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Sep. 10, 2009 - Idea from FairlightMaiden (A.K.A. Cherise's Friend)
Okay, so, I've had an idea. This is the Scriptwriter's Lounge right? Well...I don't write that many scripts. In fact, I still need to finish the one I started this April!! (not to mention editing!!) So, what if this was not only a place to talk (I mean write) about scripts, but all of our writings.
But let's not limit it to only writings either. What if this was a blog where we could share about anything literary. Books we've been reading, poems we've written, we could even go so far as to share exerpts from the things we've written. We all (well, you all) have blogs on which to write about your life and doings. Some of you even have separate blogs devoted expressly to your writings. All I am suggesting is one blog that is a literary diamond in the rough, if you will. It is a mass of compiled information, some good, some great, all literature. Whether it be the story you started last night, or exerpts from your favorite Dickens, it's all here. Why not?
I also think that we may discover some new friends and/or styles of writing (there's really a difference?!?) some constructive criticism, and some encouragement. Why not? I think that this could really turn into something. Maybe we should put it to a vote, us who have access to the password. Let me know soon! I will be checking this site regularly, and I hope you will be too!!
~FairlightMaiden
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Apr. 6, 2009 - Abscripting-A Note From The Notorious Pip
Nobody ever said I was sane in the first place, a fact for which I am quite proud. April 1, 2009, I had no idea I was going to be losing it...again. April 2, 2009, and an idea formed in my head. A crazy, dreadful idea. Having read Anna's most glorious pep talk and thought it over long and hard, I decided to do SF. *hides* Yeah...
One thing I've discovered is that forced writing will either kill me or make me intoxicatedly happy. Most of you know that in December of 2008, I took a challenge like NaNo to write an entire novel for the celebration of the annual rituals called Advent. The outcome was "Shaddai", a novel completed in 27 days. >:-D Notice I was a month behind ev'yone else and didn't have...um...support, shall we say? But I wrote it anyhoo. Then in March, a month behind AGAIN, I tried the FM but it fell through prolly because I was doing it on the wrong book, a book which, now, I may not finish. My bad. Oh well, you win some, you lose some; giving up a project or, at the least, setting it aside doesn't necessarily mean you couldn't go the distance, but perhaps because you weren't meant to.
THAT said.
I am doing Script Frenzy. Here is how it came about...
I have perhaps too much experience in the world of chatzy. I am active on multiple rooms, terrorizing my companions. I'm sure you're all acquainted by now with my infamous slushie-dumping. On April 2 I had this crazy idea; why NOT do SF, and make a separate chatzy room for my own purposes, and log in as the characters? I had NO idea about Celtx but it prolly wouldn't have downloaded on the RC anyhoo, so chatzy was my best option short of painstakingly typing it out on a word document. The result was abscripting, or abstract/abnormal scriptwriting. Currently it's nameless, I'm just calling it my abscript. At first I hated it. It's fast to work on and rather fun but the plot wasn't flowing in a tidy manner and the wording was...weird. I'm sure you all understand...haha....don't you? As a couple pages went by I found myself typing quickly on something which I could just ramble in [which is allas noice] and, even with starting a day behind, I now stand at around 30 pages. How am I doin'? I hope to get in a lot more this week as it'll be raining, and the next week since we're taking off. Unfortunately I cannot bear to show any of you the abscript, it's...uh...raw. I have no earthly idea whot to do wid it once April is over and I have [HOPEFULLY!!!] done the full 100 pages. My personal spin on abscripting [and a peek at the progress of a few of my other current works] can be viewed here; I'd appreciate encouragement!
May God bless you, and may His hand guide your pens!
~Pippin
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Mar. 26, 2009 - So....
So, are you ready to back out yet? I know I've considered it. Are you ready for the challenge of writing four pages a day, every day, for thirty one days? (Thank you Anna for graciously doing the math for all of us!!!) I don't know if I am, to tell you the truth. But I know I'm going to try. And with this blog, we can keep in touch, give updates, have accountability. (thank you again Anna, for the advise, this time)
As we embark on this crazy voyage filled with words, messups, and disappointments, we will be able to encourage and help each other! This is one of the many gifts that God has given us, the encouragement of friends, and I know I will be needing it! I am looking forward to all of this, sometimes, and I know that I will be satisfied after I finish!
Cherise's Very Good Friend, signing out.
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Mar. 23, 2009 - Peptalk # 1 - Week 0.5
So you've decided to do something as silly as try and write a screenplay in a month. Or maybe you thought a play would be the more ideal way to go, or a comic, or a graphic novel. Whichever you've decided to do, I just want to let you know one thing.
You are nuts.
Not only do you have schoolwork to do, you have novels to write, friends to stay in touch with, online haunts to keep up with. Not to mention a family that you cannot ignore. What were you thinking, joining up on this wild, 31 day ride?! Honestly! *whacks with a newspaper roll* If you were smart, you would quit this and forget about Script Frenzy.
Yet, you're not smart, are you. You're just going with our gut instinct, excited by the challenge, and lured by the lie that this will be easy, fun, that you'll get through it with not only your sanity still intact, but you'll have a nice, 100 page script to go with it. 20,000 words is so easy, right? Right? The plot will just come to you, right? Writing this with no experience on screenplays is just a piece of cake. Right? Right?
Well, not exactly. You've lost your mind. That's about four pages per twenty-four hours, with no time off for sick days, play dates, sleep overs, or even school. Miss one day, and it's eight pages the next. Do you realize how much that could pile up over time?
Still, I know you won't even think about backing out now, so here's the deal.
Four pages a day, starting 12:00:00 A.M on April 1st. Be sure that you get at least a half hour of writing in. The first words may come to you, piece of cake, but as time goes it will just get harder and harder. If you have done NaNo, you should know this to be true.
Second, find some buddies and tell them about your script. Make them interested. Make it so that, two or three weeks from now, they question you about it and you have to tell them how it is coming, otherwise you feel guilty. Make sure you tell them everything, like about the 100 pages. It's called accountability.
Third, keep close to all the others who are doing SF on here. Maybe sure you PM them every day and ask how it is coming Again, accountability. If you want, make it into a race, just to keep your excitement and that nagging 'you have to write more!' feeling going strong.
Four, if you do happen to get stuck, then take a break. Forcing yourself to write when it simply is not coming takes you no where. If you get stuck, close the document and work on your novel. Read a book. Listen to music. Go on a walk (it's beautiful right now, and good for inspiration). Brainstorm with a notepad and a pencil in a different room than where you usually write. Sing in the shower. Just try not to think about it so hard that you get a headache.
I suggest you write your script for an hour a day...that should be good enough for three to four pages. Remember, a page is about 380 words, and for a script there is a lot more spacing and shorter words than in a novel, so this should be....a bit more easier...but don't fool yourself into thinking that you can do it! Do that, you'll get too confident, and then it will all come crashing down.
Well, seven more days to go! Are you nervous, or relaxed? Eager or frightened?
I think the best question to ask yourself is: Are you ready for this? Are you prepared for the stress, the sweat, the pain, the agony, and then the reward that surely comes for all your hard effort?
Are you ready to write a script?
If you are, then hold your breath, because you are in for one wild ride.
~Anna
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Mar. 22, 2009 - Welcome!
Greetings, and welcome to The Scriptwriter's Lounge, where those of us who are participating in Script Frenzy can talk about this wonderful madness that is taking place in the month of April! So far, our members are:
Cherise, a.k.a. PoeticMaiden
Anna, a.k.a. Da'ethia
Beth, a.k.a. writer4him
And I surely hope that my Very Good Friend's mother will let her join us as well! *looks pleadingly at mom of Very Good Friend*
Anyways, for those of you who are members, please post your thoughts about Script Frenzy! And if you don't have the password yet, please send me (PoeticMaiden) a private message, and I will send you the info straightaway!
Good luck!
~Cherise
