Dispatch From The Quest: Miranda Sajdak
Over the course of the 24 weeks I am working with the writers in The Quest, each will write a weekly dispatch to share with the GITS community. There are several reasons for doing this, the main one educational: Hopefully you will learn something of value for your own understanding of the craft from the experiences of the Questers. I should also add they are a great group of people, so I expect you will enjoy getting to know them.
Today: Miranda sums it up for everyone involved in The Quest as we shift into prep-writing:
Oh, wow. I can’t believe we’re already done with so much of The Quest. It’s been an incredibly illuminating experience for us thus far, and I’m thrilled that we’re starting on prep next.
Sandra and I had lunch recently with a writer friend of hers, and she asked us to reflect on the Quest process. We were both excited to be able to discuss how helpful it’s been — both to our own writing process, and to our work as script consultants and producers. I’ve found myself referencing lectures to be able to give advice in a more concise way, and I know Sandra has done the same.
It’s been another busy week for us both, as we embrace new opportunities creatively, as producers, and as writers. We’re both looking forward to some possible big career events/changes, so, in our own journeys, it’s a transformative time. I couldn’t think of a better time to be working on a script like ours — the conflict at the core of our story is universal, and is definitely timely for our own lives.
And that’s it, the last of the Dispatches from the first part of The Quest process. A lot of theory, tips and techniques. Now we dig into each of their stories. The default bottom line goal for a first draft is to get the damn thing done. This is a wholly practical concern because until you have a draft written, you don’t have a story in any real sense of the word.
Equally as important, at least from a creative standpoint, is to find as much of the story as possible in the prep and page-writing process. Prep-writing is about exploring the expanse of possibilities, then wrangling it into some semblance of a structure. Page-writing is about pounding out scene after scene, putting flesh onto bone. Some of it will work. Some of it won’t. But by reaching FADE OUT, you are that much closer to a final draft,
To The Questers and everyone else out there who has committed to Go On Your Own Quest, good luck with the prep-writing. Immerse yourself in your story universe and focus on your characters, especially your Protagonist. Almost assuredly it is the nature of their Disunity and their Narrative Destiny that will shape the entire structure of your script.
Next week: More Dispatches From The Quest.
About Miranda: New Englander turned Angeleno by way of New York. Enjoys: high-powered action films, dark dramas, and ’90s legal thrillers. Does not enjoy: the dentist. Mushrooms. @ScriptChix.
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