What is the difference between 3/4 and 4/3?
If you're me, about one month. -- Yeah I know. Did you really want it to make sense?
If you are everybody else (i.e. sane, or mathematically inclined, or just able to cope with the concept of time) the quantity: one and a third, ... or 4/12ths depending on whether you can translate Eleanorese.
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Friday, 24 April 2009
The NEED to write.
I have just looked at the date, and realised it's nearly May!
MAY!
CRAP!!!
Quarter of the year gone already, and I have done virtually nothing ... well okay the usual procrastination of watching film and TV that us writers like to call "research" - okay, it kinda counts, general absorbtion of story and story telling techniques - but not the focused research of an active project (at least not until this week). I've done some writing, some plotting, vaugue writing type stuff, dancing with producers, ... but nothing concrete, focused, driven ... and the NEED TO WRITE is beginning to tickle the back of my brain.
-- Bout time too.
I've been allowing life to get in the way so far this year; from end of January onwards, really.
And that's NOT. GOOD.
Have to apply a bit of focus and will power ... and make myself get on with it if I hope to stand a chance of achieving any of this year's plans.
I'm off to apply bum to seat.
MAY!
CRAP!!!
Quarter of the year gone already, and I have done virtually nothing ... well okay the usual procrastination of watching film and TV that us writers like to call "research" - okay, it kinda counts, general absorbtion of story and story telling techniques - but not the focused research of an active project (at least not until this week). I've done some writing, some plotting, vaugue writing type stuff, dancing with producers, ... but nothing concrete, focused, driven ... and the NEED TO WRITE is beginning to tickle the back of my brain.
-- Bout time too.
I've been allowing life to get in the way so far this year; from end of January onwards, really.
And that's NOT. GOOD.
Have to apply a bit of focus and will power ... and make myself get on with it if I hope to stand a chance of achieving any of this year's plans.
I'm off to apply bum to seat.
Friday, 3 April 2009
Unimportant things - doesn't amount to a hill of beans
Rules
1) Put the link of the person who tagged you on your blog.
2) Write the rules.
3) Mention 6 things or habits of no real importance about you.
Well, I haven't officially been tagged, but since Piers tried to nick my brain one time ...
Piers and I have 1 unimportant thing in common, and he describes it very well, so I shall lift directly from his blog:
I'm cross-dominant.
Surprisingly, this isn't a kinky sex thing, but means that while my dominant hand is my right (for throwing, catching, and so on), my dominant eye is my left.
This is not generally a problem in everyday life. However it's a known problem in target shooting.
Should I ever wish to take up shooting - or alternatively, should I be forced to fight for survival in a terrifying post-apocalyptic world - I should try and shoulder the weapon on my left, rather than my right, in order to aim correctly.
We may have many more unimportant things in common, but I don't know what they are, so you'll have to be satisfied with that. :)
2nd unimportant thing - Foot-in-mouth syndrome, otherwise known as not engaging brain before saying something. I suffer from this a lot. It has plagued my life, despite my best efforts to avoid it - any time I get excited or passionate about something I forget to monitor what I say. And I really, really should. At all times.
3rd unimportant thing - Forgetfulness, for example I rarely know which day of the week it is, or what the date is. Always hazardous as we reach the end of March....
4th unimportant thing - Gullibility, mainly because my gut instinct is that everyone is nice, and always tells the truth (unless they wear a great big warning sign) which in combination with points 2 and 3 frequently results in me being a Fool, in this particular instance an April one. Cue tiny violins.
5th unimportant thing - One of my ancestral relatives wrote a book, Elinore M Havers. I only know about her because my mother pointed out her book, called Wigwam Island, as we share the same name ... kinda. I have no idea whether she was any good as a novelist, because I didn't read it. And it's only on researching her (just now) that I find she wrote more than one book. ... Drat! Ancestral competition. I must try harder!
6th unimportant thing - Nigel Havers is also a very, very, very distant relation, but he wouldn't know me from Sheila. *sigh*
Great I've resorted to name dropping. Why? I guess desire for wish fulfillment: he's potentially a contact, assuming we ever meet ... which we most likely never will - - unless I stalk him, which is not cool. So that ain't happening - - Argh, I'll just shut up now then, shall I?
Anyhow, there's my list of 6 things or habits of no real importance about me.
Feel free to consider yourselves tagged if you haven't already done this one. :)
1) Put the link of the person who tagged you on your blog.
2) Write the rules.
3) Mention 6 things or habits of no real importance about you.
Well, I haven't officially been tagged, but since Piers tried to nick my brain one time ...
Piers and I have 1 unimportant thing in common, and he describes it very well, so I shall lift directly from his blog:
I'm cross-dominant.
Surprisingly, this isn't a kinky sex thing, but means that while my dominant hand is my right (for throwing, catching, and so on), my dominant eye is my left.
This is not generally a problem in everyday life. However it's a known problem in target shooting.
Should I ever wish to take up shooting - or alternatively, should I be forced to fight for survival in a terrifying post-apocalyptic world - I should try and shoulder the weapon on my left, rather than my right, in order to aim correctly.
We may have many more unimportant things in common, but I don't know what they are, so you'll have to be satisfied with that. :)
2nd unimportant thing - Foot-in-mouth syndrome, otherwise known as not engaging brain before saying something. I suffer from this a lot. It has plagued my life, despite my best efforts to avoid it - any time I get excited or passionate about something I forget to monitor what I say. And I really, really should. At all times.
3rd unimportant thing - Forgetfulness, for example I rarely know which day of the week it is, or what the date is. Always hazardous as we reach the end of March....
4th unimportant thing - Gullibility, mainly because my gut instinct is that everyone is nice, and always tells the truth (unless they wear a great big warning sign) which in combination with points 2 and 3 frequently results in me being a Fool, in this particular instance an April one. Cue tiny violins.
5th unimportant thing - One of my ancestral relatives wrote a book, Elinore M Havers. I only know about her because my mother pointed out her book, called Wigwam Island, as we share the same name ... kinda. I have no idea whether she was any good as a novelist, because I didn't read it. And it's only on researching her (just now) that I find she wrote more than one book. ... Drat! Ancestral competition. I must try harder!
6th unimportant thing - Nigel Havers is also a very, very, very distant relation, but he wouldn't know me from Sheila. *sigh*
Great I've resorted to name dropping. Why? I guess desire for wish fulfillment: he's potentially a contact, assuming we ever meet ... which we most likely never will - - unless I stalk him, which is not cool. So that ain't happening - - Argh, I'll just shut up now then, shall I?
Anyhow, there's my list of 6 things or habits of no real importance about me.
Feel free to consider yourselves tagged if you haven't already done this one. :)
Sunday, 22 March 2009
The Villain has the story
I dunno about you, but I love villains.
The stories I write need a great villain to counter the hero at every turn - frustrate, annoy, get under their skin.
This morning it struck me that I should probably write the Villain's story first since they are the ones with THE PLAN - 8 times out of 10 - and then rewrite that story from the Hero's perspective, as it impacts on the Hero's life. It may take a lot more work, but it will probably produce a better story ... so, I think I need to change the way I go about constructing a story.
I usually start with the Hero and construct the Villain accordingly.
I'm going to try starting with the Villain. ... See where that takes me....
The stories I write need a great villain to counter the hero at every turn - frustrate, annoy, get under their skin.
This morning it struck me that I should probably write the Villain's story first since they are the ones with THE PLAN - 8 times out of 10 - and then rewrite that story from the Hero's perspective, as it impacts on the Hero's life. It may take a lot more work, but it will probably produce a better story ... so, I think I need to change the way I go about constructing a story.
I usually start with the Hero and construct the Villain accordingly.
I'm going to try starting with the Villain. ... See where that takes me....
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
The Grim - update
Just a mini update on The Grim, since many of you (okay, Racicot) seem interested. :)
Well, a brief note on the events around Christmas...
If you've been paying attention, you'll remember that Producer No.1 loves this screenplay and wants to make it. Hooray!
He showed it to the production company he works for - lets call them Production Company A - and they too loved it, initially ... and then decided they weren't going to expand their film slate any more as they want to make TV instead.
(The gnashing of teeth you can hear in the background is me.)
But Producer No.1 was not to be deterred. He was already setting up a production company of his own - lets call it Production Company No.1 - to make one of his other pet projects, [Which sounds brilliant by the way, a Romantic Comedy, I'll tell you more when I'm allowed to.] and he still wants to make my Horror script, now via Prod Co No.1.
All this is gonna take time, but things are progressing in the background. He's working his producer magic.
So while he's doing that, I shall get on with life, and writing, and blogging, and buying my new car.
I'm picking her up on Saturday. She's lovely.
Well, a brief note on the events around Christmas...
If you've been paying attention, you'll remember that Producer No.1 loves this screenplay and wants to make it. Hooray!
He showed it to the production company he works for - lets call them Production Company A - and they too loved it, initially ... and then decided they weren't going to expand their film slate any more as they want to make TV instead.
(The gnashing of teeth you can hear in the background is me.)
But Producer No.1 was not to be deterred. He was already setting up a production company of his own - lets call it Production Company No.1 - to make one of his other pet projects, [Which sounds brilliant by the way, a Romantic Comedy, I'll tell you more when I'm allowed to.] and he still wants to make my Horror script, now via Prod Co No.1.
All this is gonna take time, but things are progressing in the background. He's working his producer magic.
So while he's doing that, I shall get on with life, and writing, and blogging, and buying my new car.
I'm picking her up on Saturday. She's lovely.
Friday, 6 March 2009
How to succeed in the business of writing
Ooh-er, what a title. That'll take some living up to....
...
But luckily Alex Epstein has already written the post for me! ;)
There's a link to Paul Graham's website under "creative types" in the side bar. He's definitely worth checking out. A lot of his advice on business startup type things either applies directly to life as a self-employed screenwriter, or gives an excellent metaphor for the same.
I'm currently - and have been for some time - falling foul of his point 10. Avoid distractions.
"Nothing kills startups like distractions. The worst type are those that pay money: day jobs,..."
*rolls eyes*
Best get back to the day job then ... *sigh*
...
But luckily Alex Epstein has already written the post for me! ;)
There's a link to Paul Graham's website under "creative types" in the side bar. He's definitely worth checking out. A lot of his advice on business startup type things either applies directly to life as a self-employed screenwriter, or gives an excellent metaphor for the same.
I'm currently - and have been for some time - falling foul of his point 10. Avoid distractions.
"Nothing kills startups like distractions. The worst type are those that pay money: day jobs,..."
*rolls eyes*
Best get back to the day job then ... *sigh*
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