POUNDING THE KEYS

I spent the week working on the new script titled DEADLY SACRAMENTS. It's about the murder of a priest. It looks like an open and shut case until the detective assigned to the case unravels more than what appears to meet the eye. I'm on page 39... and it's coming along. I wrote an earlier draft of this a few years ago, but I'm changing a great deal of it... a lot has happened in the world and in the Catholic Church since my first draft.

Anyway, the important thing is to keep writing. Talking with a writer friend of mine and we compared some tips for making our scripts better. Namely, we discussed how to make every scene more cinematic (visual). You've heard "show don't tell" in writing scripts, but it's so important to remember that for every scene. People go to the movies to see things "move", a story take action, and character is action. We aren't what we say in life, but what we do.

Also trimming dialogue. Screenplays aren't stage plays or novels. The less amount of dialogue the better -- let subtext build suspense (reading between the lines). I find over the years my scripts have gotten cleaner, leaner and read better on the page. I try to keep the eye moving along with the mind.

Still nada from the A-list producer. So, it's Friday and I took the bull by the horns and sent him an e-mail just to stay on his radar. I hope to get the notes for the sports script soon, but now I'm into this crime thriller... so either way, I'm writing.

By the way, if you ever need an experienced guy who provides great services to writers (info, published books on screenwriting, script evauations, classes) check out Skip Press. He's offered me some helpful advice the past few years. He's a published author and has SOLD scripts (which is good when consulting with someone on your own script). His website is www.skippress.com and tell him Janet sent you. He's got an awesome screenwriters' network, too! Check it out.

Enjoy the weekend.