Friday, August 27, 2010

The Rewrite and A Prom Dress

Okay. I am rewriting an old-ish script. This is a pilot from hmm...about a year ago. And the closest thing I can relate this to is putting on an old Prom dress.

Shall I explain?

When I look at old pics of me in dresses that I've worn over the years I often go... "Oh my God! I wore that?!" or "What was I thinking!?" "Look at that color!" "That hemline and my hair...who uses that much hairspray??" Am I alone in this reaction to pictures from the past?

I've discovered that I have the same reaction when I return to writing I did over a year ago. "Oh my God! I wrote that?! and "What was I thinking?" "An act break there?" "Where is the conflict?!! You can't have a story without conflict!"

I believe (clutch to) the idea that as a writer I get better with every project I complete. My skills are better. My dialogue is better. My story structure is better. My spelling...(well that is what spell check is for) remains the same.

Revisiting a piece of writing that I haven't read in a while is akin to slipping into an old dress. I sit there in front of the computer and wonder how can I make this fit me, the writer that I am now. Well...it ain't easy. I've gotten out the scissors in the form of cut and paste. I've found some new material (that word works in the dress analogy and the writing.) And I sit and stare at the screen...a lot. And think. And pull my hair. And pace. And bite my bottom lip. But the one thing I know that makes this story worth it? The material is classic. It's a great idea that I still love. I want to take my (hopefully) better skills and make this script better. Make the story structure tight and the characters stronger with all that I've learned from all the stories I've written.

And perhaps that is the key. That we do change and we aren't stagnate. In embracing this script, the past script, a core idea that is really a good one, and using my skills I can make this a unique piece of material.

Now if only I could get rid of all the pictures of that gold lame´ prom dress.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

RWA Pictures

I promised more pics from RWA and here they finally are. I am the worst about downloading my pics! First here are pics from the Literacy Signing.

First, one of my roomies the amazing Jen Barnes with her latest book Raised By Wolves. Wolves is garnering great reviews!



My other roomie Ally Carter. With a copy of Only The Good Spy Young. Ally was also a RITA finalist in the Young Adult category.



Finally our fearless leader for RWA-Women's Fiction Chapter, Therese Walsh. Therese's first book, The Last Will of Moira Leahy, was a finalist in the Best First Book Category for the RITA.



Our room at The Swan Hotel.



And the amazing Donald Maass who spoke at the first annual meeting of the RWA-Women's Fiction Chapter with Therese Walsh our president.



I enjoy this conference so much and always learn a great deal. Thank you to the organizers at RWA who found a new venue for a conference with 2500 attendees in approximately 60 days! They did a great job.

Maggie

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Meetings, Meetings and Yes, More Meetings!

Ah, yes. This week is the week of the meeting. I've had three thus far. And I have loved them all. The companies I met with this week are fabulous. They do great work. Are highly sought after and well respected. So of course I was a little shocked (clutches heart) when they asked to meet. And very humbled. And very very grateful. And completely honored.

I won't name names as it isn't the Hollywood Way. But I can tease you a bit (in meeting order of course). The production companies I met with made these....


Anyone *love* this show as much as I love this show?




WOW! Just WOW to that season ending, that trailer and this next year.

What about this film....ooo one of my favorites!!!



And finally what about this huge hit!



Yes, I humbly admit, that this week, I may be the luckiest woman alive!

xo
Maggie

Monday, August 16, 2010

Girlfriends Book Club

I love book clubs. And I love authors. So it is inevitable that I would become part of a group that merged these two things! Beginning today there is a *new* addition to the blogosphere:

Girlfriend's Book Club

An incarnation of The Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit, the Girlfriend's Book Club consists of 35 authors. Each of us will post on various writing topics as well as our new books. The brainchild of Karen Neches the Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit has flourished and continues to do so, but the GCC thought it was time for a permanent home and hence our new blog!

Please, stop by and celebrate with me this fantastic community of authors and books!

xo
Maggie

Friday, August 13, 2010

Hello LA!

After much traveling I am back home! First RWA and then R & R (with work thrown in) but now I've returned to Los Angeles. I have deadlines and timelines. I still have kiddies home from school. Plus I have a slew of producer meetings over the next two weeks.

As for good news?

I am a bit superstitious and it is Friday the 13th... But hopefully soon, very soon, I will have some great news to share!

xo

Maggie

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Fabulous RWA

So many fabulous things about RWA and the RWA National Conference. Really, a spectacular conference with amazing workshops and presenters. This is such a diverse group of amazing writers. I feel privileged to be a part of this group. As is always the case, my brain is feeling a bit scrambled after conference. I learned so much, met so many amazing people, and I got to reconnect with great friends. Sensory overload? Yes. But in a good way.

This is my tribe.

I feel those words to my core from the moment I arrive at RWA to the time I leave. My tribe: Women who love to read and write and explore through words the complexity of human relationships.

Thank you to RWA for putting on such a brilliant conference. Thank you for your tremendous effort to put on this conference after the original venue was flooded.

See you next year in NYC!

xo
Maggie