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screenplay A mess of notes - organize to acts

Lots of notes, lots of other things going on, besides writing.

Putting to acts / format.

make no mistake, I love the content, the ideas.

It has to flow into a story, elements are only just that, and if they can’t “band” they have no substance right?

This, as I have said is lowest priority for me currently due to expenses (that ol rent bill), but a high priority as a passion.

scribbling notes and putting to acts.

what you got?
 
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Sometimes physical separation helps. Writing things with pen on actual index cards and laying them out. It can help you visualize and put things in order. Like building a house with blocks.
 
Start with a Logline.
Make a List: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How.
Next, using at least four of those elements, write one or two--three tops-- sentences that say what your story is about. And remeber that stories are about people, so include the Who for sure.
Once you know what your story is about, you can worry about structuring it.
 
Start with a Logline.
Make a List: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How.
Next, using at least four of those elements, write one or two--three tops-- sentences that say what your story is about. And remeber that stories are about people, so include the Who for sure.
Once you know what your story is about, you can worry about structuring it.
I have a pretty good idea for story, and conflict, just can’t quite figure out a rising action/climax/resolution.
I think the idea is entertaining enough, but...the whole overall point hasn’t yet sunk in.
May or may not come with time for this idea, and I have other ideas for stories as well.

My writing/thinking approach is from a short story perspective of writing and then expanded, it’s just I haven’t quite figured out all the elements of crafting attention for over an hour/longer.

just takes time :)

as my old RTF professor told me, “just do it so it doesn’t suck” :)
 
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I have a file on my computer (backed up in six separate locations) of ideas. They can be anything from titles, character names, jobs, premises, plots and themes, to snippets of dialog. I know when I write this stuff down that not all of it will go into any story, let alone the same one. When I have a story idea, or a character that pops into my head and drives a specific story line, I usually start with "where do we join the story?" and "How does it end?" I say join the story because all stories are but moments in a lifetime. As long as I know those two things, I can add plot points in between (and keep doing that) and figure out how to connect those to construct a complete story. You might want to check out Blake Snyder's "Save the Cat" or John Truby's "The Anatomy of Story".

ETA: For me, one of the hardest parts of the process (and I hate that word) is to focus on a single idea until I have a working draft. I have to consciously force myself to just jot down notes on the thousands of other ideas and various detritus until I'm ready to focus on one of those. The "cool down" period between finishing the first draft and starting the rewrites is a good time to explore those other ideas.
 
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I have a file on my computer (backed up in six separate locations) of ideas. They can be anything from titles, character names, jobs, premises, plots and themes, to snippets of dialog. I know when I write this stuff down that not all of it will go into any story, let alone the same one. When I have a story idea, or a character that pops into my head and drives a specific story line, I usually start with "where do we join the story?" and "How does it end?" I say join the story because all stories are but moments in a lifetime. As long as I know those two things, I can add plot points in between (and keep doing that) and figure out how to connect those to construct a complete story. You might want to check out Blake Snyder's "Save the Cat" or John Truby's "The Anatomy of Story".

ETA: For me, one of the hardest parts of the process (and I hate that word) is to focus on a single idea until I have a working draft. I have to consciously force myself to just jot down notes on the thousands of other ideas and various detritus until I'm ready to focus on one of those. The "cool down" period between finishing the first draft and starting the rewrites is a good time to explore those other ideas.
Right on man, you sound a lot like me when it comes to ideas. For me I am certain it is the power of ‘diffuse thinking’ which I now know how to utilize more effectively after reading a mind for numbers (great book) by Patricia Oakley.

There are a few other books that have really helped, one other is

Work Clean: The life-changing power of mise-en-place to organize your life, work, and mind​

By Dan Charnas

I took culinary classes (for hobby) and the only way I cook now is by preparing Mise...In fact most of my place is organized by the idea and concept that ‘everything has a place’ as the book teaches for hyper organization.

as wild as it sounds, I look at story telling elements as gathering my Mise to make a story. Which is in a round about way what I am doing here (at least I think so)

we all have crazy ways of working, this is just mine :) I feel I am getting closer to having a real flow.

about to read “The ONE thing” by Gary Keller

I read these books not for screenwriting but for all I work on, but can see how they can be effective in the creative process of writing. (At least for me)

I will tap into the formalities of writing (Focused thinking) as soon as I feel I have a real workflow, otherwise I just feel I will create a bunch of words turned into 1s and 0s that is absolute garbage.
 
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If your story has compelling characters, this helps propel the story forward. I am of the opinion that a story that has a good plot cannot compensate for boring characters, however a story with so-so plot can still shine if the characters within are compelling to watch.

Perhaps you are too focused on plot and not enough on character development. Take a step back, write down their backstory, what makes them tick? Once you know everything there is to know about the characters, hopefully you have a pretty good idea what your characters will do in any situation and where you wish to take them forward.

Just don't make them boring and you can be assured your story won't be either :)
 
If your story has compelling characters, this helps propel the story forward. I am of the opinion that a story that has a good plot cannot compensate for boring characters, however a story with so-so plot can still shine if the characters within are compelling to watch.

Perhaps you are too focused on plot and not enough on character development. Take a step back, write down their backstory, what makes them tick? Once you know everything there is to know about the characters, hopefully you have a pretty good idea what your characters will do in any situation and where you wish to take them forward.

Just don't make them boring and you can be assured your story won't be either :)
I think you are 100% right, I am trying to figure out plot, and if I look at the characters, they are boring at lightning speed…Perhaps instead of figuring out the next part of the story, I should work on the characters…to the path of legendary greatness :)
 
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I think you are 100% right, I am trying to figure out plot, and if I look at the characters, they are boring at lightning speed…Perhaps instead of figuring out the next part of the story, I should work on the characters…to the path of legendary greatness :)
Yeah, sometimes working on the characters will help you flesh out the plot also. In that other post about the heavy metal band, I was doing just that with SOUL CRUSHER and found myself a nice plot out of it .

I envisioned a Marilyn Manson type character who probably would have turned into a serial killer if not for his music. Anyways, I thought what if the kid he abducts is as messed up as SOUL CRUSHER and allows himself to be totally deceived and taken in by him. As SOUL CRUSHER becomes more and more dangerous, and the boy becomes increasingly radicalized, another member of the band (MARTYR), thinks things are getting out of hand (he was ok with the small animal sacrifices and stuff so long as he got the drugs and chicks but now its getting serious) so... he tries to save the boy and the boy rats him out to SOUL CRUSHER..

MARTYR is thus the one who is sacrificed and the boy partakes in it and his life spared hahah

Play around with extreme characters and the story sometimes rewrites itself. For example, I knew from reading about Marilyn Manson he was pretty much a dweeb when he was a kid, abused and filled with angst and this morphs into the psycho that he is today. He is a total control freak who would lock his girlfriend in a closet.

There's so much great material out there to steal from :)
 
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