Last week’s e-newsletter for those who missed it in your e-mailboxes:
TVWriter™ https://tvwriter.com https://tvwriter.comA WORD FROM LB ****************************** SPEC SCRIPTACULAR & PEOPLE’S PILOT CONTEST UPDATE ****************************** TELEPLAY TIPS & TRICKS #12 ****************************** LATEST NEWS ABOUT OUR WORKSHOPS ****************************** A WORD FROM LB Actually, I’m becoming impatient about just about everything, even writing. Once upon a time – to use a writerly albeit hokey expression – I was content to sit at the keyboard and wait for the right word or words to come. Now, though, I get all crabbed out if the best expression of my thought doesn’t rush to my fingertips. And when I say crabbed out, I mean it. I yell and shriek and rail about the same things I used to be grateful for. Because I don’t have time, dammit. Gotta hurry and get the ideas out while I can still remember ’em, you know? The more impatient the act of writing makes me, the less of it I do. And while this may be a sad state of affairs for my self-image – and maybe even for my audience although I’m not going to presume – potentially it’s a good thing for all the writers who spend any time at the TVWriter™ site. Because my current state of mind has forced me to not just want but actively need more than merely a few good writers. (And, believe me, you don’t have to be men.) I’m looking for as many good writers as I can find to fill TVWriter™ with news and opinion and unique perspectives on writing for television and the screen and books and magazines and blogs and everything else that people can watch/read/listen to. So have no doubt about it. This is an open call for writers with the ability to sit in once place long enough to write articles that are clever and bold and filled with the kind of energy and knowledge that will not only move me but also the brilliant visitors TVWriter™ receives every hour of every day of the. Let me say it again, before I get all grumpy and move on: I’m looking for writers who can deliver one-shots about what’s happening in the world of writing and TV and all that other stuff I mentioned above. And more writers too, who can reliably deliver weekly (or bi-weekly or semi- weekly, whatever) columns. And I’m prepared to pay…sort of. By which I mean no, I – we, TVWriter™, et al – can’t pay money (because this site is a labor of love that just plain doesn’t make any, simple as that), but I can and will pay in services. Specifically, I’m happy to open my brain and all the experience, expertise, and just plain general knowledge contained therein, to those whose writings knock me out enough to give them space at https://tvwriter.com (and also https://tvwriter.com). I’m happy to mentor qualified contributors to the site (that’s why we offer “Larry Brody’s 1-On-! Career Coaching” for a nominal price), and I’m hoping that so many of you will want to earn it that TVWriter™ will be the fattest daily read on the web. One warning, though: I get just as impatient while I read as I do while I write. So write sweetly, write passionately, write provocatively, and, most importantly of all – write short. Are you up for this? Email me and let me know. LYMI, LB ****************************** Online contests working in the mysterious way they do, entries for our two contests are coming in steadily, preparatory to the barrage that always comes during the last week they are open for entries. That last week is the 6 days before and the day of June 1, 2013, because the PEOPLE’S PILOT & SPEC SCRIPTACULAR both will end at 11:59 a.m. that night. A Combined $13,000 Worth of Contest Prizes Include:
And lest we forget: Free Feedback is yours for the entering. We’ll be sending out the individual scores and the criteria for those scores to all entrants after the Winners are announced. (And boy are we proud of ourselves for doing this.) For more info: The People’s Pilot is here. Or just go to TVWriter™ and click on the contest of your choice in the righthand index. ****************************** Conflict! In real life human beings strive to attain warm, comforting relationships. Friendships that involve supporting each other emotionally. However, I learned early on in my career that having your characters respond to each other this way on film or tape is—boring. In comedy, sensitive people watching out for each other is death. Humor comes out of wit, out of people trading wiseass remarks, zinging each other whenever they can. In drama, the best way to get story points across is through conflict. Nothing puts a viewer to sleep like watching two characters tell each “the plan.” But if those same two characters disagree on the nature and efficacy of the plan and argue about it, then the viewer will watch, wondering who’s going to “win.” The truth is that the writer wins, by keeping everyone’s attention. Think I’m being negative? That I’m telling you that all your characters have to dislike each other? That’s not it at all. Think of all the buddy movies you’ve watched and loved. Have there ever been two characters who cared about each other more than Butch and Sundance? But they hid their feelings beneath their quips. The same for Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Wouldn’t you rather watch those three friends have at each other than be in a room with Janeway and are nodding crew? ****************************** The next TVWriter™ Advanced Online Workshop, for writers who know a little something about teleplay/screenplay format and have either taken TVWriter™’s Basic Workshop or can show an example of their current work, starts Wednesday, April 10, 2013, at 6:00 pm Pacific (9:00 pm Eastern) Time and will meet for 4 weeks. As of this writing enrollment is wide open, but the Advanced Workshop always fills up fast so we ever-so-respectfully suggest that you hurry to: The current version of Larry Brody’s Master Class will be over April 4th, and the next one will begin the 3rd Thursday in April. This is the online workshop for professional level writers who want to spend a very intense month perfecting your current work. 60 pages a week! Story, plot, and characterization analyzed by our Fearsome Leader, LB himself! He accepts a maximum of only 3 students at a time in this one so if you’re interested you definitely need to reserve your place ASAP. Or find out more about everything TVWriter University is currently offering here. ****************************** That’s it for now. In the words of the immortal Michael Knight of KNIGHT RIDER fame (AKA the equally or perhaps even more immortal David Hasselhoff), we’re “Outta here!” Team TVWriter™ Learn what’s happening at TVWriter™ in real-time on Facebook. Ditto by following us on Twitter. ****************************** Now a few words about folks we believe in: You’ve written your screenplay. Now get it sold. Subscribe to our promotion service and get…
Subscribe for just $9.95/month For more information, please visit ****************************** Daily spec script sales reports! Info on getting started as a screenwriter! Writers’ software! Literary submissions! See what’s for sale! Hollywoodlitsales.Com is a full service website you don’t want to miss. Check it out here. ****************************** Television Writing from the Inside Outhas been revised and updated. What more could any screen or television writer ask for?
****************************** Be sure to check out TVWriter™ at https://www.tvwriter.com for all the latest news, products, and a wealth of info on screen and TV writing! ****************************** |
