Writing in a New Year!

So, for everyone who feels guilty for not writing enough in the year 2014, this year is a new chance to clean the slate and write until their fingers drop off! Here are the lesson I learned this past year: first of all, make sure your entire story is plotted out down to the last detail before you waste time writing script pages. Looking at how life works, I've figured out that I need to write faster so that I can finish all the projects in my head. One way I can do that, is plot out the story BEFORE I start writing it down in final draft. And on a positive note, I think my brain has become faster in this past year at making stories. Last year, it took a full three months before I had a solid storyline for my Ninja Turtles spec. This time around, it's only taken me about a month to put together a firm outline. I'm jaw-dropping amazed. And grateful, since I'm supposed to write three television scripts before the end of May.

I've also learned that when you edit someone's novel, sleep on it BEFORE you write any commentary. I should have slept on it so I could evaluate the novel from a more objective point of view. In other words, sleep on it so that you can rip it to shreds in a way that still give the writer hope that they are not the scum of the earth, nor the most horrible writer that ever lived. An editor's job is never to destroy, but to give hope and show writers how to reach their greatest potential.

Lesson three--you don't always have to toss everything out and start all over. I'm often tempted to do so when a story isn't working, but if you stick around long enough to figure out a different solution, a lot of times you can use the material you already have just by changing a few minor things. Figure out the REAL problem with the scene (dialogue is boring, motivations are unclear...etc), and you can fix it without rewriting your entire story. I admit, sometimes I get a little trigger happy in killing my darlings.

Happy New Year to all the writers out there! What lessons have you learned?