Welcome… I’m New Here! Hello from Sunny South Yorkshire!

[Michael Ellis]

I'm a new author!

I've dabbled in screenwriting for a few years but no call to Hollywood just yet! I've had good feedback from a couple of Production Companies which gives some hope. I decided to finish my novel (Heavenly Bodies) during lockdown because I had plenty of time on my hands and the screenwriting industry seems to have ground to a halt. Many established screenwriters have been beavering away during lockdown so I suppose their work will be top of the pile. Mine is under a wobbly chair somewhere

I haven't had much luck so far with the book though! I had some good feedback from a lit agency who said it was well written but passed. I didn't do too well on 'Pop Up' where my work was read, very well, by Emily!

I got a Bronze Medal which I suppose is a start

I must admit that at one point I realised what it felt like to be a contestant on an early version of the X-factor when they'd have some poor soul on, who thought he could sing but couldn't! His face slowly draining as the cold hard truth dawned on him!!

I was under a quilt behind the cupboard in a separate room by the time they'd finished

I think it did me good though.

I'm so annoyed with myself because I made a stupid mistake. I promised comedy, therefore, why did I supply the only 3 pages of serious stuff in the whole bloody thing!! Der, what a numpty.

I will keep going though, and I am already planning the changes needed! I usually write fantasy, supernatural etc.

 

[RK Wallis]

Welcome aboard @Michael Ellis What an entertaining intro, lol! Screenwriting seems like such a tough gig (I often watch screenwriters on Youtube to see what bits I can learn for books). From what I've seen, it sounds like you need to network or enter a reputable comp. Online (I'm in Australia), I write with a 2019 Nicholls Fellowship winner, Walker McNight - ACADEMY REVEALS WINNING NICHOLL SCREENWRITERS.

You've come to the right place for help, looking forward to reading your work (I write YA Fantasy).

 

[Michael Ellis]

Welcome aboard @Michael Ellis What an entertaining intro, lol! Screenwriting seems like such a tough gig (I often watch screenwriters on Youtube to see what bits I can learn for books). From what I've seen, it sounds like you need to network or enter a reputable comp. Online (I'm in Australia), I write with a 2019 Nicholls Fellowship winner, Walker McNight - ACADEMY REVEALS WINNING NICHOLL SCREENWRITERS.

You've come to the right place for help, looking forward to reading your work (I write YA Fantasy).

Okay thanks. What surprised me is how many people do it! I read there are 100,000 new screenplays written every year in the US. A lot will be established writers with produced stuff. Think I've got 6 completed now. Another irk I have is that many moons ago, prior to the internet I started writing screenplays and had some great responses. I even had a personal response from a very well known filmmaker at the time. He said it wasn't strong enough just yet. My career was demanding and I just stopped. I should have carried on. Think I missed my opportunity. Now it's so easy to learn so a lot of people have a go. I like Word Dancer on youtube but there are many more great resources. Good luck!

 

[RK Wallis]

Word Dancer

I'll check that out, thanks I like Film Courage.

 

[Eva Ulian]

Hello @Michael Ellis, you were on Pop-Ups yesterday and we tore you to bits! But no worry, by the time we've finished with you you'll be shinning... First thing, if you can make it, is join us in our Saturday Huddles where we can discuss your work face to face and it would be lovely to meet you in flesh and blood. Saturday Writers' Huddle

 

[Hannah F]

Hi Michael, welcome to the colony. Lots of friendly help here to chug you along the right track.

And it's never to late. Other opportunities will open up.

 

[Michael Ellis]

Hello @Michael Ellis, you were on Pop-Ups yesterday and we tore you to bits! But no worry, by the time we've finished with you you'll be shinning... First thing, if you can make it, is join us in our Saturday Huddles where we can discuss your work face to face and it would be lovely to meet you in flesh and blood. Saturday Writers' Huddle

I'll be the Mrs Brown's Boys of writing. All the experts think I'm rubbish and all my peers will disparage me but I'm destined to make a bundle from low IQ punters. Poundland is my dream outlet. The Saturday thing seems fun but I don't know if I'll be able to make it, but I'm sure I will at some point. Don't forget to vote for me If a one though, don't vote for me.

 

[Michael Ellis]

Hi Michael, welcome to the colony. Lots of friendly help here to chug you along the right track.

And it's never to late. Other opportunities will open up.

Thank you. I will keep trying!

 

[Eva Ulian]

I'll be the Mrs Brown's Boys of writing. All the experts think I'm rubbish and all my peers will disparage me but I'm destined to make a bundle from low IQ punters. Poundland is my dream outlet. The Saturday thing seems fun but I don't know if I'll be able to make it, but I'm sure I will at some point. Don't forget to vote for me If a one though, don't vote for me.

Well, none of us are experts here, I don't think, but many of us here say what our guts feel and you can't get more honest than that. I'm just looking forward to the time when I can say about your work, yes, that grabs me... But that's just me, I can't speak for anyone else. BTW Isn't Poundland where every object costs a £1 and how does that fit in with your dream?

 

[Michael Ellis]

Well, none of us are experts here, I don't think, but many of us here say what our guts feel and you can't get more honest than that. I'm just looking forward to the time when I can say about your work, yes, that grabs me... But that's just me, I can't speak for anyone else. BTW Isn't Poundland where every object costs a £1 and how does that fit in with your dream?

I was just joking. They wouldn't publish me either! Have you got any experience of self-publishing? I was thinking about a rewrite, a professional edit and then trying it on Amazon.

 

[Jonny]

Hello @Michael Ellis and a very warm welcome and hope you enjoy it here. Connecting with other writers is what Litopia's all about.

In the coming days you'll receive daily messages telling more about the Colony and its many forums, but for now just browse around and feel free to get involved.

Litopia is a friendly and supportive community and we have lots of people happy to give and receive advice on works in progress. You'll get the most from the Colony with a two-way exchange and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how beneficial offering critiques on the works of others is for your own work.

Here's a great place to start and help you find some of the things you might like to get involved with. How-to Guide

If there's anything you're unsure about please drop me a message and I'll be happy to help.

 

[Michael Ellis]

Hello @Michael Ellis and a very warm welcome and hope you enjoy it here. Connecting with other writers is what Litopia's all about.

In the coming days you'll receive daily messages telling more about the Colony and its many forums, but for now just browse around and feel free to get involved.

Litopia is a friendly and supportive community and we have lots of people happy to give and receive advice on works in progress. You'll get the most from the Colony with a two-way exchange and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how beneficial offering critiques on the works of others is for your own work.

Here's a great place to start and help you find some of the things you might like to get involved with. How-to Guide

If there's anything you're unsure about please drop me a message and I'll be happy to help.

Okay, thanks.

 

[Barbara]

Hi Michael,

Bronze is a good start.

A screenwriter? Cool. I love reading scripts. Have you heard of Raindance? It's a filmmaker community. They do all sorts. I took their low-to-no-budget film making course many moons ago. (I'm a writing-going-back-to-acting actor, and have worked on indi productions where we just wrote a script, grabbed a camera, and filmed. Much fun to be had even if it doesn't go anywhere.)

Anyway, I'm rambling. Welcome to the Colony! Great to have you on board. Any questions about the site, please message me. I'm one of the Guardians and always happy to help.

Do check out the Colony Notices to familiarize yourself with how the site works – The Prime Directive is the foundation of our ethos. For literary chat and general socializing, Café Life is THE place to be. We also have a Flash Club to stretch your writing muscles, and a poetry area, plus much more.

So get stuck in. You'll see that the more you put in, the more you get out. You'll learn a lot here.

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Hello and welcome.

Am in sympathy with you over the pop-up: I was nearly sick with nerves when I submitted mine. And I was on last, so it was two hours of nail-biting hell.

But I was a mature student at Uni only a few years ago, and the critique we’d get from our tutor and our peers was absolutely invaluable. I’d read out a scene I thought was epically good when I’d just finished it, and was in the happy bubble. They’d tear it apart. I’d feel gutted, go home and rewrite. And every time it pushed me to do something bigger and better than I thought was possible. I’d be so proud of the writer I was becoming, with their help.

Putting work on the pop-up gets you the gut reaction from people, which is what the first few pages of a book are all about. And that is incredibly useful to know. But putting your first chapter or two up on the Writing Workshop will get you an in-depth, specific, helpful and encouraging crit that will really help you sharpen up and produce better work.

So give it a go, when your confidence has recovered? And in the meantime, crit our work too, as that’s just as useful?

And just welcome to the colony - I hope you get lots from it, and I look forward to reading more of your humour (Poundland, indeed).

Xx VH

 

[Michael Ellis]

Hi Michael,

Bronze is a good start.

A screenwriter? Cool. I love reading scripts. Have you heard of Raindance? It's a filmmaker community. They do all sorts. I took their low-to-no-budget film making course many moons ago. (I'm a writing-going-back-to-acting actor, and have worked on indi productions where we just wrote a script, grabbed a camera, and filmed. Much fun to be had even if it doesn't go anywhere.)

Anyway, I'm rambling. Welcome to the Colony! Great to have you on board. Any questions about the site, please message me. I'm one of the Guardians and always happy to help.

Do check out the Colony Notices to familiarize yourself with how the site works – The Prime Directive is the foundation of our ethos. For literary chat and general socializing, Café Life is THE place to be. We also have a Flash Club to stretch your writing muscles, and a poetry area, plus much more.

So get stuck in. You'll see that the more you put in, the more you get out. You'll learn a lot here.

Ok, thanks for responding. I used to go on Stage32 for a while but don't go on any more so I may look at Raindance...

 

[Michael Ellis]

Hello and welcome.

Am in sympathy with you over the pop-up: I was nearly sick with nerves when I submitted mine. And I was on last, so it was two hours of nail-biting hell.

But I was a mature student at Uni only a few years ago, and the critique we’d get from our tutor and our peers was absolutely invaluable. I’d read out a scene I thought was epically good when I’d just finished it, and was in the happy bubble. They’d tear it apart. I’d feel gutted, go home and rewrite. And every time it pushed me to do something bigger and better than I thought was possible. I’d be so proud of the writer I was becoming, with their help.

Putting work on the pop-up gets you the gut reaction from people, which is what the first few pages of a book are all about. And that is incredibly useful to know. But putting your first chapter or two up on the Writing Workshop will get you an in-depth, specific, helpful and encouraging crit that will really help you sharpen up and produce better work.

So give it a go, when your confidence has recovered? And in the meantime, crit our work too, as that’s just as useful?

And just welcome to the colony - I hope you get lots from it, and I look forward to reading more of your humour (Poundland, indeed).

Xx VH

I will put the first few chapters on and then go and sit in a cupboard with my tinfoil hat on. Nice to meet you...

 

[Ancora Imparo]

Hello, Michael, and welcome. Glad you found us, and well done on submitting to Pop-Ups. It's never easy, no matter how constructive the criticism or how much we learn from it. But it's definitely worth persevering, your idea sounds intriguing.

I agree with @Vagabond Heart – check out the Workshops. They're great for getting specific feedback on any questions you might have about your work. We're a mixed bunch here but very friendly and welcoming. I look forward to seeing you around the Colony.

 

[Michael Ellis]

Hello, Michael, and welcome. Glad you found us, and well done on submitting to Pop-Ups. It's never easy, no matter how constructive the criticism or how much we learn from it. But it's definitely worth persevering, your idea sounds intriguing.

I agree with @Vagabond Heart – check out the Workshops. They're great for getting specific feedback on any questions you might have about your work. We're a mixed bunch here but very friendly and welcoming. I look forward to seeing you around the Colony.

Okay thanks

 

[Eva Ulian]

I was just joking. They wouldn't publish me either! Have you got any experience of self-publishing? I was thinking about a rewrite, a professional edit and then trying it on Amazon.

You've only just got here Michael and haven't had us look at your work yet, so let's put off answering your questions because I think you can get more help from here than splashing out on a professional edit- at this point. There are a few tricks to learn on how to get your book into shape first. Then we can talk about editing and you will find there are those who are firmly for and those firmly against. I'm not telling you yet, which side I'm on. So, look around the site and become familiar with it, then put some work up from your WIP in the critique group. To get help on how to do that ask one of the guardians, because I'm not all that hot on how to do it myself. BTW I'm into demons and angels myself so do let me know when you get your stuff up... but take your time, there's no rush in publishing!

 

[Michael Ellis]

You've only just got here Michael and haven't had us look at your work yet, so let's put off answering your questions because I think you can get more help from here than splashing out on a professional edit- at this point. There are a few tricks to learn on how to get your book into shape first. Then we can talk about editing and you will find there are those who are firmly for and those firmly against. I'm not telling you yet, which side I'm on. So, look around the site and become familiar with it, then put some work up from your WIP in the critique group. To get help on how to do that ask one of the guardians, because I'm not all that hot on how to do it myself. BTW I'm into demons and angels myself so do let me know when you get your stuff up... but take your time, there's no rush in publishing!

Okay, I will do that. Edits are expensive, so that makes sense....

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[Alan P]

Hi Michael, welcome to the Colony. Are well done on inching your head over the parapet to have it shot at! I've yet to risk the maelstrom of Pop up!
Oh, and with regards to your professed Poundland aspirations, I'd rather sell 10 million there for a quid than a thousand at Waterstones for a tenner each!
I look forward to seeing some of your work!
Regards,
Alan

 

[Michael Ellis]

Hi Michael, welcome to the Colony. Are well done on inching your head over the parapet to have it shot at! I've yet to risk the maelstrom of Pop up!
Oh, and with regards to your professed Poundland aspirations, I'd rather sell 10 million there for a quid than a thousand at Waterstones for a tenner each!
I look forward to seeing some of your work!
Regards,
Alan

You sound a smart dude, just like me.

 

[Alan P]

You sound a smart dude, just like me.

If only! I'm sufficiently long in the tooth to realise how little I know!

 

[KateESal]

Good to have you on board, Alan!

 

[Nikky Lee]

Hello and welcome!

 

[gbhunt]

Great to meet you @Michael Ellis . I know exactly how you felt at Pop-Ups . It gets better from there!!