Introduce Yourself : Lori Aldape by Lori Aldape

I'm right there with you and got almost everything I needed from a book that I picked up for cheap at a library sale...Screenwriting for Dummies. Yeah, a Dummies book, but you know, it was easy to read and extremely informative. I'm about to order Save the Cat from Amazon which will (apparently) fill in whatever blanks there are. I always thought I needed formal education to do this but it's really not true. Also check out YouTube. Just do a search for screenwriting and you'll be overwhelmed with the results :) Good luck!

Don't you just love the word passion, Lori? It's great to meet another passionate writer. And you will find very helpful and supportive connections on here. And in regards to screenwriting formatting, I agree with Kathryn. And she would be an amazing person for you to connect with by the way. She has been very helpful to me and many others. I wish you and your writing all the best, Lori.

Hi, Lori!

Welcome, Lori!

Thank you SO much everyone. I admit I am nervous about taking this on. I don't know why but I am. I was poking around the site yesterday and I watched some of the videos. Of course one of the first things that struck me was the comment "don't make it all about you". Have something to offer. I felt like I should come back in here and try to explain that I really don't have anything to offer at this point but maybe a good story. I have been on you tube. A lot. I've learned quite a bit there. I did not know about Screenwriting for Dummies, I'll be on that one very soon, and although I have read about final draft I didn't know you could buy a format. I will be checking into that one too. I am open to ANY suggestions, friendships, criticism, attagirl's, anyone has. I have wanted to do this for so long. It was a great feeling to wake up to all these warm welcomes and suggestions.

I liked all of the audio CDs by John Truby and anything by Jacob Krueger.

Oh, and Celtx, if you are looking for a free program. There are plenty out there, I'm sure, but I like that one best (as far as free goes). It handles all the formatting for you and gives you character bio sheets and such to help you out. I'm taking the contest route to break in to the scene, but it's not the only way to go. It's intimidating to be 'fresh off the boat' in a sense and try to figure things out on your own. I really didn't know how much support there was online. I guess I always thought it was a cutthroat industry where everybody was out to get one another (hence the reason I never considered it personally).

I think it's allowed to share websites, so here are the ones I check on the regular: http://screencraft.org/ http://thescriptlab.com/ http://gointothestory.blcklst.com/

Rose, THANK YOU I'm on it first thing in the morning. Yes it's intimidating, but i am going after it anyway. It can't hurt as much as not trying.

Please do not listen to the format purest. Your story is the most important thing. There are some standards that are standards because they work. But great work will always be read. Don't believe people that say a passage of action more than four lines will get your script thrown in the garbage, not true. Ten good lines of action will be read, three lines of garbage will get your script thrown out. The only way to stand out is to be different. That can be in your story, your voice or your style.

Thanks Craig.

Thanks John, I'm trying.