Who am I and why should you listen to me? Good question. In some cases, you shouldn’t. If a quiet, honest place in you knows you’ve written something true and beautiful, don’t listen to anyone. Run to a publisher before someone makes you doubt yourself. But listen to me over your mother. Especially if she thinks you’re a fool. Especially if she thinks you’re a genius. Listen to me over the louder, more chaotic voices in your head. Especially if they are yelling that you’re a fool. Or that you’re a genius. Sometimes brilliance takes a few drafts. Sometimes we grow so attached to our hard-won words that to remove one feels like amputation. At this moment, we need an outside voice. James Michener said, ‘I am not a good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter.’ Annie Dillard wrote, of people who effortlessly churn out perfect books in a few weeks, “some people feel no pain in childbirth, some people eat cars. There is no call to take human extremes as norms.” Sometimes it is a good thing to ‘dive into the wreck,’ acknowledge the wrecked parts and simultaneously acknowledge that it is worth, at least, another dive. I love writers and I love writing and I’m on your side. I will keep your ideas private and I won’t lie to you. Once you are a fancy Hollywood writer or bestselling author, you will remember the promise I just made you as quaint. Don’t put your book in a box in the attic. Don’t let the idea that has haunted you through 600 commutes fade away. Don’t make excuses. Let’s beat your book up for awhile and see if it’s still standing. Let’s give your idea a workout and see if it’s still burning. I’ve worked in Hollywood for 14 years. I’ve been the Vice President of Development for Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella’s Mirage Enterprises for the last five years. Before that, I worked extensively in film production. During my time at Mirage I’ve worked on THE INTERPRETER, COLD MOUNTAIN and the upcoming films HOT STUFF, BREAKING AND ENTERING and MICHAEL CLAYTON. Call me if you’re in the amputation phase.
        
. diamondintheroughdraft.com
Words are all we have. -Samuel Beckett Links: www.wga.org http://www.pw.org/mag/grantsawards.htm http://www.scriptsales.com/ http://www.poets.org/ http://www.freescriptlibrary.org/ www.simplyscripts.comhttp://www.wga.orghttp://www.pw.org/mag/grantsawards.htmhttp://www.scriptsales.comhttp://www.poets.orghttp://www.freescriptlibrary.org/470e6348%5Dhttp://www.simplyscripts.comshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5