Screenwriter in Residence

Last night I conducted the final event of the screenwriter-in-residence program, part 2 of the rewrite workshop for writers who submitted scripts.

About 20 writers joined me to spend an hour and a half going over all the tasks required for a rewrite. I’m not going to try and duplicate my seminar, (complete with Powerpoint slides!), but there are books written on the subject that you can purchase.

But the real reason I did this workshop, aside from giving some practical information to the writers, was to bring them together. I think community can be so important to the development of artists and Toronto needs to crank up it’s screenwriting presence. I encouraged the writers who came to stay in touch with each other, exchange scripts, give each other feedback and hopefully raise the level of everyone’s work.

And who knows? If one of them strikes gold, it can’t hurt to know them. And if you or I are the lucky ones, then it helps to know some writers who knew you before you were famous so they can keep you honest.

I want to thank the Library for appointing me to this position. It’s been a terrific job, a fabulous eight weeks with a lovely office–bigger than the one I have at home–and the opportunity to read scripts by such dedicated writers that I was inspired. I’m taking their dreams and dedication to writing their stories as inspiration and motivation to continue my own work and development. Good luck to all of them.

If you wish to continue reading blogs from me, you can click over to my regular blog, buildingtheiceberg.blogspot.com. Hope to see you there.