Cheating

So, I've been kinda blocked. Not completely, but my usual Flow has been more like a Trickle. Sometimes only Drips. The rewrite is killing me. Starting to doubt my skills as a writer. Realizing I might be...a hack.

Meanwhile, the rewrite producer calls and emails me all the time, wanting to see progress.

So late Thursday night Andy finds out he has to go to LA for work the next day, dealing with the trailer film-out for the movie. He made me go so he could take the carpool lane.

I took the car time opportunity to talk to Andy about the Outsider Holiday script. We brainstormed. He gave me some really good ideas, which spurned a nice back and forth. I started getting excited.

Up in LA, we first had a screening of the film-out at Technicolor and then ate lunch at the Universal Cafeteria. I kept my eyes peeled for Jane -- not that I think I'd be able to identify her from her tiny website picture, but you never know. She's from Iowa, too. I just realized that. Shout out to the corn-bred!

Then we were back and forth to different offices and post houses, then headed home. Headed straight out to a club, something we hardly ever do these days. But it was Bassnectar. Caught up with a bunch of friends we don't see much anymore. Lately we've been social hermits.

So Saturday morning I start writing down the stuff we talked about in the car brainstorming sessions. And....magic.

It's back. I'm back. I'm not a hack.

Of course, this is my "cheating" script. I almost feel guilty working on it when I have a producer breathing down my neck for something else.

But I need my confidence. I need to write. I need to get flowing. I think I'm realizing that it's not me, per say with the problem but the rewrite itself. Ok, let me rephrase: I know the rewrite has problems. That's what I'm trying to fix. But maybe the route I'm taking with it has a huge problem that I'm not seeing.

Because all of the sudden I'm 1/3 of the way through a very thorough outline for Outsider Holiday and I've barely worked on it. the story is just coming together. I am seeing complete scenes in my head. My themes are clear. Almost all my ideas seem to fit into it like a glove. It's practically writing itself.

Except it isn't the script I'm supposed to be writing right now.