Written for the Big Screen
- Tips for new authors and screenwriters:
- So, why am I telling you this?
- Conclusion:
- From Roswell to Area 51
- FREE BOOKS!
Tips for new authors and screenwriters:
When I started, I was new to writing and learned a lot in the last four years.
Novel vs Screenplay:
I originally thought that my story would make a good TV series, so I researched who I could send it to. At the time, I everyone I thought might be interested said, “We don’t accept unsolicited scripts.” I think I saw somewhere that the best way to get their attention was to write a best-selling novel, so I switched from writing a screenplay to a novel.
Target Audience:
People would ask me, “Who’s your target audience?” I would answer, “Everyone!” Well, guess what? While movies have four-quad (male, female, young, old), TV series and novels don’t, you have to pick an audience and stick to it. So, I have one middle grade, two teen/young adult, two new adult, and a military novella.
Point of View (POV):
When I started writing, I had no idea about POV and apparently was writing in omniscient POV where I was head hopping (telling the thoughts of everyone) and this apparently confuses the reader. I had to pick one reader and only give their thoughts. Later I learned that you can switch characters’ POV for different chapters, which I did when I combined all my novellas into a novel.
Note that when you write a screenplay, you have no point of view, because you can’t show thoughts on a screen. Also, voiceovers are considered cheating, but some manage to do it occasionally.
My first major rewrite:
I’ve done many rewrites. I probably did 100 rewrites of the first chapter, trying to hook the reader as soon as I can. However, none were as big as when I got feedback from my first screenwriting contest. I had used voiceovers to speak my Main Character’s (MC’s) thoughts a lot. That was part of my purpose, to expose the MC’s thoughts. But, if I couldn’t do that, what could I do?
Enter the sidekick. I always wanted another character, but I just couldn’t find a purpose for him. Now that I needed a character for my MC to explain his thoughts to, I had my purpose. Furthermore, it added some drama. Now the sidekick could get caught and my MC would have to rescue him.
Details:
When writing a novel, you get to include things like thoughts and scene descriptions, however, if you are writing a screenplay, you don’t. When you write a screenplay, there are a multitude of people who design sets and costumes. Directors and actors interpret your story and tell it in their way.
So, why am I telling you this?
The obvious answer is that if you want to be an author or screenwriter, you don’t have to make the same mistakes I made.
The less obvious answer is that it explains why my books are so short and yet contain so much. I’m a screenwriter at heart, but I found it useful to write a novel first, for many reasons.
Formatting:
One great thing about writing a novel is you don’t have to worry about formatting. There is a very strict format for writing a screenplay and you are expected to follow it.
Feedback:
Once you put your screenplay into the proper format, you’re limiting who can read it and they charge a lot more.
In novel format, you have tons of people who can read it and give you feedback. Your friends and family are not the best option, as they usually say that it’s great and can’t tell you why. Finding Beta Readers online is simple. Some are free, and some charge a lot, but you start with the free and work your way up.
That’s not to say that the free ones can’t be good. One of my favorites was free until I think she got burned out and quit. Also, just because you pay someone $500 doesn’t mean that they are going to give you something useful either. It’s a good idea to try out new people with a single chapter, to see if they are a good fit, before you give them the full story.
On average, I pay $25 for a novella, and $100 for a full novel and get good feedback, where if I ask for “coverage” on a screenplay it’s typically $100 to $2,000 and you usually get more feedback on how your formatting is wrong, then whether or not your story is good.
Conclusion:
My stories may be short, but contain a lot, and I hope that you enjoy them.
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From Roswell to Area 51
When the pacifist planet Zalma is attacked by violent invaders, researcher and humanoid observer Geogram proposes a solution. Ask the Earthlings for help.
Geogram makes first contact in 1947 with teens Malcolm Dow and Adam Rabinowitz. They agree to help the life-form, while avoiding the anti-alien majority.
With junior reporter Charlotte Baker hot on their heels, hunting for the scoop of a lifetime, time is of the essence before panic sweeps the nation and the globe.
They recruit Mary Goss, a teen scientist, to help with the alien tech into their desperate mission. Failure means not only the destruction of Zalma, but also placing a target on Earth.
If you love Star Trek, Star Wars and Stargate, you will love this uplifting science fantasy / military fiction filled with nanotech, diverse characters, strategy, deduction, mentors, and reluctant heroes. They use their hunches, intuition, and differences to battle the enemy in this woundless war.
FREE BOOKS!
