Category: Resources

40 years worth of TV writing experience and info, yours for the taking.

I Will Not Write Your F—ing Script

Yo, non-writers with “great ideas!” Ever wonder why writers you meet curl their lips, growl, and stomp away when you suggest that they should write your great script for you? Well, you stupid %$#!, here’s why:

cartoon-writerby Sharon Soboil

A while ago I read Josh Olson’s article in the Village Voice blog, entitled “I Will Not Read Your F—ing Script.” After chuckling through his op-ed piece, I read each of the comments posted. Some understood his position, others thought he was arrogant and too high on himself. What it stirred up for me in reading it was not so much that I don’t want to read your f—ing script, but rather that I don’t want to write your f—ing script.

I have been a professional freelance writer in L.A. for years. I’ve traveled to France, England and India for projects. I have optioned, sold, done rewrites and ghost written on films and television scripts. I’m not saying I’m winning the Academy Award this year (not that it’s not a dream), but I’m a writer in the trenches. read article

The myth of the creative person

Not, not young Ernest Hemingway. It's Lord Byron, who created the myth Hemingway tried to recreate.
Not, not young Ernest Hemingway. It’s Lord Byron, who created the myth Hemingway tried to recreate.

by Nathan Bransford

One of the reasons I came to writing relatively late in life is because I never thought of myself as a creative person, an idea I explore in myguide to writing a novel.

Whenever artists and writers are portrayed in movies and on TV, they’re always moody and flighty and bold and wacky and adventurous. Unbound by societal norms and twitchy with creativity that might spring forth at any moment.

I don’t know many writers that fit this stereotype. To be sure, I know plenty of wacky writers, many of us can be social misfits at times and, and on the whole, sure, maybe writing types are a little more moody and flighty and in our own heads than the general population. read article

Peer Production: UNIMAGINED FRIENDS

imagination workshop

LB fell in love with this one. We can understand why:

read article

Peggy Bechko: Don’t Say It! – A Writer’s Guide to, well, Writing

image found on idoincorporated.com
(image found on idoincorporated.com)

by Peggy Bechko

Have you ever noticed how many things we aren’t supposed to say, to talk about, to be ‘politically incorrect’ about these days in this society? Things that if you say them out loud not only will be real conversations starters but will probably have several people at your throat the minute the words come out?

Here’s the thing. You may not want to be a trouble maker at a party or a family reunion or at the office, but what better place to be one than in a novel, a short story, movie script or other attention-grabbing written material?

Think about it. What if you said you ~
• Don’t like babies – dogs – cats
• Don’t like Christmas
• Don’t like football or the Olympics
• Don’t like gay people and are against gay marriage and adoption
• Don’t like Republicans (or Democrats or Libertarians)
• Aren’t in favor of marriage for anybody
• Don’t’ like Dr. Who or Dancing With The Stars, or Survivor
• Firmly believe in the stereotype of one race or another, one culture or another read article

“Dilbert’s” Creator is Looking for a DILBERT Movie Co-Writer

Yeppers, he is. For reals. But don’t take our word for it:

fritznotes-doubleintegrals-screenshotEngineering a Dilbert Movie Script
by Scott Adams

Someday I plan to write a Dilbert movie script.

I anticipate your questions. Let me answer those before making my fascinating point read article