Screenwriting : Constructing a cuckoo clock blindfolded? by Annie Mac

Thanks Shawn for your comment. I agree, but in defense of Richard, I believe he used the word figuratively, or tongue-in-cheek, like in the expression"everybody and his brother", meaning, not every single person, but a lot more people than we think. I'm led to believe that interpretation, because of the way he tends to exaggerate the 'monumental' task of screenwriting with images of cuckoo clocks and elephants :o) You have a great day too!

I totally agree with you, and after a reread of all of my morning posts, befored I close out, I felt the same way - and deleted the post. Obviously it was too late :)

Writing a screenplay looks easy because it is easy. It’s selling them and getting them made that is the hard part.

I did wonder why it looked like Annie was speaking to an imaginary Shawn :-)

Doing anything is easy. Doing anything well? A different question altogether. And doing it masterfully? See "cuckoo clock blindfolded," above ...

Writing a screenplay IS easy, writing a good, saleable screenplay is bloody hard.

I sort of agree with Pierre that when people first start out it is bloody hard. However with a lot of practice it becomes fairly easy.

From your mouth to God's ears. :-}

I've been at it for more years than I wish to count and I wouldn't say it's easy. In my experience it still requires, sweat, guts, and tears, but the process is exhilarating. ANTHONY, not sure what you mean by "imaginary" Shawn is virtual to me, though he is becoming more real as he speaks, but imaginary?

@ Annie... I think Shawn deleted a message or two at the start of the thread, so your first two posts appear to be a conversation with Shawn that he's not in ;-) And of course Shawn is larger than life, least imaginary person i know!

If screenwriting was easy, everyone would be doing it. Which it does feel like. Those who don't have the passion, determination, guts, blood, sweat, tears, patience, and a little crazyness in them may not survive. You need to be a smidge crazy to keep going at something that feels like you will never break through at. But that;s why we're all here, cause we don;t like to give up on anything we set our minds to. Still better than the alternative of selling Kenmores at Sears! Shit, did I say Sears? Damn!

Makes more sense now, Anthony :o) Thanks for clarification.

LOL, Anthony! ... I apologize for the confusion, everybody! I wrote a post and upon review deleted it. I do that when I feel like there's any chance the post, or subtext, comes off as inappropriate, or negative. I'll be more careful in the future, my friends.

No harm done, Shawn, only a chance to get better acquainted and get Anthony to give you an awesome accolade :o)

Who is Richard Rhodes?

I agree with everyone that says screenwriting is hard but it seems to me like everything else in life it gets easier the longer you do it. I still think breaking in is much harder.

Well said Dan!

@ DAN: Curtesy of Wiki: Richard Lee Rhodes (born July 4, 1937) is an American historian, journalist and author of both fiction and non-fiction (which he prefers to call "verity"), including the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Making of the Atomic Bomb (1986), and most recently, The Twilight of the Bombs (2010). He has been awarded grants from the Ford Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation among others. He is an affiliate of the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. He also frequently gives lectures and talks on a broad range of subjects to various audiences, including testifying before the U.S. Senate on nuclear energy.

Yeah this is a pretty fitting statement.

That is who I thought it was. He is not a screenwriter or at least he never wrote one that got made so he probably wouldn't have a clue how difficult it is from personal experience. I have written over twenty-five and I know it gets a lot easier the more of them you write. People like this guy will cause new screenwriters to overthink and give up thinking it is too difficult for them if they don't have any success within the first few years of trying. Screenwriting is not exactly rocket science. I think anyone here can do it if they try hard enough and don't give up. The hardest part about screenwriting is getting your foot in the door.

Thanks for your encouragements, DAN. You are a lucky duck if you find writing sellable screenplays a breeze. All the power to you!! And may the cinema gods and goddesses keep smiling on you. For the rest of us mortals, to write a marketable script requires not only a great dramatic or hilarious story, talent, but mastery of countless skills, savvy, and the good fortune to be at the right place, in the right time, of course knowing the right people also helps -- :o)

I've been making my living as a writer for years -- as a newspaper reporter, feature writer, columnist and copywriter -- and I struggle with screenwriting. I think because it's not just long-form storytelling, but because of the necessity of imposing a very particular structure on the telling of the story. I resisted the necessity of structure when I was in film school, and our screenwriting teacher would literally pound his desk, saying (in his thick German accent, "Structure, structure, structure, dammit! Without structure there is no river, only an ugly flood." Now, of course, I think he was mostly right. I think we can take some latitude in pursuit of an interesting tale, but things have to happen in a timely fashion and our characters do have to butt up against each other in interesting ways that reveal something about them -- and about us. To be able to do all of that artfully and honestly takes something -- a lot of moving pieces to wrangle without looking as though you're doing anything at all. I can't imagine that that will ever become a breeze. Which is why I always say I love editing and I love having written. I look back at things I've written and think, "Wow, that doesn't suck too bad," but in the process of doing the writing, I rarely find myself experiencing much glee. :=>

Victor, very true... I try to stay clear from people with bad vibes and send them light, because I feel they may simply be misguided. I've had such experience as you mention, recently and it hurts, but It's part of life and it's challenges, Keep writing :o)

I'm also a big believer in "luck" and the power of intention. And also the truth that Fortune favors the well-prepared. Write on!

@Annie Mac. I’m not lucky at all. I just been doing this for a long time and now it doesn't seem all that difficult. Knowing the right people does help but obviously one has to write good screenplays in order to be able to meet the right people.

No offense meant, Dan.

Annie. No offense taken.

@Victor Greywolf We get prepared by writing scripts and refining what we're doing, expanding our knowledge and networking, etc. ... in other words, what we're doing here. :=>

120page Haiku ... love it!