A writing friend introduced me to the LondonSWF at the beginning of this year. Although I’ve been writing since 1997, I’ve only turned to the ‘dark side’ recently. I’m not sure why. In my late teens I was a wardrobe mistress (supervisor) in my local theatre. Looking back at my writing career it would’ve made sense to write scripts rather than non-fiction as I’ve read so many of them. But I got here eventually.
This two-day online festival wasn’t the first LondonSWF event I’ve attended. The first took place earlier in the year and was called ‘Make It Reel.’ It was an all-day event at Ealing Studios. From the moment you walked in the door, the room was buzzing. It was this event that encouraged me to pull out a rom-com script I’d started in October 2023 and start working on it again. So, when I heard about the online weekend event, I knew I had to attend.
If it was anything like the ‘Make It Real’ event, I knew it would be filled with useful information, insightful advice and delivered by knowledgeable speakers. I’ll admit I doubted I’d come away with the same buzz because it was an online event. But I was so wrong. It’s now a few days later, and my brain is still juggling the copious golden nuggets I picked up. Also, some of the insights shared by the speakers have given me ideas for improvements to my current WIP and made me rethink my character’s journey.
Each new speaker was introduced with a fanfare of well-chosen songs and some groovy dance moves. And between speakers we were given a one-minute writing challenge based on the steps of the Hero’s Journey. If you don’t know what this is click here for a quick video.
I gained a lot from the two days, but the following are those that have come to mind as I write this post:
- A new reading list which includes ‘Don’t Screw Up Your Characters’ by Clive Frayne and Lucy V Hay.
- I was reminded of some books that are languishing on my bookshelf which I must reread. One of these is ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces’ by Joseph Campbell.
- A wonderful method for exploring and developing characters. This method encourages the writer to create three characters and write three short stories with each character taking the lead.
- Lastly, I came away with the opportunity to get one of my short animation scripts in front of executives and literary representatives. Something I’m going to grab with both hands.
My advice to any script writer regardless of age or experience is if you get the chance to attend a LondonSWF event then do it. Lastly, I’d like thank Chris, Bob, and Jan for their hard work before and during the event. You guys are AMAZING!
Award-winning author, educator, and crafter with 24 books, 300+ features, and a passion for storytelling.
https://lynnegarner.com
