Ride on

Still working on this but I don't mind you seeing my mistakes; I'm still learning.

My weekend was not as productive as I had hoped, not helped by the fact that I was feeling guilty for sending off HOM with the kids to the playground then discovering it was Father's day! Why can't the world decide on one day? It was June in the UK, which bright spark moved it to September? And the internet was playing up. I didn't get any new stories down, as intended, but I did manage to work some more on a few existing pieces as well as my screenplay.

The screenplay is now up to 115 minutes which means, it being a comedy, I have only another five pages to write. Five pages? What the hick!? So how come I am only up to page 146 of the 267 page novel I'm adapting?
I predict a lot of editing. Note to self, adapting = shrinking.

I am now making more harsh critical choices as I write. It's been an eye opener. And I am taking consolation in the knowledge that although I cannot get across all of my novel with the limitations of the time frame, I will still have the novel; the screenplay doesn't erase the novel. They are different and that's what I'm learning to love about the screenwriting experience. Some novelists who have signed over the rights of their books to film agencies lament that the film doesn't stay true to their vision. Well, I am in charge of my vision, so although I am changing elements which simply do not transfer to film, I am still deciding how those elements should be presented. For now. Which brings me on to my next point.

Film is collaborative. I love that about it. It excites me. With the input of others my story can be even better than I could have imagined. How cool would that be? What I lose in page points I acquire in the beauty of cinematography. However, there is also the distinct possibility that, even if I were to be lucky enough to sell my screenplay once finished, it might never get made. This happens all the time. Being good enough and getting nowhere is not the privilege of the novelist/short story writer. It goes right across the board. But what can you do? All rides and no fun makes for an unhappy playground but I simply must write on.

Bits added

No idea what this shot was meant to be but I like the colour and the blurry eye full of tears quality to it. Short of poking myself in the eye or standing staring into the wind, it's the best you're going to get!

I'm really getting into the swing of my screenplay now. I've got seventy minutes of screen time and by a quick estimation (based on the heap of MS still to adapt) I can tell I am going to run over time but that's okay as I can edit it down when I'm through with the first draft.

The novel I'm adapting is the one I wrote last June and I must have read it through, first page to last, about a dozen times now, either for editing or for my own amusement - yes it has comedy and yes, I am that pathetic! Here's the strange thing - it still makes me cry at the sad bits!

Is this usual? Do you cry at your own writing (and I don't mean from a lamentable state!)?

Backing the pack

"A wise [wo]man knows [s]he knows nothing" - who said that?

Well, I've been reading The Perfect Screenplay by Katherine Atwell Herbert and it's brilliant. Much of the advice applies to novel writing either directly or by omittance and it is so quick to read. And even if you aren't interested in writing a screenplay, it's great to read how all those big films you've seen started out - their taglines and what viewers, and readers for that matter, find a real turn off in a film/novel.

After a long break and masses of re-writes I've begun submitting stuff again - that novel I wrote this time last year - is out there - be kind to it, it's gone through a lot.

And I've entered a couple of comps and am thinking of entering another couple: Teresa Stenson's got a few mentioned on her blog this week which are worth checking out.

And I'm reading - heaps and stacks of books and loving every stolen moment of it! Even the ones I've thrown back in the pack after losing the will at page three have been valuable! - more on what I'm reading/have read coming soon.

So to all of you ploughing on with novels, short stories, screenplays or just general life - keep on keeping on! Best of luck to you all.