Questions

It has been a long time since I posted about screenwriting. Though you can visit some new writing at Kosmic Egg Projects (art), Kosmic Egg (poetry), Kosmic Egg (personal news)  and Kosmic Egg Tarot.  It has been nearly 10 months (February 2012) since I had brain surgery to remove a benign meningioma. Since then, I have focused much of my attention on visual art - always telling a story visually is the underpinning to screenwriting. I have found this practice has opened my mind to new stories and adventures with writing, but even more importantly perhaps, has opened a new way of expressing the stories I'm interested in...visually. You can see my work at Kosmic Egg Projects page on Facebook.

Morning Ritual, Oil Pastel on Black Paper,
2012 (c) Amanda Morris Johnson

To that end, I've taught my last screenwriting class for the foreseeable future...well,  until I work with a group of high school kids in Boulder who've asked me to teach in March of 2013. Otherwise, I've let it go because I have other pots to brew in. I am willing only to work with the very most dedicated group of writers at this point, and other than the small group of kids, only individually. Wow! That's so limited, but I want to be reasonable about what I really have to offer at this stage of the game.

If you want to work with me on building a writing career, you have to work hard. You have to commit yourself to no less than 10 hours a week of writing, and two hours of private tutoring no less than every other week. I don't want to waste your time or mine.

My expectations are that you have written before, that you are looking to improve and that discipline is your new middle name. You will hear essential story writing craft information but more importantly you will hear questions. I will ask you questions until you are able to answer without hesitation about what your story is, what is your point of view, who are your characters and what don't they know. I will not write the story for you. At times I may seem unfeeling, but truthfully, screenwriting is more than a craft, more than an art. It is a business. Are you ready?

Little hiatus never hurts a writer

I'm taking a hiatus from screenwriting at the moment for my brain's sake. I was diagnosed with a benign meningioma back in October, and have been having a heck of a time with getting on the right medication for surgery. After a lot of fits and starts surgery is tentatively scheduled for mid-February. Unfortunately, it means I miss this terrific event: Boulder International Film Festival

I highly recommend that you check it out and see what independent filmmakers are up to right now. In storytelling and movie making it is all about staying present with what is going on in front of your eyes, right? So get thee to some films, and let me know what you see.


Meanwhile, if you're interested in my story, it begins here: http://kosmicegg.blogspot.com/2011/10/head-long-into-health.html


And, also I've been working on some projects that don't require such a long attention span here: http://kosmiceggtarot.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/ought/, and here: http://kosmicegg.tumblr.com/