BOOK REVIEW - EVERYBODY WORKS IN SALES by NIRAJ KAPUR

You're probably thinking, 'Why is Dom reviewing a sales book on his screenwriting blog?' You may even be thinking I've gone slightly mad in doing so. I can assure you I haven't. The reason I'm reviewing this book is that as a writer you HAVE to sell yourself and your work and there's some great advice in these pages that all writers should be implementing on a daily basis.

Truth be told, Niraj's book is actually less about sales than it is more about personal development. All of its lessons, if rigorously applied, can help anyone succeed regardless of the industry they work in. These are life rules everyone should know of and live by.

Niraj breaks his teachings down into twenty-seven handy little lessons, such as; Learn your craft and keep on learning every day - Don't let money rule your life - Caring - Dealing with difficult people - Adapt to change - Taking a break - Dealing with failure - Dealing with bad luck. Even with these few examples, you should already be seeing why this book could be so valuable to you.

Dealing with failure is a big part of being a writer. You'll be rejected again and again, even when you've 'made it'. Dealing with bad luck is also something you should know about and be prepared for. Bad luck happens to everyone and it can be extremely frustrating when things fail especially when they are beyond your control. Adapting to change and learning more about your craft every day is as important as being a good writer. It's all there in this book just waiting for you to pick it up and start learning how to sell yourself to others and gain an advantage over your fellow writers.

Personally, I think the most valuable lesson in Niraj's book is - Do more than what you get paid for. This links back to what I was talking about last week, about going that extra mile, proving you're better than all those other writers out there and why you should be the first choice in every producer's mind.

I did spot a few spelling mistakes in this book and the layout did cause me to become a page-blind after a while, especially when I tried to read several chapters in one sitting. It's an easier read broken down into small chunks without losing your place and it can be used as a handy reference guide you can easily dip in an out of.

Niraj kindly gives examples from his own life to back up every lesson, showing not only how these lessons can be applied but also how they work in the real world. There are even interviews in the back of the book with people who don't directly work in sales but who do use sales techniques in their daily lives. Overall, it's a solid book with a lot of valuable lessons within its pages and one definitely worth investing in.

Happy writing!

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

When you're a new writer it's easy to concentrate on what others can do for you, how they can help move your career forward, help to get you your first commission or get your work made. But if you really want to be noticed it's well worth reversing that thinking and asking yourself, 'What can I do for others to help them?'

Make yourself available for others. Offer your services without conditions. Give of your time freely. This is the quickest way to build strong relationships and have people remember you for all the right reasons. Go the extras mile so they will never forget you.

How can you do this? There are several ways. You can contact production companies and offer to give feedback on screenplays for them for free. Yes, it will cost you time but it's time well spent and by doing so you'll have a foot in the door. Start with the smaller companies or the newly established ones. The larger companies will most likely already have a reader or a team of them in place.

Why do you think you see the same names pop up on the credits of TV shows time after time? It's because those writers have made a reputation for themselves as reliable people who are great to work with. They are sought after and get regular work. Producers know when they go to them they will deliver. So if that production company you have been reading for for free are suddenly in the market for a new writer, who do you think is going to be high on their list? Don't you think that's worth unselfishly giving up a few hours a week to help someone else?

The same goes for more established writers. I'm not saying they should work for free, far from it. Established writers have paid their dues and should always be paid correctly and fully for their work. However, there may be the occasional time when doing a favour for a friend is a good idea. Making the time to write up a six to eight-page treatment for a producer you know well and have worked with before when you're very busy with other projects will be appreciated. They will remember you made time for them and will think of you in the future.

There are the usual things you can do to get yourself noticed as above but to go the extra mile you need to think outside the box, find or create new avenues to get yourself noticed and to show how helpful and valuable you are and can be. For example; this morning I went on to a producers' network page on Facebook and offered to give feedback on a screenplay for anyone who was interested. I plan to only do this for the first person to get back to me, and yes for free, as I'm not overly busy this week. It's two to three hours out of my week. It's nothing really, but the producer who takes me up on that offer will be grateful and remember that I put myself out to help them.

So think more about what you can do for others, not what they can do for you. Don't promise what you can't deliver. If you can spare two, three or even four hours a week then give it without reservation. And if you promise something, make sure you deliver.

Happy writing!

ASK & LISTEN

Write what you know is a saying I hear often. While this is true, it is also important to ask and listen, especially if you're pitching to a specific production company.

Most writers will send their screenplays in blind. They won't even bother to check to see what the company has made, is currently making or actively looking for. If you're happy with your work being quickly and easily rejected then this is fine. If however, you want to give your work the best chance of being considered you'll need to do some research. That research is will come in two forms.

1 - Look at the company's back catalogue. This will help to identify the type of films they favour and also help to avoid sending in screenplays that are too similar to something they've made before. They may prefer crime thrillers so sending a rom-com isn't doing you any favours. If they have made a film with a plot that's very similar to your screenplay's it's a good bet they probably won't be interested in making yours. You must bear in mind that companies receive several screenplays a month similar to other stuff they've made, especially if their film or TV show was very successful. Thinking about what you're going to send already puts you way ahead of the majority of writers.

2 - To give yourself the best chance of your screenplay hitting the mark it's worth asking the company what they are looking for. Email is great, phoning is better. It's easy to ignore an email and let's be honest everyone responds well to a nice friendly voice on the other end of the line. Once you know for certain what they are interested in you won't be wasting your time, or more importantly, theirs.

To give you an example. I recently researched a production company, going through their back catalogue to try and decern the type of feature they might be interested in. After feeling pretty confident I knew what that was I emailed them a pitch for a feature idea.

I received a 'no thank you' email from them yesterday (03.04.2018). Despite this, I was delighted to discover they really enjoyed my idea and work. I'm also very grateful to them for going a step further and not only telling me what they are actually looking for but for also giving me examples I can go away and watch. Now I have a better idea of what to send them in the future and I can tailor my pitches to their current needs. What could be easier?

Don't waste your time and just settle for sending out any old script, make sure you know exactly what the production company is looking for and it will really make you stand out.

Happy writing!

PLOTTING SOFTWARE

In screenwriting forums and Facebook pages there are usually three big debates with regards to screenwriting. 1 - Should I protect my work with Copyright or an NDA? 2 - Which writing software should I use? 3 - Should you use plotting software? It's on the latter I wish to concentrate today.

There are several plotting software packages out there to choose from. The two I've used in the past and the ones that seem to be the most popular amongst writers are DRAMATICA PRO and SAVE THE CAT. I know there are probably plenty more to choose from but I've only used these two and don't feel qualified enough to comment on any of the others. If you use a different bit of software then please feel free to tell us all about it in the comments below.

Dramatica Pro is more involved than other methods I've used and to get the most out of it you not only have to read the entire manual, but you also have to understand it. Their system is somewhat complicated. Once mastered, however, it can be very helpful in forcing you to think about your plot and characters in new and unexpected ways. Used well, it is something I believe can be a great benefit to your writing. I did find it restrictive at times but I learned to work around the systems' confines and create some cracking screenplays with it.

These days I use Save The Cat and find it a great deal easier. It's very instinctive and matches more closely the way I like to write. It's only as rigid as you allow it to be and can be used as a beat by beat guide or simply as a rough template. It's basically a more expensive, electronic version of index cards, that allows you to make as many notes as you wish, add setups and payoffs, work on your characters and keep track of their story arc. I use Save The Cat to work out my basic plotline and then go from there. The majority of the time things will change as I write and beats I've written will be lost, grow, or end up being moved.

The way I look at plotting software is that it is as flexible as you make it. If you're a newer writer you might like to stick as closely as you can to the beats, whereas the more experienced writer you are the more likely you are to only use it as a rough template, diving into your writing and changing things as and when you need it.

Isn't plotting software too rigid, only creating flat, formulaic, dull screenplays? It's up to you how much you use this kind of software, if at all. As long as you know you don't have to stick exactly to the outlines you create using this method and that you can change and adapt anything you want, then you will be fine. It is just an aid.

Think of it as a learning to ride a bicycle. You wouldn't jump on one and expect to be able to ride the first time. That's why stabilisers are there, to aid you until you are confident enough to take them off and ride without them. With plotting, you need to know the rules. When they become second nature to you, you can then learn to break them. If you feel you need the help, use whatever helps you get to where you want to be. If you don't, brilliant. Do whatever you need to make things easier for yourself. Don't be worried about what other writers think. Every writer has their own way of doing things. Find yours.

Having said that index cards and a pencil are just as effective... and cheaper.

Happy writing!

MOCKUMENTARIES - REALITY BITES

This week a guest blog from Lexy Anderson on her experience writing, shooting and editing a short mockumentary.

“Reality Bites” - 1 Day. 1 Shoot. 1 Film

Filmmakers starting out seem to all have the same problems: What equipment do I use? How do I gather crew? What’s a worthy script look like? But for us, these limitations aren’t problems. In fact, if you accept them, the answers become pretty clear, pretty quickly.

What camera do we use? The one that we’ve got I guess. 

How do we gather crew? We’ve got each other, how many favours can you call in? 

What’s a worthy script look like? Well, does this make us laugh?

We (Lexy Anderson and Ben Murray) are a filmmaking duo based in London, currently freelancing across the UK film scene. We’ve started regularly collaborating a number of short projects, all written, produced, directed and edited by ourselves. 

(Left to Right; Filmmaking team, Lexy Anderson and Ben Murray)

Our most recent film has just launched online, “Reality Bites” - a short mockumentary following the marriage of a young woman and a zombie, and the challenges they face in that relationship - so we want to share how we managed to use one day, to get through one shoot, and come out with one complete film, that we’re both very proud of. 

The Script 

On a dark, cold night before graduation from UCA Farnham (a small arts-campus in the depth of Surrey), we found ourselves panicking about Post-Uni life. As you do.

To distract from our impending future, we decided to plan some scripts. Writing with another person can be difficult, but at this stage, we were just riffing ideas and after a night of basically talking nonsense, we conjured up a collection of concepts, one of which was “Reality Bites”. 

TIP: The story for “RB” came from us asking “What if” about various scenarios - for example, what would life be like if you married a tame zombie? The fly-on-the-wall documentary style seemed like the right way to explore comedic elements. Once we got more specific with “what if” questions, we managed to write it overnight. Turns out, it’s a pretty efficient way of writing.

Pre-Production 

The preparation for “RB” was all done about twenty-four hours before shooting. We’d initially planned to shoot another script, but some last minute cancellations threw the handbrake on that production.

But we had booked the day off work. We had crew on standby and cast ready to shoot. Giving up wasn’t an option. We decided to pull one of those dark-cold-night scripts from our archive, and make that instead! Thankfully, our incredible actors, Bridgette Wellbelove and Jorge Andrade, were game for a last-minute-switch-a-roo. 

“How the hell do you make someone a Zombie?” After an immense amount of searching and spamming posts on filmmaking Facebook groups, we found an MUA (makeup artist) at the last minute who agreed to Zombify Jorge in “Michael”.  

TIP: We can’t recommend Facebook groups enough - if you can manage to advertise a position as “Paid”, no matter how low that is, you’ll usually attract a higher level of candidates to your radar. 

With some quick sourcing of props and minor adjustments to the script, we were ready to shoot.

(Actress, Bridgette Wellbelove, slating a scene)

The Shoot 

The shoot itself was very relaxed. We shot in one of our own flats, so no location restrictions there - the schedule was spread out nicely through the day. We were also right at the heart of Central London, so everyone could easily travel in and out. 

We brought both actors in at the same time to give make-up an hour to prepare “Michael’s” zombie-look, while we cracked on with shooting “Jane’s” talking head shots. Part of that was scripted, part - a lot actually! - was improvised.

TIP: Usually actors arrive staggered, so they’ve time to get makeup and costume on, but if one’s preparation will take significantly longer, you can overlap their arrival and begin shooting one character while the other is readied in the green room. 

(Ben’s incredibly “fierce” collection of batteries)

A lot of the scenes we originally wanted were adapted or improvised during the shooting, due to logistical reasons. 

TIP: Everything shot in the apartment was either tripod or handheld, and all of our lights were small battery powered LEDs (I’m fiercely proud of my LED collection!) A really simple and lightweight shooting kit makes it easy to do more flexible, improvised work without worrying about clunky or difficult setups - especially as you don’t need mains power or cables. 

For example, a scripted scene had Michael accidentally throw his hand down a bowling alley. This later became a quick scene of skipping pebbles by the Thames, with a lighter, less on-the-nose joke. Being ready to adapt and discover alternative moments with actors was really useful, and a lot of fun too. For us, it was good practice as aspiring directors, to be flexible. Out on the streets, we shot with a very straightforward setup - using ambient light we could find, a single handheld camera, and a small, discreet sound system.  

(Top to Bottom: Street gear set up using ambient street light on actor Jorge Andrade, screenshot from film)

TIP: If you are a small crew, five people or fewer, and you’re shooting handheld, there is little to no restriction to filming on London’s public highway (tripods are considered an obstruction to pedestrians or roads, so that’s a little tricker, as far as finding permission goes). However, from experience, it’s still best to choose quiet and rural estates for general safety.

The Edit 

The challenge of the edit was, much like in an actual documentary, dealing with those unscripted and improvised moments, so structuring the material to the original script became almost impossible. Instead, we sifted through the footage as though we’d never seen it before, to identify the shots and moments we could use to building a story with a similar structure. This was actually the slowest part of production, as we had to balance post-production with our working lives. It took around six months to cut, grade, and sound design the short. 

What next? 

You can see the film, “Reality Bites” and make up your own mind here: https://vimeo.com/255810185

Ben’s in the middle of post-production on a new fantasy short, “Taboodisobis” to be released later in the year, and Lexy’s in pre-production for a new comedy “Kill Norwood” about a gamer-obsessed kid. 

To find out more, get involved or just get in touch, contact us on our respective social media accounts:

Instagram: @lexy__anderson @benthemurray

MOVING FORWARD

Way back in the mists of time, well 2013 to be precise, I was commissioned to write my third feature screenplay. Over the last five years, the project has gone through several drafts, has been to Hollywood and back, was shelved, has stalled and been reborn. And today I handed in a treatment of the latest version ready to be sent to potential investors. It's been quite a journey.

There have been many frustrations along the way but we've always known the idea was worth investing our time in. The downs have been worth putting up with to see the project move forward and the version we have now is a great deal better than the original idea. What I have learned from the process is that an idea improves with age, much like a great single malt. A project may falter along the way, it may even be abandoned at some point, but ultimately the opportunity for the project to move forward will eventually come around again. No project is ever truly dead. At some point or another, there will always be an opportunity to resurrect it.

What was originally a thriller has now developed into a dark drama exploring what it is to be a child, the loss of innocence and more importantly examining what it is to be a parent dealing with loss and the responsibility that comes with it.

There's a saying, 'too many chefs spoil the broth'. In my experience, three heads are better than one. You may think that with one writer and two producers there might be some disagreement on direction, but the beauty of our project is that we've all been on the same page from day one. When one person suggests a new change the others have always agreed. Quite often someone has come up with a way to take that new idea to even greater heights. Between the three of us, we have developed a cracking idea that has already got people lined up to read the treatment.

I guess my message here is, don't give up on an idea or a screenplay. Revisit them now and again, see if they fit in the world at that moment. You may even surprise yourself.

Happy writing!

INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE

I was chatting with a friend and fellow graduate of the BA (Hons) Screenwriting for Film and Television at Bournemouth University and was surprised when he mentioned that when he graduated a couple of years ago the university still didn't include an industry training module as part of the course. There wasn't one when I graduated in 2001 either, but I would have expected them to have introduced one since then. After all knowledge of the industry is a vital part of a successful screenwriting career. Without it, you're floundering in deep water with nothing to cling on to but your writing skill.

When I left university with my screenwriting degree I thought I knew it all and it was only a matter of time before my work was recognised and my career took off. I couldn't have been more wrong. It didn't matter how good my writing was, my lack of knowledge of the industry held me back. It took me nearly nine years and a lot of wasted hours to finally discover this. You guys have it much easier though. There's so much more information out there on the internet than when I started out. All you have to do is hunt it down.

Industry knowledge is just as important as your writing. Without it, you'll be sending your work out blind and that will never do you any good. Remember, first impressions count. It was only when I realised this that my career started to go somewhere.

It's not even enough to occasionally check what's going on in the film and TV world, you have to spend at least twenty-five percent, if not half of your time on this. It is equally as important as writing. Writing isn't enough on its own. You might be the world's greatest writer but if you don't know where, when and how to send your work out, you are going to fail.

So what do I mean exactly by 'industry knowledge'? Industry knowledge is:

1. Networking - meeting and forming relationships with other media professionals.
2. Approach - how to conduct yourself so you will be remembered for all the right reasons.
3. Social Media - how to use it to your advantage and what mistakes you should avoid.
4. Trends - knowing what producers and broadcasters are working on and looking for and how to approach them.
5. Knowledge - making sure you read industry publications such as Broadcast and Screen International regularly.

Unfortunately, very few people or courses talk about industry knowledge. Maybe that's because as soon as it's written down it's already out of date. There are several posts on this blog that cover all of the points above. Why not have a look and see if any of them can hlep you. I would also be very interested to know from my subscibers which degree and masters courses now do feature an industry knowledge module. Luckily though, there are a few books out there you can buy that cover this subject. The best of the bunch are:

THE UK SCRIPTWRITER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE

by

TIM CLAGUE & DANNY STACK

and

WRITE, WRITE, WRITE

by

DANIEL MARTIN ECKHART

Those who are knowledgeable about the industry have a far better chance of being successful in it. Those who can't be bothered, or think it'll take up too much time... well, that's their problem.

Happy writing!

BLOG REWIND: ONE PAGE PITCH

As I'm currently churning out eleventy billion one page pitches for my agent to pimp, I thought it might be an idea to jump back in time and take a look at a blog I published on the 5th November 2014. So here goes...

One Page Pitches are an art form, difficult to write and get right and probably the most important and powerful selling tool at a writer's disposal. So how exactly do you write a great One Page Pitch? Here's how I do them.

FONT:

The font you use is just as important as everything else. Get it wrong and your pitch will be a difficult read, or at the very least not inspire much enthusiasm in the reader.

I used to use FINAL DRAFT COURIER for everything I wrote until I came to the realisation readers spend their entire lives staring at that font. Your font doesn't need to be fancy, just clear enough to read. I wanted to give readers something different to look at, easier to read, which is why these days I use ARIEL in all my pitch document and treatments.

LAYOUT:

At the top of the page, centred, in bold, in capitals and font size 14, you need to put your TITLE - ALIEN. Below this (non capitals) you need to state the format and genre of your pitch - a sci-fi/horror feature proposal. Then below this 'by (your name)'.

The next line should be your Tagline, written in ITALICS, in font size 12 and captured in quotation marks - "In space no one can hear you scream!"

Then below that your Logline (written in a plain font size 12).

And finally below that your pitch (written in a plain font size 12 as above), containing a brief outline of the conflicts, characters and plot.

GENRE:

Your pitch will be selling your genre, so if your script is a comedy then your pitch should also be funny, a horror then your pitch should be tense and full of scares, etc. If your script is a comedy and you pitch isn't funny then it's not doing it's job.

CONFLICT:

The most important aspect of the One Page Pitch is to show conflict. Your protagonist must be in peril and you have to show this, especially the conflict with other characters. If you don't your pitch will be dull and flat. Show your protagonist bumping up against problems and obstacles, and make the reader really feel for his/her plight.

THE ENDING:

I've been guilty of this myself on many an occasion, but you should never end a pitch with a question - Will Ripley be able to defeat the Alien and escape home? You want your audience to ask this question, but not your reader. The reader needs the full picture, what happens and how the film or TV series plays out. If you don't tell them they'll think you don't know yourself and it'll go against you.

FOOTER:

Add your NAME - EMAIL - PHONE NUMBER (or your agent's details) in the footer at the bottom of the page. It's OK to do this in Courier font as it's not part of the main document.

Here's an example of one of my pitches (copyright me of course) for reference only.

“SIDEKICK”

a 6 x 60 minute comedy drama TV series proposal

by

Dominic Carver

‘Second best.’

A middle aged man, disillusioned with being the sidekick of superhero Captain Cosmos, struggles to find himself as he juggles his family life and his secret identity, while looking to get the credit he thinks he deserves.

DAVID TUCKER has just turned 45 and he’s already smashed head first into his midlife crisis. By day he works as a traffic control officer and by night he becomes The Gnat, sidekick to the superhero Captain Cosmos. His landmark birthday prompts him to reevaluate his life, his job, his friends and family. It’s only then he realises he's completely lost.

David hates his job... both of them. He constantly struggles to keep his secret identity from his wife LUCY (42), who’s obsessed with aerobics, fad diets and is desperately trying to reclaim the body she had when she was twenty, and his son ALFIE (17) , who is uncommunicative and embarrassed by his parents on a daily basis. David’s trying to find himself again and thinks coming out from under the shadow of Captain Cosmos to become his own superhero is a much better idea than buying a powerful motorbike, falling off it at high speed only to watch it be totalled by a passing manure truck. But even branching out on your own can have its mishaps - like not being recognised by the police and being arrested for exposure when you’re trying to suit up in a phone box.

Millionaire IAN BAINES (44), aka Captain Cosmos, doesn’t understand and is too ignorant and self absorbed to notice his crime fighting partner isn’t happy with his life. Lucy doesn’t have time for her husband to give him the love and support he needs, and Alfie is too wrapped up in his raging hormones and his own burgeoning super powers to spend any time with his father.

The only one who claims he understands David is PROFESSOR DOOMSDAY (56), aka estate agent MARCUS WAINWRIGHT, turning him against Captain Cosmos, his wife and his son, taking him out drinking and generally leading him astray. But Professor Doomsday’s motives are far more sinister than simply turning David evil - he wants to destroy him, to bring him down so that he’s in no place to rescue his son Alfie. It is Doomsday’s dastardly plan to have Alfie become one of his minions and to join him in the crime of the century - stealing the Royal Family and replacing them with robots.

This is David’s journey to find himself once more, make it as a super hero in his own right, rekindle the romance with his wife, reconnect with his son and save him from the evil clutches of Professor Doomsday.

Happy writing!

I'VE GOT SUNSHINE

I've been in a rut for several months now, going through the motions and not really enjoying what I do. This is mainly down to a deep abdominal strain I picked up at the end of August last year, one that stubbornly refuses to heal. It has been causing me a great deal of pain for the past five months. It's very debilitating and has been incredibly draining. It got to the point I simply couldn't contemplate even thinking about sitting down to write when I knew that doing so would cause me more pain. In fact, it got so bad I dreaded firing up my iMac. I decided I had to do something about it.

Drowning in self-pity and doubt yesterday, I sat and thought about what writing is, what it means to me and broke it down to examine the reasons behind why I chose to be a writer in the first place. I asked myself a lot of questions. Can I really class myself as a professional writer? Is it, in reality, nothing more than a hobby that occasionally pays? Am I actually any good at what I do? Is it an obsession, an addiction that is getting out of hand? Can I make a sustainable living from it? Do I have the motivation to get on with my writing when I'd rather be playing Call Of Duty on my Xbox, or any other of the numerous ways I could procrastinate? I was brutally honest with myself. Should I carry on or should I walk away and call it a day?

What I discovered is that yes I do love writing. Yes, I am very good at it. Yes, I have found it difficult recently. I know I'm struggling at the moment. I know it occasionally feels like I'm banging my head against a wall, especially where TV writing is concerned. I know my motivation isn't what it would normally be, mainly because of the struggle with the pain I'm having to live with on a day to day basis. But despite all that and after stripping everything back, I realised I write because it makes me happy. I'd forgotten that.

For me, it's not about seeking adulation. Nor justification. Not even remuneration, although it's absolutely fantastic when my bank account is full. And it's definitely not about making other people happy. I write because it makes me happy. What I write makes me happy. I'm happy because it's what I want to do and not something I have to do. I'm happy because I have the most fantastic job in the world where I can write about the things that appeal to me, the things that get my juices flowing, the stories that I would happily read and enjoy myself. Every one I finish brings me great satisfaction. What happens to it after that really isn't important. That's other people's worry. The journey and how I get there is the only thing that matters. My happiness matters. If I'm miserable then what is the point?

I'm only going to write what makes me happy from now on. I'm not going to try and please others. I'm just going to please me. And when I do that I'll know what I produce is going to be absolutely awesome. It's when I'm at my best. I'm going to cut out the noise and get on with what I want to focus on, what I need to focus on for me.

So if you're feeling down, or think you're not getting anywhere with your career, take a step back and ask yourself this simple question... What makes me happy? When you know the answer go and do that. Nothing else matters. Everything else is a distraction. Events and states of mind are tempory. Disappointment is tempory! Rejection is tempory! Feeling adrift is tempory! Pain is tempory... even if it's been with you for five months! Find your happy.

Those two words I always signing off with have never been so poignant.

Happy writing!

WRITERS' BLOCK

Writers' block doesn't exist. It's a myth. It's an imaginary hurdle some writers use as an excuse when they've been lazy and haven't done enough preparation before diving into their writing. Here are a few ways to avoid tying yourself up in knots and to keep the words flowing.

1 - First things first, it's important to remember ideas don't fly out of nowhere fully formed. A spark of conversation, an article in the local paper, or even something you've seen on TV might ignite an idea for a story. You might even be lucky enough to have the basic framework of your story idea suddenly present itself to you. However your idea reveals itself, you will still have to put a lot of work and effort into it to get it on the page. As the saying goes, nothing comes for free.

2 - Preparation is key. The more you do the better. I know writers who refuse to write treatments or outlines, who are quite happy to throw themselves headfirst into the chaos of a screenplay without as much as a paragraph of preparation. And then they wonder why they come to a stumbling halt part way in. Mental! I couldn't work like that, but if it works for them then fine. From my experience the more work you do beforehand the easier it is to write your first draft. There won't be those unexpected pauses where you suddenly discover your character doesn't work, or there's a gaping hole in your plot. Or if there are, there will be far fewer of them and they will be easier to deal with.

3 - Even with the best preparation in the world you will occasionally stall when you encounter a problem with your screenplay. If you do come up against an unexpected pause the best way to deal with it is to go off and work on something else. Give your brain time to think about the problem and find the solution without pressuring it. The worst thing you can do is sit there staring at that blinking cursor for hours without the slightest clue on how to proceed, tying yourself up in knots because the answer won't present itself instantly. You could always skip to another section of your screenplay, one you know you don't have a problem with and write that. Eventually, the solution to your problem will present itself and you'll be able to go back and work on it with confidence. I prefer to go for a walk and usually find the problem has resolved itself by the time I get home. Fresh air works wonders for firing the imagination.

4 - Write bollocks! Yup, I did just say that. If you're struggling just write anything, even if it is crap. Having something on the page is better than nothing. Writing utter rubbish is better than staring at that dreaded cursor or procrastinating on Facebook. You're a writer, so write. Crap can be fixed. Rubbish can be refined. Bollocks can be whipped into shape. A blank page will always be a blank page.

5 - Work on more than one project at a time and ensure each one is at a different stage of development. That way you can keep things fresh, switching between the projects when you need space to think on something. I usually have one project at outline stage, another at first draft and a final one that I'm polishing ready to send out.

Happy writing!

DON'T BE A DICK

It's only the second week of 2018 and already I've had reason to be frustrated/angry/utterly fucked off with other writers' attitudes.

I requested to join a screenwriter's Facebook page called SCREENWRITERS WHO CAN ACTUALLY WRITE last week. The arrogant title alone should have set the alarm bells ringing, but like the optimistic and sometimes nieve believer in humanity that I am I went ahead anyway. My request was approved two hours later and I logged in to have a look at the topics they were discussing. One caught my eye straight away.

The Admin had decided to take a screenshot of a member's post giving advice on copyrighting work in the UK and used it to slag her off, laughing at the advice, using the label 'Screenwriting Guru' as an insult and arrogantly announcing to everyone this member knew absolutely nothing about copyright law. He reinforced this by stating he was a lawyer and personally knew of fifteen examples of work being stolen from members of his Facebook page, yet in an article he wrote for ScreenCraft it was clear he couldn't even tell the difference between a WAVER and an NDA. I couldn't believe what I was reading.

As I continued to read the comments the insults increased, not only from the Admin who boasted of his fifty-six competition wins in an attempt to prove his experience, but from many others in the group too. Disbelief turned to anger and anger rapidly evolved into disgust. Not only were they dismissing what was very sound advice, they were happy to go even further and shamelessly assassinate the character of the lady in question, aggressively challenge her experience and achievements, proudly and smugly declaring she had none and should be ignored. They seemed perfectly happy to ignore her two feature credits as a producer, her years as a reader and script editor, her three published writing guidebooks and two internationally successful novels.

What she had to say was in direct contradiction to their limited knowledge of the industry, so instead of debating with her and questioning her on why she believed her advice to be true, they delighted in dismissing her as an inexperienced wannabe, an idiot, ignoring what she had to say and her experience. I was a member of that Facebook page for less than five minutes... I think that might be a record.

It seems I post blogs about this subject at least twice a year and it dismays me that people still can't grasp the basic fact that being nice, polite, encouraging and helpful are the basics of not only a long and successful career but also the basic requirements of humanity. Just because you think you know more than others, even if you actually do, it doesn't make you better than them and excuse you for treating others with contempt.

My message is simple... don't be a fucking dick! Be better! Make the difference!

Happy writing!

2017 REVIEW AND 2018 GOALS

2017 has been a mixed bag of success and disappointment... just your typical writers' year then.

On the upside, I've created and written several new projects, my writing has done really well in competitions and I've had the opportunity to pitch ideas to some exciting companies and writers I'm looking forward to working with in 2018. On the downside, this was the first year since becoming a full-time writer that the work I lined up didn't come to fruition. Every year since 2010 when I became a full-time writer I've landed work, even if it was only a small project. As a working writer, it's always tough when you have a barren spell. It happens to us all and it can easily erode your confidence. Not me though, it just makes me more determined that 2018 is going to be my most successful year to date.

Don't get me wrong, 2017 hasn't been a total loss, in fact, it's been a great year overall. I've made progress. I have some fantastic possibilities lined up. I've worked extremely hard to get myself in a position where 2018 is shaping up to be quite awesome, with multiple projects ready to go. I now need to ensure I keep that momentum going. So what are my goals for 2018?

It's important to set yourself goals for the forthcoming year. Some writers even advocate adopting a five-year plan. However, I think a one-year plan is sufficient as things can change quite quickly in twelve months. More importantly, those goals should be achievable.

For 2017 I set myself the goal of writing a new screenplay and rewriting an old one every month for twelve months and a lot more besides. It was far too much. I should have set myself a more realistic target. My goals for 2018 are as follows...

1. Earn a TV drama episode commission.
2. Finish at least four new projects - two feature and two TV drama.
3. Have a feature optioned.
4. Have a TV series idea optioned.
5. Win a screenwriting competition.
6. Finish my novel.
7. Watch more TV drama including keeping up with my favourite continuing dramas.
8. Watch as much of the programmes recorded on my Sky + box as possible and get it down and keep it below 25%.
9. To make more of my YouTube channel and social media in general.
10. To read more.

Just ten goals and after all the hard work I've put in this year they are all achievable.

What were your 2017 successes and what are your 2018 goals? Let's share them.

Happy writing!

COMPETITION

You are not the only writer out there. Yours is not the only fantastic screenplay doing the rounds. There are hundreds of thousands of wannabes and professional writers competing with you for every writing job you apply for and every competition you enter. It's a bit daunting, isn't it? But it doesn't have to be.

It's surprising then there's a great camaraderie amongst writers. It's a wonderful community with as much support as any given writer wants or needs. The reason is because every single writer knows how tough it is getting started and maintaining a career. Every writer will at some point experience the ups and downs of what it is to be a struggling or working writer. Every writer knows what you are going through because they have too. The key is determination and resilience.

First of all your writing has to be top notch. It won't do you any favours going off half-cocked and sending out work that isn't ready, or that hasn't been proofread. That, as a writer, should always be your first priority. It's always worth getting a professional reader or two to check your work and recommend changes.

When your work is the best it can be, it's time to send it out. Reseach the people you are sending it to. If they don't make the genre of screenplay you've written it's a certainty they won't be interested. If they don't accept unsolicited work, move on. Don't waste your time or their's. As for competitions, make the most of them. Enter as many as you can, not just the big ones, but the smaller ones too. Competitions can be a fantastic measure of how good your work actually is. The better you do, especially the more consistently you do this, the better the writer you are.

Network like crazy. Go to every event you can fit into your diary, even the ones you can't afford. You can always crowdfund your ticket or borrow money from your partner or parents. Put yourself out there and make a great name for yourself as someone who is polite, enthusiastic, hardworking and reliable. The more people you meet and connect with the greater your circle of influence. Be brave. It can be great fun if you let yourself enjoy it.

If you see an opportunity advertised, or a friend highlights one online, have a screenplay ready to enter. If you're thinking, "I won't bother with this one because I don't really stand a chance," think again. The more initiatives, jobs and competitions you enter or apply for the more your chances increase. If you limit your opportunities to just one or two a year, then don't be surprised if you don't get anywhere. You have to be in it to win it after all, so be willing to take the risk.

Last of all, don't let the competition get you down. Concentrate on what you're doing and forget about everyone else. Don't compare your career to other writers, you'll only end up being disappointed. If you get turned down for a job don't stress it, just look for more opportunities, at whatever level, and go for them.

Even when you're an established writer you'll be turned down for work, your awesome new idea will be rejected, probably multiple times and you will be fired from the odd job now and again for creative differences. It's the same at all levels of writing. And it'll never change.

As long as you learn not to let it bother you, you'll be okay. Work hard, hunt down those opportunities and make the most of them and apply for everything even if you think you won't succeed. Successful writers are successful because they put themselves and their work out there on a constant basis. They never take their foot off the accelerator. They get on with it and don't let other people's success or doubts get to them. They write and send stuff out, write and send stuff out, day after day after day after day after day after day. Be that writer.

Happy writing!

COLLABORATION & COOPERATION

Collaboration and cooperation are a massive part of being a successful working writer. Not only do they highlight to producers and directors that you're willing to work with others, they also help to promote your work.

Over the years I've heard of several instances where writers have ruined opportunities for themselves by either not being prepared to collaborate or not cooperating. Here are a few of those examples.

1. A writer had his feature optioned and was asked to rewrite it and change a few bits. He went away and wrote a completely new screenplay loosely based on his original. He changed most of the story and the majority of the characters, so much so that the screenplay was hardly recognisable compared to the original. Because of this, he sunk the project and the producer lost money.
2. Two writers wrote a sitcom together and a major broadcaster commissioned them to write the entire series. One of the writers got cold feet and walked away killing the project for both of them as he wouldn't sign over the rights to the other writer.
3. A new writing duo had their screenplay optioned and the finance was raised. As they were about to sign the contract they decided to renegotiate so they could also direct the film. The producer tried to tell them if they insisted on this the financiers would pull out, but they wouldn't listen and this is exactly what happened. The project crashed, was never resurrected and the writers were never heard of again.
4. A new writer went to an experienced writer with a great project and asked him if he would be interested in a collaboration if he would show it to his contacts when it was done. The experienced writer agreed as he loved the project. Six months later the new writer took back ownership of his idea as he thought things weren't progressing quickly enough, just as the experienced writer had managed to get significant interest in the project from one of his producer contacts. The project and the new writer went nowhere and the experienced writer was so embarrassed in front of his contact that he vowed never to work with amateurs again.

All of these examples are true stories and illustrate how easy it is to not only get a bad name for being unreliable in the busineess but how quickly you can end your career before it's even begun. How could the above have avoided this?

1. The writer should have listened closer to what the producer wanted and rewritten his screenplay accordingly, rather than going off and writing what he wanted to.
2. The writer who had cold feet should have worked on the first series to completion before walking away and then let the other writer carry on alone with the second, either that or sign over the rights so the writer could continue without him.
3. The writing duo shouldn't have got greedy or precious about their work and instead should have trusted in the process to ensure their debut film was made, which would have put them in a much stronger position if they wanted to direct in the future.
4. The new writer should have had more patience as it takes time for a project to be picked up, greenlit and broadcast. If he had trusted the more experienced writer the series might now have been commissioned and broadcast.

So how can you help yourself? There are two great examples that have happened to me recently and they are...

1. I sat down with two producers to discuss a long-gestating project. Times have moved on and one of the producers felt the idea and the screenplay should also. We discussed it, debated and suggested new ways we could look at the story. In the end, we have a new, fresher vision we all agree is way better than the original. We will now work together to make that new version a reality.
2. I was contacted by a friend I was at university with who now teaches. She asked if I had any short screenplays her students could film as part of her course. I had eight which had been lying around gathering dust for years. The students picked the ones they liked and asked if they could make changes. Some changes were minor, some for practical reasons and others a little more drastic. I could have been precious about my work and insist they film them as I wrote them, but I was intrigued to see what they could come up with and gave them permission to change whatever they wanted. I even made a few suggestions for changes myself. I can't wait to see what they deliver.

Collaborating and cooperating shows everyone how well you can work with others, that you're reliable and that you understand how the media business works. If you have a reputation for being easy to work with you're more likely to be approached with work. That doesn't mean you have to bend over backwards and do everything you've been asked no matter how ridiculous. You can always decide not to change something you've been asked to, as long as you've talked it over with them and explained your reasons why in a polite and respectful manner. It's a collaborative business after all.

Happy writing!

COPYRIGHT

"If somebody writes a screenplay, shouldn't they own a copyright before making it public?" - posted in response to one of my posts on the SCREENWRITING Facebook page by Leon Stansfield.

Those of us who have been around for a while will have seen this query, and other's very similar, pop up on a regular basis on screenwriting pages. Why are new writers obsessed with protecting their work and is there really a need to do so? Here are some answers for you, Leon.

CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR IDEA?

In short, no, you can't protect an idea. If someone likes your basic idea or outline and wants to go and write their version of it, they can. Do you remember in 1991 there were two versions of Robin Hood made and released - Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner and Robin Hood starring Patrick Bergin? There was no copyright issue there even though it was the same idea because they were two very different versions. However, if someone lifted chunks of your story and your characters straight out of your screenplay and put them into theirs, then that can be considered theft.

IS YOUR WORK GOOD ENOUGH?

While many new writers concern themselves far too much with copyright and protecting their work, they fail to realise that in reality their writing or their idea probably aren't good enough (yet). It takes time to become a good writer, to find your own writing style and to perfect it and to recognise cliched ideas and why most screenplays fail. There are always a few exceptions to the rule, but in my experience most of the screenplays new writers are desperate to protect aren't really of a standard worth stealing. That sounds harsh, I know, but never the less it's true. Those more established and practised writers worry about copyright theft a lot less, or in most cases not at all.

MAKING YOUR WORK PUBLIC.

Why would you want to post your whole screenplay on a Facebook page? Send it to friends, peers you trust and professional readers to get feedback. Send it to producers, production companies and competitions when your work is ready. But there's really no need to post your screenplay on a public website in full view of any Tom, Dick and Harry.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR WORK (if you really have to).

1. Once you've written your screenplay, that version belongs to you, it is your intellectual copyright. There really isn't any need to protect it further.
2. The Writers Guild of America West will, for a fee, register your screenplay for copyright purposes.
3. For every draft you write save it in a sperate folder on your hard drive and backup, making sure you put the date in the file name. Each time you start a new draft make a copy and then rename it. Then at least if the worse does happen you'll have a chronological record of what you've written and when.
4. Print out your finished screenplay, put it in a sealed envelop and post it to yourself. When it arrives keep it safe unopened. Alternatively, give it to your lawyer to keep in his safe.

WHY NO ONE IS GOING TO STEAL YOUR WORK

Why would they? If they want to take your screenplay and have it written by someone else, they'll just buy it off you and go and do that. If they steal your screenplay and get found out it will be the end of their career and it's not worth the risk. Why risk their reputation?

However, there are a rare few people out there that will risk doing this. In my experience, I've only ever had it happen twice to me and both times it was a student who tried to claim my screenplay as theirs to get a better mark on their uni project. I simply went to see their tutors and made sure I got the credit I had earned. End of! I can assure you that I've never come across a single working professional who has stolen any of my work or anyone's that I know.

THE BBC/ITV/SKY/NETFLICKS STOLE MY IDEA.

No, they didn't. I can guarantee you that somewhere right now, someone is writing a screenplay that is pretty much identical to your idea. The more cliched the idea, the more likely this is happening. I can't remember how many times I've been working on an idea only to have to drop it after finding out a broadcaster is working on something similar.

Last year I had a cracking school playground comedy idea and pitched it to a TV production company, only for them to tell me about a BBC comedy in production called MOTHERLAND. It's disappointing, but it happens. It doesn't mean someone has stolen your idea, it just means someone had the same idea and got there first. Tough luck! Move on!

So my advice is to stop worrying about trying to copyright and protect your work and spend that energy learning your craft and finely tuning your screenplays instead.

Happy writing!