After three and a half years and 43 re-writes, nothing I've written has ever been better than the screenplay I recently resurrected from days gone by. However, even with seven producer reads (or more likely their interns), the fact that no one has been interested tells me that just perhaps my best is not good enough.
-
Basic Writing questions is not a crit forum. All crits belong in Share Your Work
What's On Your Mind About Your Writing?
- Thread starter Undercover
- Start date
I'm missing some scenes from a WIP that I did during Camp. I don't even know exactly how many scenes, but I know there were at least two, and they were long. I don't want to rewrite them; they took a lot out of me the first time around. I have no idea where I put them.
No. Six of the seven never responded, while the seventh sent the standard "not for us" response.
I thought seven out of 170 attempts was actually rather decent considering that I am an unpublished, unrepresented, complete unknown without any professional background in writing.
One also needs to consider that a significant portion of those I contacted most likely do not accept unsolicited queries, even though such was not stated on their web pages. (I did not send any queries to producers/agents whose policy of not accepting unsolicited material was clearly indicated on their page.)
Additionally, most theatrically-released motion pictures cost a fortune to make. While it's one thing to take a chance on an unknown for a potential book deal, it's another thing to risk tens of millions of dollars for a film on the work of Mr. Nobody with no proven track record.
Nonetheless, a critique from a knowledgeable industry insider would have been very beneficial. Sadly, none were forthcoming.
If you meant "seven isn't that many" rejections on which base an evaluation on the worth of my screenplay, I might tend to agree.
Last edited:
Keep trying with the agents. All it takes is one to say "Yes."
Me, almost finished my revisions for Star Maps and will have them done today. Next week, I shall submit, and only in a good way.
Me, almost finished my revisions for Star Maps and will have them done today. Next week, I shall submit, and only in a good way.
I was gonna try to do 2K today, but I wound up on TV Tropes... so that certainly didn't happen.
TV Tropes. The world's greatest time sink.
On my end, I'm getting frustrated. I really want to write, but I don't have any ideas ready to be written, and I'm not the kind of person who can just sit down and write with no idea where I'm going. I've tried it. Those stories end up really sucking.
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2012
- Messages
- 1,703
- Reaction score
- 333
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
- Website
- blog.annaspargoryan.com
I apologise, I did think you were referring to seven rejections. Nevertheless, I still wouldn't throw in the towel yet. But that's just my opinion.
After writing short stories for the last few months, I feel ready to get back to some novel writing. But I'm not sure whether to re-write my old nano-novel or to write something new....
Wait, I think I know the answer already. Isn't there a saying about finishing off one project before going onto something new.
Wait, I think I know the answer already. Isn't there a saying about finishing off one project before going onto something new.
Oh dear, that sounds painful.
It's alright. It's another challenge I guess. I just need time to think.
I don't wanna edit anymore.
Me too! I feel your pain! I also want to start something new.
Feeling the itch to get BIC! Ideas have been incubating and I'll finally start getting some time to write.
My head feels funny from staying up to 3AM, and I wrote something like 6000 words yesterday, but draft 4 is officially done. I wouldn't say complete; I've already got a scribbled-down list of things I want to tidy up, plot holes that need repairing, and the (all-new) ending needs work; this time my loveable rogue MC went too far the other way and went all straight-up cuddly on me, and I want to dial the feels back a little. But while draft 4 may still need some tuning up, I think I finally got this story running.
Granted, I thought that about the third draft, and when I went back to it all I could think was, "the story and characters are great but this prose is terrible." Draft 4 I concentrated on the mechanics and am going to have to go back in places and re-insert (and improve) some of that terrible prose to get the plot and characters back up to where they were in the last draft; I agree with what what rwm4768 was describing upthread, that some of the stuff I cut out for being inessential to the plot made for a better story and more three-dimensional characters and needs to be put back in. But overall, I think this time, I finally got the story I was trying for.
Plus, while it's cooling, I can give that insistent Shiny New Idea some guilt-free attention.
Granted, I thought that about the third draft, and when I went back to it all I could think was, "the story and characters are great but this prose is terrible." Draft 4 I concentrated on the mechanics and am going to have to go back in places and re-insert (and improve) some of that terrible prose to get the plot and characters back up to where they were in the last draft; I agree with what what rwm4768 was describing upthread, that some of the stuff I cut out for being inessential to the plot made for a better story and more three-dimensional characters and needs to be put back in. But overall, I think this time, I finally got the story I was trying for.
Plus, while it's cooling, I can give that insistent Shiny New Idea some guilt-free attention.
Last edited:
Wishing I could put my "day job" aside and spend more time writing...it seems that the only time I get the urge to sit down and write (the one where i know if i just did it multiple thousands of words would spill out) is during the hours I'm supposed to be doing what I actually get paid to do...and during the hours when I could (and should) be writing I have no energy or inspiration. I do dishes and water the yard instead...Perhaps I just need to readjust priorities - write first, dishes later!
I just ran into a plot hole. It's my first novel so it's highly disturbing. I'm not freaking out, but there it is staring at me. I feel like saying, "Damnit Jim," in my best McCoy voice, but my wife's asleep.
Last edited:
I understand. I was a public school teacher for more than a decade. I used to try to write during the summer breaks, but I would never finish, and the next ten months were booked with writing lesson plans, grades, teaching adult ESL at night, family trips during the holidays, etc. You get the idea. I just left that career for something in which I set my own hours. I read that Ian Fleming wrote three hours a day first thing every day. I'm trying to copy that.
Aside from SYW, I haven't edited anyone's writing for almost a year. But as of yesterday I decided to be a long term beta for someone, and I'm really looking forward to editing another author's work. Bonus points: they're on these forums.
I'm terribly embarrassed at how long it took me to discover the "Comments" option on Microsoft Word. Now instead of big bold red font print in the middle of my text distracting me I can just insert a little line to the side like I would when writing on paper. Seems frivolous to some I'm sure but formatting when not done to someone's specifications can be distracting as heck.
I'm also re-reading the work I'd done previously on a story to refresh my memories. I've gotten some new motivation to tackle it and as it's been so long...I forgot some details and...well I'm kind of ashamed of that too.
I'm also re-reading the work I'd done previously on a story to refresh my memories. I've gotten some new motivation to tackle it and as it's been so long...I forgot some details and...well I'm kind of ashamed of that too.
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2012
- Messages
- 1,703
- Reaction score
- 333
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
- Website
- blog.annaspargoryan.com
I think this book is beginning to sound as though a child wrote it. Not a smart child, neither. I want to give my brain a break, but I'm afraid of how long it might take me to get back into it.
Didn't write today, been busy lately. Wanted to write right now, but it's too late to get into it. More of a morning thing. Kind of in a slump, will ditch people this weekend so I can write.
In my (admittedly limited) experience of slogging through edits, sometimes a break is the best thing you can give yourself. Maybe give yourself time to relax and come back to it with fresh eyes? After getting this far, I'm sure you'll be able to get back into it!
RikWriter
Banned
Now that the school year has started, it's harder to find time to write. I'm trying though. 25,000 words into my WIP. I feel like I need to change the POV in it though and I really don't want to do it.