mike sucks at writing

Today is a special day here at Mike Sucks at Writing! Today is the day i had planned to submit a short screenplay to the Vail Film Festival. Here the verb form “had planned” is used to denote total failure. Just another reason why Mike Sucks!

On a less negative note, “total failure” is not at all accurate. I have learned many things about myself and about my writing over the last month and a half or so. It started really when i went to PAX in early September.  During that trip I listened to the audiobook of On Writing by Mr. Stephen King. This text was and continues to be truly inspirational to me. In particular, his attitudes toward daily writing, what it should include, and how it should be practiced have really helped me move forward and get some goddamn work done. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to finish my screenplay in time, but that doesn’t mean it won’t get finished.

In my own defence, the project i took on turned out to be really fucking hard. On a personal level, not a technical one. I’m digging into dry veins here, and it’s taken more out of me than i thought it would. Still, this is what i’m here for. It is not to be shyed away from, but to be confronted and stomped all over. In compliance with the guidelines of Mr. King’s wonderful book, i am not going to talk anymore than this about the project; it’s still a private, door-closed, thing. Once the door is open, however, i will likely post a pdf here and let anyone who is reading have at it.

After all, there is always next year!