What does the protagonist want

What does the protagonist want

Hi ho the merry oh

Oh What does the protagonist want!!!

Check it out: http://toddalcott.livejournal.com/163210.html

I am thinking that I would like to include characters with some of the attributes who have influenced me in my life - including my colleagues and students, friends, people from university, people from when I worked in the disability field. I will try not to make them too obvious, as I would twist them so that they are changed or a melange of several people. I guess I will try to stick to a central protagonist and antagonist arrangement to allow the conflict to be emphasised. My main problem is that I do not instantly seem to generate conflict, as I prefer to avoid it in real life!! Maybe there is some conflict right there....

I wonder what the best number of characters to have - I guess it depends if the story is character-driven or plot-driven. I was wondering if there was such a thing as character-plot-driven but I guess not...

Does anybody know of good competitions to enter, or magazines that would except short stories. It would be good to get some experience as I increase my trade.

Hope it is going well for you!
Drop by sometime again!

Well, I have been a disaster writing-wise. I read Stephen King's "On Writing" over the Christmas holidays and came to the conclusion that I am afraid of failure. King said that the scariest time is when you are just about to start, and perhaps this is why I have been putting off so much when deep down it is what I would truly like to do.

My solution is manyfold:

1. Enthuse myself with reading about writing, screenwriting and movies - my Christmas wishlist was nearly entirely book-based and I have been reading and musing ever since.
2. Undertake regular writing challenges - I have joined up (again, after being booted out twice now for lack of submissions a LiveJournal writing community - Musemuggers - to be found at http://community.livejournal.com/musemuggers/ . By writing small stuff more frequently, I can build up ideas for the big important stuff - the screenplay.
3. As a side venture, I have associated with some of the musemuggers in person through meetings for http://community.livejournal.com/eleven_month/ . Once a month, they get together and so******e about all things writerly.
4. I have been blogging with Todd Alcott, whose work and ideas I highly recommend - http://toddalcott.livejournal.com/ . I love reading his insights on movies, Hollywood and writing.
5. I have a few challenges at work to overcome this week, and then it is time to start my own version of NaNoWriMo (http://community.livejournal.com/nanowrimo/) - November just was not my month, so I have decided to work at my pace and I can worry about second drafts later, while still tryinng to achieve a good 50,000 words up to 14 February.  There we go, I have a deadline!
6. With a little luck, I have developed something that will be active and ideal for cameras! Something visual will be then distilled from my rough draft to 120 pages of screenplay. I will say that I would like that done by the end of March.
7. I will do my best to get along to the Screenwriter's Festival! (see previous post)
8. Finally, I would like to try my hand at a bit of freelance work - magazines, papers, whatever. Just to get some cred and credit up!

So, those are my thoughts on writing for now. But again, tis the year for Action!

..in the next county!!!

...only I just missed it....

...but it is an annual event!!!

Here is the link http://www.screenwritersfestival.com

And some tips for new writers...

So you want to write screenplays?

Screenwriters' Festival Director David Pearson offers some advice:

• Write about something you know about, but remember you have to make what you think is interesting into a compelling story that will interest a wide paying audience.
• Write and rewrite and rewrite.
• Make your characters interesting and believable.
• Keep going and complete the screenplay to the end of a story (people often start to rewrite before they found the ending which can cause problems).
• Make sure the first 10 pages of the script are strong and enticing (typical full length film scripts are between 90 and 120 pages long).
• Consider writing short film scripts first i.e. a ten minute film is 10 pages long using standard conventions. You may find it easier to get someone to make a new writers' short script.
• Read other screenplays of films you admire (you can download them free on the internet) and follow a common format for layout - you can get a template from the BBC Writers’ Room or buy industry standard software packages.
• Be prepared to write several screenplays without payment to demonstrate you have the ability and talent - if you want to make a career of screenwriting.
• Follow Richard Curtis' advice to aspiring writers and use your knowledge of a subject in a popular genre e.g. thriller, action, horror, comedy, sci fi etc. That way it is easier to define your story and explain to producers and others what kind of a story it is.
• Learn about genres and the way the industry takes a script into development before going into production.
• Films stories are mechanisms for delivering emotional experiences, and they cost a lot of money to make, so ask yourself:

• Does my story offer an audience an emotional experience?
• Is it a strong story? Don't confuse a strong subject with a good story.
• Can you summarise the story in a few key lines? E.g A man fights his greatest fears to confront a huge fish that can eat him. Jaws.
• That sounds more compelling than "the story is about a fisherman in trouble".
• Is it clear who your main characters are and have they had to undergo a personal change during the course of the story?
• Is there conflict for the main characters and do the difficulties facing them increase as the story progress'?

• Remember making films is a team activity (and films cost a lot to make - so directors, producers, script editors, actors and financiers etc will want to have their points considered), so if you want complete control of your work you may be better suited to another form of writing e.g. poetry, novels, travel writing etc.
• Be resilient, listen to constructive criticism, but follow your own instincts.
• If you do want to write scripts study the industry, read other scripts, watch films and do training sessions, and come events like the new writers day at the Screenwriters' Festival.

I am finally going to be let out of my chains and make a start! 5 and a half weeks of no work!!! Yippee!!!

So if you want a writing buddy, swap ideas, ANYTHING, let me know, cause now I am pumped at the prospect!

Hooroo!!!!