A.B.C. Always. Be. Creating.

Some advice I offered writers in my recent Story Summaries: From Loglines to Beat Sheets class:

If you write a script and it generates interest with a manager, agent, or producer, when you meet with them, the first thing they’ll say is, “Love your script.” The second thing will be this: “What else you got?”

That is why it is critical to be brainstorming story concepts and developing the best ones along with writing scripts. Once you’ve landed on a strong story concept, work it out and write it up as a synopsis or treatment, along with a logline. If you have at least three of those in hand, then you’ll be in good shape when that opportunity arrives.

Think of it as A.B.C.: Always. Be. Creating. You can do this by learning how to stack projects.

Hopefully this class will spur folks to embrace the story development process.

So there you go, a new writing mantra emerges on the fly: A.B.C.: Always. Be. Creating. Yes, a nod to David Mamet:

Going back to that meeting you’ll have when you write that spec that gets someone’s attention in Hollywood. When they say, “What else you got,” you can’t close them unless you’ve got something to sell. And how do you get something in hand? Generate story ideas. Develop them, see which ones get you excited. Assess them by pitching them to friends and other writers. Take the best ones and work them up into treatments, so you are prepared for your L.A. meet-and-greets.

A.B.C.: Always. Be. Creating.