Steal My Script
One of the nice things about blogging — and blogging about screenwriting in particular — is I meet some interesting people doing some interesting things. For example, I’ve intersected a few times on Twitter with @beingbrad. He hosts a website called StealMyScript. And if you think it is what it sounds like, you’re right. More from Brad:
Steal my script was inspired by the one, true Jonathon Coulton, who, back in 2005 started his own “thing a week” ritual. Basically, he wrote and recorded a new song every week. Then he became super famous and people like John Kellogg Hodgman rode the coattails of his success all the way to infamy.
May we have done unto ourselves as has been done unto others.
Steal my script is a similar venture. Except it’s not singing, it’s screenwriting. And I’m not writing a feature length screenplay a week. That would be madness. Nor am I writing a short every week. This still isn’t my full time job.
I’m writing a scene, or a sequence if you will, and sometimes a short.
Every week.
I’m trying to craft a script that tells a story, with a beginning, middle and end, that is engaging, enjoyable, full of interesting characters and of course, well written. I’m writing a scene or a sequence that goes into the story, even if it doesn’t tell an entire story.
I write.
So what’s the big deal?
As far as the actual writing is concerned, there really is no big deal. I’m just a screenwriter, writing stories. I don’t expect an avalanche of fanfare. I don’t expect accolades. I don’t expect free cocaine and hookers.
Expectations aside, there are some dreams that I have. Dreams that involve an unknown and unseen audience. Maybe two long lost high school buddies, maybe a quadrant of twitter followers, maybe even a gaggle of facebook friends. Readers, writers and dreamers alike.
We live in an era when content is king. Moreover with current technology, what we write here can get spotted by somebody there. And if that somebody is a Hollywood Somebody, then anything can happen. If you need proof, consider Diablo Cody who was discovered by L.A.-based manager Mason Novick from a blog on which she was spouting whatever came into her mind. That led to her writing Juno. The rest is history. Or actually her-story.
So here’s @beingbrad. Writing something each week. Posting it. Inviting anyone to ‘steal’ it. Will his efforst result in anything tangible happening? Who knows. But at least Brad is (1) being creative, (2) being proactive, and (3) putting content out there.
Just like baseball, you can’t get a hit unless you step up to bat.
Let me use this opportunity to invite any of you with a blog about movies, screenwriting, or writing in general to post them in comments, and I’ll be happy to add them to my Friends blogroll.
And good luck, Brad!