Well, I downloaded my Hollywood Formula Worksheet from Script Frenzy yesterday and spent a considerable amount of time filling it out. Have you ever noticed how many plot points teachers never teach you about??? Like there are kind of two climaxes: the "All is Lost" moment and the "Final Push" moment. Both are very high points of tension. Like in Avatar, the "All is Lost" moment is when the humans destroy Hometree and Jake feels helpless, but the "Final Push" is when they fight the big battle at the end. I guess I've always subconsciously known about this (because I know some of my old writing had this in it), but why don't they teach you about this in English class? Anyways, you really should look into this Hollywood Formula Sheet. It's one of the better worksheets I've seen that helps you really write out your plot. Go to scriptfrenzy.org and click on Writer's Resources.
If you're still in need of some plot help, check out this article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/10/AR2009071002768.html?sid=ST2009071002833
NEW Contest: Young Voices of America Tell a Story. Brought to you by The Young Voices Foundation. Submit stories under 10,000 words. Deadline: May 31. http://www.youngvoicesfoundation.org/tellastoryrulemar2010.html
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Script Frenzy
Hey it's almost April! Another Script Frenzy is upon us!
Don't worry if you're not feeling the excitement just yet. Script Frenzy is a national challenge to write 100 pages of a screenplay, stage play, tv show, mini series, etc. in 30 days. It's from the makers of National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo). As always, there are amazing resources and a very open community of writers like yourself. You can even go to write ins and stuff. Check it out! www.scriptfrenzy.org
This is gonna be my first year of script frenzy, though I tried Nanowrimo last year. Only made 19,000 words, but it was still fun and a very good exercise in self discipline. I'm really excited. I've got a great idea and this time I'm going to try outlining, instead of running into it blind. Then maybe I'll make it into a novel during this year's nanowrimo. Then I'll get the novel published. Then they'll want to make a movie out of it. Then I'll whip out the screenplay and the movie is gonna blow away audiences and critics alike. Then I'll pick out the prettiest dress in the world and go to the oscars cause it was nominated for best screenplay but they won't know whether to put it into adapted or original screenplay category because technically I would have written the screenplay first but the novel was published first. I might be getting a little bit ahead of myself. Hehe. It's nice to dream, isn't it?
Alright, even if you're not up for the challenge, do take a look a script frenzy's resources, especially their 100% awesome workbooks for high schoolers. Their advice about plot and dialogue and whatever else holds true for novels, short stories, and memoirs alike!
Happy writing :D
Don't worry if you're not feeling the excitement just yet. Script Frenzy is a national challenge to write 100 pages of a screenplay, stage play, tv show, mini series, etc. in 30 days. It's from the makers of National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo). As always, there are amazing resources and a very open community of writers like yourself. You can even go to write ins and stuff. Check it out! www.scriptfrenzy.org
This is gonna be my first year of script frenzy, though I tried Nanowrimo last year. Only made 19,000 words, but it was still fun and a very good exercise in self discipline. I'm really excited. I've got a great idea and this time I'm going to try outlining, instead of running into it blind. Then maybe I'll make it into a novel during this year's nanowrimo. Then I'll get the novel published. Then they'll want to make a movie out of it. Then I'll whip out the screenplay and the movie is gonna blow away audiences and critics alike. Then I'll pick out the prettiest dress in the world and go to the oscars cause it was nominated for best screenplay but they won't know whether to put it into adapted or original screenplay category because technically I would have written the screenplay first but the novel was published first. I might be getting a little bit ahead of myself. Hehe. It's nice to dream, isn't it?
Alright, even if you're not up for the challenge, do take a look a script frenzy's resources, especially their 100% awesome workbooks for high schoolers. Their advice about plot and dialogue and whatever else holds true for novels, short stories, and memoirs alike!
Happy writing :D
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Never Underestimate the Nonfiction
Having one of those days? Where your creativity seems to be going through a dry spell? Well, I've found that going to the refuge of nonfiction can be just the thing you need to get your creative juices flowing again. (Wow, what a cliche. I must be tired) Anyways, so don't underestimate them. Real life can indeed be way crazier than fiction.
Now the trick to reading nonfiction is read something you're interested in. You don't have to read history books necessarily. For example, I love reading biographies. They offer so much insight into why people are the way they are and how they got to a certain point in their lives. I particularly enjoyed Peg Kehert's autobiography (she's a children's fiction writer). I also read biographies of some of my favorite sports figures and though they don't have nearly the same writing quality as autobiographies written by writers or journalists or well-spoken politicians (and i mean well spoken *cough, cough), sports autobiographies can be just as entertaining. So pick up a biography or autobiography this weekend. You might learn something.
Now the trick to reading nonfiction is read something you're interested in. You don't have to read history books necessarily. For example, I love reading biographies. They offer so much insight into why people are the way they are and how they got to a certain point in their lives. I particularly enjoyed Peg Kehert's autobiography (she's a children's fiction writer). I also read biographies of some of my favorite sports figures and though they don't have nearly the same writing quality as autobiographies written by writers or journalists or well-spoken politicians (and i mean well spoken *cough, cough), sports autobiographies can be just as entertaining. So pick up a biography or autobiography this weekend. You might learn something.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Symbolism
So, in English class, we were talking about symbols today. Water represents purification. Dove represents peace. Stuff like that. And some not so common stuff. Who knew that pink roses represented young love and yellow roses represented friendship? Well, anyways, that got me thinking, has an author ever written a story for the simple reason of telling a story? Does there always have to be some sort of deeper meaning or allegory? For instance, did George Orwell actually want to write a story about communism and Stalin and all that when he wrote Animal Farm? What if he simply wanted to write a story about a farm taken over by pigs?
I know it's a narrow way of thinking. I know the best stories have deeper meanings and are able to teach us something and reveal an insight into human existence. However, sometimes all I want is a story to entertain. That's ok sometimes isn't it?
I know it's a narrow way of thinking. I know the best stories have deeper meanings and are able to teach us something and reveal an insight into human existence. However, sometimes all I want is a story to entertain. That's ok sometimes isn't it?
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