My Process

The thing most people think about writing is that you just sit down and "do it." I'm not sure how it is for other writers, but it ain't that simple for me. I have to be "in the zone." There's just something about being in the right frame of mind. I can't be over-juiced on caffeine or smoking a cigarette. I need a desk, a warm sun with a cool breeze and a soundtrack that carries the emotional weight of the genre I'm aiming for at that time.

"Writing" at work makes me create the most boring things of all time. Pretty much because I'm writing bored. As of today, I'm implementing a new self imposed rule to say "no" to hanging out with friends at every waking free second and start getting my personal work done.

The hardest thing about personal projects is no boundaries. People rebel and complain abotu them - I love them. I need something to shoot for or work within. The oppertunity to write whatever I want creates too many oppertunities to go in different directions. It's like a "Choose your own adventure" book. And if you take the wrong page, then you fall down the well as Jimmy raises the rope and takes the treasure for himself. At the same time, I'm so picky. I like writing for film because it opens up the canvas a bit more than theater. I don't like the limitation of a few set peices. I have nothing but utmost respect for the people that can do that, it's damn impressive. Me? I don't want to even challenge myself with that. Although, it may just help me focus on characters, which are the root of all good stories.

As you can see, I even procrastinate by blogging instead of writing.

Boo.

- Andrew

"That Guy who writes some stuff....."

So I changed my title to something more "witty". Or at least I hope it's funnier and grabs attention. I don't know what I was thinking when I came up with "Confessions of a Screenwriter."

I plead temporary dramatics your honor. I've since sobered up.

Anyways, I've sent out my first set of query letters for "The Indomitable Spirit." Much to my surprise (sarcasm), no one is "accepting new clients at this time." Now, whether or not that's a fancy way to say "screw off little film school boy" or they're actually not accepting new clients right now is something that remains to be seen. Me? I'm leaning towards the former.

Thus why I took the first letter I got back and framed it. Amateur? Certainly. Spiteful? You betcha. Wasteful? Eh.....I don't think so.

Whether I'm a millionaire Hollywood big shot driving around in a Batmobile one day, or if I'm fighting to get into a soup kitchen at 3 a.m. dressed like the squeegee guy by the bus station, this letter is proof that I tried. That's not always enough, I know. But I could never forgive myself for not trying. I'll do the starbucks jobs to pay the bills. But man.....if I wasn't writing I think I'd go out of my mind. I have to find some way to get my hero complex out of me and complain about the habits of society, right?