THE STORY SPOT

Russell over at The LA Grind posted this most excellent (and entirely accurate) look at the piles of scripts littering our desk, floor, shelves, and spilling forth from the drawers.

Okay…even THE STORY SPOT crew doesn’t have that many original plays spilling forth and cluttering all corners but ten? Heck yes. And Russell’s right on the money with the role each one played along the way:

1-3 scripts – shite. Don’t show them to people unless you are really secure with yourself.

4-6 scripts – average. Now, you’ve taken the good things you do and integrated structure into it.

Visit The LA Grind to work your way up to that tenth script.

“10 Scripts…”at The LA Grind

P.S. The LA Grind has taken pole position in our GOOD READS selection at right. Check him out often and subscribe.

That’s right, book lovers. It’s that time of year once again when the City of West Hollywood throws open its ever-lovin’ arms to welcome readers, writers, and aficionados of all things literary. It’s the 7th annual West Hollywood Book Fair and it’s going to be another beautiful Sunday afternoon in the California sunshine.

More intimate than the splendiferous LA Times Festival of Books, the WeHo Book Fair allows plenty of time and space to leisurely peruse works of local and international authors, chat up your favorites (Bradbury!), take in a spoken word performance or two, nosh and people-watch. All that plus free parking, free shuttle service, and free everything else.

Stop by. Your presence alone shows you care and supports the literary arts in your city.

The West Hollywood Book Fair
Sunday, September 28, 2008
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
West Hollywood Park
647 North San Vicente Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA

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A very exciting project has been happening over at LA Observed, our venerable blog-about-town. Screenwriter Eric Estrin wanted to see what would happen if a group of strangers collaborated publicly on a single screenplay about this, our City of Angels.

He posted a premise, loose guidelines, and an open invitation.
Nineteen writers answered the call and a story was born.

The result, Right of Way, is

…a dark, fictional look at the underbelly of LA transportation politics, complete with glamour, corruption, overweening ambition, betrayal and murder.

And now, THE STORY SPOT has joined the collaboration. What’s not to love?

Read on »

Faithful readers, THE STORY SPOT wants to give you what you crave. What do you need in order to do your best work? Post your niggling questions, ruminations, and whatnots here. If you’re lurking, now is your chance to jump in.

A tip ‘o the hat to those who post their:

• writerly Amazon wishlists,
• indispensible resources,
• lucky writing charms,
• favorite mind-clearing distractions,
• little-known tips.

Today’s post turns the keys over to you. If you’d like an in-depth response from THE STORY SPOT crew, just ask and we’ll do our best to post an answer in upcoming weeks.

(Be sure to click through to the full post for comments!)

Photo credit: westsidecreations

One of the best ways to capture a burning idea, shape a new story, check your premise as you work, and formulate a pitch is through the use of a logline.

What is it? Glad you asked.
Read on »