Radu Preotescu's Lounge Discussions

Bill Hartin sorry, but can you explain in other words what exactly is your advice? I didn't quite understand.

Try experimenting with short stories on the side - that'll probably help solve some of the main story problems.

Why are you writing the sequel when you haven't sold the first scipt yet? I'd suggest you write Treatments for the other two and include them with your submission. By the time your first scipt makes it to the screen it will have significantly changed, so your going to have to totally rewite them anyway. Unless, of course, you plan to make them yourself.

Even though I had some heavy training by some great teachers, and a good amount of practical experience in fast-paced writing assignments, at times I still used to get "stuck" in writing long fiction stories, non-fiction stories and research articles, until I bought the book "20 Questions for the Writer" by Jacqeline Berke and Randal Woodland. I think it's an essential book for any type of writer, and it makes you critically think about what you are trying to say before you say it; while you're saying it; and after you say it. It wouldn't be right for me to list the questions here, but the purpose of each question is to make you as a writer be totally aware of what you are inventing; to be able to consciously create with a deep purpose; and to analyze what you consciously created and make sure it's right. Each question is meant for you to define; describe; understand and perform the different types of analysis (simple, process, directional, functional, and causal); to be able to classify, compare, interpretate, report, narrate, characterize, reflect, reminisce; evaluate; summarize and persuade. That might sound kinda heavy (or wrong) for a person writing a creative story like a movie script, but it's not. I would argue that to write a script that reveals a deep, complex, and rich world and characters - and that is entertaining, marketable and relevant - I would want to be the best writer that I could be. I would want to be a writer who could compete with the best of them. 20 Questions for the Writer helped my writing ascend to a much higher level - even after six months of writing complex daily news stories for my school newspaper; a six-month stint as an editor; and a six-month advertising internship at NBC where I wrote, produced and directed a shitload of tv and radio commercials on a daily basis. I don't think I've ever had a stumbling block in writing anything since I bought that book over 20 years ago.

Read scripts in the same genre and outline those scripts the way Blake does in his book. Maybe it'll help you see how to fix what isn't working in your own work. Get someone to hold you accountable to finish. I need to practice this myself. It's good to have an accountability partner, even if it's your mom. It'll force you to focus to finishing it. And finish it. Really just finish it and send it to a script consultant. They may be able to tell you what is and what isn't working better than anyone else. Finally, I see this advice a lot in novel writing books but I feel it also works in screenwriting, write the last act or the Resolution part of the last act first. Then, write the rest of the script. Maybe writing it from the end to the beginning will help with fixing any holes that may exist in the structure. Also, try telling the story from another angle. For example, instead of having a protag that is young, try one that is 80 and has a black belt. Or instead of a haunted house, try a haunted news station. You may find the same passion as you did when the idea first crept into your head.

I know the last thing a 22 year old wants to hear is what I'm going to say. But I'm going to say it anyway because I was told this at 20, ignored it, and by age 30 realized it was good advice. Set aside 2 hours each day to write. Not as difficult as you think it is. Difficult, challenging and you'll miss out on some things but it can be done. Writers write. So write for 2 hours each day. Saturday and Sunday you write a short story and you finish one a month. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday you write your novel. Finish 3 to 5 pages each day. On Thursday and Friday you write your screenplay. Finish 3 to 5 pages per day. When you're 26 years old you will have 48 finished short stories. You will have 1,000 to 2,500 pages of your novel (or novels). You will have 12 to 20 finished screenplays. No need to chose one or the other. Writers write. Do you have it in you? Cut the page count in half and you'll have 20 short stories, 500 to 1,000 pages of a novel and 6 to 10 screenplays. Still too much? Write just one page a day every day. When you're 26 you'll have 10 short stories, 575 pages of a novel and 4 completed screenplays. Can you set aside 2 hours each day to write?

Thank you Marcus, your advise really shed some light over my problem. Two hours a day is and will be a fair amount of time for me.

I'm glad I could help a little. Writers write. And we can write both novels and screenplays. The "finish line" isn't a sprint - there really isn't a finish line. Spend a little time on each. One may take of in your creative mind so the other takes a back seat for a while. Many times I've been writing a TV episode and a short story pops into my head. I take a few hours of my day to write the story and then I'm back to the assignment.

Radu, you're in the right place. Your style is intriguing. My advice is to build a network and get your screenplay seen.

Thank you Jack. Of course for my obsessive mind the question will rise: how good does a screenplay have to be, scale 1 to 10 lets say, for someone like me to start seeking a manager or even an agent?

Radu you should ABSOLUTELY check out the Happy Writers. They offer screenwriting classes and labs, coverage, and pitching opportunities. Basically everything you need to help you grow as a screenwriter and get you in front of the right people. Go up to the menu bar and click on the far right option, Happy Writers. Best wishes to you!