Friday, May 27, 2011

how to finish a screenplay, in 12 easy steps


1. shut off your phone + your internet for 24 hours. you heard me, 24 HOURS.

2. do 3 loads of laundry.

3. take a nap. a long one.

4. stare at the computer.

5. stare at yourself in the mirror.

6. WRITE

7. EDIT

8. WRITE WRITE WRITE

9. sleep

10. go for a run. (i'm kidding! that didn't happen.)

11. WRITE EDIT WRITE EDIT WRITE WRITE WRITE

12. DELETE. nothing drastic. just a couple of extraneous scenes.


tada! only one year after i started work on this draft....

IT'S FINISHED.

still a little rough in patches, but it's finished, you guys. as in, it has a motherf*cking ending. the previous draft didn't have an ending, so i consider this a major accomplishment.

i'm mixing a martini as we speak. (not kidding.)

Exorcism of the Last Painting I Ever Made, performance by Tracie Emin, 1996 via TeenAngster via myloveforyou via You Should Take Care + Flash glam trash!

28 comments:

  1. hell, yes, lady! the celebratory drink is well deserved.

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  2. congratulations!! that is mega exciting. what's the next step? never mind, don't think about that, just enjoy your drink first. but i am curious what your plan is with it.

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  3. wahoo! you are the most amazing!!

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  4. CONGRATS! That is huge (your accomplishment, not the boobies above)

    (although yes, those too)

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  5. huzzah!!!

    I'm not running and drinking to celebrate you! (Just kidding, I was doing those things before I read this post.)

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  6. @nikki the correct term is "floppity milkers."

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  7. Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations.

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  8. Congratulations! Well done, lady!

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  9. Congratulations! That's huge!

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  10. goddamn it. we're aren't even there.

    drink extra martinis for me please and ... fucking yay.

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  11. dear esb

    so raad u always know what to do

    i have a big problem maybe you can help with
    it not about weddings or at least not mine
    i have rats
    two nights ago my doggie was very interested in the box which covers the water heater
    i pulled it back and we looked in
    signs of rats but no rat
    i suggested we look around the house elsewhere
    she kept insisting on that box
    we looked again
    there hanging upside down on the inner corner
    a lovely brown rat
    it jumped down and got away under the woodpile

    so here is my problem what to do

    i got my daddies gun with a shotgun shell in it
    do i just wait patiently and blow them away
    or what
    i'm afraid of what my daughter would say

    you're so cool please help me

    what should i do

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  12. you are INCREDIBLE. and so is your dad's "dear esb". <3 you both!

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  13. @angela feel like answering it for me? because YIKES. we have a whole family history with pet rats.

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  14. love the tracy emin shot / reference. this makes me really dig you.

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  15. Congrats!! I'm trying to finish a book so this gives me hope... Maybe I'll try your technique. :-)

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  16. esb and esb dad,

    i hear your family has a history of pet rats...so in order to make everyone happy, get one of those reusable (in case that rat had a family) "no kill" rat traps like this: http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Mouse-Trap-Humane-Mousetrap/dp/B000YFA7HW

    so no rats get killed, esb is happy and esb dad can catch it and let it go wherever he pleases...maybe in the yard of a neighbor he doesn't like?

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  17. F*CK YEAH! mega-congrats are in order!!! :-)

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  18. FIN, cookies. motherfucking FIN. good for you!

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  19. how did the congrats turn to a rat discussion? I just caught one in my yard and took it to the humane society. I told them to lie to me and tell me they were going to give it some shots and put it up for adoption.

    on a better note, can't wait to go see your movie someday!

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  20. Yes, yes, yes! I'm late to this party, but it's still worth the congratulations.

    Rats outside are something you must come to terms with. If they venture indoors, then all bets are off and they can't expect mercy, whether you have had pet rats or not.

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  21. A HUGE FLOPPITY GRAVITATIONAL TATA of a CONGRATULATIONS, lady.

    Finished screenplays, tatas, and rats. Sounds like fodder for a Woody Allen script.

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