Literary Road to Glory: 2013

Mesnard’s “Glory Road” progress:

Lat year I had delusions of ambition.  Not only did I make a whole slew of writing goals, but I wanted to formulate a system where I could fail and still succeed: so I wouldn’t fall into the trappings of a majority who make resolutions for a new year.  Thus, I adopted this Road to Glory point system and progress meter…heavily stolen inspired by the PSP game NCAA Football 2010.

My version entailed a month-by-month roadmap: with secondary goals to help bolster any months which I faltered; or rather, my endeavors proved too ambitious.  To top it off, I made a more long-term (and secretive) goal which I gave myself a decade to accomplish.

What’s my secret agenda?  That’s still a pinky swear with Palpatine shrouded with secrecy.  Life would be boring without secrets, don’t you think?

Though my output was abysmal a few months (and then some), writing in December rather than enjoying Nanowrimo burnout was what finally helped me amass enough points to pull off a Road 2012 victory.

Since things seemed to go so well, I decided to definitely do it all over again for 2013.  Raising the stakes higher, I even altered my long-range goal (which is the second progress bar at the top of this post) to drive myself a tad harder.

What’s in store for me this year?  Hit the jump to get the month-by-month breakdown.

Literary Road to Glory: 2012 Recap

The dorm room is packed and cleaned; which brings my foray into literary ambition to a close…at least for this year.  I didn’t plan to give up after a single year of making resolutions.  The big question is how I fared.

Before I cap things off, here’s a look at the cryptic “score sheet” I scrawled out to help become my roadmap. [click to enlarge]

How cryptic was it?  I tried to decode it on at least three occasions.  The sheet of notebook paper made a lot of sense at the time, but I made alterations as the months rolled by…a bit because the unexpected cropped up, but mostly to make things more challenging for myself.

After the jump is my 2012 progress report.

Bombed Out on Getting “Kiss”ed

To put it out there, I missed the long list for 50 First Kisses.  I thought it was a good stab, but that’s what love’s all about…know what I mean?  The pic above is my own stab at levity – since I’m never as suave and short-worded as the man who deemed who was fit enough to be with those amongst the clouds.

Maybe I’ll post it – maybe I won’t.  Maybe it really deserved to not make it.  The peeps-who-be may not have thought mine really embodied love.  I felt it was: at least parts of love.  But love ain’t perfect; as I hear it said.

If any of you know contact me, maybe I’ll give a peep.  We shall see.  Felt worse than when my YT-1300 ship (named Milkrunner) got blasted when I didn’t time my jump through deep space well enough.  [Hoofah to those PvPing imperial gunboats.]

[Just in case you wondered, sabacc is a game similar to Blackjack - to briefly put it - made famous in the Star Wars galaxy; mostly for the fact Han Solo won the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian.]

Save a Kiss for Me: London Screenwriters’ Festival

Love isn’t my question, but I had to answer it.  More specifically, through a prompt posed by the 50 First Kisses competition via the London Screenwriters’ Festival 2012.

Overachieving at an underachiever’s pace, I submitted two entries (which was allowed).

The rules being:

-two page screenplay

-takes place on Valentine’s night

-must have a kiss

Results will be announced July 30th, so it seems.  I’ll do my best to keep people posted – should there be an interesting development.

 

 

 

I know I’ve been off my game due to slacking at camp and trying to organize some Script Frenzy unification.  My apologies, but I know most of you understand.

Screenwriting Crash Course

To all of the Nanowrimo brethren unsure of Script Frenzy or the people who always wanted to write a screenplay – hopefully this post can help a little bit.

If you’re even the smallest bit hesitant about writing a screenplay, give this a read. The following link is an article I’ve been using since the second screenplay I ever completed. Entitled The Three-Week Screenplay and written by Dov S-S Simens, it originally appeared in a 1998 issue of the magazine MovieMaker. The article is six steps, but I diverge halfway through. The simplistic and sometimes humorous article can be a quick confidence builder.

http://www.moviemaker.com/directing/article/the_threeweek_screenplay_321…

I don’t follow it exactly as written, so I wouldn’t expect anyone else to either. This can be a map you glance at before deciding to trudge into the desert alone…or you can use it as a guide until you meet a fellow traveler.  Keep reading to learn the rest.

Frenzy-ous News, Everyone!

This may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts, kid this is a big deal for some: especially me.

I was chosen as a Municipal Liaison for our region of Script Frenzy.  Most of you probably just asked, “Hubba-wha?”  That’s fine.  It means I am a cheerleader and scout who is supposed to make sure as many people make it out of the jungle alive; surviving the task of writing a screenplay.  You could have done it the easy way (if you clicked any of the images or linked phrases), but I’ll explain for anyone who prefer me to paraphrase things.

Script Frenzy is a spin-off of Nanowrimo [National Novel Writing Month].  The difference is instead of writing a novel in November, this is writing a screenplay in April.  100 pages, to be more precise.

If you’re a writer but curious about writing a screenplay – or you want to write that screenplay that’s been collecting dust…now it the time.  No pills.  Only a ticket.

Will you click it?

[Yeah I know Last Action Hero ruined magic tickets for many - but imagine this one inside a Scrumdiddlyumptious Bar.]

If you need to learn more, comment or mail me.  Either is fine.

Literary Road to Glory: 2012

Mesnard’s “Glory Road” progress:

It’s hard to explain the reason why, but I’m feeling mighty ambitious this year. Maybe basking in hitting my goal from last year; maybe senility – but I decided to try something dangerous.  Creatively dangerous that is…

Instead of a new year’s resolution, I decided to have a month-by-month roadmap: with secondary goals as well.  Maybe I’ll falter- or maybe I’ll exceed my expectations.

For a full rundown of the declaration, hit the jump.