Comments for Dramaquill's Weblog http://dramaquill.wordpress.com A place for writers of all levels Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:25:20 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Turning books into movies by dramaquill http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2009/09/06/turning-books-into-movies/#comment-263 dramaquill Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:25:20 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=227#comment-263 Hey David: Thanks for your insight and great comments regarding books becoming movies. And thanks for the advice - I'll definitely want the director to have read my book and loved it. Who knows - maybe someday we'll get to work together??? Hey David: Thanks for your insight and great comments regarding books becoming movies. And thanks for the advice – I’ll definitely want the director to have read my book and loved it. Who knows – maybe someday we’ll get to work together???

]]> Comment on Turning books into movies by David http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2009/09/06/turning-books-into-movies/#comment-262 David Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:24:43 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=227#comment-262 First of all let me say this. I am an aspiring director that occasionally writes short stories and loves reading. When I read a book I create the world and characters very vividly in my mind. We’re all different so it is only normal that someone else’s version of the same book would be different in their mind’s eye than yours. So going in expecting the same thing would be a notion that is bound to let people down. That being said, movies are a TOTALLY a different monster than books. Things that work in the novel do not always translate well on screen. Those things that do not work well or the things that might not sit well with audiences obviously have to be changed (take the “Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, in the story he was born as an old man, imagine watching that on the screen!) or left out entirely. A lot of books are also trimmed down because they would make really long movies (the shorter the movie, the more times it can be viewed in a day, the more money the industry makes). Apart from that, all the scenes have to move the movie along, some things the authors write about can be excluded and the movie will still make sense. However, it may loose some of the things that make the book great and create a badly translated flick. My personal opinion is that movies of books have to have their own element that makes them work as moving images on the screen rather than words on a page. Movies like The Reader, Atonement, A Scanner Darkly, Revolutionary Road, the Bourne series, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (and hopefully the Hobbit!) were to me awesome movies that captured the books beautifully but at the same time, were able to stand alone as their own work of art. I for one would lavish the opportunity to turn a book into a movie. Right now I am in the middle of writing a screen play for a book that I am reading. Challenging but worth it! When completed I definitely want to go to the author and have her look over it and give her creative input. Good luck with trying to get one of your books turned into a motion picture! And just as a side note, if one of your….sorry, when one of your books get turned into a movie try to fight for a director that has read the book and loves it. Once again, good luck! First of all let me say this. I am an aspiring director that occasionally writes short stories and loves reading. When I read a book I create the world and characters very vividly in my mind. We’re all different so it is only normal that someone else’s version of the same book would be different in their mind’s eye than yours. So going in expecting the same thing would be a notion that is bound to let people down. That being said, movies are a TOTALLY a different monster than books. Things that work in the novel do not always translate well on screen. Those things that do not work well or the things that might not sit well with audiences obviously have to be changed (take the “Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, in the story he was born as an old man, imagine watching that on the screen!) or left out entirely. A lot of books are also trimmed down because they would make really long movies (the shorter the movie, the more times it can be viewed in a day, the more money the industry makes). Apart from that, all the scenes have to move the movie along, some things the authors write about can be excluded and the movie will still make sense. However, it may loose some of the things that make the book great and create a badly translated flick. My personal opinion is that movies of books have to have their own element that makes them work as moving images on the screen rather than words on a page. Movies like The Reader, Atonement, A Scanner Darkly, Revolutionary Road, the Bourne series, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (and hopefully the Hobbit!) were to me awesome movies that captured the books beautifully but at the same time, were able to stand alone as their own work of art. I for one would lavish the opportunity to turn a book into a movie. Right now I am in the middle of writing a screen play for a book that I am reading. Challenging but worth it! When completed I definitely want to go to the author and have her look over it and give her creative input. Good luck with trying to get one of your books turned into a motion picture! And just as a side note, if one of your….sorry, when one of your books get turned into a movie try to fight for a director that has read the book and loves it. Once again, good luck!

]]> Comment on Handling Rejection by sandrar http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2008/02/16/handling-rejection/#comment-261 sandrar Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:13:51 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-261 Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post... nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R. Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.

]]> Comment on The Secrets of the Cheese Syndicate by dramaquill http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/the-secrets-of-the-cheese-syndicate/#comment-257 dramaquill Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:11:37 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=224#comment-257 Hey Donna: I've read the book and LOVE it! How can I not spread the word???? Hey Donna: I’ve read the book and LOVE it! How can I not spread the word????

]]> Comment on The Secrets of the Cheese Syndicate by Donna http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/the-secrets-of-the-cheese-syndicate/#comment-256 Donna Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:43:03 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=224#comment-256 Thanks for spreading the word, Jacqueline! Thanks for spreading the word, Jacqueline!

]]> Comment on The Positive Side of Rejection by dramaquill http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/the-positive-side-of-rejection/#comment-253 dramaquill Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:02:02 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=221#comment-253 What a great post - thanks so much for sharing. You have exactly the right attitude to be a writer - write what you love and what makes you excited, then send it out there and hope to attract readers. By doing this, you'll keep your own unique voice and not succumb to trying to write what you think readers want. The green lights will come more and more and you continue subbing out. My rejection folder used to be 10 times thicker than my acceptances - now it's only about double. Enjoy the adventure and keep writing. What a great post – thanks so much for sharing. You have exactly the right attitude
to be a writer – write what you love and what makes you excited, then send it out
there and hope to attract readers. By doing this, you’ll keep your own unique
voice and not succumb to trying to write what you think readers want. The green
lights will come more and more and you continue subbing out. My rejection folder
used to be 10 times thicker than my acceptances – now it’s only about double.
Enjoy the adventure and keep writing.

]]> Comment on The Positive Side of Rejection by horrorible http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/the-positive-side-of-rejection/#comment-252 horrorible Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:00:34 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=221#comment-252 Wonderful post---speaks volumes to someone like me who is just now beginning to run the gauntlet of submit, wait, rejection. Having said that, I've primed myself to be hopeful without expectations of overnight success, or success of any sort right from the get-go. In fact, I expect at least 50 rejections. It's my own little law of writer's physics applied to myself. To date, I have 49 more to go. So, I learn what I can, try to get better, and research more into the business. This way I stay the course, remain free of ego pitfalls, and self pity. I follow a simple rule: write to please myself first, and then figure out how to get a reader onboard. And therein lies a labor of love of working hard to achieve it. The singular rejection I've received, for me..... is a good thing. Don't get me wrong---I would have LOVED to get that sought after green light. But, that rejection proves to me I'm now in the process of doing what I can to become what I want to be: a published author. It's kind of an adventure. Wonderful post—speaks volumes to someone like me who is just now beginning to run the gauntlet of submit, wait, rejection. Having said that, I’ve primed myself to be hopeful without expectations of overnight success, or success of any sort right from the get-go. In fact, I expect at least 50 rejections. It’s my own little law of writer’s physics applied to myself. To date, I have 49 more to go. So, I learn what I can, try to get better, and research more into the business. This way I stay the course, remain free of ego pitfalls, and self pity. I follow a simple rule: write to please myself first, and then figure out how to get a reader onboard. And therein lies a labor of love of working hard to achieve it. The singular rejection I’ve received, for me….. is a good thing. Don’t get me wrong—I would have LOVED to get that sought after green light. But, that rejection proves to me I’m now in the process of doing what I can to become what I want to be: a published author. It’s kind of an adventure.

]]> Comment on Contest entry fees: To pay or not to pay by dramaquill http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/contest-entry-fees-to-pay-or-not-to-pay/#comment-251 dramaquill Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:31:21 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=174#comment-251 The entry fee is fine for something legit like Writer's Digest's contests. But there are tons of SCAMS out there that charge fees (like $35.00 for a novel) and the prize doesn't equate with the fees. So...pay fees if you like but be careful. Not all contests with fees are legit or worth the fee they charge. The entry fee is fine for something legit like Writer’s Digest’s contests. But there are tons of SCAMS out there that charge fees (like $35.00 for a novel) and the prize doesn’t equate with the fees.

So…pay fees if you like but be careful. Not all contests with fees are legit or worth the fee they charge.

]]> Comment on How much do you rely on the internet? by Mel http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/how-much-do-you-rely-on-the-internet/#comment-250 Mel Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:39:51 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=201#comment-250 My need for the internet grows more and more..I can olny use it right now when I am at my Boyfriends. I have a computer now and wish I can hook it up. I miss it when I am alone. My need for the internet grows more and more..I can olny use it right now when I am at my Boyfriends. I have a computer now and wish I can hook it up. I miss it when I am alone.

]]> Comment on Contest entry fees: To pay or not to pay by bob http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/contest-entry-fees-to-pay-or-not-to-pay/#comment-248 bob Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:22:39 +0000 http://dramaquill.wordpress.com/?p=174#comment-248 All of you guys that don't want to pay for a entry fee just wants something for nothing. To me this tells me that you are not serious about any contests,you just want something for nothing. Pay the entry fee and this show's that you are willing to take the chance to become something and are not afraid of competition. If I was entering a contest I sure would want a entry fee because it gets all you clowns that wants everything handed to you out of there. To me this makes for a better contest and more competitive field and a lot more serious contestants who wants to be recognized in there field. All of you guys that don’t want to pay for a entry fee just wants something for nothing. To me this tells me that you are not serious about any contests,you just want something for nothing. Pay the entry fee and this show’s that you are willing to take the chance to become something and are not afraid of competition. If I was entering a contest I sure would want a entry fee because it gets all you clowns that wants everything handed to you out of there. To me this makes for a better contest and more competitive field and a lot more serious contestants who wants to be recognized in there field.

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