moving on
Today has been productive. The fourth draft of the collaborative script is done and the script is officially complete? for the time being. I’ve enjoyed the writing partnership with Brian. We’ve produced a simple but lovely script, and since I hadn’t scheduled this project it brings the pleasure of an unexpected gift.
One thing I enjoy about writing with another person is that there is a continual, and external, pressure to push past the clichés and lazy writing. There were a couple of scenarios in the third draft of the script that were passable, but Brian echoed my own thoughts about their obviousness. So, instead of letting them slide we tidied them up. It only required a little tinkering to elevate the quality of the scenes.
It’s great to have another project under my belt. I realised today that I hadn’t been giving myself credit for the work I’ve been doing on this script. Perhaps it’s because I was collaborating, and in my mind it was listed under the category of “not as much effort”. Yet, when I think about it Brian and I met weekly, and we both put a lot of thought and time into the screenplay. It’s great to work with another person who is invested in producing quality writing.
I’ve also crossed out a number of preparation tasks for my trip, which is satisfying. There’s plenty yet to do, however.
Work on the short story is progressing, albeit very slowly. I realised some time ago not to bring rigid expectations of how to write a project in advance of the actual writing. My experience thus far is that each story is unique, and may require a different approach. Normally, I push past any concerns about the quality of my writing in order to complete the first draft. Then I tackle the work with a rather brutal attitude of “if it isn’t paying its way it’s axed.” This time, however, I’m revising as I go. The first section has been written a number of times, but each time it has improved. It’s a three steps forward and one step back approach, which results in the momentum of a funeral procession. Yet, the work dictates the pace. I’d like to lash the mourners into more of a trot, but that might result in a pile-up. Maybe I should hire one of those New Orleans funeral bands to put a bounce in their step…
Those of you in Dublin might be interested in the Temple Bar Film Festival which kicked off today. It’s a small but interesting programme of events. Although, sitting indoors watching films in a darkened room is not so appealing in this Mediterranean weather.