The Silver Conspiracy

I'm really struggling with this. Some of the comments I've gotten are: it's confusing. They want a real bad guy and world building. I've got to think about this. I want it to work, but I don't know how...

Having a Non Traditional Character

For most of my books, I have your classic good-guy vs. bad-guy scenario. But The Silver Conspiracy is different. There is a bad guy, but he turns out to help the hero at the end. Also, he brokered universal peace, so despite the fact that he's a killer, there must be some redeeming qualities.

People seem to have a problem with that. They want bad to be all bad; they don't want to know that the serial killer takes care of his invalid mother. Or rather, they don't care as long as the redeeming qualities are just a distraction, and the real essence of the character is bad.

So I have three choices...
1) go ahead with the work as it is
2) change the work to conform
3) set aside the work and work on something else

I don't know how to explain to someone in my writing class that these characters are real to me, as real as anyone else I know. So I don't want to change the essence of the characters. I am going to go ahead with it to finish the class, and then probably set it aside.

My dad is a figures artist and he paints nudes. He always has this problem as many well meaning art purchasers are not interested in nudes. He always has to defend his choice of subject matter, even to myself. He paints other things like landscapes and beach scenes, and those sell. But it is the nudes that really hit the artistic spot for him. So we have these conversations about art for art's sake and art for public consumption. It really is two vastly different things. Despite the fact that one of my father's nudes can be technically beautiful, someone's not going to hang that on their wall above the couch.

Great Resource

I just found this:

International Screenwriter's Association

It is a classifieds list of people looking for scripts or looking to hire writers.

PITCH: Must keep moving

I have to have at least one ball in the air. I can't stand not to have some piece away under review. It gives me that "playing the lottery" feeling, that "creative writing addict" addiction. So, perhaps prematurely, I've sent out another query letter...

The Silver Conspiracy
Logline: Civilization is rebuilding after five hundred years of war. A homicide detective in Center City uncovers evidence in an unsolved disappearance that leads directly to the Emperor of the United Universe, the man who brokered peace.

The Silver Conspiracy, a 91 page Crime Drama set on an alien world, offers two leading roles for male actors age 50-60. Scheduled to be published in novel form in September, 2012, The Silver Conspiracy is an exploration of politics and murder. Not a cut-and-dry good-guy vs. bad-guy feature, this script should offer appealing characters to a wide range of actors and actresses.

Gretchen Elhassani has had success as a novelist, with two novels due out in September, and two more underway. She continues to take scriptwriting classes to hone her skills, works well under deadline and is a team player.

Money, Power, Women

So I am a woman, you might think that I have a problem with this. It’s not that simple. If we all bitched about things we didn’t appreciate without understanding why those things exist and what social need they fulfill, then, well…I guess we mostly do bitch about things. But I get how women are attracted to powerful men. There have been scientific studies showing women pictures of men – the same men, dressed in expensive suits and then in Burger King uniforms. A large percentage (a statistically significant percentage) of women were attracted to the rich men, but not to the poor men. On the flip side, women are required to be young (fertile) and attractive, their wealth is not important. So who can fault ICE-T for rapping about money, power and women? It is a scientifically established fact.

And it’s true. I want to live big, to be big. But I don’t want to sell drugs, and I don’t want to sleep with anyone to get there. I want to be famous through my writing, to create worlds and characters that millions of people can connect with. That’s not all about money and power, and it certainly isn’t about being young and fertile. But I think it’s the same dream, or an incarnation of the same dream: to be important.

If things were different, and if I had any kind of street credit and/or self respect, I could see myself writing rap lyrics. And then getting shot for it.

Checklist for new authors

As I am feeling rather comfortable with my level of achievement at the moment (subject to change, mind you) I thought I would share a list for those who have yet to begin their publishing journeys.

Remember Why You Write
The first step is to write. And to remember throughout the entire process why you write, and that is because you enjoy writing. The minute you lose sight of that, the whole process becomes a burden.

Take a Class
I stalled on this step for many years, feeling like I was too good to take a class. But you know what, I'm not. Taking a class is good for so many reasons:
* You can only get better, you will never be worse off as a writer after taking a class.
* You can learn industry standards (very important if you are trying to get into the business)
* You get valuable feedback. (Finding beta readers can be near impossible, because frankly, your mother doesn't count. One of the greatest resources a teacher can provide is the ability to read your material and comment on it. Also getting a good grade can be almost as satisfying as hearing "yes" from a publisher.)

Market Your Work
There are many strategies you can take. Try one. There will always be time to try others, so don't feel like you're going to lock yourself in. Whether you are approaching an agent, publisher or movie production company, there are similar steps.
1. Write your work
2. Edit your work
3. Condense your work into a one page synopsis
4. Condense your synopsis into a 1 paragraph summary
5. Condense your summary into a 2 sentence logline or pitch
6. Write your query letter. Query letter should include: name, contact information, title of work, word count, genre in the first paragraph. The second paragraph should be your synopsis. The third paragraph should be your platform (why you are a good choice to write this book. Platform is huge, and if you don't have one, you'll get marked down for it. But what can you do if you're not a cell biologist who has written a book about cell biology? Focus on what you do have, and if you have nothing, then gently write around it.)
7. Research agents/publishers/movie production companies. (Only pitch to people who are interested in your genre)
8. Follow the directions listed on the website. If a agent wants to see the first five pages, plus summary, give them that. Do not send the entire manuscript. Do not send the first chapter. If someone wants an attachment, send it as an attachment. If someone will not read attachments, do not send attachments. If someone wants it in Courier Font, 12 point, double spaced with .5 inch indents, do that. Likely each submission you make will be different. Some people only want to see the query letter, so that is what you send them.
9. And most important -> GROW A THICK SKIN People will reject you. All the time. Expect it. Cry if you have to, then get over it. Don't send angry letters back to people who reject you, that makes us all look bad.
10. GOOD LUCK!!!

By the Light of the Moon

I am sharing this trailer to support a fellow Damnation Books author! Check it out!