Writing Lately

[penpusher]

I've been busy with writing and of course, when that happens, there's even more writing to do.

First is the novel, which has had the clock stopped because...

Second I'm working on a pilot for a television series. But, I'm not just working on that script, I'm working with a couple of Hollywood producers who are expert at what they do and they're helping me with the process. It's been daunting, frightening, humbling and very rewarding so far, and the stuff I'm learning will definitely help me with all my writing in the future, so it has been completely worthwhile, whether or not this pilot ever gets seen by anyone. The nice thing is, the early comments from them are going pretty well which is encouraging - maybe it will get seen and maybe it will get some sort of life?

That doubles back to the point that what I'm learning in the process for this pilot can be used to sharpen and focus my novel as well, all the more reason to stop the clock on that. I already knew was a rewrite coming there, but now, I can already see other elements that will make the story flow better and be more dramatic, based on the newly acquired skills in my writer's tool box, so all the better.

And the topper is a series of freelance pieces about travel related topics, a totally different kind of animal. Luckily, the time frame is a bit more open ended so not a lot of pressure, but some more direct funding is attached, making it the most lucrative job I haven't quite started.

I really wanted things to get busy. This is the proof that wishes do come true!

Comments

[bleodswean]

Congrats on having so many creative irons in the fire!!! That's great news! I would love to hear about your finger on the contemporary culture button via serialized TV. And I would really love to hear your take on a travelogue! Best of luck with all these words!

[penpusher]

Thanks so much! It's demanding but that's ultimately good because if I somehow am able to get a pilot made, writing episodes will require a lot of weekly effort, at least for the first few months.

I know that some series have like ten or twelve episodes in a season, but that ia partially because they're so expensive - like GoT, where every episode is like a high end feature film. I'm aiming for at least twenty per season. Plus, that would mean five seasons for syndication!

I think I'd be expected to crank out a script about every ten days to two weeks, so that would require a much faster pace than I'm on right now: five weeks so far.

And the novel, which I've been seriously thinking about and want to get back to finish, but I think the rewrite is going to start before I complete the original draft, just because I see what I need to do and it involves slashing a couple of chapters and reworking the middle of the story, and that would better serve me than completing a story that isn't going to work.

As I mentioned on a comment to this entry at the other place, Idol really was a good training ground for preparing something on a deadline and with an audience in mind, and that's essentially what TV writing is.

[staxxy]

SO EXCITING!!!

I have always found it interesting how learning in one artistic arena translates into making you better in other arenas, even if they are only loosely related (for me it is the poetry/prose crossover, or different media in drawing/painting). All growth is pretty awesome, but growth in your passions exciting as well.

I hope your scripts make it on air somewhere I can see them. :)

[penpusher]

Thanks very much!

You raise an interesting element, that whole "getting better in one discipline" concept likely does make you better, if for no other reason than you have the confidence to pursue other avenues that you might have not tried... it's the literal definition of "encouragement."

It's early to predict where this will go, but I figure it will be, at worst a calling card for my skills, and I might post the finished work here if there isn't any interest in production. Wait and see time...