The thing about doing a uni degree such as mine is that it gives you the chance to experiment with writing styles and to find where you’re most comfortable and where your skills really lie. They give you the chance to write in many different types and as of this trimester I’m going for it and I’m attempting to write lots of different things just to see what happens.
My current assignment due in tonight is looking at the script for 8 Mile, matching it up with a quote from one of the critical readings and to write either a screenplay/script or a creative nonfiction piece alongside a Statement of Intent. Between all of that I need to reach 1,600 words. And I don’t understand why 1,500 words doesn’t phase me but 1,600 freaks me out! To calm me down I’m trying to remember the Statement of Intent is meant to be 300 words while the other piece is 1,300, there’s no 1,600 there. Truly.
I’m enjoying the time when we have to do a Statement of Intent or a Reflection of our work. This is the time when I get to ramble about why I chose what to write about and how I went about doing the work. It feels good to actually be writing about these things.
Going back to the piece due in tonight. Having never written a screenplay/script that’s what I’ve chosen to do. The fact that it makes sense and totally fits with the things I have in mind is totally irrelevant. It’s all about extending myself, stepping out into the wide blue yonder and doing something outside my comfort zone.
One of my fellow students told me about a little website to help with writing screenplays/scripts. With the wonders of technology I googled and found it during class, signed up and voila! I have a free account. Celtx is a lovely little programme which gives you so much help for how to lay out these things. You still need to know terminology and what to do but once you’ve written it you can then produce an industry ready document. You can pay and get extras such as the ability to add members and other useful stuff but I only need the really basic.
For Sunday I have a creative essay of 1,500 words and for next Wednesday I have a workshop for which I have to provide a draft of about 1,500 words. If all goes well I may do a poem for the workshop, I don’t do poetry but it would be good to step out of my comfort zone.