1. What if someone steals my idea?

It’s a question I hear all the time, especially from new writers just embarking on their career.  Or, rather, new writers embarking on their passion that they’re squeezing in around their other jobs and lives until they can make a go of it.

 So let’s say you’ve finally hit upon it, your first brilliant screenplay or tv idea, you write out your script or treatment or pitch and you’re dying to tell someone so they can tell you how brilliant it is, but----well, you don’t want someone else to take your idea.  The truth is:  no one is going to steal your baby.  If you handed your screenplay over to a fellow writer, producer, production company, or whomever, it doesn’t pay for them to ‘steal it’ from you.  It’s simply bad business.  Word gets around fast and then no one wants to play with them, forcing them out of said business.

But you also need to be aware of the line:  an idea is just an idea.  And you can’t copyright ideas.  You can give ten writers the same log line and they’ll come up with ten completely separate scripts.  There may be some similarities, but that wouldn’t mean they’ve taken anything from anyone else.  Certain ideas lend themselves naturally to certain characters or storylines or even locations.  And certain themes of shows tend to pop up at the same time (I can think of a number of vampire related shows on the air right now.  And, coming up, two fairy tale themes.)  Some shows can be created completely independently, yet be so similar it’s weird.  And going back along the line, no one can find a stitch of proof that one knew about the other.

End of the day, an idea is an idea. Anyone can use an idea. 

It’s the execution of the idea that will set your work apart.



2. Write in 25 minute blocks

Writing can be daunting. When you’re in the zone, you’re in the zone; you could go for days and not realize it until the job you’re working at ‘til you make it informs you that if you don’t show up and pronto, you will be out of said job.

So what about when you’re not ‘in the zone’?  Surprise, surprise, there are times when writing is work.  And if writing can be work, wait until you hit re-writes.  There are many reasons why you won’t be able to write on any given day, and if you’re working on a deadline for someone else or, fun fun, your own self-imposed deadline, you need to put on your big boy pants or big girl capris and get’er done.

Hence, the Pomodoro Method.  Yep, it’s an actual method.  It works for a lot of things in life in general, but I find it particularly useful for writing.

The basics are this: 

 1.   Find yourself a timer. Use your iPhone, the timer on your stove, go out and buy a cutsie new egg timer, something that will let you work without having to pay attention to anything but the task at hand.

 2.   Set it for 25 minutes.

 3.   Write. Whatever you want to work on at the time: brainstorm, an outline, a treatment.  Maybe you’re standing at your whiteboard, dry erase pen in hand, tweaking your logline or adding a new character or beginning of story arc.  When the timer goes off, stop.

 4.  Take five.  Surf the net, feed your cat, jump around your living singing the Glee soundtrack.

 5.  Set your timer for another 25 minutes and repeat.

 6.  Every block of four, take a longer break.

Repeat.

New habits take time to establish, so try not to be too hard on yourself if you find yourself struggling at first. But even if you commit to doing it for one day, just to try it, you’ll be further along than sitting on the couch procrastinating because you’re too overwhelmed by the ‘end result’ of what you’re trying to accomplish that you do nothing at all.

And hey, reward yourself when you’re done.  Positive reinforcement helps, right?  Wine? Chocolate?  New Weird Al cd?  Bring it.



3. Twitter

Get an account.

I’m going to pull out the big word:  behoove.

It would behoove you to get one.  Twitter is a valuable asset to have.

1.   You get to write 140 characters at a time, anytime you want, on anything you want.

2.  You connect with other writers, who are doing the same thing, building your friendships and contacts.

3.  The trending hashtag: I love this one.  There’s always a trending hashtag of some kind, #TameHorrorFilms, #UnwiseCrowdsourcing, #KidsBusinessBooks.  If you’re having trouble getting into the groove or need a warmup, making lists is helpful (ie 80’s tv shows, Cars I Hate), but someone in Twitterland starts the subject for you and usually with a twist.  It gets your brain moving. And soon you’re creating your own.

4.  You become part of bigger discussions. Couldn’t make it to the Banff Television Festival this year?  People tweet from the discussions that cover everything from guest speakers to the current state of affairs of television.  Put in your two cents. Or sit back and learn.

5.  Worked your buns off and you finally have something you want everyone to see? Twitter is a great marketing tool to get the word out to both industry folk and fans to be.

6.  Glush!!  Yep, that’s a word.  Here in Canada, Glush is sort of a twitter hashtag party anytime there’s an awards show like the Oscars or the Golden Globes.  And it’s certainly a fun community activity:  anytime there’s a bad dress, a joke about whatever the latest celebrity mishap of the moment happens to be, anytime anyone drinks on camera, you and your Tweeps raise one, too. People from across the country share in one big party.

7.  You actually wind up meeting people in person.  I met Levar Burton when he threw a Tweetup (ie. I’ll be at ‘x’ bar in forty five minutes).  I think over a hundred people showed up.  Which meant that I also made more connections to take out into my writing universe.

Being a writer means being creative as well as being business minded.  You could write an award winning movie and no one would ever know because you don’t have your business house in order. 

Twitter is both a tool and resource.

But only as much as you make it one.



4. Film vs. Television

Keep your medium in mind when you’re writing.  Naturally, you want to have rich characters, witty dialogue and a killer story, and that should be across the board, no matter what you’re writing.

But there are differences between film and television.  Film was intended to be, and still is to a large extent, an experience you go out of the house for.  You go, cocoon yourself into a dark theatre on a comfy seat with tasty snacks (where you hopefully won’t be pestered by ill- mannered texters and talkers) and allow yourself to become absorbed in the world unfolding before you on a fifty foot screen.

Television is installed in the comfiness of our homes: sets are in our living rooms, our family rooms, our bedrooms, even our bathrooms.  And while, yes, we do sit down to watch television, there are certainly more distractions:  the phone rings, your little sister is darting around the house singing at the top of her lungs, maybe you’re in the middle of folding and ironing your laundry.  Myself, I have a pair of wireless Sennheiser headphones hooked up to my set and when I’m doing the dishes or chores around the house, I throw them on, tune into a show and off I go.

And I’m less likely to tune into a movie when I’m doing so. Why? Film is written as a visual medium.  Television is more of an audio medium.  That doesn’t mean there aren’t great shots or imagery, but tv watchers depend more on being able hear what’s going on since they more than likely won’t be glued to the set the way they are to a movie screen.

Try it.  Turn into a soap opera or sitcom or drama while you’re busy doing other things.  Then try a film.  Can you still keep track of what’s going on as well on when you’re attention is split? Films won’t necessarily repeat relevant information or have a studio audience cluing you into the intention of a character who’s doing something physically sneaky.  Characters in films might not say much at all for pages and pages.

So.  It might have an effect on your writing.  It might not.

But keep it in mind.



5. Ken Levine

This is Ken Levine.

You’ll recognize a few titles in his repertoire.

This is his blog.

Not only is it a treasure trove of his experience’s in the television industry, he also answers questions.

Also, he runs this:  The Sitcom Room.

It is the only weekend course I have ever come across that offers the experience of what it’s like to be in an actual writer’s room.

That’s all for this post.  I’d rather you spend the time checking out the links.