Nora Ephron, Ray Bradbury…Writers Who Leave a Gaping Hole in the Literary Universe (RIP).

“I don't care who you are. When you sit down to write the first page of your screenplay, in your head, you're also writing your Oscar acceptance speech.”--Nora Ephron

I’ve had a hard time calling myself a WRITER. I’ve had the desire to write, to be a novelist since about 19 years old. My BA is in English and Secondary Education and I have a few self-published notches in my very green belt (with many projects, storylines and first drafts filling notebooks—which hide in corners and special storage bins around my house). Some have seen the light of day and have been revealed to close friends for critique. My hope is to be and do what Ephron and Bradbury did…be a WRITER and embody everything that a wordsmith is responsible for.

When Ray Bradbury died earlier this month, I spent the day really reading up on this writer. I only knew general public domain type facts and was intrigued to learn more about him and his writings. I made a mental note to read Fahrenheit 451 and his other works.

“Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't "try" to do things. You simply "must" do things.”―Ray Bradbury

Today, Nora Ephron has died. She gifted the entertainment/literary world with some great romantic comedies such as When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle. She crafted stories of seemingly ordinary people falling in love in memorable ways. (I’ve always secretly hoped a man would give me a bouquet of pencils, Hello Kitty ones specifically).

Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms.—Joe to ‘Shopgirl’

Writers are the rock stars in my world. When I like someone’s writing I tend to want to know more about the author. What their upbringing was, what their belief system is, what about them can I find a connection with. For the late Nora Ephron, I appreciate her humor, her take on love and her accomplishment in the writing and movie world. It’s tragic that she is gone…there is a void in literaria (my word for a writer’s universe)….and it should be filled with good writing, not with the likes of 50 Shades of Grey (I digress, I judge, yes, I didn’t read the whole thing, the first 2 chapters of my free Kindle sample were quite enough).

“I try to write parts for women that are as complicated and interesting as women actually are.”--Nora Ephron

With the sad news of Ephron’s passing at the age of 71, I will tackle the dishes, hang with my kids, fold a basket of laundry and make a nutritious dinner this evening, then, I will open the last chapter of the writing project I am currently 2/3’s of the way completed. I will write, even if it’s a page, because as Bradbury says, you must do, not try.

ESTA LATER!

My Screenplay, Back to the Drawing Board...Day 7 of NaBloPoMo.

As I previously wrote (post from October 17), I entered the Bluecat Screenplay Competition several weeks ago. I anxiously awaited my two script analyses and they arrived last night. I read it over twice, printed it, let my husband read it, then told my mali about it.

I didn’t want to crack open my script last night, but I have eight days to pound it into shape and resubmit. It wasn’t slaughtered like I thought it would be, but I was surprised that they wanted more DRAMATIC scenes.

I feel like a swordsmith who needs to fire up the logs and pound my sword into better shape. I WANT A SAMURAI SWORD, NOT A BUTTER KNIFE!

In any writing, novel or scripts, nice neat emotional packages are great, but they want the rollercoaster ride and the uncertainty…I will do my best.





Some of the positives of THE DADDY BLOG analyses:

*****READER A>
“I thought you did a good job exploring what it means to be a family. Your main characters took on the typical roles of a nuclear family despite the fact that they weren’t actually directly related….I think that this depiction of “the family” was very unique and made your script more interesting to read.”

*****READER B>
“In general, the characters are distinct and relatable, and Verona really stands out as someone who has sacrificed her own needs for the needs of her family.”

Some of the negatives/constructive criticism:

*****READER A>
“I also feel like there is generally not enough conflict in your story. Despite the fact that your protagonists’ parents face horrible deaths while they are still children, it doesn’t seem to affect them in a very significant way.”

*****READER B>
“Once Brutus dies, the script becomes very conversation-driven and many of the scenes feel static, almost play- rather than movie-like.”

Overall, I’m relieved that I received this feedback. It was worth the fee. Again, going to do my best to bring this screenplay up to par. Wish me luck!



ESTA LATER!

My Literary Marathon--Screenplay is Kerplunk!

“Write without pay until somebody offers to pay.”—Mark Twain

Two major events happened this past week. First, Alison and I—Guam Books and Beads, made our second appearance at the Jacob’s Center/Market Creek Plaza’s 6th Annual ARTS and CULTURE FEST. The second is something I didn’t quite advertise on Facebook.

I became obsessed with screenwriting and devoured books, blogs and websites on the subject. After five weeks of extreme focus, as much as a mother of two young ones can muster, I completed a 99-page screenplay. I explained the storyline to three people; I didn’t have it viewed by someone else due to time, so I spent hours editing, rewriting and obsessing. I was racing towards a writing competition, the Bluecat Screenplay Contest. The deadline was the day of the Festival-October 15th; so, for ease of mind, I submitted everything the day before. After tweaking the scenes and dialogue, I registered my “product” with the Writer’s Guild of America-West and submitted it electronically with the Copyright office. Major for me. Within minutes, I took the last step and uploaded my work to Bluecat. The major push to do so was to see if I had any iota of talent in this arena. People go to school for this, study for years—so, here I am faking it until I make it.

Screenwriting is an art form and the format is delicious and challenging. I have so much more to learn, but with my submittal, two experts will analyze my work and in three weeks or so, I will receive their assessment. I’ve grown a thick skin and an open-mind in regards to criticism of my writing, so I’m ready. Once I receive the critiques, I’ll have three days to resubmit for the contest—finalists announced in February 2012 and the sole winner in March.




So, now that my work is protected and my “baby” is out there independent, I will share.
The title: The Daddy Blog.
The gist: The story centers around Verona Gilroy, a talented writer, who comes from a tumultuous family past. After both parents die within five years of each other, Verona clings to her older brother, Jack who becomes in all senses of the word her guardian. Jack finds himself a single, young father with squashed dreams, when his girlfriend wants nothing to do with him or motherhood. This drama becomes the focus of Verona’s first blog, except Jack doesn’t realize that he and his daughter’s lives are in cyberspace until a tragedy brings this to light. In a time when blogs or zines were a new amalgamation of the internet, Verona realizes that with the power of technology and the magic of her written word she could forge change. In addition, the return of Garrett Sabre (her first kiss) into Verona’s life forces her to analyze her mediocre existence and metamorphose into something greater, into the woman she was meant to be.

So, there. There’s a layer of late night television mixed in and a sprinkling of my love for the music of Eddi Reader and the badassness of Bruce Lee, but that’s the screenplay.

I’m already knee deep with another screenplay that I’m adapting from 13 chapters of a book I started writing. I’ve had to force myself to stop thinking of my characters, or the crazed cycle begins again. So, I channeled my energy into rearranging my children’s room—cleaning, sorting, dusting. I really think they have a thousand toys. “Only Ben 10 toys in this box, do you understand?!”
So, as my son does math homework and my daughter runs around the house like a wild child, dancing to Maroon 5, I find myself blogging. I hope for the best, but expect a dose of reality regarding my first screenplay. Maybe one day my work will be optioned and eventually produced into a movie, and then you’ll see my name in the opening credits. A Chamorro girl can dream. And! Thank you to another Chamorro girl for digging into my screenplay and offering feedback....I heart you, Alison!

ESTA LATER!

Ready to Bleed Like Hemingway!

There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit at a typewriter and bleed.—Ernest Hemingway

In my case, the laptop, but I never thought of writing fiction as bleeding. But, it really is. I just completed about an hour of research online for a screenplay I’m focusing on. That’s a big feat considering that I’m making dinner and keeping my children entertained in the next room.

So, I’m taking a break from writing so I can….write some more. Crazy? Yes. I wonder why I even bother sometimes. Why can’t I be obsessed about something else or satisfied with just being a Navy wife, homemaker, mother of two wonderful, amazing kids?

Why? Why is it that when I get a story idea I can’t think of anything else. My brain squeezing out scenes and storylines before I finally fall asleep, praying that I will remember the next morning, something brilliant I created in my head. Why am I fleshing out characters, giving them quirks and making myself care about them like they were real? Why is it that I have a yellow Mead notebook from when I was 19 years old (18 years ago) etched with the notes and outline of Jet City Woman, the novel I was supposed to finish…and someday will, except that damn movie, Colombiana just came out with the same premise I had for my novel. By the way, with a title like Jet City Woman, you know I was listening to some Queensryche. Date myself, why don’t I?



I’ve dusted off the old, almost rusted spiral yellow notebook and started notes in the second segment for my screenplay; I have only shared the storyline with my husband and my buddy, Trini, thus far. Intellectual property…I’m keeping it close for now.

So, back to my inspiration before I have to go off and serve dinner, attend a school function, get the kids ready for bed…..my passion comes in slices each day, which I hope will add up to a finished product, whether it’s a novel or screenplay, the worlds and people I create on a page will soon see the light of day. PEACE OUT and thanks for reading this….and thank you to my buddy, Raquel for forwarding information containing Hemingway’s awesome quote!

And, well to answer the WHY? I love words, I love stories, I love description, I love symbolism….I love teaching with my words. I’ll have to get back to you.

By the way, promoting the writing I do have, hope to see you at PIFA September 24 and 25 where I am the featured author of Guam Batik Gallery….

PIFA Information http://www.pifasandiego.com/
Guam Batik Gallery Information http://guambatikgallery.com/category/slider/
Authorhouse/ Attitude 13 Information http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000378025/Attitude-13.aspx



ESTA LATER!

Tanya University, I am a River Phoenix….

Well, not really, but you can find just about anything on-line. I am self-teaching on the subject of SCREENWRITING. I have grand dreams of writing a novel that will be adapted to a screenplay to be made into a movie.





So, my thinking, and with my impatience….why not just write a screenplay? The format and rules can be found on-line and I’ve ordered recommended books too. The entire screenplay for Thelma and Louise is in the mail; I purchased it on Amazon for 14 cents. Yes, 14 pennies.

So, I’m going to study and try paving my storylines on a screenplay template. I’ve downloaded and read memorable scenes from my favorite flicks. For example, My Best Friend’s Wedding, my favorite scene is when hunky Dermot Mulroney is singing to Julia on the ferry, he takes her in his arms and sings The Way You Look Tonight. So, I’ve read the scene in screenwriting format, then Youtubed the scene and watched it applied….since my revelation, I’ve been watching every movie with new eyes.




In novel writing, I have to be wordy, paint a clear picture, choose my words carefully. In screenwriting, it’s blunt, still making lovely pictures, but with less constraint.

Now, I am well-aware that film students spend years learning the trade, paying big money for courses. I don’t have that luxury, so I’ll make due and try my best.




<---"Domestic Goddess",influenced by multi-armed Indian goddess Kali and the madcap, mid-century artwork of Jim Flora and Joan Miro



I have my eyes on some competitions and the steps needed to garnering attention. But, step one, write the darn thing. So, with that said, I’m off to create a world, made of scenes from my cluttered brain.

INT. Tanya’s Kitchen-Day

TANYA

TANYA, 30s, mother of 2, domestic goddess, smiles as she types away on her laptop, her children are O.S. giggling. Tanya gulps the last of her coffee, cracks her knuckles, and . . .

Wish me luck!

FADE OUT.

Esta Later!