Monday, June 21, 2010

Will the Real N1 Writer Please Stand Up?

New this year is the Facebook page for the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting where we, entrants, are given access to a few reader comments. More than ever, the Nicholl folks are helping writers understand the fellowship selection process and answering our questions -- even those already answered on the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting FAQ page.

The readers' comments are interesting and give us a little window of insight. This one likes strong prose while that one likes that a script isn't overwritten. One applauds how the writer forces the reader to feel something while another is impressed by the sharp dialogue.

Enlightening.

The replies to those posts, though, are usually the same: declarations of ownership. It reminds me of the people at ball games who watch for themselves on the jumbo tron and wave just in case. Out of 6000 plus screenplays, only 45-ish remarks are up so far and quarterfinal letters go out in about 40 days. Do the math.

4 comments:

E.C. Henry said...

Thanks for the link, MaryAn!

I went to the Nicholl's site and read the comments. Can only hope that one or two of those comments were for the two scripts I submitted this year. Fingers crossed...

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

MaryAn Batchellor said...

Best of luck to you, E.C.

Karel Segers said...

There's a wide enough variety of comments to capture pretty much 90% of all scripts ever written - from the viewpoint of their writers.

Mine is DEFINITELY in there! (keep dreaming while you can)

MaryAn Batchellor said...

I'd agree with you except there's no way 90% of the entries are as well done as many of these comments indicate. I think my favorite remark so far is "This is a special writer." WOW! That's the one to hope is yours. Or, you know, MINE.