Six Week Spec Round 2-Week 1 Update

Seven pages. It's nowhere near my goal of twenty-four, but it's more that zero, so allow me to take a moment and celebrate the small victory of ANY number of pages written. Pages with some decent dialogue and others with utter nonsense. Pages containing visual descriptions that make me smile amongst a sea of bits that aren't up to snuff by a long shot. 

*hands on knees, gaping smile*

Is someone afwaid? Who's got a fwowny face? AH boochie woochie woo woo!

Two things: a) My coffee has just kicked in; and b) you're damn right I'm bugging out. Being aware that if I wasn't nitpicking I'd be a fool, does little to settle my nerves.  

This is not my first venture into screenwriting, but it is my first feature length and the first time I'm writing with expectations of others reading it, and by others I refer to those that know their shiznit. Whether or not you agree a first screenplay should ever see the light of day is another issue all together. Assuming all goes to plan, this will be Black List material when I am through, and then on to the next project I go.

If I am going to finish this in six weeks, I NEED to stop editing as I write. I re-read my stuff, and can tell it's caacaapoopies, but I'm supposed to ignore it and move on? WOW is that ever hard. That's my goal for this week: learn to vomit-write this mother lover and lysol later, without worrying the germs will infect the entire draft. So. So. Difficult. But it must be done!

Thinking of the other writers and hoping your drafts are coming along splendidly. I raise my caffeinated beverage to you all. Here's to an invigorating week 2!

Six Week Spec Round 2: Balancing Life's Little Needs and Wants

Today marks my first day of the second round of the #SixWeekSpec challenge. Last round, I was one of the #Unselected attempting to plod along with the rest of the screenwriters to complete my script in six weeks, which I unfortunately failed to finish. Defeated, yes, but once I heard others were jumping on board to take part in the challenge again, I wanted in. 

The fear of the seemingly insurmountable task of writing a script in six weeks is still present, but a shift in my belief as a writer has taken place, and it tells me I can handle the process this time. I'm absolutely terrified, but very excited, actually, not unlike my first time riding the Cyclone roller coaster this past summer in Coney Island. My husband and I were with our kids, and our oldest refused to join me, so I went alone. I pranced over to the ride assuming there'd be a long line in which to get myself mentally ready, but there was none. I had to get on, right away, and then, we were off! I was loud, so very loud. I don't think I blinked once. It was frighteningly awesome, and then it was over. 

November 3rd came up real fast, but I have no choice but to hop on and enjoy the thrills as I'm all too familiar with how quickly this will be over. My husband and kids are backing me with support, too. They have agreed to help out around the house to allow me the extra time necessary to attack my writing with gusto and enthusiasm. At the same time, I need to find a daily balance between my own Working/Stay-At-Home-Mom responsibilities to make these next six weeks pass as smooth as possible. Rapidly approaching deadline or not, my family will still require and deserve my love and attention, decent meals, and clean underwear. 

Just as I have a daily page count goal, I also have a daily cleaning schedule which eliminates the dread of taking care of the entire house in one shot: one day for floors, one for dusting, one for bathrooms, you get the point. Some days I meet my page count, some days I don't. Some days I get to the cleaning task, sometimes it gets skipped until the next day or next week. 

Big batch cooking has also been a happy autumn addition to my routine. I love me some soups, stews, and chili. Reheating a pot of homemade deliciousness as opposed to takeout is easier on the wallet, too. 

It's the little changes that can make a difference in the amount of thought and energy put into the everyday necessities, to make room for my writing. Once I get regular exercise thrown into the scheduling mix, I'll be golden. Alas. Not everyday is perfection, but I do my best either way and my sanity is better for it.

To those I have joined for Round 2, I'll try to keep my hootin' and hollerin' to a minimum. If the twists and turns get too intense and you need a hand to grab, I've got two. Best of luck to all!