Hi Lee:
Just found your blog. Very cool. I’m a fiction writer (mostly small press so far). My first two novels have been released by Zumaya Publications. It’s a small press that uses the POD process. No problems on my side (I didn’t pay them anything — “money flows to the writer”)but they have no advertising budget so I’m not making much. Good product for a trade paperback. I’m happy so far.
Had some good news this week. A small production company wants to option a science fiction-horror screenplay I co-wrote with another writer. I know it may crash-and-burn at anytime but I’m having fun.
If you get the chance check out my my blog at http://norman1955.blogspot.com/
Take care,
Chris
I see they recommend reading McKee’s book. I can’t imagine anything more guaranteed to destroy a screenwriter in embryo. Those diagrams! Can anybody believe those diagrams?
What bugs me is how he makes up his own language so he can make the entire issue extraordinarily complex and murky–and then be the one to light the way out of the murk.
It’s not extraordinarily complex. It’s difficult, and you can spend a lifetime getting better at it, but “negation of the negation” my ass.
A teacher who makes things clearer is a teacher. A teacher who makes things murkier is a guru. Probably a rich one.
Why do writing gurus like McKee always have to make something that’s already complicated enough even MORE complicated.
The NBC page is a joke. The only REAL way to break into television is to know somebody. Talent doesn’t hurt either, but it’s not always necessary.
The guy they want to have a beer with is the guy they hire. But if you’re over forty, forget it.
You’re an exception, Lee. Then again, I broke into the business without knowing anybody either, but I’d won the Nicholl, so that instantly made me friends with everybody.
As my old writing partner Larry Brody always says, people in this business hire their friends.
Strange… I don’t see any books by a certain popular TV writer.
So, how DO you break in TV writing?
I love how they don’t even mention that it might be a good idea to have actual writing skill. Nah, just read a few books.
Where’s the part about nepotism?
Hi Lee:
Just found your blog. Very cool. I’m a fiction writer (mostly small press so far). My first two novels have been released by Zumaya Publications. It’s a small press that uses the POD process. No problems on my side (I didn’t pay them anything — “money flows to the writer”)but they have no advertising budget so I’m not making much. Good product for a trade paperback. I’m happy so far.
Had some good news this week. A small production company wants to option a science fiction-horror screenplay I co-wrote with another writer. I know it may crash-and-burn at anytime but I’m having fun.
If you get the chance check out my my blog at http://norman1955.blogspot.com/
Take care,
Chris
Skill can be obtained by hard work. Of course the innate aptitude for the work makes this much easier for some than others.
I see they recommend reading McKee’s book. I can’t imagine anything more guaranteed to destroy a screenwriter in embryo. Those diagrams! Can anybody believe those diagrams?
What bugs me is how he makes up his own language so he can make the entire issue extraordinarily complex and murky–and then be the one to light the way out of the murk.
It’s not extraordinarily complex. It’s difficult, and you can spend a lifetime getting better at it, but “negation of the negation” my ass.
A teacher who makes things clearer is a teacher. A teacher who makes things murkier is a guru. Probably a rich one.
Why do writing gurus like McKee always have to make something that’s already complicated enough even MORE complicated.
The NBC page is a joke. The only REAL way to break into television is to know somebody. Talent doesn’t hurt either, but it’s not always necessary.
The guy they want to have a beer with is the guy they hire. But if you’re over forty, forget it.
I disagree, Rob. I broke in without knowing anybody.
I know everybody and I’m not breaking in.
You’re an exception, Lee. Then again, I broke into the business without knowing anybody either, but I’d won the Nicholl, so that instantly made me friends with everybody.
As my old writing partner Larry Brody always says, people in this business hire their friends.