Easy Writer

If you like to write then writing is easy. Nothing much to it. You sit down and tell a story. It's not much different from being in a bar with your friends and telling them the story of something that just happened. You relate the beginning, middle and the end. Just like writing a story.

Sometimes you stumble and trip your way from one scene to another, but most of the time it flows pretty well. Guy walks into a bar. There's your beginning. Guy meets girl. There's the middle. Guy get's slapped by girl. The end. See how easy that was?

So why doesn't everyone do it? Cause rewriting is really hard. Hella hard. I'll show you. This is the process I'm in the middle of right now.

Past:
Six months ago I had a germ of an idea. It percolated, sprouted and became a story with a beginning and an end. At the time I was writing another feature, so that's where it sat.

Three months ago I began the research. Then I outlined, put together a story board, wrote up complete character histories (yes I can tell you where they went to high school 30 years ago).

A month ago, I started writing. Four weeks later - a masterpiece! Well it was a masterpiece till I reread it the next day! Then it was junk -really putrid junk. Still that wasn't so bad. A month of writing. Told you that it was easy.

Three days after finishing it I printed it out. Then went through it line by line, work by word. Looking for better, more descriptive, action words. That took three days. Again easy!

Then I had it read by a half dozen screenwriters including a WGA professional. They all sent me their ideas and thoughts. They tore it apart. Savaged it and spit it back to me in pieces. Now it's up to me to put the jigsaw back together. So here's my plan to do that:

1) Go through every slugline first. Make sure they are correct.

2) Take every single line of dialogue by each individual character and seperate it from the story. Make sure that each character has a unique voice and that it's a consistent voice.

3) Take every single scene and seperate if from the whole. Make sure that every scene has a beginning, middle and an end. Be certain that there is tension in every scene. That every scene moves the theme forward. Assure myself that it is needed and cut everything that's extraneous.

4) Pull out and seperate every bit of dialogue between the five major characters. Look at every exchange between vharacter A and character B. Then A and C. A and D. Do them all. Be certain that the subtext in these conversations conveys feelings, emotions and pasts of these characters as it relates to just those two.

5) Do a line by line outline. In one line, explain every scene. The look at the structure from that outline. See on what page events happen. Be certain the structure is perfect.

6) Do a complete page one rewrite - retyping the entire thing.

7) Resubmit for more reviews. Eight or ten this time.

8) Do a complete page one rewrite.

9) Consider the best forms of assisted suicide if I have to look at it ever again.

10) Start a new script. Why? Cause I have too.

Hemingway wrote, in his usual loquacious manner, " The first draft of anything is shit".

He also said "Writing is easy. All you have to do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed".

I think he really meant rewriting.

The Most Magical Night of the Year.

No, it's not Christmas (or even Hanukkah). I didn't just arrive to Disneyland or Vegas. I haven't won money, love, or recognition. However, it is one of the most magical nights of the year. Because of two words...

FADE IN

It is those two words that every screenplay writer - neophyte or veteran - writes at the the beginning of every story. For some it only happens once every year or so. For the most prolific, four or five times, but it is the best feeling a storyteller can have.

The pages of notes are set to the side. The agony of the outline behind you. Your characters, right now existing only as 4-6 page of notes, are about to take their first breath. No matter how extensively you have plotted their story, you know they will take you to places you never envisioned. That's what makes it so exciting. Those words start a journey that you take with the characters you fleshed out. It's ending is dependent not just on your actions, but on who they are about to come as well.

Over the next 4-6 weeks I know the following things will be true:

• There will be at least two places my characters take me I never saw coming.
• I will have two (or at most three) epiphanies. Frankly, these will be better than an orgasm.
• In between those incredible moments of being, there will be dark day after dark day. Times when I know I won't finish. Others when I'll question why, who and what I am writing for.
• I will miss a few appointments or obligations due to being up half the night, because I HAD to get a scene or thought down before it fled.
• I will at some point right the worst two words - FADE OUT.

They are the worst because all the magic will be gone soon after. I'll be tired and spent, and soon will realize I wrote shit. Then I'll get to the rewrite.

For tonight though...

FADE IN

All is well in the writing realm - for now

Tonight I just finished polishing the first draft of my newest - The International Space Station. Uploaded it to the copyright office as well. This is the point where, for a very short while, I am content with it. I have gone through it completely and checked off the basics:

• Three acts all in the right places - check
• Inciting incident where it needs to be - check
• Theme stated - check
• Break into two and three handled correctly - check
• Characters have some life to them - check
• Dialogue isn't on the nose - check

For tonight all seems right with it. Over the next week or so it will be read by family and friends, as well as a couple of industry pros. Once those reviews come in I'll realize what an utter pile of garbage it is and the real work will begin.