PNWA Screenwriting Workshop News!

Folks attending my "A Practical Guide for Screenwriting" seminar at the 55th Pacific NW Writers Association Conference July 24 (Sea-Tac Hilton and Conference Center):

Script Fly, my favorite resource for professional scripts, is giving you a generous discount on any scripts you buy from them!

I'll let you know how to get the 25% discount after you've registered; of course shipping is not included, but you can receive most in .pdf (no shipping fee) as well as hard copy form. I prefer hard copy, because I like to hold the script and make notes on pages along the way.

I'm not getting any money from this offer, I just want to let you know about Script Fly and what they have to offer student and professional writers. I believe one of the best ways to learn about writing great screenplays is to read more scripts than books about how to write them!

There are free script outlets online as well, but Script Fly has a great selection of very current and classic screenplays from their original sources you can't find anywhere else, and I've yet to find a transcripted movie "script" that is helpful.

The Script Fly offer runs from now through August 31, 2010.

The workshop focuses mostly on the script writing creative process, helping you decide how best to create the story you want to tell onscreen. Practically.

Here are a few hints to get you started:

1. If you have not written a screenplay, don't sweat the format - too many people get swept up in worrying about whether the terms and pages look "right" rather than concentrating on the story and characters. If you read several great professional screenplays, you'll see similarities and differences.

2. Look around. What is in your environment that tells us *visually* who you are? Notice those things that are apparent and those things that are more subtle. Then, most importantly - what is missing. What is not in your surroundings that tells us something very important about you.

A Practical Guide for Screenwriting

That's the title of the seminar I'm presenting at the 55th Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference this summer.

My workshop takes place Saturday, July 24th, 10am, at the Sea-Tac Airport Hilton Hotel and Conference Center. The room number will be made available after you register. Workshops normally run 90 to 120 minutes; I hope it's a full two hours, but won't know until the schedule is released.

I'll be talking about the ins and outs of screenwriting that I've never heard at other screenwriting workshops, most of which are held by folks who are script analysts and writing teachers rather than professional screenwriters who actually write and create scripts. So expect different.

It's down to earth, hands on, from the trenches information I've learned over the years from actually doing the work. These insights should help experienced screenwriters as well as those who wish to be screenwriters.

It's about telling our onscreen stories from the page: how to do it most effectively, how to build successful habits, how to have fun doing what is ordinarily a solitary, stressful endeavor. Myself, while I work harder than anyone I know, find writing enjoyable and exciting - even its most isolating, grating, tedious aspects.

Being a writing coach as well, who has worked with dozens of writers one on one, I plan to fill the room with wall to wall effective writing tools, then show you how to use them IRL (in real life).

Warning: my seminars are not for the humor impaired. The material may be serious, but our time is designed to be enjoyed, so we'll definitely share a laugh. Or two. Or three!

Several literary agents will be on hand for conference participants to meet - be sure to check out the PNW Writers Conference website as their names and material they seek are posted over the next few months; appointments are scheduled with them on a first submitted, first considered basis.

I'll also be autographing my book The 100% Solution Friday evening, July 23, at the Barnes and Noble mini-bookshop at the Conference Center, in case you want to drop by and ask any questions about anything you want me to cover at Saturday morning's workshop. And perhaps even pick up my (autographed!) book!

I'll mention this a couple more times before the conference. Hope to see you there!