Sold it! My screenplay--finalized deal this week!

Sweet! Thanks!

I can't afford to buy my own book anymore, so it's time to actually revise it and get it to the publisher...

And, all good advice.

- Bill
 
Nice list. I have several of those books and they are very good to have.

And good subsequent advice on process.

Mine is similar when I'm writing a solo spec script (give or take the 13 page prose treatment, hate treatments and the worst time I've ever had was selling a pitch on a page-one re-write and then having to do a treatment before banging out the script) . However, I do collaborate quite often with other writers and adjust accordingly in those situations.

One of my buddies who I've collaborated with is an enigma in that he does all the processes in his head and can sit and bang out a solid 1st Draft over 1 weekend. He does all the steps you mention, but just in his head for two or three months (or longer) and then waits to bang it out in a couple intense sittings.

So, your point of finding your own process is indeed a good one. People work differently and are still effective.

Nice thread and cool pic of Bill's book.

-M
 
kylekmd said:
Crank out the FIRST DRAFT. The "VOMIT" Draft. Just get it done. They all suck. If you realize and accept this, it makes the whole process so much easier.​
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This is a bit off the main topic, but has anyone ever written a first draft that they felt didn't suck? What I mean is, was everything pretty much there on the first shot and didn't need a ton of work?

The reason I ask is that I've recently written a short film that I am just not seeing any major problems with and that works for me. Sure there are a few fixes here and there, but nothing like "this sucks and I'm going to change this, this, this, and this, etc." I've only completed the first draft so far. Maybe it is just a fluke, or I just got lucky? Of course, a short can sometimes be much easier to write compared to a feature.

I hope I am not coming off as arrogant or a know-it-all. Usually, especially on a first draft I think my writing does indeed suck, or in the best cases needs lots of work. Maybe I just need some more downtime before going back to this script and tearing into it? I suppose I'll show it to some more people as well for some feedback.

Martay said:
One of my buddies who I've collaborated with is an enigma in that he does all the processes in his head and can sit and bang out a solid 1st Draft over 1 weekend. He does all the steps you mention, but just in his head for two or three months (or longer) and then waits to bang it out in a couple intense sittings.
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I hate to admit it, but I do the same thing much of the time. I wish I could be more disciplined in terms of creating detailed outlines and treatments. Normally I do write an outline, but only a very basic and short one as a kind of review of my ideas and story structure that has been floating around in my head.

kylekmd said:
I hate treatments too!

I just have a helluva time if I don't force myself to write one.
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This is why I want to become more disciplined as to creating a good treatment, so that I am more aware of my story once I am in the actual scriptwriting stage.
 
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kylekmd said:
Okay, I'll try to do this from memory but I'll probably leave out a great book or two inadvertently. Please forgive me.

 If you want a VERY BASIC understanding:

 The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier
 Screenwriting 101 by Neill Hicks
 The Complete Idiot's Guide to Screenwriting by Skip Press

 But I probably wouldn't waste my time with the above, unless you're completely green.

 The following are much better IMHO (in no particular order):

Books
 Story Sense by Paul Lucey
 Power Screenwriting by Michael Walker
 AFI Writing Great Screenplays by Dona Cooper
 The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler
 Writing Screenplays That Sell by Michael Hauge
 Screenplay: Writing the Picture by Russin and Downs
 Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
 Story by Robert Mckee
 Screenplay by Syd Field
 How to Write High Structure High Concept Movies (& The Screenwriting Formula, 2nd book) by Rob Tobin
 Blue Book Series & The Secrets of Action Screenwriting by W.C. Martell
 The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps... Master Storyteller by John Truby
 Writing for Emotional Impact by Karl Iglesias
 The Power of the Transformational Arc by Dara Marks
 The Moral Premise by Stanley Williams

 Michael Hauge's review of structure is pretty good and available online:
www.screenplaymastery.com/structure.htm

 How's that for 15 books off the top of my head?!
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Thanks so much Kyle. I took 1 screenwriting class at a college from a USC film school graduate who was a great teacher and I already consider myself a strong writer. I just meant that I wanted to make sure I read the classics first, or the standard "MUST READ" type of books. I assume that those fist three wouldn't fall into that category.

That list of 15 you came up with sounds just like what I am looking for though! If you think of any other "MUST READS" please do let me know.

IS there a reason you left off Howard's "How to Build a Great Screenplay?" Or was that one you just didn't think of? My teacher thought it was one of the best books out there for structure.


And also, I would REALLY appreciate it if someone could post the zip file of those scripts. I am a 21 unit college student with 2 jobs and I hardly have any time to go hunting for scripts and picking out the good ones from the bad ones (until summer). It would help me a lot to have that file. I also want to try to participate in reading all of them or 100 at the very least!

Thanks!
 
Kyle - I am happy for you, make sure you go to cpa, set yourself up a business and have business send you payments, don't let a lot of cash just sit around, make sure you protect cash from govt or they'll eat it alive.

Now many screenwriters will sell ONE script and never sell another, your job now is to try to get writing assignments which will lead from one thing to another. You'll find yourself fighting for gigs along with other great writers, just remember you got 'your voice' which separates you from them.

Unless you have director/actor attached, script can stay in development for years and never see production screen, don't worry if that happens to you. There are tons of writers out there who sell scripts who never see the light of day and they live just fine.

Congrats!
 
Entity writes... "IS there a reason you left off Howard's "How to Build a Great Screenplay?" Or was that one you just didn't think of? My teacher thought it was one of the best books out there for structure."

No, I have that book and like a lot. It's a little thick, though -- not a quick read. Overall, an excellent resource. Just wanted to list books that could be read in 1-2 days. I refer to his book in my expanded (101 page) pdf that is no longer available on this site. Legal threats. Oh well.
 
Received $300K to date, will receive the rest if, and only if, it gets produced. Keeping my fingers crossed, but already neck deep in two other projects.
 
You're welcome. The zip file won't last long because that hosting site likes to remove my files! Go figure.
 
Kyle

Congrats pal.
Would you re-post a link to downloading all those screenplays? The ones u posted earlier seem to have expired.
Thanks
 
Kyle. Email it to me at jason at landmine dot tv and I will be glad to host it indefinitely on my server or put it on one of the dvxuser servers.

Later,
Jason
 
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