The Possibility Curve

My breakthrough came just in time. I’ve hired someone in the ‘business’ to go over my screenplay draft and it’s due tonight.

I’ve been writing for 12, 15 and 18 hour days. And guess what??? It’s been a blast. Frustrating as hell sometimes. But all in all. Great FUN!

I don’t have much time to write because of my self-imposed deadline. At 11 PM Friday night I finished my new draft. At 11 PM last night I finished the first real edit of the draft. I think of it as a diamond. First I had to find the right stone. Then I had to do a couple passes at cutting it. Now it’s time to facet it. Then off to my resources for feedback.

I’ve found good friends are an excellent place to go to get feedback on typo’s and story line. Either they follow it or they don’t. However, writing a screenplay is incredibly different than writing anything else. You can’t use any words that end in ‘ly’. You can’t say someone is ‘sitting’ or ‘walking’ = BORING! I shouldn’t use the word ‘can’t’ because it’s not true. You can and I have… it’s just not good.

I’m in search of excellence, not perfection. But, excellence requires work. A LOT OF WORK. With 15 and 18 hour days you excellent pretty quick.

Anyway back to my point. Friends are great but you need someone who can whack you over the head. Like my son, Connor. He’s the one who has said, “I like this but it just doesn’t work. The ending is this great balloon that is going up and up but it hits a ceiling.”

Then I say, “OK, those damn kids.” I go home with my tail between my legs and think. And think. And think. And then I have a breakthrough and the story is better than ever.

Must go write. My ‘muse’ is calling. My ‘muse’ is Bliss. How perfect.