Over the last year, I've almost completely abandoned my novels. As a matter of fact, aside from my idea for NaNoWriMo, I've barely had an original thought.
That doesn't mean that I've stopped writing, though. Just the opposite. I've actually had a rather productive year in terms of output and have as clear a vision as I've ever had. I can definitely see the rough draft for one of my projects being completed within the next six months, which is remarkably fast by my standards.
The problem is, all my projects are all in the form of teleplays. Animated teleplays. Cel animated teleplays. Complete seasons of cel animated teleplays.
Now, obviously, I have nothing against the artform. I love the possibilities of television, with its capacity for long arcs, character development, variety, self-limiting seasons, and built-in act breaks. I love animation and its literally endless opportunities.
Problem is, it's almost sure to be a creative dead-end. First of all, I have no industry connections whatsoever. I'm not writing children's television, I'm writing dramas and romances that would work best for teens and young-adults, which means primetime. Aside from the short-lived and unsupported "Invasion America" on the WB about ten years ago, I can't think of a single dramatic animation project that's even gotten a chance. Add in that cel animation in general is a dying art and you see my dilema.
In comparrison, getting a novel published seems absurdly simple.
I firmly believe in following your passions when it comes to these things, and I can't imagine forcing myself to turn away what really feels to be a breakthrough direction, but I am concerned that I've just limited myself to writing for my own amusement.
Anyway, angst complete.
-------------------- The Saga is Complete
Star Wars: Episode III: The Betrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi
posted
isnt it possible to finish your animated seasons now and then later on convert that work to a more marketable format like a novel? once its written it should be easy to adapt right?
-------------------- I've read more books than you. Posts: 133 | From: Your Local Library | Registered: Feb 2006
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Trila Trtat
Something to do with Sigh Snootles
Member # 21317
posted
I understand what you mean there- still, though, if you were able to do it well, I think you could add a creative spark to this dying genre. Besides, writing should generally be about your own amusement.
Would it be against what you want (or what is possible) to shift the formats of what you have written?
posted
I know the feeling a little bit. What keeps me going is that I realize that I'm not writing for success, I'm writing so that story will exist.
I want is to be heard. To make people laugh. Or think. Or cry. Or whatever. But above all things, I write for myself. I write what I want to have around to read sometimes.
With the net and the ever-lowering cost of getting your message out there, this is NO time for giving anything up.
If you seem to be using a dying medium, one that's too expensive to do on your own, just switch mediums!
All that matters is the message.
And don't make something to make money. That's like having a kid just so he'll support you when you're old. Make it so that it will exist.
"And if I never have a nickel I won't ever die ashamed... Cause I DON'T believe that no one wants to know" - Kristofferson, To Beat the Devil
quote:isnt it possible to finish your animated seasons now and then later on convert that work to a more marketable format like a novel? once its written it should be easy to adapt right?
I'm afraid not. Depending on the genre, adapting a television series into a novel can be difficult, or even impossible without major revisions to the core structure. A show such as "24" would be relatively easy (though condensed) because the show is literally one long story, but the more episodic you get, the tougher things are. I mean, just think about what mess a novelized version of the first season of "Home Improvement" would be like. Even a season arc show such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" would be incredibilty difficult to translate because it is still, at its core, an episodic show with a beginning, middle, and end each week.
You see, even though I enjoy long arcs, a part of the appeal of television is also that it's essentially a collection of short stories building upon one another. For all of my projects, each episode needs to stand out on its own while fitting (to various degrees) into the structure of the overall story.
In a lot of ways, it's a cure for the "Writers' ADD" that we were talking about in a different thread. If I get stuck with the structure of an emotional episode, well, I can just work on that comedic episode I've got coming up later and make myself laugh for a couple hours before I switch back to serious mode. The flexibility of the tone while maintaining the characters that I already know is something that's not easy to do in a novel. In the end, I get to write full stories, while keeping the project moving via manageable bite-sized (21+ or 43+ pages in script form) nuggets.
It's very satisfying...and somewhat reminiscent of my old fan fiction roots. But wouldn't translate well at all into a novel.
-------------------- The Saga is Complete
Star Wars: Episode III: The Betrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi
Watch out though, the Japanese manner of story-telling can really grow on a person.
-------------------- I am the Overlord! Hear me and OBEY! http://www.wiihaveaproblem.com/ Posts: 12014 | From: Near Kansas City (Smack in the middle of the US) | Registered: Sep 1999
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posted
Oh it's influenced me a lot over the last six months as I've been making something of a study of animation. But it wasn't what started me.
I wrote my first episode of animation just after I finished the Episode III script (an adaptation of that old Voyager script) back when my only major exposure was what was running on the Cartoon Network and some stuff they mutilated before putting on syndication.
Oddly enough, my ideas were already pretty close to anime. Though I tend to credit Joss Whedon's influence for most similarities.
-------------------- The Saga is Complete
Star Wars: Episode III: The Betrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi
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