Thursday, June 28, 2007

SCRIPTFRENZY WIN!!

Well, it's official. At about 9:30 pm last night, I finished my first screenplay. Space Bugs is still the working title and I am very satisfied with how it turned out. My final word count is at 20,099 words, so just eked in. I know I created some gaps though which I will add to the script to fix. I'm going to fix the major stuff today and tomorrow and then put it up for a while. After my head clears I'll come back and edit it. I have a tentative gameplan of submitting it in September. This is dictated by wanting to let it sit on a shelf in July and then do an edit in early August. After that edit I'll let it sit for a few weeks and then do another edit in late August or early September. After that have some test readers and let it fly.

On a side note, Script Frenzy appears to have overstepped themselves. I'm not positive, but it appears that the Young Writer's program got more money than could be afforded. They are basically begging at this point and I find myself torn. On one side I don't have a problem with the donation, but on the other side it seems like I'm bailing them out. I participated in Script Frenzy specifically because it was free and I am just getting my career going. Yet now, what appears to be fiscal irresponsibility is causing them to pressure me and others to make donations. Not how I like to do business personally. I have no decisions yet, but thought I would mention that this appears to be an example of making sure you understand your limitations. If you want to make a donation, click HERE.

In other news, I am really eager to do some more work on my Agent P character. This was a fluke from Writing.com which I enjoyed thoroughly and for which I recieved a lot of positive praise. I talked about trying to push him to publication before, but never went after it. Of course, that was when my confidence level was lower. I am thinking that I will do 14 stories targetted at the 6-9 yr old age range. I'm going to sketch out what that would take and see if I can turn out a story or two.

I also turned out a 2300 word piece yesterday for an absolute write contest. I posted for feedback, but I intend to edit it today and then shelve it for two weeks. Hopefully it can go out by the end of July. I think it was a good piece, although I have no feedback yet.

On the brat front, I am pulling together ideas for a children's or young adults series where the main characters will be military brats in a fantasy setting. My thought is that their problems will be similar, but different. Whereas many others might have the brat side as a background element, my characters will have it as a focal point driving them through the story(ies). I am targetting completion of the story outlines for the end of next week.

I also recieved copies of Third Culture Kids, by David Pollock, and my copy of the book spotlighted in the information bar, Mary Weichert's Military Brats. Here's a link to David's book on Amazon:

Wow! Will wonders never cease. I was getting the link for David's book and stumbled on this one.

Someone else is helping TCKs, even if not specifically BRATs. Please note, I have never heard of this book before today, so check it out at your own risk.

Feel free to leave a comment if you have suggestions on any of these ideas.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Writing Resources

I wanted to list out a number of resources that I have found useful to date. This list is likely to change, but my intention is to keep it up in some form from now on.

My first question was how to format this list. I could just do a data dump and let people sort through it, but that is not very helpful and can actually be annoying for myself and you. Instead, I can group them according to some key dimensions. The challenge on the second one is ensuring that I get the correct keywords and descriptions.

After due consideration, I'm going with the second option and we'll adjust as necessary in the future.

Meeting other writers:
Absolute Write - Just was told about this one, but I like it already. Still looking around, so I can't give too much detail about it's inner working and all.
Writing.com - Been on here for about a year now. I really like the number of writing contests and the help given to newbies, but the emphasis on posting to the site concerns me. Personally, I want to see my work in print. Posting to Writing.com CAN create potential issues with first publication rights. Whether the issue would win or lose in court is a matter of fierce debate, but my bottom line is that I would rather avoid the possibility.
Script Frenzy - Great resource while it is happening. Outside these times, this well dries up. You might cling to a few friends in the intervening months, but that's the only yearlong help this can offer.
NaNoWriMo - Another great resource while it is happening. The community is growing so more interaction outside of November may begin to happen, but I haven't noticed it yet. Similar to Script Frenzy, there is the possibility of holding on to friends after the crazy month ends.

In my local area there is also the Atlanta Writer's Club. They have activities going on all around the Atlanta area, so check the specifics for your locale. I've never been and only just heard about them, so I don't have any additional insight about them at this point.

I had intended to make this more inclusive, but my day is getting away from me. I will post more tomorrow.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Who are these people, anyway?

Been a hectic few days for me.

First, my best news is getting confirmation that I have a seat in the Dragon*Con Basic Writer's Workshop. I'm still kicking around being part of the Advanced Workshop, but I'm leaning toward a 'no' at this point. My main reason is wanting to be sure that I digest the information from the basic workshop, but I'm also nervous about whether I will click with Ann Crispin. It's nothing personal, but I know sometimes people don't mesh well. Pair up those two with a desire to spend some time enjoying the rest of Dragon*Con and I reach my decision. Now we'll see if that changes with time.

Second, I attended the second meeting (my first) of the Master Mind Group in Cumming. I met Shawn, Cheryl, and Ben there. We were quite an ecclectic collection of aspiring published authors. Or I should say, everyone except Cheryl. She gets the cookie for the most success to date with one sale already published in a Chicken Soup book, and a pending podcast (which in my true form I already forgot who it was sold to.) Cheryl has a blog up that you can check out as well.

Shawn has a webpage and blog that you can check out as well. She has written for quite a while, but, like me, is still searching for the editor who will be blinded by her brilliance. She also is the Municipal Liaison for Scriptfrenzy and NaNoWriMo. Very passionate woman with big dreams for providing support to authors, locally and globally.

Ben wins the rookie award for the meeting. Great guy, he is just getting his feet under him in his writing. He was very refreshing in his candor and openness to suggestions. I hope to see him there again.

I took my camera with intentions of snapping some photos to post, but maybe next time. The small size of the group made the thought of snapping photos seem invasive to me. I'll take the camera next time and we'll see.

On the writing front, my screenplay is up to 14,000 words and climbing. I have five days to hit 20K, but then I have some polishing to do. This is definitely a rough draft. But overall it has been fun.

I also have done some more work on my short story, Jameson Special Op. I got a great piece of advice last night which brought a revelation I was begining to suspect. I have the story starting too soon. I need to change the starting point and that will help with word count, as well as helping with holding reader interest. I hope to get a chance to work on that later today.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

State of Literary BRATdom in Fiction

I have changed the format considerably, but still want to keep everyone updated on my progress.

Checks in the mail for the Writing Workshop in August. I don't have any idea when I will know something on that one. I'm guessing two to four weeks.

My Screenplay is coming along nicely. We are two thirds through the month and I have about 10,000 words written so far. Although this might seem like I'm behind the curve, I have been adding about 2000 words every two days, so I am doing fine so far. The drop was mostly due to some issues last week. Don't worry, it will be finished on time.

I have also started a new story. It is tentatively called Jameson Special Op for now. I'll tweek the title later. The story is a science fiction piece which deals with a military dependant and his relationship with his father (a Colonel in the Army.) This is the true story, but in the mix the hero must deal with aliens and a situation which he finds himself uniquely qualified for.

This leads me into the relationship between these two topics. There is method to my madness, at least on this occasion. I think there is a remarkable lack of material available for the public about military dependants and our unique struggles and viewpoints. Since I am just getting started in my writing career, I am in a privileged position of being able to tailor my work around these dynamics. So that is what I'm going to become more focused on.

I will not claim that every story or book I write will deal with military dependants, but I will make a concerted effort to include our stories within my stories. There is a risk that this may not be popular, but since when did a BRAT care about not being accepted? I can deal with anything for three years.

If you are interested in some of the things that have been written to date, check out these links:



If you're like me, you look at this list and think that it is kind of sad that so many men, women, and children are underrepresented within our fictional literary world. Oh there are slight mentions where brats play a minor role here or there in other works, but the list of main characters and themes is criminally short. It should be noted that there is an increasing number of non-fiction books which are directed at military families and specifically parents in the military, not to mention autobiographies. But when you cross the line to read a work of fiction, the picking become noticeably slimmer. I can't make others fix it, so I guess I will join the few innovators who are trying to make a difference.

Who are those others? I'm working on a list of the resources which I think warrant mentioning. Hopefully I will have that finished in the next week or so.

Until then, bear with me, and keep reading.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Master Mind Group Starting in Cumming

One element of writing is the need to have works poured over, critiqued, and then returned with appropriate doses of encouragement and guidance. There are many resources for this, including Writing.com, Critters, and NaNoWriMo. But I have also been searching for writing groups which would meet locally. I am a believer that we need to interact with each other and additionally need to have face-to-face time with other authors.

Why do I think the face time is important?

I think it is invaluable to watch people's expressions and reactions. Did they laugh at the parts I thought they would? Did they reread a section several time to understand it? Did their forehead crinkle up in frustration? Were they looking up from my story because they had a hard time following it?

All of these questions and more can be answered by watching others while they read. Add to this the fact that I can get a lot of milage out of seeing people's faces while they critique my work. It makes a big difference in how I understand their comments.

Therefore I am excited about a 'Master Mind Group' forming in the Cumming area. For a complete list of the dates and times, look HERE.
Mapquest directions follow:
Map of Atlanta Bread Co:770-888-9921 908 Buford Rd Cumming, GA 30041, US

So what are the other resources I listed up there?

Writing.com is a web site where people can post pretty much any writing they want to. There is everything from self-help and personal rants to science fiction and fantasy. The groups span the ages from pre-teen and teen to retirees with a corresponding range of abilities and interests. I personally like some of the 'contests' which they run. Three to check out are:
The Writer's Cramp: A contest run daily to help get people out of writer's cramp.
I like this one because it makes you write concisely on a set subject. Good exercise.
A Picture is Worth 1000 Words: Weekly contest where you look at a picture and
then write a short story to explain the image. Another good exercise.
Dialogue 500: Weekly contest where you are given a prompt and must tell a story
just by using dialogue. I love the exercise, although it is extremely challenging to
me personally. I want to give too many descriptions.
The major drawback to writing.com is that getting critiques becomes harder after you have been on there for a while. I might get one critique a week now. So I mostly use this to keep the creative juices flowing and to keep from getting lazy or dull.

Critters: Critters is a group of science fiction, fantasy, and horror writers who review each other's works and offer advice for improvement. You are required to perform at least one review a month AND keep your review ratio over 75% (ratio is critiques/weeks in group.) This is a great group of people who have helped me a lot. Be aware though, this group is for SERIOUS aspiring authors. Feedback is tactful, but blunt. If your story stinks, you will know it. If you can't handle that honesty, look somewhere else. I must admit that I was a little wounded by some of the comments my first couple of times. A good idea to help yourself would be to put the story aside for a little while and then send it in. Stories that you just wrote are usually tougher to accept criticism on.

NaNoWriMo: NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. I have not done this one yet, although I am participating in the Scriptfrenzy this month. It makes this list because I have heard a lot of good things about the organization and the people it attracts. The people tend to be very supportive and helpful. The challenge is a lofty one, write a 50,000 word Novel in 30 days (November.) The emphasis is on meeting this goal and I'm told the people are wonderful about supporting that endeavor. Unfortunately, they only try this feat once a year, so outside of that time frame you are on your own.

One note here is that many of the participants have little or no aspiration to be professionals, so if that is your goal be aware of the differences. Most of the encouragement from this group looks at getting the word count, not necessarily getting a QUALITY manuscript. I also feel that you should know that most editors that I have read about are looking for novels in the 80,000 to 120,000 word range.

The guy who started NaNoWriMo has brought out a book and a novel writing kit as well, you can check them out below.



Until next time, keep writing.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Ideas for the Future

Had some thoughts this morning which I would welcome your opinions on.

I have seen few resources for Military Brats in my life. I have seen even fewer which attempt to help others relate to us. I am contemplating a book or a few books which would attempt to breach that gap. Maybe launch into some more indepth study as well. My mind is full of this idea, so I will work on that and get back to everyone later. Let me know what you think of the idea. And if you want to post some requests for things to include, let me know those as well.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

The URGE

All of us face promptings which strike us like lightning and which move us in directions which we seldom understand, but military dependents can predict one of their's frequently.

What I'm talking about are the three year desires for massive changes. Personally this normally meant an intense desire to move, even if it was only to the next apartment. My wife just about killed me this year when the desire to move hit again after being in our house for three years. But it didn't take either of us long to figure out what was going on. Three years were up. It was time for another PCS.

The U.S. military, in their infinite wisdom, has deemed that military personnel should spend three years at a time at their duty stations, with the exception of hardship assignments (combat, posts which don't support full families, etc.) This is a recruiting point because people are told that they get to travel the world, see new places, and so on. What is not talked about is the lasting effect on the personnel's family.

As an Air Force Brat, I quickly learned this pattern. It became the most normal thing in the world to me. By the time we moved to Ray City, Georgia, I failed to fathom that some people did not moving every three years. It had become a ritual. It was a form of security for me.

Security, you wonder. I didn't mispeak myself. I meant it. You see, in my experience, human nature is to make life bearable, even in hardship. Where most people see the lost friendships and constant living out of boxes, military dependants quickly learn that moving means that their bad emotions, childhood nemesis, and other baggage will be gone soon.

Sure, constant moves meant that I could not afford to get too close to my friends as I grew up. Inevitably either their parent or mine would reach the end of their assignment and get transferred. Since individual assignments are rarely timed together, that usually meant that my 'best friend' would already have been there for a year or so and would leave in the next two years. That would leave me for a while without that friend and very possibly that friend was lost forever as their parent was assigned to California and my dad would go to Georgia or some other distant duty station. (Distant for a kid at least, remember they can't jump in the car and do a road trip yet.)

But this also means that the jerk at the pool who likes to pull my swim trunks down can only do that for, at worst, three years. If I don't like my room, chances are I will have a better one in three years. If the school I'm going to is the pits, I only... Oh, made my point already. Got it.

So fast forward, I'm now in college or my dad has retired. I don't move every three years now. But I find myself antsy at the three year point. I get angry at a broken towel rack or a section of the roof which is leaking. My friends are not as interesting to me. I have an urge to start hanging out with totally new people, almost or totally forsaking the friends I had. Maybe I decide to sell my car and go buy a new one. If I live in an apartment, I am ready to break the lease, move out, hit the road even. Job wise, the same old is now 'very old'. I'm tired of it. I want something more. Something different.

Can you point to the what prompts each of these 'random' desires?

The broken towel rack and roof are examples of problems which I feel I should not be dealing with now. I should be in a new house/apartment where I could have 'new' ones. If I had been moving I would have gotten it fixed by now so that I was ready when the time to move came.

The friends are a result of my never learning depth in our relationships. This is a direct consequence to my only allow people to get to know me on the surface. The reverse is that I only know them on the surface as well. This is kind of like making a fire with kindling. It burns hot and fast, but it will suddenly become almost extinguished.

The urge for new friendships is a response to the loss of the last group of friends. I recognize the need to have friends and so I look for more. Unfortunately I unknowingly set the friendship up for the same obsolescence as the last ones.

The car is a standard need for most military personnel when moving, especially overseas. The cost to ship the vehicle is prohibitive, so many people will sell all or all but one of their vehicles and buy new once they arrive at their new base. If this was standard practice for our parents, we begin to expect a new vehicle every three years. Mom and Dad did it, so why not me?

The apartment change is another form of the house change. Interestingly, this also relates to clutter for most of us military dependents. One of the aggravating factors for us is the accumulation of items in our living space. When we moved, especially overseas, we learned to throw away the things we didn't need or want to save space. We begin feeling cramped by the accumulation now and have no end in sight. So part of our reason for feeling better after a move is knowing that we have cleared up our clutter. Another interesting side effect is either an affinity for unpacking everything as quickly as possible or living out of boxes after a move.

Job switching is a direct correlation to what we saw in our parents. Every three years they had to get to know new co-workers and job assignments. For most of us this became glamorous and we grew to expect it. Therefor a job where the same tasks are completed repeatedly is not very interesting to us.

The bottom line is that military BRATS learn to live by this cycle. Some embrace it, taking jobs where they frequently travel or get transferred. Others try to fight it off by doing small moves around their locality. More rare, from my experience, are the people who attempt to adjust their lives to allow the stability of staying in one place. And the reason it is rare is simply that it goes against so much of what we were taught about how life is supposed to work.



Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Writing Workshop Coming to ATL

For those who wondered, the blog will continue to address my writing and provide resources for those aspiring authors like myself. I am just going to add information for those military brat's like myself on transitioning to/coping with the civilian world.

The major news today is my discovery that we have our very own writing workshop coming to Atlanta this fall. Dragoncon has put together a workshop with A.C. Crispin that will run the day before and the first day of Dragoncon this year. Click on the link above for specifics, but bottom line is that it will cost $140, run for two full days, and includes the option of having a short piece of writing critiqued by Ann Crispin. If you are curious about the syllabus, click here. If you have questions for Ms. Crispin, they also offer her email address which I will refrain from posting here since you can get it from them and I don't have permission to post it.

I have to see if I can make the workshop happen. Fortunately I think I can afford it, so I just have to hope there is still space. I'll let you know when I know more.

So why should I or you go to a workshop?

I have read a number of replies to this which give both sides of the coin. Here are my reasons.

1) If I'm going to write, I need to learn. This comes in many forms. To date I have read
How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Vol. 22 (article included in the book), and resources from several websites.

2) Writing has a community just like any other profession. I am currently in the lowest rank and file of that community as an 'aspiring author'. But one day I will, hopefully, be in the higher ranks with others who have transitioned. Who might I meet in that room that will make that journey with me? What can those people teach me? Will one of them be the person who rescues me from quitting after a particularly harsh criticism? Can I rescue one of them from the same fate? Bottom line is that this is a great opportunity to get to know others with the same hopes and dreams as I have.

3) Where else will I get a chance to pick the brain of someone who is where I want to be? I would be lying if I said I had read any of Ann's works (yet!) but I can see that she has been successful already. Therefore, it is helpful to get out there and learn what she can share with me.

Even if I only get one thing that helps my writing, how many stories or books do I have to sell to remake the $140 investment? For all of the markets that I look at, only one, unless it is incredibly short.

Now, I will mention that if this workshop was put on by a first time author or unknown author I would not be as eager or as willing to try it. But a legitimate pro and getting to live for a day in the writing world... Gotta go for it.

I'm including a few links to the books which A.C.Crispin has wrote. Feel free to join me in checking out a few of them.










Tuesday, June 12, 2007

BRAT-PACK: Handling 'PEACE'

Military brats face the same choices as every person. Many join the military since it is what they know and are comfortable with. Yet many decide that they want a change of venue. They are not necessarily sure what they are looking for, but they are sure they won't find it in the military.

This is intended for those who are trying to find a way outside the military. Maybe you even tried to serve for a while and just could not stay the course to retirement. Either way, as a DOD kid you have some unique challenges ahead.

The first thing you need to realize is that you are not wrong for how you think and feel, but the rest of the country is likely to think you are. I definitely felt culture shock as I began figuring out what I wanted to do. Several things conspired against me in this, not least of which were personal perceptions clashing with other people's perceptions.

The United States always contained some element of people who were looking for a hand-out from the government. For some people this is blatant in their welfare support or swindling the government and business through worker's compensation fraud and other means. Others are more subtle. The one that offended me the most and still bugs me are the 'peace at any price crowd'.

Those who would sacrifice our liberty for peace seem to be the most annoying and difficult hurdle for military brats because we are polar opposites to them. On some level we love the idea that our parents and friends in uniform would never get shot at or bombed, but we also recognize that without their service it is unlikely that we could be secure. When people get adamant about leaving Iraq or some other location, most brats feel the urge to defend their friends and relatives. This becomes the problem.

As your emotions boil over, you are likely to begin arguing the point with the other person. Others are likely to join in on both sides, but usually brats find themselves defending the military from a personal level rather than an emotional one. These emotions fuel the conflict and can be perceived by others as aggression, instead of the assertive forwardness which most brats have learned.

Where does this come from you ask? I'm no psychologist or scientist, but I can share my opinion.

Most of us grew up knowing that today might be the day that dad or mom gets orders to someplace where bullets could steal them from us. Every phone call might be the one that sent them to their bedroom to pack the big green bag that meant they were leaving. At some point we asked why they are willing to leave.

I'm willing to bet that your dad or mom said something like this:

'Well, its my job for one thing, but its more than that. You see, I help ensure that the United States stays strong. Its kind of like when a bully picks on someone at school. The person being picked on is a victim because the bully thinks he is stronger than the other person. If the other kid worked out or learned to fight, the bully might not pick on him. But even if the bully did pick on him, the kid would have a better chance of defending himself. So my job now is to help keep the bullies from picking on others. Sometimes those bullies pick on the US and sometimes they pick on our friends, but either way I help stop them. I stop those who are picking on the US because I don't want them to pick on you and your friends. I stop those who pick on our friends because I don't want them to think that picking on others is okay and because that's what friends do.'

Oh, the exact phrasing may have been different, or the example, but the thought underneath is still there. Our parents serve to protect people. Sometimes us, sometimes others, but always doing their part for freedom and the world.

Looking at this, it makes sense why we get upset about those who quickly demean the military and their service. But this is where our service as a military brat begins. Making a big scene at moments like these feels like the right thing to do, but in most cases this makes things worse. Discussion can potentially sway the person's opinion, but raising your voice and getting belligerent makes them defensive. When people are defensive, they rarely listen to what is being said. And if they do listen, it is too pick the topic apart, not to evaluate it. This is not a mindset that is helpful for anyone.

From an HR standpoint, this puts both people under scrutiny. I would be looking to see if this is a sign of more trouble to come. Although rare, some others would automatically move toward dismissing one or both people.

No, like it or not, the best decision is to keep your emotions under control. Try to persuade the other person if you wish, but don't give them the satisfaction of seeing you snap. Anger will only become more ammunition for them.

Unfortunately, many people in our country are unwilling to see the importance of being prepared. Rather than frustrating yourself and possibly losing your job, find people who you can associate with and/or help to understand. While this might feel like a retreat, in actuality it is a strategic withdrawal. If you can't win the battle, why waste the resources?

Touching the Past: BRATS UNITE!!

Eventful week, although not as much to do with writing as elsewhere. We travelled to South Georgia to spend time with friends and family. Not much sleep, but a good time of catching up. We visited with some old friends who I had not seen since I went to college.

Additionally, I read some information this week about making this blog better. Several things stood out to me, but the two main ones were these:

1) I need to post more often.

2) I need to do more than just talk about my week. At least, if I want to have something that will help others.

Combine these elements and you get to the point of my post. Our old friends are two retired Air Force Sergeants and their wives (one a retired sergeant herself) as well as the daughter of one of the couples. As we talked, discussion ranged to the differences between my growing up and those who are not military brats. It reinforced to me that children of those in the military need an outlet, a way to be helped with their transition to civilian life.

Let me introduce a starting resource.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Which way now?

Almost 3000 words done for ScriptFrenzy so far. Straightline math says that I need to have 2,667 words done, so I'm on track. I am aiming for having 7,337 words done by Thursday since I will be doing family things all weekend. Shouldn't be a problem after today. I generally have more time on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Emailed with a professional writer that I know and got more encouragement. She has been at this a long time, so her words get extra weight from me. I needed the shot in the arm.

So, I'm going to open up here, for those who want to tune out, check back with me later. For those who like the dirty, emotional stuff, here you go.

I was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago as being in a depression. He asked these questions and my answer to most of them was 'of course', 'yeah', or 'doesn't everyone?' Most of the things he asked have gone on for most of my life. So now I look at my past and wonder if this episode or that episode may have been depression striking.

My big things revolve around a feeling of intense sadness and being disinterested in everything. The other areas play a role as well, but these are two of the bigger things. The disinterested is the part that bothers me the most since it affects my ability to write. I don't like that at all.

For those who will ask, I'm not suicidal. That didn't shock me though. I've always been more of a 'runner'. I used to jump into my car and drive until I had to fill it up and then would come back. But I have a wife and two year old now. I can't afford to abandon them, even for a few hours. I know that much.

My wife and I are working through it. It makes things wierd for both of us as we figure it out. It has been suggested by a friend with a Psychology Degree that I should get counseling and consider medication. I'm not sure yet. Both have risks, in my opinion. On the other side of that coin, both have tremendous opportunities for me if they go well.

Decisions, decisions, decision.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Writer's of the Future Rejection

It is official. Writers of the Future posted their list of finalists to be considered by the final judges and my name is not there. On one side I am disappointed that I did not advance. On the other side of that thought is the realization that this is my first submission to this contest and it draws the most recognition among aspiring writers so I am not exactly the only talent submitting a story. Add to this a number of revelations over the last two months about thing I could have done differently in the story.

Overall: no harm, no foul. The posted list was online, so I have not recieved the copy of my manuscript back yet. I am hoping that a stray note may have been made on it, but I have been warned that this is fairly rare. I can understand the judges guarding their advise while hoping still.

I have almost two thousand words done on my manuscript for Script Frenzy so far. I may write some more of it tonight yet. Other than that, I am leaning toward pushing forward on my novel more than another WotF submission. The novel is running around in my head currently, while the WotF stories are hanging in limbo. I will have to decide on Monday.

Hope you have a good weekend!

Friday, June 1, 2007

SCRIPT FRENZY BEGINS!!!!


Bet you thought I had forgotten this little project.


Not a chance. Just been dealing with life. But today is a 'must post' day.


Today is the beginning of the first SCRIPT FRENZY!! Don' t know what that is? Check out the page at 'scriptfrenzy.org' for more information, but the basics are that almost 7,000 people in the US and abroad have signed on to write a 20,000 word screen or stage script. Will any of them ever be produced? Who knows. Who cares. The goal is to write it. That is always the first step.
Life in general has been hectic this week. I was told at the end of last week something which I am still deciding how to feel about. I suppose I should share, but I can't say I'm ready to yet. I will have to contemplate that one some more.
On the writing front, got two short stories turned out over the last two days. One is more a scene than a story, so I'll have to flesh that one out, but this is more than I've been able to do recently. I'm excited about getting back on track.
Still no word on my first entry to the Writer's of the Future contest. I was told that not getting my manuscript back within the first four weeks was a good sign, so I'm clinging to that. I also check the WotF blog daily. http://wotfblog.galaxypress.com/ is the link if you want to see what I'm reading.
Well, I'm off to start my screenplay. I may paste some excerpts here later, but that will depend on my opinion of its chances for production as well as my making time to put them up. If you do want to read some of my work, please check it out at http://Writing.Com/authors/dspinella
Have a good weekend!