I know you won’t learn a lot from me in the process, other than to observe my mistakes (and hopefully a few successes along the way). That’s why I’m not going it alone. My updates will be accompanied by an ongoing interview series with produced screenwriter Xandy Sussan.

You might remember Xandy from her past interview here on getting started in screenwriting or the recent announcement about her (and Merrel Davis‘) Double Feature Story Analysis service. She’ll be answering one or two interview questions for each update I post here about my progress with the screenplay — on idea generation, screenwriting research, outlining, drafting, etc.

Let’s get to it!

From Scaredy-cat to Screenwriter?

This isn’t the first time I’ve wanted to pursue a screenplay. I outlined my first novel back in 2004. I shelved it because when I finished those 70+ pages of outline material, I really felt the story would be better suited for a screenplay (after trimming some of the fat). Then when I was doing the other two novel outlines for readers to follow along with, I had more ideas for pursuing that outline as a novel again. So it’s still shelved until I decide what to do with it format-wise.

Fortunately that wasn’t the only screenplay idea that I had, and I really didn’t have to look far for one. Back in 2008 a friend renewed my passion for the horror genre. I loved it in my younger years, and then became the biggest coward about watching and reading horror for some reason (says the girl who was reading Stephen King by 10 — don’t ask me what my mother was thinking, or if she even knew, but I’m still terrified of clowns thanks to both the print and film versions of IT).

So I knew immediately that I wanted to write a screenplay in the horror genre. The idea seemed so obvious. There was this local legend in my college town. My ex-fiance told me about it (he grew up there). I got tired of hearing about the bullshit stories pretty quickly. You know the type — juvenile males daring each other to do stupid things and thinking it’s going to impress a girl. Yeah. Not so much.

Then a few months back I was reading a book with some area legends and lore, and that story was in it — with more detail than the ex’s version. The story suddenly became fascinating, not because I believed the essence of the tale, but because it turns out there’s possibly some factual back story that led to the legend. That’s what caught my interest.

I wish I could tell you about the specific idea, but I’m not going to. I’ve come across quite a lot of people online openly itching for this story to be turned into a movie, and sharing the overall idea as well as my fictional take on it would defeat the purpose of writing it myself. Besides, I can be pretty damn slow with these types of projects due to other commitments, so the last thing I’d want to do is hand over the idea to others to have them pursue it first.

What’s even better is that I’m reasonably close with a professor at my old college who I worked for at the time. He’ll be able to shed light on one aspect of the town like no other, and when we get to the in-depth research portion of the project and I’m ready to make a trip out there, I’m hoping to get him on a road trip to check out some elements of the story and educate me along the way. We’ll see.

So anyway, that’s the gist of what my screenplay is about — it’s a horror story based on a local legend. I’ll tell you a little bit more when we get to the research phase so you can understand what I’m actually out there doing.

In the meantime here’s some information from Xandy Sussan on screenplay ideas!

Xandy Sussan on Screenwriting Ideas

Where do you get most of your screenplay ideas, and how do your organize them?

I mostly get them from real life. I’m a professional eavesdropper and all-around-nosey-body. I love people and their stories and I always want to know everything about everybody ever. With that comes the unprecedented access to the best stories around. Strangers love to hijack me and confess their darkest sins to me in between the Sharpies and the Uniballs in Staples, in the grocery store, at the doctor’s office. I listen, I remember and I mull over for later.

If you had to choose 2-3 story elements / factors that tell you an idea is appropriate for a screenplay (as opposed to another medium like a book), what would they be?

What tells you that a story is ready for the screen? If a client came to me with a script filled with pages and pages of novelized text and internal thought, you probably have a novel not a screenplay. Novels allow for a deeper exploration of feelings, ideas and inner monologue that has absolutely no room in screenwriting. Screenwriting is a utilitarian pursuit. A script is a literal step-by-step of what to do to make art. Also, novels and most film are finite stories. They take place during a specific time period (even if it spans 100 years) and they have a beginning, middle and end. A television series is open ended. It requires something producers refer to as “legs;” basically meaning, can the show, under certain parameters, maintain it’s exciting adventures week after week with little forward movement? So, those are the things I immediately look for. Otherwise, the difference between a novel and a movie is really the visual component.

I don’t have an exact frequency set for this series. I’ll update as I move from one area to the next. The next post will cover research, and that will depend on when I can schedule in a research trip.

I know not everyone here is interested in screenplays, or novels, or other writing formats. But I hope you’ll bear with us and enjoy this series as it progresses. While we specialize in freelance writing here, we want to encourage writers to pursue their own projects as well — as additional revenue streams, or even just to flex your creative muscles once in a while.

In that spirit, I’ll again put myself on display whether that means succeeding in the project or making a complete fool of myself. We’re all new at something at one time or another, and these kinds of experiments are precisely why I never forget what that newness feels like. And that’s why I’m able to push you to do more and be better in your career — because I’m willing to do it right alongside you.

If I fail, that’s okay too. We’re not all cut out for everything. And worst case? Maybe you’ll get a laugh out of it — and any excuse for a laugh is a good one. :)

During one of our email exchanges she mentioned a special “Double Feature” service she would be offering with fellow screenwriter Merrel Davis. Merrel sent over all of the details and he and Xandy took some time to answer my questions. Today I want to share information about this service with you — a story analysis service for both screenwriters and novelists. (Note: I’m not an affiliate or compensated in any way since I know some people worry about that — this just a solid recommendation from me to you.)

Background on the Story Analysis Service

There are actually four services available where you can hire Xandy and Merrel as a team: coverage, development, rewriting, and ghostwriting. The latter two would be more applicable for clients who aren’t professional writers in their own right — which you are — so we’ll focus on the first two.

Coverage / Story Analysis — This service gets you two simultaneous reads of your manuscript, with two coverage reports and a “head to head” report (to give you “a clear apple to apples comparison of both readers’ comments,” as Merrel put it).  You also get a 1 hour phone consultation with both Xandy and Merrel. Between now and May 15th this service is just $300 ($450 after that).

Development Package — The development package is tailored to writers who want a little more help and feedback along the way. This package includes a first read from each reader, a second read and set of notes on your work from both of them, and a third read with notes before the final two coverage reports. You also get five hours of phone (or Skype) consultations to help you develop your story. This Double Feature service is $2000 until May 15th (and $2700 after that).

Check out Xandy’s sample coverage reports for a better idea of what the final cover reports will look like.

Why Hire Professionals for Story Analysis?

Look. Many writers don’t like criticism, but constructive critiques can be vital to a creative professional’s success. The longer the work, the more important I think this becomes (it’s much easier to lose consistency in a novel than a 300 word blog post for example). I asked Xandy and Merrel to share their own thoughts on constructive criticism and why it’s worth hiring people to provide it.

Merrel: It’s important to get an unbiased perspective on your work. When I first started writing, I relied on close family members and non-writer friends to provide me what turned out to be some pretty bunk advice. Family and friends are well meaning; they may offer you platitudes about how “good” your work is. And while it can be helpful for motivation, it is essential to get unbiased notes from someone who hasn’t diapered you.

Xandy: Story analysts are like personal trainers. We’re here to help you achieve your goals for yourself. It’s really the only way to assess where you are and figure out a plan to get you there. Think of it a bit like weight watchers.

Why Hire Two Professionals for Story Analysis (at the Same Time)?

Why you should consider professional story analysis seems simple enough — unbiased feedback could make your final project suck significantly less because it helps you catch potential problems early. But why hire two readers at once? I put it to the pros again:

Xandy: How many times will you get to have two professional, produced screenwriters and story analysts battling it out over your story? That’s the best way to get that big idea. Think of it like your own mini writer’s room. It’s a little smokey, pencils are stuck to the ceiling, but it’s the essence of hashing out a story delivered to you. It becomes organic. You have more than one person to bounce jokes off of; to spark ideas, develop plot lines, and keep track of the details. The better the ideas are, the better your project turns out. Often times, our clients will reconcile our differing opinions – finding a happy medium between us both.

Merrel: We are most valuable to you as a team, so we pass that value onto you. It’s cheaper to book us together than separately. Think of it like going to a doctor and getting a second opinion on the spot, but you didn’t have to make another visit. When we piloted this program last month, our guinea pig writer was super surprised how intimate the entire process was. They were able to reconcile and decide, from both of our notes, what worked for them.

Which Service is Right for a First-Time Novelist?

I could be way off base, but I’d guess we have more aspiring novelists than screenwriters as regular readers here. So I wanted to know what the dynamic duo would suggest for someone in those shoes:

Merrel: First time novelists should do the development package for sure. A first time novelist will most likely have NO outline, and 200 pages of written material that’s unusable. It’s a common problem among first timers to charge into battle with no gear on. The development package allows us to begin our “Rocky training montage” where we whip writers into shape, in fast cuts, to Eye of the Tiger. For me, the development stage is so important, because a lot of first timers have great ideas but aren’t totally clear on how to best present them. They have a notion, and often make the mistake of going too big, and trying to jam in too much. The development option allows them to organize their thoughts, and get an outline done, early so they are on track for the first revision.

Xandy: All levels of writers come to us. For those more accustomed to the novel or script writing process, coverage is the way to go. It’s a good way to get a story checkup, figure out your strengths and weakness and get some concrete ways to fix or elevate your already completed story. Some clients like to book us for coverage to assess where they are, and then book us again for development services if their story is in dire need.

Who Are These People Anyway?

It’s not enough to know that this is a good service. You should know a bit about the people behind it. So here are their mini-bios to tell you why Xandy and Merrel are qualified to provide these story analysis services for writers.

“Xandy is a working, produced screenwriter. In the past, she worked as lead Story analyst for WB & WB Animation, and read for many production companies and studios including Miramax and Jennifer Lopez Entertainment. She has written for WB Animation, Cartoon Network and Disney et al.

Merrel is a produced screenwriter, story analyst and the organizer of Screenwriter Karaoke; a fun and successful writers/screenwriters networking event. He read for clients and production companies around the world. He staffed on series for NatGeo and works currently as a writer / editor for television, documentaries, and web series.”

Final Thoughts

I don’t think there’s any secret that I like honest opinions over coddling “yes you’re wonderful sweetie” comments. So any chance you have to get objective feedback on your work, I would consider a good thing. I have no idea how my own screenplay project will progress, or how long it will take me. I also have no idea when I’m going to make time to get back to the three novels I outlined from 2004-2008 (yeah Merrel, I’m one of the first-time novelists who did take the time to outline thoroughly to hash out problems early, so :P ). But whichever project I finish first, I can definitely say I’ll consider tossing it their way, especially if they’re still offering the Double Feature options.

If you have a project ready for story analysis from a couple of pros, I hope you’ll check out the services. You can order them online through Xandy’s site — CoverMyScript.com.

Xandy and Merrel wanted to share a few closing remarks:

Ultimately, we do this work because it’s important to us to help cultivate and grow craft. We are working writers as well, we feel your pain, but luckily have the tools to make you a better writer, so bring it!

Website: Coming soon!

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I am a creative writer. I hold a degree in Film Studies and I have experience in writing, researching, proofreading and editing. I’m here to help you if you’re looking for someone who is dependable with excellent writing and creative thinking skills.

You can contact me at dylanwardwriter@yahoo.com.

I”m happy to say I was finally able to come up with a working title for this novel – Animus. I don’t know if I’ll pitch it under that name, but having a title helps to keep me focused on the “essence” of the story–it’s simple and sums up the overall atmosphere well.

My only problem with the title (which I otherwise love) is that there was apparently a self-published book put out last year under that title. Given, titles aren’t protected by copyright so there’s no serious issue in using it, but we’ll see how it goes.

At that point I’ll look at the status of the other book and see if it might present problems marketing-wise. And of course, pitching it under that name doesn’t mean the title wouldn’t be changed by an edior if the book is picked up later.

So it’s finished, and in just 9 DAYS! That includes the 78-page full outline, the abbreviated outline laid out in “scene card” format with 17 pages (actually 5″ x 8″ note cards), 16 full character sketches, character notes for more minor characters, some very minor research (this didn’t need much at all), and my setting sketches / notes.

I’m glad I didn’t follow the Book in a Month 30-day plan, and instead just used some of the resources in it to find my own way. I suppose I’m most happy that I’m getting so comfortable with the outlining process.

Now that I have three finished novel outlines sitting here, I suppose it’s soon going to be time to get on some drafting. However, I’m going to take a few weeks off from these novels for now. I want to do minor notes on my other book ideas, work on my non-fiction book interviews quite a bit, and finally get this Web Writer’s Guide e-book finished.

Boyfriends, Booze, and Broken Hearts

Obviously I’m not going to be able to accurately compare the two methods, given that I’ve heavily adapted the current program to fit my own needs, working style, and comfort level (as mentioned in a previous post, I actually expect to finish the current outline in about a two-week period overall instead of the planned 30 days).

I think the biggest lesson of all of this is that, the more comfortable you get with the outlining process (this is my third novel outline), the quicker you’ll get through the process – you sort of streamline things in your own way. While it’s not the takeaway I was hoping to pull from this experiment, it’s a good one, and I’m happy with the progress and the fact that the experiment forced me to work productively on my projects rather than just telling myself “someday I’m going to start working on this novel idea.”

If you want to read my original review of each of these books, they’re currently published at All Book Marketing, with some details on why I wanted to test the programs in the first place.

I scrapped the character note cards I was going to be using tomorrow, and instead created larger character sheets. I also deviated a bit more from the plan (again, because this book has an odd structure), and created my full set of outline sheets (the final outline will be around 78 pages).

I’m at the point now where I’m feeling ready to move on with that outline (which is really just expanding upon each of the scene card sections I’ve already done – the whole story is already mapped out) as soon as my character info and some very minor research is taken care of. So let’s look at it this way: I used the book as a “guide,” and created my own plan based on my style, my story, and my comfort level with the outlining processs. I’ll be working on the character details (many of which are already mulling around in my head) and the research this weekend. I doubt I’ll need more time than that. As things look now, I’m thinking I may actually have the outline completed by the end of next weekend. No promises obviously, but that’s what I’m shooting for – about two weeks to finish the full outline.

This is one of the reasons I’m glad I played with two other outline processes previously. The process is faster, because I’m getting a bit more used to it. And in the end, I think that’s really the point – find what works for you and what lets you work most efficiently. I seem to finally be finding that.

More updates as I move along with this. Wish me luck. I’ll be beyond thrilled if this project gets finished up early. :)

Tomorrow will be a long day – that’s where I have to map out my characters. I won’t be following the character worksheets exactly as in the book (some info I just don’t need for the minor characters for the shorter story elements) – so they’re being broken into three groups (my lead and one other character), the men she has these failed relationships with in the sub-stories, and then minor characters (some of whom carry through the book, and some who don’t). Again, it’s possible this will take longer than the one day, given that there are quite a few to go through with the format of this book being somewhat non-traditional.

The plan suggests creating 10 scene cards for the ten primary scenes in your book. As mentioned in my last post, that’s not quite possible for Three Weeks, due to the format – it involves an opening, and end, and 15 stories in between.

Realistically, I know that 15 sounds like a lot. I would be very much surprised if I didn’t end up with more like 10 – 12 when I actually draft the manuscript. The outline will focus on 15, and then I can whittle it down if needs be, incorporating the best elements of the cut portions into other outline areas if possible.

So rather than 10 scene cards, I have 17. They focus on story segments rather than “scenes” – the 15 stories, opening, and ending. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get them all done today or if I’ll need a second day. Either way, it will take as long as it takes, and I’m sure I’ll make up the extra time elsewhere.

What I’m doing is this: I took the basic scene card elements the book suggests, and turned them into note cards for each section (using 5×8 cards). It covers things like the characters involved in each story segment, settings there, etc., as well as sections for the segment’s intro, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, and section closings for me to jot down any specifics. Essentially, when I’m done with this portion, I’ll already have a basic plot outline for the entire book – cool, right? Then I’ll move onto things like character details, further setting details, props, etc.

A bigger deviation is the fact that the book is designed to be used in a few ways, including drafting an actual rough manuscript. However, I’m only using it to create a novel outline.

My biggest mistake in using the First Draft in 30 Days method was that I started out trying to follow the plan in an exact manner, which just frustrated me and didn’t adapt to my needs and how I work. So I’m being extremely lenient in my use of Book in a Month. There are already things in the plan that I don’t plan to spend any time on, because they won’t fit well with the book format or because I have other ways I like to do certain things. But I’ll be progressing through it as close to the plan as possible, and I’ll be using many of the worksheets and tools included to see how much they simplify the process.

So that’s the plan for today – get through at least half of these 17 “scene cards.”