It has been a good Screnzy so far, and now that we are over halfway through the month, I'm two thirds the way towards finishing Script Frenzy. (Yay!) However, the past week has seen me going on holiday without Celtx (the scriptwriting software I'm using), so I've been forced to write by hand on sheets of low-quality lined paper. This has also forced me to estimate how many pages I've written on paper, which totals approximately 20. And now I need to transcribe those 20 pages from the paper onto the computer. Lovely.
Transcribing is simple, but incredibly irritating. I simply keep my sheets beside me and type what I read. Unfortunately, it's very time consuming and not all that satisfying. It feels counter-productive - stealing away precious time I could be using doing other things, namely writing more new pages on the computer.
However, just like anything else, it has its benefits. Reading it through and transcribing it is, in a way, multi-task proof-reading. I can locate and edit out typos and suchlike as I go, and modify speech to flow more smoothly. On top of this, it means I can mentally edit everything, working out which parts will make the second draft and what won't survive the extensive editing I have planned.
As well as the obvious editing taking place here, it seems that I may have underestimated just how many pages I've written. At present, I'm calculating that each handwritten page is equal to 1.25 Celtx pages - which is good, as it means that I'm not actually losing as much time as I might think. I'm actually increasing the page count (marginally) as I go. Yip-dee-doo-dah to me, I guess.
So, to recap: I hate transcribing, but it's reasonably productive and is helping with the editing process. (I should really leave editing until after Screnzy, but what the heck! I'm ahead. I deserve to be allowed to deviate slightly.)
And now I'm off to do some more transcribing, and maybe write a guitar solo after that...
Regards,
A Reasonably Happy Transcriber
Monday, 16 April 2012
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Halfway There...
Wahey! I'm a day off being halfway through Script Frenzy!
At this point in time, I have exactly 59 pages. Unfortunately, twenty of those pages are on lined paper and must be transcribed to Celtx so that I can be sure that I have what I think I have. The problem with writing by hand as well as typing it up is that there's no way you can actually tell how many digital pages you've written on paper. Currently, I'm estimating that one and a half lined paper pages equals a page of Celtx goodness. I hope to the Lord on high that I'm right, or better still, have overestimated and have written far more than simply 59 pages.
This aside, the story is going very well. Now almost 60% the way through my grand masterpiece, I've decided that around seven scenes need axing from the program. That means that approximately two thirds of what I've written is now moot; that is to say, obsolete. This is, no doubt, simply the best thing to realize when you're halfway into a long month of literary abandon. However, I've made the (intelligent) decision to carry on as if nothing's happened. The editing comes after the Frenzy. I tried deleting and rewriting a section a few days into Screnzy, and that didn't turn out so great.
So, I'm not actually following the Script Frenzy approved plan of writing 3.333 pages a day. Instead, I've been writing four, which lands me with a projected total of 56 pages by the end of today. Needless to say, 59 is more than 56 and that means I am almost a whole day ahead of my plan. If I can write five more pages today - which is what I want to do, BTW - I'll be two days ahead of the infernal beast of Screnzy. Great.
Hopefully by Tuesday I'll be past seventy pages. As it is, I can write at a rate of three to six pages per hour (3-6 pg./hr). It's unusual... I appear to write more quickly by hand than on the computer. Maybe that's because I get distracted by the Internet.
Speaking of which, I should really get back to writing now. So allow me to bid you farewell now - I have an episode to write!
Regards,
A Tired Scriptwriter
At this point in time, I have exactly 59 pages. Unfortunately, twenty of those pages are on lined paper and must be transcribed to Celtx so that I can be sure that I have what I think I have. The problem with writing by hand as well as typing it up is that there's no way you can actually tell how many digital pages you've written on paper. Currently, I'm estimating that one and a half lined paper pages equals a page of Celtx goodness. I hope to the Lord on high that I'm right, or better still, have overestimated and have written far more than simply 59 pages.
This aside, the story is going very well. Now almost 60% the way through my grand masterpiece, I've decided that around seven scenes need axing from the program. That means that approximately two thirds of what I've written is now moot; that is to say, obsolete. This is, no doubt, simply the best thing to realize when you're halfway into a long month of literary abandon. However, I've made the (intelligent) decision to carry on as if nothing's happened. The editing comes after the Frenzy. I tried deleting and rewriting a section a few days into Screnzy, and that didn't turn out so great.
So, I'm not actually following the Script Frenzy approved plan of writing 3.333 pages a day. Instead, I've been writing four, which lands me with a projected total of 56 pages by the end of today. Needless to say, 59 is more than 56 and that means I am almost a whole day ahead of my plan. If I can write five more pages today - which is what I want to do, BTW - I'll be two days ahead of the infernal beast of Screnzy. Great.
Hopefully by Tuesday I'll be past seventy pages. As it is, I can write at a rate of three to six pages per hour (3-6 pg./hr). It's unusual... I appear to write more quickly by hand than on the computer. Maybe that's because I get distracted by the Internet.
Speaking of which, I should really get back to writing now. So allow me to bid you farewell now - I have an episode to write!
Regards,
A Tired Scriptwriter
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Keeping Track of Screnzy
This is republished from my main blog, 'A Whole Different Kettle of Fish'.
Well, Script Frenzy begins tomorrow and I'm not going to have time to say this during the event, so I'm saying it now.
From here on in, I'm in The Zone. This means that pretty much everything I do over the next month or so shall be Screnzy related in some way or other. Seeing as Screnzy's going to take over my life for thirty days (assuming I don't simply burn out and die), I'll talk a lot about what I'm up to and all that good stuff. Alternatively, I'll chuck it over to my other, sideline blog, 'Journal of an Insane Author'. (Note: That's this blog.) However, in each post remotely to do with Screnzy, you shall see this thing below.
Well, Script Frenzy begins tomorrow and I'm not going to have time to say this during the event, so I'm saying it now.
From here on in, I'm in The Zone. This means that pretty much everything I do over the next month or so shall be Screnzy related in some way or other. Seeing as Screnzy's going to take over my life for thirty days (assuming I don't simply burn out and die), I'll talk a lot about what I'm up to and all that good stuff. Alternatively, I'll chuck it over to my other, sideline blog, 'Journal of an Insane Author'. (Note: That's this blog.) However, in each post remotely to do with Screnzy, you shall see this thing below.
This is a widget. If it's not working for you, then to heck with your computer.
This little gadget's purpose in life is to show you my stats. It'll tell you how many pages I've written so far. At the end of Screnzy, it'll stick and be stuck forever. (That was a clumsy sentence, but oh well.) It shall act as a marker. I'm sad to say that it's quite likely that this blog shall be overrun with these widgets before the month is out. So now you know what they are.
If you want to look at my stats without the easiness of the described widgets, you can find me on the Script Frenzy site at: http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/eng/user/896055
Have fun with that.
And now, I have some last minute planning to do...
Friday, 30 March 2012
Convincing Characters
Characters are fickle creatures. They like to take you on long journeys, telling you they'll be great. Eventually, they simply flounce into oncoming traffic, though, and that's the end of it.
Finding the perfect character for the job is actually one of the most difficult things to do. It's all very well to plop a carefully shaped human being into a situation, but it's quite another thing trying to make them do what you want them to. The more like a real person you make a character, the more traits the idea takes on - if they're rebellious little so-and-sos, then you can expect them to rebel against what you want them to do.
Take, for the sake of argument, a grumpy goat. Goats are unusually stubborn at the best of times, and they eat all your clothes while they're at it. The only way to force a goat to go anywhere is to either drag it along by a rope, or pick it up and carry it to wherever it is you want it to be. This tends to be a bit of a problem, because if the place you want it to be is, say, insecure, the goat will simply gravitate back towards its original position. Such are characters: If they don't want to be somewhere, you can't force them to be there, otherwise they'll eat through the walls to get out. In short, you have to go with what the characters want.
Unfortunately, this tends to be a bit of a problem. If you put a stubborn character in a situation where what they choose is a turning point for the whole thing, then if they go for what you don't expect, then you may have a difficulty at hand.
I'm aware that I may be confusing some of you. Allow me to explain myself. When I say 'choosein relation to a character, I don't mean to say that the author actually allows the character in question to choose - more that an author should be able to locate the path of least resistance, or what a character's personality would want to do, and just go with it.
The great thing about a path of least resistance is: It has very little resistance attatched. That's why it's so called. In writing terms, it's simply easier to write the character into the story if they follow the path they want to. Events come to mind much easier, as do situations in which the person/thing may be put. That's why going with what the character wants is so important.
The alternative to all this is, when your character gets annoyingly stubborn and doesn't want to go where you wish them to go, you simply kill them. It's surprisingly good fun to kill off characters, and therapeutic too.
This post is winding down a bit now, so I'll round it off by saying: Characters, beware! If you don't bend to my will, then you'll die. Muhahahaha...
Finding the perfect character for the job is actually one of the most difficult things to do. It's all very well to plop a carefully shaped human being into a situation, but it's quite another thing trying to make them do what you want them to. The more like a real person you make a character, the more traits the idea takes on - if they're rebellious little so-and-sos, then you can expect them to rebel against what you want them to do.
Take, for the sake of argument, a grumpy goat. Goats are unusually stubborn at the best of times, and they eat all your clothes while they're at it. The only way to force a goat to go anywhere is to either drag it along by a rope, or pick it up and carry it to wherever it is you want it to be. This tends to be a bit of a problem, because if the place you want it to be is, say, insecure, the goat will simply gravitate back towards its original position. Such are characters: If they don't want to be somewhere, you can't force them to be there, otherwise they'll eat through the walls to get out. In short, you have to go with what the characters want.
Unfortunately, this tends to be a bit of a problem. If you put a stubborn character in a situation where what they choose is a turning point for the whole thing, then if they go for what you don't expect, then you may have a difficulty at hand.
I'm aware that I may be confusing some of you. Allow me to explain myself. When I say 'choosein relation to a character, I don't mean to say that the author actually allows the character in question to choose - more that an author should be able to locate the path of least resistance, or what a character's personality would want to do, and just go with it.
The great thing about a path of least resistance is: It has very little resistance attatched. That's why it's so called. In writing terms, it's simply easier to write the character into the story if they follow the path they want to. Events come to mind much easier, as do situations in which the person/thing may be put. That's why going with what the character wants is so important.
The alternative to all this is, when your character gets annoyingly stubborn and doesn't want to go where you wish them to go, you simply kill them. It's surprisingly good fun to kill off characters, and therapeutic too.
This post is winding down a bit now, so I'll round it off by saying: Characters, beware! If you don't bend to my will, then you'll die. Muhahahaha...
Friday, 16 March 2012
Two Weeks to Screnzy...
There's around two weeks to go until Script Frenzy begins, and I'm slightly more unsure as to what's happening with my script than I was yesterday. Unfortunately for me, that happens to be rather confused indeed.
By this point in time, I actually have an idea as to what's going to happen in the TV series that I'm attempting to write. That's certainly more than what I had at the start of this month. Allow me to outline my plan, or give you a brief synopsis. Whichever occurs to me first.
OK, synopsis it is, then.
The Gates of Tomorrow
In the middle of Tower Bridge, a net of crackling blue energy opens in broad daylight during the rush hour. In the chaos, the government send in a squad of elite troops. When one crosses the threshold of the portal, a fascinating discovery is made: The portal leads exactly twenty four hours into the future, and vice versa.
The Gate, once deemed safe, is seen as an excellent advance for the nation: Suddenly, thousands are flocking to London to go sightseeing tomorrow. But there are consequences of every action, and London's about to feel the full force of them.
As personal day-to-day time travel becomes an everyday occurrence, problems arise. What happens when you get a serial killer who hasn't tried to kill anyone yet? What happens to people who die today, but are still alive? How can the newspapers keep making money if everyone knows tomorrow's front-line news? Everyone is impacted by the potentially paradoxical outcomes of every action they make, and not everyone thinks the rules of time apply to them.
Enter the Gatekeepers, a special breed of military personnel and expert researchers devoted to keeping the Gate strictly under control. Yet they face problems every day - yesterday, today and tomorrow at the same time, sometimes - and all must vbe overcome. Because, as one person is very fond of saying, paradoxes cannot be allowed. In fact, they can't happen. Because the Gatekeepers are there to stop them.
Over the course of the series, they shall face some very real threats - terrorists trying out a triple-exploding bomb, serial killers to come and even people who know when they're going to die - but there is a greater foe out there, hiding behind the blue veil... He who opened the Gate is coming, and he's got a higher agenda.
Well, that's a brief synopsis. Maybe a little longer than brief, but alright. So that's the basic premise of my Screnzy for 2012, not that I've done Screnzy ever before, but oh well.
I'll definitely be posting about Screnzy in the coming month, so watch out for that.
Until next time, I bid you adieu.
By this point in time, I actually have an idea as to what's going to happen in the TV series that I'm attempting to write. That's certainly more than what I had at the start of this month. Allow me to outline my plan, or give you a brief synopsis. Whichever occurs to me first.
OK, synopsis it is, then.
The Gates of Tomorrow
In the middle of Tower Bridge, a net of crackling blue energy opens in broad daylight during the rush hour. In the chaos, the government send in a squad of elite troops. When one crosses the threshold of the portal, a fascinating discovery is made: The portal leads exactly twenty four hours into the future, and vice versa.
The Gate, once deemed safe, is seen as an excellent advance for the nation: Suddenly, thousands are flocking to London to go sightseeing tomorrow. But there are consequences of every action, and London's about to feel the full force of them.
As personal day-to-day time travel becomes an everyday occurrence, problems arise. What happens when you get a serial killer who hasn't tried to kill anyone yet? What happens to people who die today, but are still alive? How can the newspapers keep making money if everyone knows tomorrow's front-line news? Everyone is impacted by the potentially paradoxical outcomes of every action they make, and not everyone thinks the rules of time apply to them.
Enter the Gatekeepers, a special breed of military personnel and expert researchers devoted to keeping the Gate strictly under control. Yet they face problems every day - yesterday, today and tomorrow at the same time, sometimes - and all must vbe overcome. Because, as one person is very fond of saying, paradoxes cannot be allowed. In fact, they can't happen. Because the Gatekeepers are there to stop them.
Over the course of the series, they shall face some very real threats - terrorists trying out a triple-exploding bomb, serial killers to come and even people who know when they're going to die - but there is a greater foe out there, hiding behind the blue veil... He who opened the Gate is coming, and he's got a higher agenda.
Well, that's a brief synopsis. Maybe a little longer than brief, but alright. So that's the basic premise of my Screnzy for 2012, not that I've done Screnzy ever before, but oh well.
I'll definitely be posting about Screnzy in the coming month, so watch out for that.
Until next time, I bid you adieu.
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Big-Headed of Him?
This is an incredibly short piece of fiction that I literally wrote today. I was bored at lunch and had eaten maybe a little too much cheese. The result? A really random, very short first draft of flash fiction.
Pete strummed the final chord of the song that he had been working on for months. For a moment he just stood there, letting the atmosphere disperse. With a nervous look on his face, he looked up to see the other four band members looking at him.
When Pete had learned that the band had lost its lead guitarist and was hoping for a new one, he had jumped at the chance. The group was a well-known one, and its schedule was completely booked: It was running multiple gigs and was even performing as the last act at the prom next month. As such, Pete had the jitters. Was he a good enough guitarist? Did he fit in with the others? And most importantly, did they think he could replace their friend?
Dan, the lead singer, opened his mouth and began talking.
"Pete, we really appreciate your attempt, but the facts stand for themselves. You're not a good enough guitarist, you don't fit in and you simply can't replace our good friend Steve. You have potential, but you aren't right for us. Go home."
Pete's brow furrowed in frustration; then his face turned bright red. Before Dan's eyes, Pete's face went as red as a beetroot and - "No," said Dan, "This can't be happening," - his head began to inflate. As Pete's head grew, his face turned redder and redder until Dan was sure that he couldn't look redder if he had had a tin of scarlet paint poured on him.
"AAARGGH!" cried Pete in anguish. He hated it when this happened. It was uncomfortable, plus he thought it made him look silly.
When Pete's head was approximately the same size and shape as the space-hopper that sat in the corner of the room, the swelling stopped. The band gaped in awe at the incredible spectacle before them. The drummer pinched himself. The bass guitarist looked into the glass he was holding. What the heck had been in that orange juice?
After a moment's amazed silence, Dan spoke up.
"Actually, Pete, this may work in our favour. Does this happen whenever you get extremely irritated?"
Pete nodded sheepishly. Needless to say, with a head the width of an elephant, this was a sight for sore eyes.
"Well, you see, we happen to get some trouble from hecklers..."
As Pete deflated, he broke into a smile. Maybe he wasn't all that skilled at guitar playing, but he had talents in other areas. And now, that had paid off. He was part of a band.
Unnoticed by Pete, his chest had begun to expand. With alarming speed, his torso became a big red balloon.
"Uh-oh," said Dan. "How's he going to get out the door?"
* * *
Pete strummed the final chord of the song that he had been working on for months. For a moment he just stood there, letting the atmosphere disperse. With a nervous look on his face, he looked up to see the other four band members looking at him.
When Pete had learned that the band had lost its lead guitarist and was hoping for a new one, he had jumped at the chance. The group was a well-known one, and its schedule was completely booked: It was running multiple gigs and was even performing as the last act at the prom next month. As such, Pete had the jitters. Was he a good enough guitarist? Did he fit in with the others? And most importantly, did they think he could replace their friend?
Dan, the lead singer, opened his mouth and began talking.
"Pete, we really appreciate your attempt, but the facts stand for themselves. You're not a good enough guitarist, you don't fit in and you simply can't replace our good friend Steve. You have potential, but you aren't right for us. Go home."
Pete's brow furrowed in frustration; then his face turned bright red. Before Dan's eyes, Pete's face went as red as a beetroot and - "No," said Dan, "This can't be happening," - his head began to inflate. As Pete's head grew, his face turned redder and redder until Dan was sure that he couldn't look redder if he had had a tin of scarlet paint poured on him.
"AAARGGH!" cried Pete in anguish. He hated it when this happened. It was uncomfortable, plus he thought it made him look silly.
When Pete's head was approximately the same size and shape as the space-hopper that sat in the corner of the room, the swelling stopped. The band gaped in awe at the incredible spectacle before them. The drummer pinched himself. The bass guitarist looked into the glass he was holding. What the heck had been in that orange juice?
After a moment's amazed silence, Dan spoke up.
"Actually, Pete, this may work in our favour. Does this happen whenever you get extremely irritated?"
Pete nodded sheepishly. Needless to say, with a head the width of an elephant, this was a sight for sore eyes.
"Well, you see, we happen to get some trouble from hecklers..."
As Pete deflated, he broke into a smile. Maybe he wasn't all that skilled at guitar playing, but he had talents in other areas. And now, that had paid off. He was part of a band.
Unnoticed by Pete, his chest had begun to expand. With alarming speed, his torso became a big red balloon.
"Uh-oh," said Dan. "How's he going to get out the door?"
Saturday, 3 March 2012
March 2012 Update
If you're a reader of my main blog, 'A Whole Different Kettle of Fish', then you'll know that each month I write updates to inform those of you who are actually interested as to what's been happening. Usually this is only read by those who've gone on a long holiday, or simply have some time to spare. I guess that's what this blog's here for (he said, with obvious doubt and evident sarcasm in his voice). So, anyway...
As of the end of today, the Journal has been going for 14 days (two weeks). It's a young thing yet, but I'm sure that it'll flourish in the rain-leached soil that is Blogger. Despite a sure lack of sunlight, this plant will spread its wings and fly off. "Plants with wings?" you cry. "He must be mad." I ask you to remember what the title of this blog is. Plus, it's a special plant.
So, I should probably say what's been going on in the two weeks I've been active. Well, first of all, I've made myself at home by redecorating and importing some furniture, i.e. some gadgets for the sides. I quite like my current setup, but please feel free to contact me with a query or suggestion at any time via the given email address. In case you haven't spotted it yet, it's pisces.kettle@yahoo.com. Enjoy speaking to me.
I've also managed to avoid feeding you any actual work in the form of poems (yeuch, poetry) short stories or excerpts from novels. That shall change, however one must take into account the imminent event that it is Script Frenzy, for which I still don't have a concrete idea or location. But I'm working on it. I swear to thee that I be working upon it most intently. I shall not deviate from my path. (Oh look. A squirrel!)
So what are my aims for the coming month? Well, firstly I'll actually give you a story or excerpt or something. I'll also continue to talk of my Screnzy plans. Expect Screnzy to take over my life in April. If I don't post here, it's because I'm frantically scripting a TV series. At least that's what I hope to be doing.
* * *
So now you know what's happening here, and have a brief, shaky idea of what will be happening soon. And now... March stretches out before me! I must make haste and do... something. I don't know what yet, but writing sounds like a good place to start.
Planning for the coming month,
An Insane Creature
* * *
As of the end of today, the Journal has been going for 14 days (two weeks). It's a young thing yet, but I'm sure that it'll flourish in the rain-leached soil that is Blogger. Despite a sure lack of sunlight, this plant will spread its wings and fly off. "Plants with wings?" you cry. "He must be mad." I ask you to remember what the title of this blog is. Plus, it's a special plant.
So, I should probably say what's been going on in the two weeks I've been active. Well, first of all, I've made myself at home by redecorating and importing some furniture, i.e. some gadgets for the sides. I quite like my current setup, but please feel free to contact me with a query or suggestion at any time via the given email address. In case you haven't spotted it yet, it's pisces.kettle@yahoo.com. Enjoy speaking to me.
I've also managed to avoid feeding you any actual work in the form of poems (yeuch, poetry) short stories or excerpts from novels. That shall change, however one must take into account the imminent event that it is Script Frenzy, for which I still don't have a concrete idea or location. But I'm working on it. I swear to thee that I be working upon it most intently. I shall not deviate from my path. (Oh look. A squirrel!)
So what are my aims for the coming month? Well, firstly I'll actually give you a story or excerpt or something. I'll also continue to talk of my Screnzy plans. Expect Screnzy to take over my life in April. If I don't post here, it's because I'm frantically scripting a TV series. At least that's what I hope to be doing.
* * *
So now you know what's happening here, and have a brief, shaky idea of what will be happening soon. And now... March stretches out before me! I must make haste and do... something. I don't know what yet, but writing sounds like a good place to start.
Planning for the coming month,
An Insane Creature
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
A Solution to Writer's Block?
I'm aware that I haven't really told you what this thing is. Well, let me tell (and show) you.
The above picture shows a boxful of 'Rory's Story Cubes'. The idea behind them is that you roll each cube, therefore revealing a picture or pictogram of some sort on the top face. Then you're supposed to link all nine pictures together in a story of sorts. Supposedly, the Cubes are a toy/game for kids and adults alike. Personally, though, I like to think of them as a tool. A tool for writers.
If you've ever done a spot of writing, whether it be for a short story, novel, screenplay etc., you'll probably be aware that Writer's Block can be a big problem. The apparent inability to gain ideas, find the right words and phrase it all correctly is in many respects very difficult indeed, which is possibly why so many people complain about Writer's Block so often. Most of the time, you just need a bit of time doing something else. But sometimes we ourselves must locate a stimulus to kick start our imaginations. I believe that these 'Story Cubes' can be that stimulus.
The simple randomness of the pictures on each face of each cube, and how they somehow manage to knit together, is a minor miracle in itself. These cubes could so easily be just the right way to bring a fantastic idea into one's head. In fact, they are. I know, 'cause I've used them. Now I have a great idea for a crime/humour novel/short story thing - I'm not all that sure yet as to what it'll become - and I believe I can bring each element presented by the cubes into the story, too. (FYI: I rolled a padlock, a key, a mask/alien face, a house, the Earth, a crescent moon, a fish, a hand and something else which I have, rather conveniently, completely forgotten.)
Sometimes, flash inspiration just happens. In the right environment, it can occur very easily. In this case, it's only a roll of the die away...
Dramatics dispensed with, all you really need to make these things work their magic is a pen, some paper, a bit of imagination and the cubes themselves. And maybe a table. Even then, you can easily dispense with the table, paper and pen if you're willing to accept that you may forget the outcome of the rolls. On my first use, I could tell from the off that I wouldn't be able to make a proper short story containing all the symbols, so I went in for writing an introduction. So far, my idea's still in the design phase, but once I've developed it a little more I should have something pretty good.
Thanks to these little gems, I'm on the road to having another story under my belt. Of course, with inspiration like that available simply with the flick of a wrist and the unclenching of some fingers, I'm going to have to buy a set myself. They are, however, a little on the expensive side. At ten quid, you do expect quality products for your money, and I would have to say that they really are very good. Even so, they are a bit pricey for the discerning writer... But I must have them!
I'm including a pair of links in this post, one leading to the Amazon.co.uk page and the other to the 'Rory's Story Cubes' site. If I were you, and you happened to be in need of a really fine tool for getting that spark of inspiration, then I'd go in for this. Buy them. They really are brilliant.
Amazon page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creativity-Hub-Rorys-Story-Cubes/dp/B003NFJMBM/ref=sr_1_1?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1330536553&sr=1-1
Rory's Story Cubes website: http://www.storycubes.com/
Good luck with getting inspiration, folks. And, as a final remark, I should probably add that I'm not and will hopefully never be a) a salesman or b) an advertiser of any sort. I would also like to say that if you're an English teacher, I'd reccommend them for use in schools.
Get inspired, get the plot straightened out, get that novel written!
An Intrigued Author
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Scriptwriting Software...
With around 31 days until that lovely, bubbly roller coaster ride of terror begins, I have finally located a piece of software suited to my needs. The criteria that had to be met turned out to be a) does it work? and b) can it format my script for me? alongside c) need I pay anything for it?
Thankfully for me, I located one that answered with Yes, Yes and No. (Being a complete miser, I hate to pay anything at all.) The name of this program? 'Celtx'.
Being in some ways kind of similar to every other type of writing software there is, Celtx is a piece of software designed to be a useful tool for the budding writer. With templates for 'novel', 'audio play', 'screenplay' and more, it's slightly basic in its layout but has a respectable range of features. The program itself is completely free, although you can buy extras for certain amounts of money. This, I have not done. Apart from anything else, the payment is in US dollars. I don't do dollars. Except for sand dollars...
So now I'm experimenting about with my lovely new software. I'm halfway through the middle of an audio play (see the original 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' for an audio/radio play) in which a medical experiment sort of gets loose and, although failing to cause harm, succeeds in inspiring panic in its creator. It should be rather short when complete.
But that's not the point of the exercise. The story there may be nice, and might even get previewed here, but the real point is to get comfortable with it. It'll take a bit of time to wear a groove into the earth, but it'll occur eventually.
Off to write more audio madness,
An Insane Scriptwriter.
Thankfully for me, I located one that answered with Yes, Yes and No. (Being a complete miser, I hate to pay anything at all.) The name of this program? 'Celtx'.
Being in some ways kind of similar to every other type of writing software there is, Celtx is a piece of software designed to be a useful tool for the budding writer. With templates for 'novel', 'audio play', 'screenplay' and more, it's slightly basic in its layout but has a respectable range of features. The program itself is completely free, although you can buy extras for certain amounts of money. This, I have not done. Apart from anything else, the payment is in US dollars. I don't do dollars. Except for sand dollars...
So now I'm experimenting about with my lovely new software. I'm halfway through the middle of an audio play (see the original 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' for an audio/radio play) in which a medical experiment sort of gets loose and, although failing to cause harm, succeeds in inspiring panic in its creator. It should be rather short when complete.
But that's not the point of the exercise. The story there may be nice, and might even get previewed here, but the real point is to get comfortable with it. It'll take a bit of time to wear a groove into the earth, but it'll occur eventually.
Off to write more audio madness,
An Insane Scriptwriter.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
A Grand Opening
Having moved on past the minor crisis of not yet having a name to put to my script, I've now gotten to the actual planning part. Now I am not one of those people who enjoys planning to the excess. (Note that that sentence can have two meanings. I'm implying both.) I generally take it as it comes, letting the creative juices flow. Except I can't really do that here. Not with Screnzy.
The thing about Screnzy, or what I think about Screnzy so far, is that you probably have to plan your story out before going on to write the damn thing. I have no problem with planning, it's just that I... lack in ideas at times. This time round, I'm lacking in a suitable opening for my big TV series.
Now I've already asked about a venue from which to spring a time gate, or temporal portal, and I have had a few responses to that - not that I can name anybody. New to my 'list' of locations is the Arc de Triumph in Paris. I'm also wondering about creating my own monument for my own personal purposes. However, it's not the location that troubles me at present. It's the opening itself.
I can't get hold of a single idea right now, or at least, not an idea that I can see working. Here's what my thought process to date seems to have been:
In answer to the ideas swarming my head, I'm putting up a poll. Vote for which idea you think is best, one of either:
Going mad,
A really rather Irate Author
The thing about Screnzy, or what I think about Screnzy so far, is that you probably have to plan your story out before going on to write the damn thing. I have no problem with planning, it's just that I... lack in ideas at times. This time round, I'm lacking in a suitable opening for my big TV series.
Now I've already asked about a venue from which to spring a time gate, or temporal portal, and I have had a few responses to that - not that I can name anybody. New to my 'list' of locations is the Arc de Triumph in Paris. I'm also wondering about creating my own monument for my own personal purposes. However, it's not the location that troubles me at present. It's the opening itself.
I can't get hold of a single idea right now, or at least, not an idea that I can see working. Here's what my thought process to date seems to have been:
"Chaos on Tower Bridge. People like chaos, and Tower Bridge is workable. Me like."
"Wait, me no like so much. Tower Bridge isn't quite as accessible as I thought. Plus, the opening-bridge-thing doesn't open as far as I would want it to. Great. Now I have to start over."
"Ooh, what about this? Create my own monument. Then have chaos and running and screaming. But what's the source of this chaos? It would be silly to be scared of blue arcs of electricity leaping from a stone archway, wouldn't it?"
"Include an assassination, maybe. That sounds promising. But who to kill, and why would a temporal gateway open up? Gr, this is harder than I thought...And the most recent development is that maybe it's not a monument at all, but a sculpture instead in the middle of some odd sculpture garden. I'm getting real annoyed at myself now...
In answer to the ideas swarming my head, I'm putting up a poll. Vote for which idea you think is best, one of either:
- Tower Bridge
- The Gateway Arch
- The Arc de Triumph
- A Sculpture-Arch
- A Nonexistent Monument of My Own Creation
Going mad,
A really rather Irate Author
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