SE2 D25: The Writer's Funk
What a difference a year makes. This time last year, the journey was just getting under way and there was a lot of euphoria and optimism. This year the start has been a little bumpier. There was a lot of build up to the end of the first year of the journey, but once the anniversary passed, I was kind of left with the question of 'now what?' And I'm still not quite sure what comes next. I feel like I should have a set of new and loftier goals but to what end? I'm not sure what
SE2 D015: I'm Insulted That You're Insulted - Part 3
In my previous posts, I discussed a common complaint readers have regarding a screenwriter's tendency to 'insult' directors and actors with his script. This critique is often couched in the warning that the writer is doing someone else's job. I explored where these comments originate from, and what their deeper meanings may be. In this post, I'll describe how a screenwriter can avoid receiving these critiques and, hopefully, engender respect on all sides. As I previously poin
SE2 D013: I'm Insulted That You're Insulted - Part 2
"You're insulting the director/actors by telling them how to do their jobs." This is a lament screenwriters hear often. It's a go-to criticism readers pull out when they feel they need to offer some sort of advice. Too often, this sort of advice is negative criticism instead of constructive. It's intended to correct a flaw in the writer's work, but to the writer, it smacks of 'you don't know what you're doing.' It's a defense of other artists at the expense of the writer, fra
SE2 D012: I'm Insulted That You're Insulted - Part 1
Screenwriters are insulting. This is something I hear frequently. Not about my own work, thankfully, but it’s a commonly repeated refrain in seminars, workshops and online forums. As a screenwriter, I naturally take exception to that statement, but it seems to be a regularly occurring theme that points to the disrespect screenwriters suffer on a daily basis, even from other scribes. We screenwriters are already at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to respect. Our wor
SE2 D004: The Good, The Bad and the Film Festival
Well, it’s been an interesting start to the new season here at The Screenwriter’s Journey. Let’s take it in the order it happened. I received notice from the Austin Film Festival that Everyday Clowns did not advance at all in the digital web series competition. It’s both disheartening and a little surprising. The digital competition is a new component of the festival, so there has been a lot of anticipation on how it will be judged and what will win. Everyday Clowns seems to
SE2.0 D001: Welcome to Season 2.0
And thus it begins. . .or so it continues. This is Day 1 of the second season on The Screenwriter's Journey. Instead of a one-year odyssey, it is now an on-going chronicle of my efforts to sell a screenplay. What's the difference? Well, basically there is no arbitrary deadline to make a sale. At least not yet. I have spent the past year training myself to write consistently, and that now seems ingrained into my being. It takes a little pressure off me knowing that I'm not rac
