The downside to looking up all sorts of weird shit for your story, is that you're scared that other people will find out you've been looking at it, and think you're really into it. Sometimes I worry that my neighbours are picking up some of the crazy shit I look up (that is possible, isn't it?).
Quote: catskillz @ April 2 2008, 5:19 PM BSTThe downside to looking up all sorts of weird shit for your story, is that you're scared that other people will find out you've been looking at it, and think you're really into it. Sometimes I worry that my neighbours are picking up some of the crazy shit I look up (that is possible, isn't it?).
For the next part of a slideshow project of mine I've had to collect lots of pictures of kids - way more then should be on a thirty-something white guy's hard drive.
Cracker.
Honky.
I've only ever written one sitcom pilot (and three and a half regular episodes) and we didn't plan that at all. Me and my friend were on the phone, just went "we should write a sitcom" made up some random characters (not even properly, just "we should have one called Bob!") and started writing.
(I was even worse for planning with my musical for SF. I don't even know how to write a musical, for a start! )
I do it in stages:
1) Research - I spend ages on the internet searching for info. Like my first project is based in New York and as I live in the UK and my experience of New York is limited to watching Friends, I researched for ages.
2) Plot - You gotta know what you're writing about obviously. Its easy to know where you'll start but I also try to picture where itll end which can be harder but helps put everything into context.
3) Characters - You need to know your characters inside out, especially the main ones. I brainstorm first in a notepad and then build my characters into the plotline.
4) Dialogue - Probably the most fun part. Conflict, comedy etc tend to arise from the things that are said.
5) Review! - Once its written, review it to make sure it makes sense and check punctuation and spelling. Then put it away and come back to it a few days/weeks later to see if theres anything you can add or change.
6) Send it off if thats what you want to do.
Hope that helps and wasnt a rant! 
I do plan a lot but don't really enjoy it. I generally formulate a general story in my head then start writing a sort of scene-by-scene storyboard, with funny dialogue examples that pop into my head. It's a pain in the arse but it has to be done. Then when you have the framework it's time for the fun bit, writing it properly.
I used to just start at page 1 and make it up as I went along, and that's a really fun way to write, where the events that unfold are surprising even you - but what you end up with is a mess. You need that initial supporting skeleton to grow the comedy flesh around or you're wasting your time.
Making it up as you go along does cause a mess, but you can edit that into a workable script. Ocassionally I like rushing off into the unkown, seeing where an idea takes me, then going back and trying to hammer it into a workable script.
What was that fortune cookie truism I posted. Something about good writing is in the design.
You never let stuff go, do you? Have you been waiting all this time to spring that on me?
I actually think there are no hard and fast rules, and as a writer it never hurts to mix up the way you conceive and write things to keep you from getting stale.
Quote: chipolata @ May 8 2008, 3:17 PM BSTMaking it up as you go along does cause a mess, but you can edit that into a workable script. Ocassionally I like rushing off into the unkown, seeing where an idea takes me, then going back and trying to hammer it into a workable script.
i agree. Usually I come up with a concept, develop my characters and then see where the dialogue takes me. I always brainstorm my ideas first, like character traits and ambitions, ideas for future episodes etc
If we had planned:
a) It wouldn't have taken a year.
but
b) It wouldn’t have been so rich and full.
