StoryLink > Articles > eZines > August 2009
StoryLink eZine - August 2009
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Featured screenwriter Larry Doyle, who - among other projects - wrote the novel and the screenplay for I Love You, Beth Cooper, answers questions from the StoryLink Community. Plus, Brad Schreiber, author of What Are You Laughing At?: How to Write Funny Screenplays, Stories and More, takes on some humor-writing myths. Since good humor starts with good characters, Jeffrey Schechter, the developer of Contour Software (formerly The TotallyWrite Development Suite) answers our "Ask An Expert" question on Character Archetypes. This issue also features upcoming events and contest listings, as well as information on The Story Specialists, a new customizable screenwriting coaching service from The Writers Store. StoryLink would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the friends and family of mentor and partner Blake Snyder (Save the Cat®), who passed away suddenly on August 4, 2009. A friend to everyone he met, Blake loved helping writers achieve their goals. He will be missed. Keep your dream alive. Keep writing! Debra Eckerling |
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This ezine is sponsored by
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StoryLink's August Featured Screenwriter is Larry Doyle, who wrote the film I Love You, Beth Cooper, as well as the novel, which won the 2008 Thurber Prize for American Humor. I Love You, Beth Cooper, which opened July 10, is about a nerdy valedictorian who proclaims his love for the most popular girl in school during his graduation speech. His proclamation leads to the best night of his life. In addition to screenwriting, the multi-faceted Doyle's writing experience includes news reporting, comic strips, editing magazines (including Spy), and writing for The Simpsons, for which he won two Emmy Awards. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker, and has written for Esquireand GQ. His "big break" was getting a piece called "Life Without Leann" in the New Yorker. "I got it by writing and sending in dozens of other pieces until I did one they liked enough to publish," he recalls. Doyle answers questions from the StoryLink Community about writing comedy in different mediums, storytelling, technique, and more. Those whose questions were chosen will receive The Dialogue: Learning from the Masters DVD (Winner's Choice) from The Writers Store. Read the article... |
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StoryLink is working to procure some special guests for the September Featured Screenwriter section. Keep an eye on your inbox for the official email announcement, when you'll have the ability to post a question. As always, those who submit questions that are selected will receive a copy of The Dialogue: Learning from the Masters DVD (Winner's Choice) from The Writers Store. Stay tuned! |
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Brad Schreiber is author of five books, including What Are You Laughing At?: How to Write Funny Screenplays, Stories and More (Michael Wiese Prods.) and Stop the Show!: Insane Incidents and Absurd Accidents in the Theater (Da Capo/Perseus). Schreiber is Vice President of Storytech Literary Consulting, founded in 1999 by Chris Vogler, author of the The Writer's Journey. Schreiber dispels some myths about comedy writing in this month's eZine. Read the article... |
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Jeffrey Alan Schechter is a WGA, WGC, Emmy, and BAFTA nominated writer, producer, director, as well as the builder of a better storytelling mousetrap called Contour, formerly known as The TotallyWrite Development Suite. Schechter will be teaching his My Story Can Beat Up Your Story! Screenwriting Seminar on August 30 at The Writers Store in Los Angeles. Our expert columnist this month, Schechter answers the question: "What are the essential screenplay character archetypes?" Read the article... |
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2-Day Film School with Dov Simens Conducted by: Dov Simens When: August 8 & 9 - 9:00am-6:00pm Location: New York Cost: $395.00 Basics & Beyond: Screenwriting presented by Writers University Conducted by: Mario Moreno When: August 8th - 2:00pm-4:00pm Location: The Writers Store Cost: $49.95 Write On! Breaking Through Writers Block Conducted by: Debra Eckerling When: August 15th - 1:30pm-3:30pm Location: The Learning Garden Cost: $25.00 Film Crash Course with Dov Simens Conducted by: Dov Simens When: August 18th & 25th - 6:00pm-8:00pm Location: The Writers Store Cost: $39 for one night/$59 for both Basics & Beyond: Final Draft Training Conducted by: Mario Moreno When: August 22nd - 2:00pm-4:00pm Location: The Writers Store Cost: $49.95 |
My Story Can Beat Up Your Story! Screenwriting Seminar with Jeff Schechter Conducted by: Jeff Schechter When: August 30th - 10:00am-5:00pm Location: The Writers Store Cost: $99.00 Robert McKee's Story Seminar - LA Conducted by: Robert McKee When: September 10th-13th - 9:00am-8:30pm Location: The Westin Hotel, Los Angeles Cost: $645.00 Sublime Primetime 2009 Conducted by: WGA, West & The Writers Guild Foundation When: September 10th - 7:30pm-9:00pm Location: WGA Theater, Los Angeles Cost: See website Ellen Sandler's Developing an Original TV Pilot One-Day Intensive Conducted by: Ellen Sandler When: September 26th - 10:00am-6:00pm Location: The Writers Store Cost: $150.00 Robert McKee's Story Seminar - NY Conducted by: Robert McKee When: October 22nd-25th - 9:00am-8:30pm Location: Hotel Penn, New York Cost: $645.00 |
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Do you have an idea for a screenplay, but find yourself stuck before you even start? Do you have a good script that needs a little push in the right direction? Then it's time to look into customized Screenwriting Coaching from The Writers Store. The Story Specialists - The Writers Store's professionally-trained screenwriting coaches - provide customized guidance, based on your own screenwriting goals. They can take you from that first glimmer of an idea to a final draft, all while addressing your specific writing needs. The Story Specialists program includes: - A Personalized Assessment of your Project - A Project Path, Based on your Script Idea and Personal Goals - Weekly or Bi-weekly In-Person Sessions - Quality Feedback (written and verbal) For more information, call 800.272.8927 or stop by The Writers Store, 2040 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles. Local clients: We are offering a free 20-minute consultation with a Story Specialist, who will read and provide notes on your first ten pages in addition to a 20-minute in-person meeting regarding those notes. Those interested, please call the store; appointments are limited. |
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2009 OBS Original Script Contest Deadline August 15th, 2009 Terror Film Festival 2009 (Films & Screenplays) Deadline August 21st, 2009 2009 Great Lakes Film Festival Deadline August 29th, 2009 |
One in Ten Screenplay Contest - 2009 Deadline August 31st, 2009 Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest) Deadline September 9th, 2009 2009 Great Lakes Film Association Scriptwriting Competition Deadline September 26th, 2009 |
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Congratulations to StoryLink Member Nicholas David Brandt. His film, Hollywood Kills, was just released on DVD. The film, written by Brandt and directed by Sven Pape, stars Dominic Keating (Star Trek Enterprise), Zack Ward (Almost Famous, Resident Evil: Apocalypse), Happy Mahaney, and Gillian Shure, and is available on Netflix and Amazon.com. "When four attractive, young actors enter a secret Hollywood power club, they believe their dreams of stardom are only a cocktail away. Yet when the club's director casts the foursome in his next horror reality film, they soon realize that their newfound stardom might end before it even begins." Send your success story to StoryLink, so we can feature you in an upcoming eZine. |
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Check out some of these previous StoryLink interviews with comedy screenwriters and articles on comedy writing. Tracey Jackson, Screenwriter, Confessions of a Shopaholic Billy Mernit: Writing the Better Romantic Comedy for the 2000s Yes Man Screenwriter Nicholas Stoller Four Christmases Screenwriters Matt Allen & Caleb Wilson The House Bunny and The Ugly Truth Screenwriters Karen McCullah Lutz & Kirsten Smith Get Smart About Screenwriting with Tom Astle & Matt Ember |