on Day 4. He has a pleasant attitude and voice, but unless it's an interactive webinar -type thing or I can actually see people, my mind wanders and my eyelids get heavy when I listen to other people talk... :/

C Harris Lynn, I learn better when I read/see than listen, so I'm glad they include the transcripts! It's been a lot to keep up with!

I made it to Day 5 or 6, but I just can't with the loglines. Those aren't loglines, and while that approach may work for some (I can see where it could), it doesn't for me. I write differently and it feels contrived. I do like the idea of creating a logline for the project, pilot, and season - but adding what he calls "loglines" (they are not loglines) on top of "loglines" on top of "loglines" is not my way of working. There's some good info in general, though.

If you stick with it, please let me know how you did, and I'd love to read the first 10 pages of what you get!

this year I haven't been writing. After health issues last year and some ongoing this year I am finding it just impossible to focus. Maybe I have come to the end of the road and it's just not for me. I just can't focus for long enough periods. And i get stuck far too often. But today, all up one hour of trying to figure out a years long problem. Story of my life.

It comes and goes, Cherie. I strongly suggest journaling/blogging, as it trains you to just write for no reason. If you go through my blogs, you'll find dozens of, "I'm working, but I have nothing to post. I don't feel well" -type entries. Some say that's embarrassing to have up publicly (and I've taken many down - not out of shame, but because they say nothing), but that process helped me learn to sit and just write. But The Good Stuff comes and goes, so don't sweat it. ;)

I not only write at my DESK, I grab every free minute. I write on the bus. I go early to the dentist to write in the quiet waiting area, undisturbed. I write on the sidewalk, waiting for my friends to show up at the theatre. It's typical to write from 9 pm til daybreak. May 1st I had a new short story published.

In the key of E.....sing it!

While I'm brushing my teeth, man, I write everywhere,

Writing I've had my share, man,

I write everywhere.

In the mountains, on the beach,

Anywhere's a pen in reach,

In the shower, every hour,

Even when I'm planting flowers,

At the museum with T-Rex,

Even when I'm having sex.

I write everywhere man, I write everywhere,

While I'm visiting the pope, man, I write everywhere,

Writing I've had my share, man,

I write everywhere.

Hanging out with my best pals,

When I'm having a root canal,

Trekking on my weekend hike,

Even on my motor bike,

at the jail, making bail,

Even when I'm hunting quail.

I write everywhere, man, I write, everywhere,

When I'm shaving my face, man, I write everywhere,

Writing I've had my share, man,

I write everywhere.

And you should, too!

Wow! Awesome! Bill, Linda Ann & C.Harris. Inspiration, creation and perspirations. What a poem Bill, totally inspired witha desire of fire to burn the walls of my inner pyre. Warm Reagrds, RJN WOOHOOO!

Very nice, Bill. There's no set time but I'm always writing...editing a completed work, making outlines for upcoming projects or resolving a block.

Thanks, C Harris Lynn. I'll take you up on that! Motivation to not write total crap on this exercise. :)

Honestly, actual writing probably takes up the least amount of my time! I do an awful lot of thinking and research beforehand, then eventually throw-up something all over the page in spurts, and spend far too long rewriting, rearranging, and so on.

Hope you all did your writing today! Woohoo! I edited 30 pages and it took 3 hours and I feel EFFIN FANTASTIC about it all. Until... Warm Regards, RJN

Bill Costantini _ You are fabulous!

I was at a black tie awards dinner. Isaac Asimov was the keynote speaker; his topic was Shakespeare and he was very interesting. But I had been having trouble with a certain short story. It was on my mind and something Asimov said "lifted the clouds." I wrote on every paper napkin on the table. When the napkins ran out, I wrote all over the Program. Then I ran to the Ladies Room to write on the paper towels. A memorable speech . . . . :-D

Once while sitting in traffic, on the way to a dr's appt., an idea came to me for a short story. I knew I would forget the details if I didn't write them down. (had happened many times before) Found a pen in my purse but no paper. Was so excited about the idea and didn't want to lose it so I wrote it on my hand. While in the dr's office, the dr noticed a paragraph written in my palm. After I explained I was a writer who had accidentally left my notepad at home, we discovered that we were both Stephen King and Dean Koontz fans. Later, he helped me with the medical scenes of my next short stories and also a screenplay. lol

Im best in the afternoon. When i have time I can write for about 3-4 hours. But i rarely have time. I might get a day every week or every other week. But i can still get a feature written in a few months that way. I focus on structure and character development first. Then scenes and dialogue happen. Then i focus in poignant and plot driven moments. Its just a great experience!

I love that serendipitous story, Linda.

Roxanne Paukner & Owen Mowatt So I leave the W.C., retake my seat and, at some point, I grab a crisp Program and get Isaac to sign it. (We knew each other in NYC; I had a few personal letters from the author.) Years pass. Along comes the Internet, then EBAY. Yep, I sold the autographed Program. And my short story? Accepted, published. The whole night had been hilarious, actually. I was almost mugged en route . . . despite being in "black tie" glam, I threw the thief right off his bicycle. Would make a comic scene for anyone's screenplay. Still LAUGHING!

I write whenever I get a chance. Even if it's only fifteen minutes at a time, at least it's something, right.

I got 2 hours in of edits. I managed to cut down one page as I stared at 3 lines and turned it into 1 line of description. Hope every one is doing it. RJN

I love this thread...reminds me of our "November challenge' (encouraging one another). Y'all are great!

I think those are his initials, DG. :D

I'm generally in the studio (where I write) by 10:00 am - mol - when I begin to write. I take a break whenever I feel like it, fool around on Stage 32 or a couple of other forums/writer's groups, get back to writing. I like to watch the news at 5:00, eat dinner and have a little wine; then I fool around on Stage 32 (or others) for awhile, have a little more wine and get back to writing. Hey, what did you expect - I'm retired. In all seriousness, I manage to get in a couple of hours of serious writing in every day.

I've done days were I worked all day and into the evening.

Writing volume does matter; maybe not because it means you're better at telling a story but being able to complete one is key. Writing endurance helps with that and focus.

Good Morning Sweethearts! Hope you are all fanatical in your own way of being and doing that makes you all unique snowflakes. Writing for 3 hours today and then closing some deals over skype online to make stuff happen. Phillip has the flow. Dan has that go. Doug has that "I don't know!" Wish you guys the best! Warm Regards, RJN Have a kick ass day!

I played hooky from my day job on Monday, so I could write the day away and it was totally worth it. Then I caught a few more hours of writing on Wednesday and I'll catch a few more hours today.

I suffer a creative time blocker - not sure what you call it, but my really motivated times are 9pm to 2am which makes any regular life schedule a total nightmare. So ... yeah. Total nightmare that I cannot walk away from.

Aray, congrats on finishing your pilot and submitting it to the contest! Best of luck with it! Such a great title!

Awesome! My magic time is betwwen 4/5a-9pm where it hapens. Then, I do my edits at night or the next day when I'm finished Great to hear. Hope you are all great! RJN

I'm actually kind of proud of myself - been away at an intense work conference all week, but have written some every day anyway! (not great writing, but still...)

That's awesome, Roxanne!

Congrats Aray B., Roxxanne P., Kerry M., Christopher H., Dan G., Doug N., Linda H., and all the above. Too many people with the muse in your heart to thank for going on your perilous writing journey. I managed to squeak in 2 hours this Am on my NEWER script, it still feel like MANURE to me. My script called "Planet Dog!" If any one would like to give me feedback I welcome you as it is a first draft and I do think it's great! Much Love! Congrats for taking the time to take the time for yourself and WRITE! Warm Regards, RJN

It's a blast when it comes pouring out! But it really is work when it doesn't...

It is always a form of torture for me. Probably why I've been skirting around starting my next script, lol.

It's always leading up to the work that makes it the hardest. That's why I choose to do it first thing in the Am or late PM, when I have no distractions and no reasons, considerations, roadblocks or excuses not to do what I said was imprtant to me many moons ago. Yes, wrestling with the demons or weemans are hard. I agree Dan G. it is work. Yes, C Harris when you hit the flow it is awesome sauce all over your face or mine. Warm Regards, RJN

Ok y'all, you've pulled me in. Just finished a rewrite for an associate and now its getting back to editing my completed thriller. I'm a true morning person and do my best work before 2pm with smooth jazz or instrumental gospel in the back ground.

Awesome! Keep up your greatness!

Wow, Dan G. That's great! I've been doing the final polishing of my latest feature screenplay, and have been trying to locate the post you wrote on trimming the excess in a script, but I can't find it. Was really helpful when I was working on my last project. I wasn't sure if it got deleted when S32 went down a few months ago or not.

Dan G: I just got paid for script notes this week and last week. Both screenplays were full of non-filmable, expository narrative. That shit drives me crazy. JOHN (40), a handsome attorney, walks into the conference room. The lines on his face show that he's had a hard life, full of strife and abuse. Really? Them lines are saying a lot.

That being said, I've seen scripts for big films where they do exactly what we're saying not to do. They give you a whole character description at the beginning. Perhaps it can help an actor. Otherwise, it seems ludicrous to me.

Dan G. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I had copied and pasted it to a word document, and then put it on a flash drive when you first posted it, and I have been going through flash drives this afternoon trying to find it. (I have about thirty of them lol) After getting a bit blurry eyed, I quit for a while. I really appreciate your taking the time to locate it. :-)

If you want them to be sold scripts, then lose the exposition.

Dan, you want your script to go wide? Then don' do dat!

Never say never... "(500) Days of Summer" script has a fun, playful, unique opening, incorporates large-sized graphic numbers... It caused quite the buzz among execs at the time... So... What's wrong with starting a script in a unique way?—If it's done well, with vision, sets up the tone brilliantly, is done with thoughtful purpose, and it just works? Nothing. Go for it. "Rule following" does have a downside: mediocrity. It's often the outliers that create excitement. The key of course to everything is good writing. ;)

Beth - he's talkin' spec script here. IF the script makes it over the transom, it'll land on some intern's desk (Likely the agent's teen daughter or some young warrior with a chip on his shoulder). They likely have been instructed to trash any script that "doesn't look right". So I repeat myself - don' do' dat!

...Yes, spec, of course. I know. And, sorry... but I respectfully disagree wth you, Doug. And I am not suggesting someone do something blatantly against convention—just because. I'm saying if some unique choice is truly compelling and done really really well it may indeed get read. And I wouldn't just send something in blind either... I would use connections, try some more direct route. Anyhoo, frankly, I see this as having nothing to lose, only to gain. Use all tools available to you. 500 Days of Summer was the writers second script (I believe?) and it was a spec. :)

Raymond J. Negron - From One New York Screenwriter to another "WRITE ON", YOU GO GUY!!!

Hey Beth: Here I'm baggin' on exposition and I just downloaded the pilot for the new Hulu show A Handmaid's Tale and there it is, right on the first page... expository writing. So this supports your contention good writing can have expository (and in this case non-filmable) content: I'm going to post the screenplay here in a few minutes but here's the passage I'm referring to:

"JUNE (28) gets out. Carelessly pretty. On a normal day, she's feisty and capable. But today she's fighting panic."

Now how in the f--k can you film that? Just by seeing her get out of the car, I can tell she's feisty and capable? Yet this show is a critical hit. Go figure.

Dan M, I understand (my work goes directly to Ken my agent, not to interns). But for the vast majority of writers - they go through the interns. That's just the way it is in the growed up world. Yes Phillip - I hear you (we use a psychic camera for those shots.)

Dan G: quite right. They can use it for casting. It's a more wholesome alternative to the casting couch.

The writer must submit the character bios (you do write character bios, don't you? Maybe that's just something us old writers do. Every script I submit includes the logline, a synopsis and a bio for each and every speaking character. The meetings I attend include the Producer, Writer, Director, the DP (usually) and certainly the Casting Director. I old and could be wrong in today's world.

John - you always have your "leave behind" whenever you talk to anyone, don't you?

Hey all, hope you are all writing! Yes,Doug you are referring to the one page, right!

Raymond, correct.

I'm always writing in one respect or another. Currently on vacation in Scandinavia gathering ideas, then home to finish up a script for a webseries I'm staffed on as well as to start writing my own, then I have a meeting over the weekend to pitch my take on a video game. Then preproduction begins for my series. It's never quiet around these parts!