Write two scripts at the same time?

Just wondering if anybody has done that kind of thing before.

It's okay to do so as it helps when you have writer's block with one script.  You really shouldn't make a practice of it, though.


Phil

thanks dogglebe, I'll keep that in mind.

Oh, and don't ask anyone, here, to read your unfinished/first draft work if you are working on more than one script.  In fact, don't mention it at all.  We've had enough SS members post their ideas du jour.  They ask for opinions regarding their latest 'blockbuster,' only to come up with a 'cooler' idea the next day.



Phil

More than one script at the same time is fine. A lot of people do it when more than one idea strikes, but you have to stay on task long enough to at least finish one of them. Just don't announce every single idea that touches you proclaiming it to be the best ever. I regularly have multiple scripts in one phase or another of writing, and I don't share until I'm almost done or need a boost.

Oh, and grammatically, the thread would be titled "Is it all right to..." Alright is slang, and too means also...

Ok, thanks George

I have a bad habbit of working on dozens of scripts at once. It's not a good one and I wouldn't recommend it, but it works for me.

As for the grammar I just thought I'd chime in. "Alright" is still an accepted way to spell "all right", and not just in slang.

Quoted Text The one-word spelling alright appeared some 75 years after all right itself had reappeared from a 400-year-long absence. Since the early 20th century some critics have insisted alright is wrong, but it has its defenders and its users. It is less frequent than all right but remains in common use especially in journalistic and business publications. It is quite common in fictional dialogue, and is used occasionally in other writing "the first two years of medical school were alright" -- Gertrude Stein

From m-w.com

What you need to do is find out what works for you.

Some people stay with one project and may find it difficult moving between various works in progress.  If you're working to a deadline, at a professional level--say for instance, writing television scripts under contract--obviously you need to stay on task.  But then in those instances, you've got teams of writers.  Still, they can't all sit around and wait for inspiration or simply decide they want to do something else.

This is why working on challenges such as the OWC are good training.  They force people to produce something under specific guidelines within a time frame.  However, if you are crafting over a long period of time, it may be very beneficial, to let things go cold and move on to other projects.

I've found it helps me to work in various genres and forms, taking time to research or study "other" things in between.  When I come back to old work or approach new work, I then find something has happened that helps me.  Whether it's the fact that my subconscious has assimilated more or "what" I don't know, but I thought I'd share that with you.

Writing constantly is hard work and it can all become very ordinary very quick.  There's been a recent post on the subject of cliches which point to the difficulty we have with avoiding them, but it seems quite evident that cliches and reworked formulaic materials often resurface and are successful because people from generation to generation are basically the same with the human condition remaining as unalterable within other variables.

So then, the challenge is trying to refurbish old ideas especially as one gets older and subsequently becomes more jaded.  We then tend to think of a lot of things as pure banality, but it really does depend on who the audience is.

This may be some of the best advice I've ever encountered and I can't remember where I heard it, but it's about the idea that "stories" aren't sold so much as "genres" are.  Importantly, what writers need to strive to understand is just that: what kind of packaging material it's made with.  Part of this concept involves the knowledge of who their audience is.

I'm thinking for example of something like the "High School Musical."  It's especially appealing to "tweeners".  Or what about something like "The Golden Girls?"  A different age group and a corresponding different mind set.  Of course it's not just age that determines audience, but that's one good place to start.

Anyways, basically I wanted to share that there are many ways of working and just to say, try different things out.

Sandra  

My advice is that you can work on two scripts at a time, but it's very helpful if they are in different stages of development. For example, you can be polishing a draft of one script, while writing a first draft on the other.

It's a little taxing to develop two scripts at the same time and takes a lot of commitment and concentration. Especially when staying in the characters and developing them.

Good luck!
Stew

I'm usually working on several scripts at once.  Working on five right now.

Of course, that's also likely why I've only posted two scripts in the whole two years I've been here...

Quoted from dogglebe Oh, and don't ask anyone, here, to read your unfinished/first draft work if you are working on more than one script.  In fact, don't mention it at all.  We've had enough SS members post their ideas du jour.  They ask for opinions regarding their latest 'blockbuster,' only to come up with a 'cooler' idea the next day. Phil

That's why I delete those idea threads in WIP. If enough effort is not put into it, the thread is removed. If they get mad about it, read the rules.

As for the two scripts at a time part, I think writing one to a certain point and if you want to let it sit that's when you start a new one. Writing two at the same time could ruin characters unless you're using the same characters or very similar characters which is probably not recommended.

I have tried two scripts at a time and found it to never work out for one of the screenplays.

If you write them in two different genres, it can probably work well.

Here's my opinion; I personally don't think it is a diciplined way to approach it. By all means keep your notebook handy and always jot down ideas of whatever comes to mind, but it can be a mental cop-out to spin two plates at the same time. Me, I'd rather spend my time (what little of it there is) working on one really good, solid, professional level project than to spend that time on two or three mediocre ones. Could be wrong, but that's how I look at it.  What ever works for you, great, and best of luck to you! BW

I'll take a few days off writing a feature-length to write a short but I'd never write two or more feature lengths at the same time. I just see it as counter-productive. I tried it once and after ten pages or so opted just to stick to the one (both got written BTW). I'm not saying it can be done but I'm sure it'll take a long time to complete a feature length script if you're working on four others at the same time.

It's ok to work on two scripts at the same time as long as you don't work on them simultaneously.

Quoted from Old Time Wesley That's why I delete those idea threads in WIP. If enough effort is not put into it, the thread is removed. If they get mad about it, read the rules.

Ghostrider is only 14. Starting at this age and asking so many questions will give him , if he sticks it out, a great start in scriptwriting.
I applaud him for joining this site and asking so many questions.

Elis,

I agree with you and as a mother of three I can tell you that I'm a big supporter of young people. They are our future!

However, these boards, when not moderated tend to get overrun by comments/ideas/opinions by exhuberant young people that don't really add much of value and as a result some older and serious writers tend to leave. We need both young people and older experienced writers. The rules are there for a reason, even though they might seem strict at times.

Pia

I agree we live in a world or rules and regulations. I was just giving the kid a pat on the back. I thought he needed a little bit of encouragement. Don't like to dampen any enthusiastic heart.
I am also a mother of three, lol.  

Quoted from elis Ghostrider is only 14. Starting at this age and asking so many questions will give him , if he sticks it out, a great start in scriptwriting. I applaud him for joining this site and asking so many questions.

Agreed.  When you're trying to learn, there's no such thing as a stupid question.

Quoted from Lon Agreed.  When you're trying to learn, there's no such thing as a stupid question.

My 8th grade science teacher had a similar philosophy.

The first few weeks anyway.

I made a cynic out of him, I think.

Quoted from elis Ghostrider is only 14. Starting at this age and asking so many questions will give him , if he sticks it out, a great start in scriptwriting. I applaud him for joining this site and asking so many questions.

At his age, the first thing he will have to learn is how to take criticism.  If he gets defensive after the first negative comment, he won't stick around.



Phil

Dogglebee, what do you mean by defensive,

and I thank everyone who gave me good advice and helping me out.

Quoted from Ghostrider Dogglebee, what do you mean by defensive, and I thank everyone who gave me good advice and helping me out.

A lot of times, I'll comment on poor character development in a script.  Or how the story dragged.  Or it was unrealistic.  One of a thousand things that can go wrong with a script.  And, instead of saying , 'thanks, I'll look into it,' I'll get a reply like (these are direct quotes):

"Ignore Phil's rampant cynicism. The rest of us do."


"The first twenty episodes of Banana Chan tell the most epic tragedy about unrequited love which anyone has ever written in the history of literature.  You sir are an idiot."


"dogglebe, dont be jealous that you didnt come up with the idea first. We all know that u havent had any big writing credits that people have  had a fit over like Welsey has had with his 2 series. So if you want to bash anyone on their writing, do it to your self and some of your bad writing."


"I came to you for your opinion cuz You seem to be respected around here and you have shorts made/so maybe you are doing something right. But i just s feel a negative vibe which comes from you toward me. Which can we seen in your 1st response on ppage one. I just thought I was a rookie writer and what you had say was better then I knew at the time.

As time went  on, I have learned alot of things. And your respectful opinion is no longer admired by me."


If your script is good, I'll tell you that.  If your script is bad, I'll tell you that.  Either way, I'll explain why.  Just don't come to Simply Scripts and automatically assume we're gonna love your work.  This isn't a back-patting society.


Phil

I love praise as much as the next gal, but like the successful comedian said "you can have a room of 500 people laughing at your jokes, but it's the guy in the corner not laughing that gets to you".

Just like that, I enjoy praise, but in my rewrites, I tend to reread the negative comments the most...

Phil,

your reviews may be short and some may see them as negative, but in my experience, your comments have always been truthful and therefore helpful.

And yeah, I work on too much at the same time......and I'm not getting anywhere.

Pia,

Don't say you're not getting anywhere.  It may "seem" that way, but this is a negative statement that attracts negative.  I know it sounds mystical and all, but it's true.

Let me tell you a little story.

There is a lady I know who is extremely prolific and she's all over the map when it comes to writing and too, very successful and a lot more experienced than I am.  One day, (sounds like a fairy tale I know) I happened to come across one of her posts at a time when I was struggling. (These times I accept just as I accept seasons or any other cycle you can think of.)

Now a lot was contained in the post.  I don't remember all of the details, but suffice it to say she is a remarkable woman not only in the creative aspect, but also in the business aspect of writing.  I became amazed and inspired by all that she was/is doing: how MUCH she was writing--sometimes as much as 10,000 words in a day or so and yes, she obviously does rewrites; it's not instant gold, but this made me realize that even when I "feel" that I'm at a standstill, I too can raise my level of quality production.

When I read this lady's work, I realized that yes, even if I have a bad month or two or even three, I could come back and write 10,000 words in a day too, and repeat it the day after and the day after.

There was one contest I entered in the spring where I received excellent reviews from around nine judges and do you know, I almost never entered the contest.  Why?  Because I only had ten days to finish the contest which I'd only just discovered and it had been going on for a couple of months.

So, just because things don't "seem" to be moving along.  It doesn't mean they aren't.    You never "see" flowers bloom unless you use still motion photography.

You are getting somewhere, you just may not "see" it.

Blessings,
Sandra

Quoted from dogglebe "dogglebe, dont be jealous that you didnt come up with the idea first. We all know that u havent had any big writing credits that people have  had a fit over like Welsey has had with his 2 series. So if you want to bash anyone on their writing, do it to your self and some of your bad writing." Phil

I was mentioned by someone... Awesome. The funny part is that I get like 2 reads a year so that would be a misinformed comment.

And I'm not sure why that comment about him being 14 had my comment quoted. I delete ideas in progress off the WIP board, yes but this is where questions go.

I'm not sure what question is in question here but most of what I have deleted were ideas and not questions. Ideas in Progress are what you discuss with your pals in chat.

Ghostrider,

At your age, you've got a jump on just about all of us.  My wife and I try to offset comedies with thrillers, and more often than not, we have at least 2 irons in the fire.  It helps, however, if one of the scripts we're working on is a rewrite vs. a first draft.  You might find that multiple projects helps keep the energy flowing; and one often feeds into the other.  When you work on one project, if you get stuck, you're stuck.

For now, I would learn the craft as best you can, and complete your first screenplay.  But at the same time, read as many scripts as you can.  It's amazing what can be achieved by osmosis alone.

Cheers,

Tony

I tried it once, about ten years ago.  It was a novel and a screenplay at the same time.  I had no problem keeping the stories straight, which was helpful since I was in both a novel and screenwriting class.  The good news is that people seemed to like both stories.  The bad news?  The novel read like a script and the script read like a novel.

Oh well.