Is It Worth It?

"By helping you win, I win too.  We all do.  And that is the only way to become not only a better writer, but to make the world a better place." - Blake Snyder

Rome wasn't built in a day.  As frustrating as it may be, things take time to come to fruition.  When you embark on a project as daunting as a novel or screenplay, be prepared to be in it for the long haul.  You'll need to put off your desire for instant results or even noticeable progress.  It may happen that way, but more often than not it's a slow methodical approach to a clearly realized goal that gets you to the finish line.

Along the way, if you're fortunate, you'll encounter other writers on the path, struggling with the same issues.  Remember that not every day will be a great writing day.  Sometimes you'll struggle and wind up with a measly paragraph that only brushes up against mediocrity.  There will be days when you read what you've written so far and wonder why you didn't listen to your mother and become an accountant.

The important thing to remember here is that this is all part of the process.  You have to be willing to enjoy the process of writing not just the act of being finished.  The process of agonizing over a sentence, pouring over a thesaurus for the right word, getting turned on by spell check is all part and parcel of being a writer.  These are the mundane things that will fill your days and build into a great work.  The richness of writing lies in the struggle to write not in the accolades that come from critics or readers.  Some days your blog will suck ass and you'll feel like you have nothing to say, or that you've said it all before.  This is where most wannabees quit.  A writer, will write anyway.  A writer will write through the depression and self doubt.  Don't be surprised if you arrive at more depression and self-doubt for your trouble.  That's part of the process too.  Take the time to understand your process.  Learn when to shut up, turn off your mind and keep writing.  All great writers have one thing in common.  They finished.  They got across the finish line and completed their vision.  It's that simple.  Arrive at the page.  Give it what you can.

Is it worth it?  Is writing ever going to pay off?  Will I ever be published/produced?  You may never know the answer to these questions.  The truth is, it doesn't matter one way or the other.  Riches?  Fame?  So what?  Write.




This week's suggested website: Guide to Literary Agents (www.guidetoliteraryagents.com)  If you're looking for representation, this comprehensive guide may be your best method of identifying which agents are best suited to represent your type of work.


This week's writing prompt:  Give yourself five uninterrupted minutes of quiet time.  Compile a list of five of your favorite writers.  Spend a little time researching their personal lives.  Notice what their struggles and triumphs were.  What were their greatest literary achievements?  What was going on in their personal lives when their writing was at its best?  Are there any similarities between the authors on your list?  What are they?

Set the Stage on the Page

There exists within our screenplays, fiction, poetry, etc. an invisible character that subliminally reaches our intended audience with surprising force.  And, that invisible character is: setting.  


It's important not to underestimate the relevance of setting in our writing.  Dismissing setting as mere description can undermine your story's emotional impact.  Setting the stage is an essential part of creating a sense of suspended disbelief.

If for example your story is a hard hitting crime drama, your ability to create the appropriate setting, complete with interesting details that reveal human nuances, will make your story sparkle with life and authenticity. A properly imagined setting will not only create the mood for your piece but will also establish your credibility an an authoritative voice.

If the reader/audience is satisfied that you're knowledgeable of your surroundings they'll be more easily lulled into your imaginary story.

There are wonderful examples of stories where the environment is certainly a "voice" or presence in the story.  127 Hours is a perfect example of how the environment plays a major role in the lives of the characters, the decisions they make and the course of action they follow.  Imagine for a moment some other examples of setting playing an important role in a story.   Taxi Driver, Annie Hall, Wall Street, Sex and the City and countless others all paint a different picture of New York City.  Can you imagine how different the stories would be if they took place somewhere else.  The spirit of New York breathes through these stories.

Perhaps no other genre demands a well realized setting as much as science fiction.  Consider how much time and effort went into the planning of the world of Star Wars.  Entire planets, races of sentient beings, all manner of vegetation, modes of transportation, weaponry, etc. all help to create the setting for this magnificent adventure.  Similarly, consider how the pastural settings of "The Natural" helped to elevate this story from just a baseball movie to a mystical allegory of forgiveness, regret and redemption.

Treat setting like an invisible character and add impact to every scene in your story.


This week's suggested website:  The Literary Law Guide (http://www.literarylawguide.com) provides the legal resources and copyright information that every writer ought to be familiar with.


This week's writing prompt: Give yourself five uninterrupted minutes of quiet time.  Write a love letter to yourself.   Sounds easy, maybe even silly but you'd be surprised how many people resist this exercise.  A little self-love can be very powerful.  Pour it on!  Have a great writing week.

Guest Blogger: Herb Goss

Guest Blogger:  TV Writer/Producer, Herb Goss

Writing is about starting.  Every day you must start to get anything done.  Many people tell you to pick a time to start and always begin at that exact time.  Now that's discipline, but you're a writer not an Olympic athlete so that might not be realistic.  Other writers have a page count that they like to hit.  I believe in both.  I try to write at least six pages a day and I like to start at 10am.  However, if I can't start at 10 am than I start at another time and if I can't write six pages than I write as many as I can.  You see the object is to have discipline which is the only way to write anything of substance and value.  The other rule is to be flexible because if you are not flexible then you'll find that you are constantly beating yourself up which is not conducive to having a good writer's life. But how to start?
It all begins with a blank page.  More vast than the infinite universe we live in this can be the most challenging part of writing.  If you don't have an idea to slam down then the first thing to do is brainstorm. Just start writing down the first thing that comes to your mind.  "A rabbit eating popcorn and getting thrown out of a theater on it's ears."  "Why are there two different spellings of theatre, theater?" Don't filter, don't censor. Be prepared to throw that all out because it's not important that the ideas be good but that you write the ideas down.  This gets you flowing and keeps you in the habit of writing.  Once the habit forms you wont' be able to stop yourself, unless you hear an ice cream truck because all motion stops when anyone or anything hears the song of an ice cream truck.

If you have an idea.  Start writing it down.  Get as many pages as you can.  You've started.  Sweet.  Now you have something to rewrite.  From that day forward, you'll never have to start from scratch.  You can start by rewriting what you already wrote, making it better.  After that, continue to write from where you left off or perhaps you can write an entirely different piece of your puzzle. Start, write, rewrite, six pages a day.  That's a six hundred page novel in 100 days.  Three months.  It's a 30 page spec script in 5 days.  Okay it's not that easy and fast but it's close.  Six a day.  Start, write, rewrite and then one day... finish.

This week's suggested website:  Zoetrope.com (www.zoetrope.com) In March of 1998 Francis Coppola launched a website where writers could submit their short stories to his magazine, Zoetrope: All-Story. A community of writers quickly formed around the website. It became so popular so quickly that a few months later he created sites for novellas and screenplays.  The Virtual Studio is a submission destination and collaboration tool for filmmakers—a community where artists can submit and workshop original work. It's also the best e-resource for information about the Coppola family and American Zoetrope.


This week's writing prompt:  Give yourself five uninterrupted minutes of quiet time.  Write a one page short story in the first person point of view.  Doesn't need to be fancy or award winning literature.  Now here's the real challenge.  Switch genders.  If you're a male write in the voice of a female (many great writers still complain this is difficult and yet crucial).  Try to be convincing and not cliched.  Be sure to depict the character's inner life.  You won't have much time in five minutes and one page but try to give the reader a glimpse of your character's inner landscape.  It doesn't need to be perfect.  Practice switching into the "voices" of your characters from the inside out.  Have a great writing week.