BrevityTV is currently accepting applications for a new member of our writing team.  The quality of our work must be improving, because we’ve had a lot more entrants this time, comprising a stronger pool of talent.  We’re getting to be the cool kids, I guess, because more people want to hang out with us.  But that means slogging through a huge stack of writing samples.  As further proof that I’ve yet to arrive, I have no reader.  It’s on me.

A personal blogging mandate of mine is not to offer advice. Yes, I get paid to write things and to consult on other writers’ work as an “expert.”  My writing has been produced in almost-professional ways.  Still, I keep myself in the “wannabe” category until words of mine are spoken on a non-internet screen.  No advice from me till then. However, my current task is lending me some insight.  I felt I should record some of the mistakes entrants have made, so I can refer back next time I’m submitting something myself, and I’ll share in case it’s of help to anyone else: Read the rest of this entry »

Asked who I admire in the field of screenwriting, I suppose I’d give many of the standard answers. There’s a reason David Koepp makes the money he does. Charlie Kaufman is a mad genius. William Goldman has a career of mostly masterpieces, and Lawrence Kasdan’s credits include some biggies. Then of course you’ve some of my faves, like Alan Ball, Cameron Crowe, and of course Joss. But I just watched the first episode of the BBC miniseries Jekyll, and I’m thinking that Steven Moffat’s name belongs on the short list.

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This evening is the first all-group meeting of my online sketch comedy effort. It will be the first time the writers, actors, and directors all meet each other. I’ve been gearing up for it for some time now, so I’m pleased to finally have it happen. I still have some handouts to finish preparing, but in general I’m pretty set.

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Writing isn’t fun.

Sure, there are parts that are brilliant.  Every writer loves working through ideas for the first time, and nothing beats the moment when a flash of inspiration hits you, making your story a million times better.  And then I love outlining, wrestling all those ideas into an actual shape that might entertain people.  Similarly, editing one’s draft is immensely satisfying, shaping and wordsmithing the clay you’ve previously put in place until it looks just so, exactly how you want it.  I even love the process where you have to go back and make the deep cuts, because you know that unless you get your script down below 105 pages, it’s not allowed to be a comedy.

But the actual part where it’s you, your outline, a keyboard, and a white screen?  That can be painful and frustrating.  Writing isn’t fun. It’s having written something that’s enjoyable.

To get myself through the rough draft part, killing pages, I will often promise myself a reward when I’ve finished.  Or, more precisely, I will deny myself some reward until I’ve finished.

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