SCREENWRITING -- THE NEXT GENERATION

In 2009, I created this blog to document an amateur's foray into writing screenplays. I started at zero, no prior screenwriting knowledge, just some creative writing experience with the number of websites I built throughout the years for businesses, including my own, in the arts.

I laid out the format for the blog to be as "script-like" as possible, and though simple, it has received many compliments, for both its look as well as content. I did not plagiarize a thing, I learned from others, then put that into my own words.

Below is the storyline that ran continuously on the right sidebar--

"STORYLINE
Brian, a middle-aged decorative artist and instructor by trade, ends up in rural South Carolina after a chain of events spurred by a dying economy. Bent on finding a new profession and returning to urban life, he discovers the craft of screenwriting, after his wife's enthusiasm over a published "op-ed" political column that he has written. His goal is to write a spec script in sixty days, in hopes of eventually selling it, generating enough cash to get back to the city life.

Can he write it? Will it be a sell? Will the economy ever rebound? Can South Carolina legislators do any more to embarrass him during his stay in this state? Is it a pipe dream to want to live within ten minutes of a "Barnes & Noble" and "Target" again?

Stay tuned, we'll see!!"

It was a creative, humbling, and enlightening experience, which continued until we got notice of a transfer to Houston in 2010. In no particular order, I learned that--
*most forms of writing are underrated, misunderstood, and taken for granted.
*writing is also not as easy as anyone assumes.
*most people have no idea what a screenplay is for, why it is necessary, or how it works, and the agonizing details that make one succeed or fail.
*since the economic / housing bubble burst, Hollywood is on a budget too. They don't buy ten spec scripts in one WHACK to "just to do it" anymore. They tend to buy screenplays written by actors, because that extra attached element gets them double BANG for the buck, from someone who actually reads scripts and has been on sets, and has a track record of performance under a director and producer.
*you can learn a lot from professional writers as well as producers, readers, etc., who graciously share their info online, if you are willing to do the work.
*you can easily be misguided by the more than 95% who post online, claiming they know how the system works, but have mysteriously never been produced.
*plenty of people are willing to "teach" you this craft for money, although most do not have produced scripts or strong credentials.
*a majority of amateur (meaning non-produced) screenwriters tend to be snarky, defensive, often extreme, as well self-righteous.
*professional (produced) screenwriters have a laid-back, friendly, approachable demeanor, are open-minded, and very often willing to help those they come into contact with. Omit this thought if they're actors...just kidding!

If you go through my posts in chronological order, by date, you will see how I start off with common mistakes, learn as I go, and work my way all the way up to writing screenplays. "CLUNKER" is my biggest claim to fame and I still believe in it, questionable if it will be ever made but I'm very proud of that piece of work.

After a long hiatus from writing, in a new town, with a changed career, I realized the other day that my next venture relies in part on my screenwriting skills. It is a joy to realize that. The lesson here is that learning something new is never bad, and you just might need it again one day.

Please stay tuned for the next chapter in my life, career, and something strongly related to screenwriting that seems to have much better odds in success than the spec script market, at least for the moment!

FADED OUT, NOW I'M FADING BACK IN!