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Monday, June 11, 2012

5 Tips To Help Avoid Writer’s Block

Starting a new writing project is always SO exciting whether you’re just writing a script to sell or your next low-budget classic. There is so much enthusiasm flowing through you as ideas race through your mind – Great One-liners, Awesome Action Sequences, and Groovy Set Pieces. You think to yourself that this script is going to practically write it’s self you have so many ideas until… SCREECH! You suddenly find yourself staring at a BLANK PAGE with nowhere to go; you’ve just hit the Writer’s Wall!

This article is designed to give you some helpful tips and writing preparations that will hopefully allow you to figure out all of your problems before you start writing so you can avoid the pesky Writer’s Block and all the problems it can cause to your mental health and script.

1. Watch Movies That Are Similar To Your Movie
The first step to helping you avoid writer’s block is to admit and come to terms with the fact: ORIGINALITY IS DEAD. Truth is, once you do this, writing your script will already become infinitely easier, so good job! Next go to your local video store and rent 5-10 movies that are similar in story and structure to your idea or logline.

Now watch the movies you’ve rented and study them! Watching movies similar to your script will help you see how the story works, what moves the scenes and story forward, how characters achieve their goals and overcome their quirks. I know to some this will seem not creative but this is how many professionals do it, and trust me every story has already been told so what your goal should be is to find a way to tell it differently or better. DON’T TRY AND REINVENT THE WHEEL!

2. Reverse Engineer Your Script
You wouldn’t build a car without knowing how it should look at the end; well the same rule applies with screenwriting. Know how you want the story to end – What should your main character achieve? What will have they overcomer? What have they learned? What happens to their surrounding environment (if applicable)? By answering this question it will give you, the writer, a goal to work towards and more knowledge about what parts and conflicts you’ll need to include in your script in order to get you character and story to the finish line. This same technique also works for writing each individual scene?!

3. Outline Your Movie
Every movie consists roughly of 35-40 scenes, so to properly outline your movie you should have at least 35 different bullet points/scenes in your outline. Now everyone has their own approach to outlining, but what I find effective is to write only 1-2, certainly no more than 3 sentences describing the action and goal of each scene. Then once I have my whole movie worked out in very broad strokes I go back and re-outline the entire movie, but this time filling in all the fun details, one liners, funny gags, and action sequences that I have in my head. If you do this I can guarantee you will have a solid story and a way easier time writing your first draft, because it’s way easier to fix problems in the prep stage then when you’re already half-way through your script.

4. Know Your Main Character
Before you start writing figure out who your Main Character is – What kind of quirks does he/she have? What do they look like? Have a great mental image in your head of what they look like, this will help you write more believable actions and dialogue for your character.

If you don’t have ideas for who or what your main character should look and act like, try looking at famous character archetypes that already exist and ask yourself – Is he/she the smart but clumsy kid? Are they the hunk? Or are they the warrior seeking revenge? Make sure you ask all these questions and really figure out who fits best for your idea, because by doing this it will not only help you with your writing but it will also allow you to be able to move faster.

5. Give Your Character Flaws And Goals
Creating Flaws and Goals for your main character can be one of the most difficult tasks, but if you can figure these two things out before you start writing it can help you avoid a collision with the dreaded Writer’s Wall. By having defined flaws and goals it helps set-up your character and their arc; it also gives your character problems that need to be fixed in order for them to achieve their goal, which allows you, as a writer, to keep your script focused and clean.

Well that’s it for this post! I hope it helps you to avoid Writer’s Block or any snags you may encounter during the writing process. Remember the more prep you do before you start writing the better off you’re going to be. So before you start your next script be sure to:

Watch Movies That Are Similar To Your Movie
Reverse Engineer Your Script, Outline Your Movie
Outline Your Movie
Know Your Main Character
Give Your Character Flaws And Goals.

As always if you have any tips or tricks that you do to help avoid a collision with Writer’s Block be sure and leave a comment below, we would love to hear what works for you!

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Go forward and win!

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Logline: $5.00 Flat Fee

A synopsis or summery is required. It well be used to form the logline. The logline is just one line.

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Screenplays

Critique: $50.00 Flat Fee, Discount fee $42.50

Includes evaluating the basis elements of a script

Introduction
Development
Climax
Conclusion
Character development
Mid point development

Critiques also provide suggestions for improvements and enhancement.

Payments are made by Paypal or cashier check by mail.

Other services are at regular price.

Query Letters: $25.00 Flat Fee

Editing: $45.00 Flat Fee

Evaluating formatting to industry standards

Spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc.

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Friday, June 8, 2012

Any Questions About Writing?

Hi, everyone.

Do you have a question about writing? Feel free to send it to me in the comment box. I will reply.

Happy writing!

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Go forward and win!

Logline Service

Screenplays

Critique: $50.00 Flat Fee, Discount fee $42.50

Includes evaluating the basis elements of a script

Introduction
Development
Climax
Conclusion
Character development
Mid point development

Critiques also provide suggestions for improvements and enhancement.

Payments are made by Paypal or cashier check by mail.

Other services are at regular price.

Query Letters: $25.00 Flat Fee

Editing: $45.00 Flat Fee

Evaluating formatting to industry standards

Spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc.

Turnaround time:
Editing: 2 weeks
Critique: 2 weeks

Query Letters: 2 weeks

Feel free to contact me at ahicks4298@q.com or ahicks4298@msn.com.

What’s More Important – Story or Character?

Question: What’s more important—story or character?

That’s like asking: What’s more important—your heart or your lungs?

What’s important about all art, in all forms of expression, is not the way the various components separate but how they synthesize one another. Scientists take things apart; artists put them together.

Shattering phenomena into their diverse components, the process that lies at the heart of the analytical mindset, surely occupies an important place in our lives. Art, however, is not that place. What’s significant in writing is not the way story and character diverge but how they meet.

Analysis is not for artists but for critics; consider the first four letters of the word.

My pal Prof. Andrew Horton from the University of Oklahoma has written a splendid book called Writing the Character Centered Screenplay. With all due respect to Andy, I would call it Writing the Good Screenplay. What value has any narrative if its center is not character, in particular its lead character, the protagonist? Note that the great classics of dramatic narratives from their inception on the ancient Greek stage through Shakespeare and into the contemporary era are named more often than not for their protagonist: Agamemnon, Oedipus Rex, Lysistrata, Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Julius Caesar, Richard III, ad infinitum.

This is every bit as true for many worthy films: Milk, The Godfather, Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma and Louise, Annie Hall, The Graduate, Citizen Kane and scores—hundreds!—of others.

There are no good stories without strong characters; and no character can be strong outside the context of a well turned story. What, after all, is a character except the sum total of the actions she takes and the dialogue she speaks?

That’s why I caution writers against planning their characters too fully in advance of creating their story. Some screenwriting educators preach that prior to starting their scripts it’s useful for writers to sketch out detailed descriptions of the characters. What kind of candy bar would she be if she were a candy bar? What kind of tree would she be if she were a tree? What kind of car would she drive (even though she doesn’t drive a car in the movie)? What was her childhood like? What kind of schools did she go to? What’s her favorite color?

If writers find this useful: God bless them. Nevertheless, I say it’s dilettantism, indeed, destructive to worthy writing. It suggests that characters can live outside the world of the story. Rather than create characters, writers should discover them, as in dis-cover, taking away the cover and finding the characters in the same way that Michelangelo ‘found’ his statue David by chipping away at the marble block from which he emerged, removing those parts that were not David.

David was already there inside that rock. Likewise, your characters are already there, in a sense, waiting to be discovered. I’ve never known a writer who wasn’t surprised by twists and turns in the story, and in lines of dialogue apparently invented by the characters themselves.

Neil Simon visited my screenwriting class at UCLA to discuss comedy. Having Neil Simon discuss comedy is like being a student in seminary and having a Q&A with God. I asked Mr. Simon if he laughs at his own jokes. He said, “Sure I do, the first time I hear them.” In other words, it’s as if the characters invent the dialogue on their own, even if it’s the writer who gets paid.

What’s not to like about that?

A successful writer I know who works with a partner told me that someone asked him: Which one of you writes the characters and which one writes the story?

What’s significant about story and character, once again, is not their separate identities, since separately there aren’t any, but the way they enhance and expand each other, the ways they walk hand in hand together.

Note: If you’re in Los Angeles, take advantage of the rare opportunity to take an on-campus UCLA workshop with Professor Walter – offered this summer for both non-UCLA and UCLA students. More info on the class is available here.

Richard Walter is a celebrated storytelling guru, movie industry expert, and longtime chairman of UCLA’s legendary graduate program in screenwriting. A screenwriter and published novelist, his latest book, Essentials of Screenwriting, is available in stores now. Professor Walter lectures throughout North America and the world and serves as a court authorized expert in intellectual property litigation. For more information and to order the new Essentials of Screenwriting, visit www.richardwalter.com. Contact Professor Walter at rwalter@tft.ucla.edu if you would like to subscribe to his monthly screenwriting tips newsletter. (I thank Richard for this contribution)

Go forward and win!

Logline Service

Screenplays

Critique: $50.00 Flat Fee, Discount fee $42.50

Includes evaluating the basis elements of a script

Introduction
Development
Climax
Conclusion
Character development
Mid point development

Critiques also provide suggestions for improvements and enhancement.

Payments are made by Paypal or cashier check by mail.

Other services are at regular price.

Query Letters: $25.00 Flat Fee

Editing: $45.00 Flat Fee

Evaluating formatting to industry standards

Spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc.

Turnaround time:
Editing: 2 weeks
Critique: 2 weeks

Query Letters: 2 weeks

Feel free to contact me at ahicks4298@q.com or ahicks4298@msn.com.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Industry Insider Contest Winner, Tyler Marceca, Sells Script with Mark Wahlberg

Hello Everyone. Here's an interview for you to read. I got it today in my email.

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The Writers Stores sits down with Tyler Marceca, recent winner of The Writers Store Industry Insider Contest,to discuss his journey as a screenwriter, what he learned during the contest’s mentoring process, and the excitement of selling his contest-winning script to Universal with Mark Wahlberg attached.

The Writers Store: Let’s start with the first basic question: When did you begin writing screenplays?

Tyler: Probably close to five years ago at this point. I believe the impetus to write came from an article I saw in “SlashFilm.” It was about “The Black List,” and I remember thinking at the time that screenwriting was a more or less an impenetrable career; but seeing the names on “The Black List, ” that at least fifty people were doing it, it certainly demystified it a bit for me.

TWS: And you said why not?

Tyler: Yes. When I saw that I thought maybe I could give it a try. When I was younger, I always loved writing, and I’ve always loved movies. It wasn’t until I was 23 that I realized that I should try combining the two.

TWS: There are a lot of contests out there, what attracted you to The Writers Store Industry Insider Contest?

Tyler: Well, I received an e-mail about the contest. I know that there are a lot of reputable contests out there but I also know that there’s a fair amount of contests that are primarily money grabs. What attracted me to this contest was that I had done a little research at that point about a screenwriter’s career, and a lot of it isn’t just necessarily cooking up your own ideas and developing them as specs. When you’re a paid screenwriter, a working screenwriter, a lot of it is rewrite work and assignment work. I figured it would be an interesting exercise to see if I could take an idea that wasn’t essentially mine, run with it, and see if I could develop it into a feature script.

TWS: At the very least it was going to be a great exercise.

Tyler: Yeah. I mean, I don’t want to make it sound like I did it on a lark, but I did it more as a writing exercise. I really didn’t expect things to play out the way they did.

TWS: When Mario and I talked while we were mentoring, I would say that there’s often always a stronger candidate and someone who is a little bit further back; but I always told Mario that these people, whether they win this contest or not, I feel like they’ve already won. I almost wish that this contest existed when I started screenwriting because it would be great! As much as you’re getting a logline that’s been handed to you, you’re having someone who’s done it a few times basically say, “This is where you’re making your mistakes and here’s what tweaks you can make.” I always felt that the contest was won the minute you were one of the ten finalists.

Tyler: Oh, absolutely! A guy who was a finalists in the previous round of the contest said something like, “I wish I could be a perpetual finalist”, because it really is a rewarding experience. It gives you something that you don’t really get too much of when you’re toiling away on your scripts in solitude. Being a finalist in the contest gives you that immediate gratification and response to your work. It’s not just someone reading your first draft, it’s someone reading every ten pages and working with you along the way. I didn’t have peers and I didn’t have a writing community, so it was a great experience for me to have someone that I could trust and whose notes and feedback I valued .

TWS: On that note, let’s get a little more specific. What was it like getting feedback from Mario Mareno (spelling?) in particular?

Tyler: He was really great. He had this way about giving you feedback that was incredibly detailed but it was never done in a forceful way. I don’t want to say he was delicate, but he just knew how to ask the right questions. He wouldn’t necessarily tell me what I should be doing, but he would ask me questions like: “Are we spending too much time away from the protagonist?” or, “Is this scene going on a little too long?” He would never give me the easy answers. He would just ask those types of questions. Figuring out the answers benefited the script.

TWS: And what would you say you learned most about the craft during your mentor sessions with Mario that you hadn’t encountered or thought about before you came to the contest?

Tyler: The importance of pacing. The way it worked for me, and I know the other finalists had different approaches to the contest, but my approach was that I didn’t discuss any story with Mario. I didn’t outline the narrative for him in any way. I simply gave him ten pages every week not only to get his feedback on the content itself, but to gauge his response as a first time read. Basically, every week I had to give him ten pages and in those ten pages I never wanted there to be a moment where it was filler or that second act stuff that you had to kind of slog through. I always wanted there to be some kind of conflict or drama within each of those ten pages. I wanted there to be something in there that would make the pages read quick and create a fluid reading experience. Moving forward, I will always think in that ten-page mindset because of the contest.

TWS: How did you connect to a logline that didn’t originate from you?

Tyler: Well I thought the logline was really good because it was very fertile but not limiting. There were obviously a lot of different directions you could go with it but you could already kind of see the movie taking shape just from the log line.

TWS: Right. Sometimes it doesn’t matter what story you’re given, what logline you’re given, or what assignments you’re given, you try to find a thematic value that you can attach to that logline. Did you do anything like that?

Tyler: As soon as I heard the logline, I didn’t know what the particulars of the story were going to be or what specific direction the narrative would take but I knew I wanted to do something that would center on a conspiracy. I knew there was a great mystery in there: a man’s wife dies in the backyard almost right under his nose and he decides to investigate it. I just thought it was very fertile for a conspiracy type thriller.

TWS: As the winner of this contest, one of the rewards was meeting A-list screenwriter, Robert Mark Kamen. Tell me what it was like meeting him and if you have kept in touch.

Tyler: Well, it was a very trippy experience meeting him because we met at The Ivy which was a place I was aware of even prior to the contest, and it was a very sceney type of spot. Sitting down with an A-list screenwriter at that kind of place was obviously very surreal. Robert was really funny and this might sound like a contradiction in terms, but he was a fresh breath of New York air. He was quick not to bullshit me and wanted to set me straight about how difficult this career can be. He made a point of even saying, “You’re not a blip on the radar you’re a burp” and, “you’re not a flavor of the month, you’re a flavor of the day.” He ended up calling some executive he was on a first name basis with and when he got on the phone he said something along the lines of, “I’m sitting with this kid and he wrote this great script. Too many big words, but a great script!” He’s a nice guy and he was going on and on and then he mentioned my name and whoever he was speaking to on the phone, they actually had already heard of me. They had already read the script and that was kind of surreal. We actually kept in contact throughout the whole process and still speak to this day. I’m glad he always took my calls during that time and hopefully he’ll continue to take my calls because I know I’ll always take his.

TWS: That’s great! So, if you had a real pressing question or you didn’t know what to do in regards to a business transaction that was about to take place, you could pick up the phone and call him and ask if he’s ever been in this situation before, or what’s his advice?

Tyler: Yes, that’s what I did a lot. There were a couple of writers that I ended up connecting with through random circumstances that I was able to call as well and say, basically, “I don’t know what I’m doing , what should I do? “

TWS: (Laughs) That’s wonderful! Your winning script has since gone on to a bidding war in Hollywood and eventually sold to Universal with Mark Wahlberg attached to star in it. If you can, tell us what that experience felt like.

Tyler: It was vomit inducing! It ended up really working out but it was my first time going through that process. I guess I’ve been just incredibly wary about the whole process since everything first started for me. I’ve always been waiting for the other shoe to drop so when they told me that it sold and who was attached I still didn’t really process it. I was still waiting for someone to tell me that this wasn’t going to work out.

TWS: Of course, because you are always expecting something to go wrong. But just for the sake of the people out there who are reading the magazine, and who want to understand what that experience was like, paint a picture for us of what you were doing when that phone call came in.

Tyler: I was trying to work on my new script, but all I’m doing really is refreshing my e-mail ad nauseam and checking my phone constantly. I’m just waiting for the call or waiting for the e-mail so that I can finally take a breath. My reps were great about keeping me apprised throughout and I was just incredibly relieved once the deal went through.

TWS: Did you celebrate?

Tyler: I went out for a drink afterwards. My friends were in Atlantic City and because the deal didn’t go through until Friday, I didn’t really have time to go down with them. I still had some people around here though, so I went to a bar and drank an expensive Scotch; well, more expensive than I usually order. I plan on celebrating in proper fashion next weekend. I have a bachelor party coming up. Yeah, my nerves were frayed by the end but I was very happy with where it went and who it went with.

TWS: What did your parents think?

Tyler: Oh, they weren’t conscious by the end of it either. There really wasn’t any rational person in the whole scenario. Everyone was just kind of nervous and hoping for the best and possibly planning for the worst. My parents were obviously thrilled. I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet but we’re all starting to process it.

TWS: One final question: what lies on the horizon now for Tyler Marceca?

Tyler: (chuckles) You know, that’s something I’m curious to know as well. I’m writing a new spec that I told my managers and my agents about. I told them that I had this idea, and they encouraged me to pursue it so I’m working on that. I’m also looking at assignments and seeing what kind of new opportunities will possibly come along my way. I’m seeing if there’s anything that I’m interested in and looking at what I think I’ll be a good fit for, but still always plugging away on a new spec, so we’ll see how it goes.

TWS: Are you moving to Hollywood any time soon?

Tyler: Yes. I have to get everything in order. I haven’t even looked at apartments and I don’t even have a car. That’s all stuff I need to take care of first but yeah, that’s something I plan on doing soon. I think I might have to fly out before the move to take some more meetings but hopefully before the summer lets out I’ll be a resident.

TWS: Well Tyler, congratulations! It’s really such a wonderful story and everyone at The Writer’s Store is thrilled for you as I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who are happy for you. We are so happy that this contest could facilitate a story like this and hopefully it will do the same for someone else in the future. You being the first to walk away from this and make a big studio sale is just a wonderful story and we’re glad we got a chance to talk you and for you to share it with us. Thank you so much.

Tyler: I’m glad I could be part of that story and I have a feeling that there will be other similar stories as well through this contest. It’s a really good contest that’s about putting in the work and developing a script that can be successful in the marketplace. It’s much more hands-on than many other contests out there and hopefully a lot more people will look into it and participate.

Go forward and win!

Logline Service

Screenplays

Critique: $50.00 Flat Fee, Discount fee $42.50

Includes evaluating the basis elements of a script

Introduction
Development
Climax
Conclusion
Character development
Mid point development

Critiques also provide suggestions for improvements and enhancement.

Payments are made by Paypal or cashier check by mail.

Other services are at regular price.

Query Letters: $25.00 Flat Fee

Editing: $45.00 Flat Fee

Evaluating formatting to industry standards

Spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc.

Turnaround time:
Editing: 2 weeks
Critique: 2 weeks

Query Letters: 2 weeks

Feel free to contact me at ahicks4298@q.com or ahicks4298@msn.com.