On Writing : What’s the one book or screenplay you had to write? by Kat Spencer

Hey, Kat Spencer. I've had a lot of these scripts. One is my Horror Comedy feature script called Escape the House.

I wrote the script because I wanted to write about teenage disobedience in a fun way. I also wanted to write something that was contained and low-budget.

I think it took me a few months to outline, write, and rewrite it.

It taught me how to write a location as a character.

Access Denied was my first book. It needed to be written to expose the corruption and injustice of the Family Courts and Child Support Agency (CSA/CMS). It took me a long time. Maybe three years. Was a very difficult write but also very cathartic and helped me come to terms with a number of things. I also narrated the audiobook version. It was a story that could only be told by me. Deeply personal, incredibly honest (some have said it is too honest), and true. Available at all good online bookstores in all formats.

A Moveable Feast.

Inspired by the poignancy, pathos and contrast of an elder Ernest Hemingway in failing health and suicidal working on the novel to reconstruct the good days of his early years as an unknown aspiring writer in 1920s left bank Paris.

Only a few years before, the experience of working as an extra on the Oscar winning film Norma Rae was absolutely captivating so I gravitated toward screenwriting as a means of staying in touch with my newfound raison d''etre. First, I had to self-teach about the basics of screenwriting then research the biographies of Ernest and all the luminaries in his circle mentioned in the novel. In the beginning in those days, I had to use a manual typewriter. It took almost two years to finish the first draft of the script. By snail mail, I even succeeded attracting a Hollywood agent relatively quickly. He was an elderly man and unfortunately became ill and passed before he could place the project. After that, I was not able to interest a successor.

The work taught me the discipline necessary to sustain writing on spec of such magnitude, the need for solitude to find the story that would hopefully resonate with a contemporary (at that time) audience. Most importantly, it firmly reinforced my purpose and the hunger to continue writing, reward and satisfaction in completing a project, and the resilience to understand and weather the ups and downs of the filmmaking universe.

The connection to the project has lingered with me over the years. Most recently, I adapted Mary Welsh Hemingway's autobiography (Ernest's last wife) as a female driven feature which is currently being shopped by Buffalo 8.

I have several scripts I HAD to write: A docudrama/autobiographical script about the first year women started women’s varsity sports in 1975 for Nebraska volleyball.

And a sci fi script about a wounded Navy SEAL turned into a Merman along with other men turned into other Sea Devils as a variety of other sea animals. The magnificent, Lew Hunter helped me write the initial drafts. They were my first “had to’s” and now I have nearly a dozen stories/scripts.

The book I wrote and felt very tired after reading is (The Secret of the Pyramids). It took a lot of effort and time to research and investigate. I was careful to ensure that all the information was true. Then the result was amazing and my effort was not in vain. This is a paragraph from the book:

One of the creatures touches his head—immediately returning him to the Stone Room. The ground shakes—the device turns off.

Peter (stunned, whispering):

"The Great Void... is not a void... but the First Energy Emission Chamber..."

Imagine, dear writer, that you wrote a story. It was beautiful and amazing, and in a strange way, you loved the hero of the story because he was special. Then, after a while, you met a real person who was almost identical to the hero of your story. The hero of your story resembles him in everything. What would you do? Especially if you knew that he lives, to a large extent, the same life that the hero of the story lived?

Shadi, I have always been fascinated with the ancient Egyptian culture.

The one I'm working on right now. It's an adaptation of a video game that I played non-stop when I was in high school. I'm planning on turning it into a miniseries, and I'm working on the last episode.

While on its face it looks like just a generic action-comedy, I've decided to make it deeper than that because I believe it can reach young men and potentially help them in a way that nobody else currently is.

My feature script FOR US was inspired by the theme of self-identity. I wanted to explore how a person, despite external pressure, fear, and oppression, can not only hold on to who they are — but actually reclaim themselves. And whether redemption is possible in a world built on fear.

It’s also about the power of friendship and love — how strong those bonds can be, so much so that time and circumstance can’t break them.

Honestly, I just had a great time writing this script. It felt like spending time with old friends.

It took me six months to write it.

Throughout the process, I learned a lot technically — but more importantly, I stopped being afraid to write the truth. I gained confidence as a writer.

I had to write the stories I made up with my children at bedtime (The Lolly Shop and BOOTS!). Even if they aren't picked up, they are now written for them and their children to read one day. I also had to write about my Dad's Parkinson's journey (Stay Wild) and my husband's heart attack at home (Land Angels). I feel an urge to write about events I care about. Thank you for asking this question!

David E. Gates - I will be writing something similar (having to do with our in-justice system) called Beware of Sua Sponte. I can imagine how hard AND cathartic that was for you to write. There is a reason I haven't written mine yet.

Wow! Thanks for sharing that Jack Teague!

That's awesome Timur Aliev!

Lauren Hackney Our own stories often create the best stories! Love that you did that with/for your kids. My first and only children's book was written about our lovebird, so my daughter would always remember her.

Ma toute première série WRITTEN IN ASHES

Un drama inspiré de la Corée que j'admire beaucoup.

Ce qui m'a inspiré ? Une canne. J'ai vu une canne. J'ignore comment j'ai pu visualiser au même moment, une histoire d'amour entre un ange de la mort(une faucheuse) et une humaine au destin non défini.

Cela m'a pris environ 4 mois pour 944 scènes.

Ce qùe j'ai appris ? Toujours croire en soi. Et savoir travailler avec des plans de scènes prédéfinis pour pas divaguer