THE STORY SPOT

Contributor:  Snark the Reader

More nuggets are regularly posted at: http://snarksscriptnuggets.blogspot.com and @SnarkTheReader

What will you read for Read an eBook Week? The future is upon us. Jump aboard.

Yes, yes. The smell of books, reading in the bathtub, writing in the margins, a bookshelf full of books, etc. etc. People will still have that choice and there are some books that simply can’t be replicated digitally. But when faced with a better option, consumers shift extremely quickly.

From Don’t Believe the E-book Skeptics by Nathan Bransford

Pop over to the “Read an eBook Week” Official Site for goodies such as:

• An interview on eBooks, DRM and universal formats with your friend and mine, author Cory Doctorow
• A look at Calibre, the free converter for eBook readers and publishers (downloadable at http://calibre-ebook.com)
• Free eBooks from participating partners

Last night, Anvil! The Story of Anvil won Best Documentary at the 25th Independent Spirit Awards here in downtown Los Angeles. If you haven’t seen it, do. You will witness — and be a part of — lives profoundly changing right before your eyes.

Anvil is Robb Reiner, Steve 'Lips' Kudlow,
and Glenn 'G5" Gyorffy

Congratulations Sacha Gervasi, Jeff Renfroe, Andrew Dickler, Chris Soos, and Rebecca Yeldham. And much respect to you Lips, Robb, and G5 for just being you. I’m honoured to have witnessed and shared this journey with all of you.

This, people, is how you change the world: vision, honesty, and killer filmmaking.

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The 25th Independent Spirit Awards
Anvil! The Story of Anvil – Official Film Site (signed DVDs and posters available)
anvilmetal.com – Official Site of Anvil

If you haven’t heard, ScriptFrenzy month is nigh: April 1-30, 2010.

Whether you’re playing along or not, here’s a bit of sage advice for all writers from Greg Marcks–as posted on the ScriptFrenzy site.

I don’t have ten tips, or five tips, or even three tips. I can only give you one tip: Please, for the love of all that is holy, know your story before you start writing.

This is so much more difficult than it sounds. I always thought writing was exploratory, an attempt to exorcise a subconscious theme I was wrestling with. While this approach can work for short stories or short film scripts, it becomes unwieldy and time-consuming when tackling feature screenplays or novels.

BEFORE you type FADE IN:, plan the beginning, the middle, and the end.

Don’t know where to start? Try these on for size:

• The Logline: Your New Best Friend – A good start when you have an idea but don’t know what to do next.
• New Writers! Be Unafraid! 10 Tips for Diving In – For a bit of inspiration as you begin.
• Endings Make the Best Beginnings – Finding your story, all of your story.

Don’t take our word for it, take Greg’s. Read the full post, “KNOW YOUR STORY by Greg Marcks” at ScriptFrenzy.org. And while you’re at it, pony up for the privilege. Donations to the wonder that is ScriptFrenzy can be made through The Office of Letters and Light.

Here’s a handy addition to your library. It’s the ICM Story Department Coverage Packet as posted by screenwriter and teacher Scott Meyers on his blog, “Go Into The Story“.

Scott Meyers of "Go Into the Story"

Meyers breaks down the packet and gives further explication on the basics such as the logline, character breakdowns, and adding personal comments. Valuable stuff, people. Read on.