I've got a GREAT movie idea - but don't know HOW TO START!

EVERY HERO WINS THROUGH PERSISTENCE




Every writers journey starts with the FIRST STEP and then concludes through persistence. No movie hero or heroine wins their goal by STOPPING. You won't either.... so START writing - but START SMART.

We see all around us, every day, the end result of screenwriters work - on TV, at the movie theater and when we rent a DVD. But very few people have actually READ a screenplay. And frankly that is where every aspiring screenwriter should begin; by reading.

The best way to go about this is to visit a website like my www.wordsmythe.ca/links/ page or www.Simplyscipts.com and download the scripts for a couple of mainstream movies. Then read them from cover to cover.

Now go to your local video store and rent the DVD of the scripts you just finished reading. With script in hand, put the disc in to play and STUDY the first 10-15 minutes of the film. Actively compare it to the script. Pay particular attention to the OPENING IMAGE that sets the story in motion or signals ground zero for the storyline.

Next, pay close attention to the way the script moves the action from scene to scene. NOTICE the slug lines on the page(INT: APARTMENT - DAY) and the ‘brief’ descriptive text that follows it. In the movie,that's called an Establishing Shot - and simply shows you the house, business or place the hero will enter; so that we the viewer/reader have a strong sense of place.

Give your full attention to the DIALOGUE as it’s delivered by the actors - AND as it’s written on the page. What surprised you about the nuance the actor brought to the lines? What was delivered exactly as you heard it 'in your head' when your read the lines?

How much direction is in the text of the screenplay and how much seems to be the result of collaboration between actors and the director? And finally, pay attention to PACING - how quickly the film and script move the action along as they ‘set up’ the story and the main character’s QUEST.

The more screenplays you read - the more comfortable you will find yourself with the strict formatting structure involved, once you're ready to sit down and put you own great idea on paper.

Good luck with it; be persistent - and let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!

Be CAREFUL about who you let influence your REWRITE!

One of the things you will always want to be clear about is WHO you let influence your writing. EVERYONE has an opinion… but not all opinions should be given equal weight. Once you finish your script; have worked through all the tweaks and fixes you found for yourself you’ll want to get opinions from others on it’s merits (and weaknesses).

The most important thing you should remember about feedback from others is you often get what you ask for. Most new writers start with the question ‘ WHAT do you think?” We’re afraid to ask for more. And so, you’ll often get answers like, ‘This is good. PERIOD!” That kind of feedback is nice… But not that helpful in fleshing out your script. Your uncle Arthur may be a great mechanic, but what does he know about movies and how they work?

So you’re best approach is to ask people who’s opinion on FILM and WRITING you know and respect; but don’t stop there. In addition to a hard copy of your script - give them a list of questions to answer that will provide PERTINENT INFORMATION for your next draft. The amount of effort you put into your questions will be directly related to the quality of the feedback you get. So think, What do you REALLY want to know about this draft of your screenplay?

For instance, is the OPENING SCENE gripping, engaging or off-putting? Is the MAIN CHARACTER and her/his dilemma compelling, charismatic or completely lame? Are the COMPLICATIONS the hero/heroine encounters real to the world they inhabit or pasted on for show? And finally, is the ENDING convincing and satisfying?

See what I mean, when I say that you get the kind of feedback you ask for? Simply getting solid feedback on these four questions should give you a good shot at starting your rewrite. For a more detailed critique questionnaire, write me at www.Wordsmythe.ca and I’ll send you my own script critique template for FREE. I want your script to be the best that you can make it and I’ll help as often as I can. But when you win that first important screenplay contest… mention my name!

I hope all this helps. And I wish you luck with your screenplay. Let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!

How can I CREATE characters that are radically different than ME?

Your question strikes at the very heart of the writing experience.... 
do we only ever write ourselves into our creations or do we 
consciously choose an alternative route and try to write something 
other than ourselves and our own experience?

Now, many people will 
argue that no matter how hard you try to write outside yourself.... 
YOU are in every single piece you write. And I sincerely hope so... 
it is your creative energy that makes a piece/or character 'live' and 
breathe on it's own.

BUT to answer (or attempt to) your question. Whether you actively 
choose to write characters (& I think we're referring to main 
characters here) whose emotional 'toolbox' or psychological makeup is 
radically different than yours is really immaterial. You may write incredibly intense but self- contained characters that really 
challenge actors to dig deep to express ALL these characters ARE with 
just a few small gestures - because that's who you are. OR you may 
study minutely the mannerisms of people you meet that are LIKE the character you 
want to create.... and bring life to a character on the page that 
mirrors those mannerisms - even though they are not your own.

You don't have to be a wildly emotional person to create that kind of 
character on the page. But your characters' emotions need to come from 
a REAL place inside of you that allows you to project all of the 
nuances of that person. So you make a study of people you meet that 
are like your character...and build on that - starting first and 
foremost with actual emotions - love, hate, anger, jealousy. But I 
want to reiterate - wildly emotional or intensely withheld doesn't 
matter.... write what suits the character and the STORY you're creating.

And if you choose to focus on a particular 'type' of character.... and 
you create a series of films about people who are bright, articulate 
and very considered with their emotional displays.... actors & 
audiences will still love them IF they are well drawn and bring us 
stories that illuminate for us something of our own lives.

I hope this helps. And I do wish you luck with your screenplay . I’d love to read your work at Wordsmythe.ca

Writing, and espcially SCRENNWRITNG is all about making choices!

CHAPTER ONE of the Screenwriting Essentials Online Tutorial & workbook discuss STORY CONCEPT and idea.

From the very first IMAGE you see on the screen you are telling your audience what to expect in this visual journey they are about to embark upon with you. That first image is the first step on the journey. I always say that writing is about choices and your choices for telling your story start with that very first image. Make sure you're clear about what you're saying.

Every artist faces a similar decision making process whether it’s a oil painter, a photographer or you the screenwriter. Visually speaking, you compose each scene - you choose the location (what does it say) to the viewer? You choose the apparel of each actor (to some extent - what does that say?) You choose the WORDS they speak. What is going on beneath the words that actually come out of the actors mouth? Are they saying ‘I LOVE YOU, I love you... while they shower each other with trash from a nearby garbage can?

Now that doesn’t mean that you become a ‘control freak’ as a writer. You leave many, many choices to the director and the actor and the set designer and the locations manager. BUT, WHEN IT”S IMPORTANT to our understanding of the story or the emotional landscape of the heroine/hero you create concrete details in your cinematic story choices that make that clear.

There is a power and a responsibility in every story choice you make as a writer. With proper planning - you can learn to revel in the choosing - not be frozen in place - unable to act; or stymied with indecision.


I hope this helps. And I do wish you luck with your screenplay. Let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!

I read somewhere that you encourage your students to make LISTS of STORY IDEAS.

I think what you’re referring to was said in an online discussion group.

A second really common bit of advice for any creative person is to have an ‘Ideas Diary’. This can be as simple as a tiny spiral notebook that fits in your pocket or backpack or can sit by your bedside or your computer. Most likely you’ll find that you ‘hatch’ great story ideas at the oddest moments; just before sleep hits you is fairly common.

And one of the other most common occurrences is just as you are sitting down to really tackle a tough piece of writing. Human beings are escape artists at heart! It takes discipline to put yourself in front of the computer every day that you’re scheduled to write and ‘make’ it happen on the page. Far easier to simply play the story (any story) in your head, scrolling through the action but never really writing it down. It is this discipline that makes writing hard. Everyone has great movie ideas but very few people take the time to acquire the discipline to transform those ideas onto the page.

And that’s where the LIST comes into play. Often, fantastic story ideas come out of that desire NOT to be nailed down to a schedule. USE THAT; in fact learn to use all the tricks your mind will play on you to your advantage. Do take five minutes (not five hours) recording this NEW , great idea in your story diary. But DON’T GET SIDE-TRACKED from your current goal; FINISHING YOUR FIRST DRAFT.

Remember, that is the only one rule in beginning that first draft screenplay; FINISH IT. Everything else is probably fixable in a rewrite. But you really can’t fix, what isn’t on the page. So record all the new story ideas that will come your way, while you’re acquiring the discipline to finish that first great story idea that got you started!


I hope that helps. And I wish you luck with your screenplay. Let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!

Recently I particiapted in a 'cold reading' night and my script was critiqued by the resident judging panel.

The overall verdict was that I was a smart writer and the script had real promise but no heart. What does that mean?

First of all, congratulations are in order. #1 - You finished a script. #2 - You risked submitting it to a ‘cold read’. Wow, that’s fabulous.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a COLD READING is a gathering where a group of actors meet, are handed a script and within about 30 minutes start acting it out. Often, it’s just the opening act (or first 30 pages) of a feature script that’s read. And it’s one of the scariest rides on the planet and one of the most exhilarating! Hearing your words in an actors’ mouth is one of the BEST WAYS to gauge the effectiveness of your dialogue and pacing of your writing.

And as you found out, a cold reading can also reveal some of the weaknesses of your script that might have slipped by some of your other critiques. From the comments you received it sounds as if you were shanghaied by the LEFT side of your brain. As many of you know, who follow this screenwriting blog, I believe any really good story is a balancing act of RIGHT brain creativity and LEFT brain structure.

Really well-plotted thrillers and heist movies delight us with the mastery of the turns and twists of their plot. (LEFT BRAIN). But if they contain heart-wrenching scenes of loss or betrayal those deeply rooted emotional stories come from the RIGHT BRAIN. Right brain function is all about universality. (Jill Bolte Taylor’s fabulous, fabulous recorded TED talk - http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html ) gives a beautiful and passionate explanation of the relationship between the two brain hemispheres and creativity.

What’s probably missing in your piece is that moment (s) where the camera focuses on the protagonist and we get to SEE their pain/reaction/emotional response. We need emotional connection to the main character to actually care enough to plow through their story with them. EARLY on in your script give us an emotional LINK to your hero/heroine and then reinforce it several times throughout the story. Those emotional ties will keep us cheering your character on until the bitter or sweet finale of the film.

I hope this helps. And I do wish you luck with your rewrite. Let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!

What's so special about WRITERS. I hear great stories everyday at my local coffee house!

Well, maybe I’m the wrong person to ask why writers are so special! I mean, I am biased…

And you’re right, I bet you DO hear fabulous stories every day at your coffee house. I mean we all do, don’t we. We both tell great stories to our friends and listen raptly as they tell stories back to us. It’s so cool, that process. But writers take the process one step further and WRITE it down and polish the telling of it.

And if you believe the Aborigines of Australia we’ve been doing this as human beings for probably 100,000 years. I tell my students that human beings have story telling practically hard-wired into their DNA. And this is a really important point for every writer on the planet to remember.

That story telling hard-wiring means that your audience inherently knows a good story from a BAD ONE - it’s in their genetic coding. So don’t try to bullshit your audience with a half-baked piece of storytelling pie that none of them will buy. They’re too smart to be bamboozled. They may not have $2 words to tell you why a story isn’t compelling; but their story radar spots a fake just as easily as… well, you would!

At the same time, don’t be discouraged at this news. Just recognize that IF your audience comes equipped with this fantastic array of biological story detectors - SO DO YOU. Where writers get into trouble is when they get lazy. Their bio detector is telling them what they just wrote is crap - and they waffle about fixing it. It’ll DO. I can pass it off. NO ONE will notice… NOT! Everyone will notice. IF you’re radar is telling you it needs fixing - FIX IT. (after you’ve completed the first draft, mind you!). Don’t whimp out on us, give us a story that really FRYS all that built in radar. That’s what we really want in movies is stories that make us sit up and take notice; stories that surprise us!

I hope that helps! And I wish you luck with your screenplay. Let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!

I read all the time writers should SHOW not TELL; but what does it really mean?

Next to ‘write what you know’ SHOW don’t TELL is one of the oldest pieces of advice in screenwriting; and rightly so! Screenwriting is a visual medium - we’re creating pictures with words to tell our story. That eventual translation to film is what makes screenwriting so tricky… and interesting. IF it were only going to remain as words - it would be a novel or a short story.

So the first thing you need to do is figure out what your character’s is feeling in every single scene in which they participate in your story. And then you need to figure out an action - that is true to your character, that SHOWS or telegraphs that feeling. This can sometimes be hard! Let’s try one simple, basic emotion on for size and see what happens.

Anger is a really basic emotion but everyone presents or displays their anger in a different way. One character might blow up, lose their cool, or clobber someone - you get the picture. But these actions are very basic; and if you choose them - you create a very BASIC CHARACTER.

Now, what if INSTEAD of blowing up when provoked to anger - your character CRIES? How does that change our understanding of WHO your character is? Does it make your character more childlike, more female - or does it change the quality of the emotion? Is it not really anger now - but more like FRUSTRATION that your character is displaying?

Are you starting to get the picture? The basic emotion that your character is FEELING is conveyed to the AUDIENCE through ACTION. That is how we 'read' or know what is going on inside your character. After the writers creates the script; then the actor gets involved and adds all kinds of nuance or subtleties to your character. She decides that your character BLOWS UP as you’ve written her - but then GETS THE SHAKES afterwards. How does that embellish our understanding of what the character is feeling? It certainly adds a new dimension to the basic emotion of anger, doesn’t it? This artistic choice by the actor, shows us a different layer or quality of the characters internal world.

I hope that helps. And I wish you luck with your screenplay. Let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!

I always INTEND to sit down and write, but my girlfriend kind of resents the time I spend doodling on the computer!

Relationships are tricky at the best of times… and I definitely don’t want to get into a ‘Dear Abby’ advice column here. But it is possible to participate in a meaningful relationship and still write. The key is careful apportioning of your time.

First of all, ARE YOU doodling on the computer or are you actually sitting and writing? This is an important distinction as much for your girlfriend’s peace of mind as your own as a writer. Everyone has days or nights when stuff just doesn’t flow. But at the same time, IF you did thorough planning prior to beginning to write you should know what needs to be done each and every time you sit down to write. AND, you should do it.

What you write on those nights may be crap. Crap happens. At the same time, it is NOT our job to judge as we write. OUR ONLY JOB, IN THE FIRST DRAFT, IS TO FINISH. Ask your girlfriend (or boyfriend) to embroider that for you as a wall hanging. That IS your only job this time around; to finish this draft.

The other thing you should DO is make a commitment to writing; to WRITING TIME. Screenplays don’t write themselves. So book an appointment with yourself - and take it as seriously as if it were the big ticket opportunity you hope your screenwriting may become some day. Take it seriously now, so you will BE taken seriously later.

And your girlfriend? Well, you might try engaging her in the process. Try READING some of your work to her; get her involved. Be careful though… she may start canceling appointments away if she likes what you read to her, in an effort to keep your nose to the grindstone. Involving loved ones in our quest can become a double-edged sword.

I hope this helps. And I do wish you luck with your screenplay - and let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!

I Don't Know How Many Screenplays I've Started; but can never finish!

Writing screenplays is one of the easiest jobs you’ll ever do; and one of the HARDEST. It’s easy, because you get fired up by this fantastic idea that you know will be killer on the screen, and that enthusiasm makes you just jump right in and start typing.

And it’s hard because you run out of that ‘start up’ energy often long before you get to those famous words - The End. That ‘sticking point’ is the exact spot where real writers show their mettle. But they don’t survive on pure grit alone; real writers have a whole arsenal of tricks up their sleeve. The most important tool they use - is PLANNING.

Sounds kind of mundane, doesn’t it? Planning - like birth control; can’t we just ‘be’ in the moment and jump into this thing, honey? We can… and many do. I don’t how many late nights I've spent staring at a script I HAD LOVED six months before and now loathed because I couldn’t seem to tinker away all its flaws. Screenwriting has taught me patience and control.

I urge all of my students to create a number of tools while the novelty of their movie idea still has them panting to write. It’s then, when you’re desperate to get at your computer and type, that you really should rein in your enthusiasm and answer some really important questions.

Like: Who’s you main character? What is it they want? What gets in their way of acquiring/ or achieving this goal? How badly do they want what they seek? Who are the important people in their life and how do those relationships complicate their quest. Take these questions and create a logline, a 5 page treatment and a working title and you’re on your way. Throw in the opening and closing scenes for your three acts and you should be ready for any thing!

Once you’ve got this material firmly in hand, you’re ready to unleash the hounds and hit the keyboard running. With planning, and careful conservation of that ‘start up’ energy you may find yourself at ‘The End’ before you know it!

I hope this helps. And I wish you luck with your screenplay. Let me know when you’ve completed your script; I’d love to read your work!

GENRE whets the story appetite of your audience. Know it and use it effectively!

I always say that GENRE is like the smell of good food cooking. It sets you up for the story adventure that lies ahead. It gets your audience in the mood. It’s the appetizer that tempts their palate.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, GENRE is the way we categorize stories - like mystery, action-adventure, drama, comedy, buddy films. I could go on and on - but I think you probably get the picture.

Genre is important for marketing purposes. What’s the first thing you ask when a friend calls you up and says, ‘Do you want to go see XYZ movie?” You say, “What IS it?” You might not use the word, genre…. But that’s what you mean. From your film-going experience you already know what genres you prefer to see. Maybe action-adventure, or comedies but man, never westerns. See what I mean?

The thing about genre is that is more than mere categorization though. It is the process by which we begin the storytelling journey. And it’s important to understand for a number of different reasons. First of all, IF a film is billed in a particular genre - say Comedy. The audience is going to expect to LAUGH. A western? They expect cowboys! So as a writer, you need to be aware of what expectations an audience will have for the particular genre of film you are WRITING.

So what genre ARE you writing with your film? Family drama, biographical drama, or something else? The first thing you need to do then is identify your genre and then WATCH a number of different films from the same genre to begin to figure out what the signifiers are for it. Really watch several good films from your chosen genre and note what elements give your particular genre its’ shape. And then make certain those types of elements are included in your own storyline.

Genre signifiers are like a road map for your audience or highway signs that they can subconsciously check off and say, “Oh, okay. I know where were going.”

I hope this helps. And good luck with your writing. I can’t wait to read the result!

Your world is ALIVE with story possibilities!

WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR.... and another year of Screenwriting Tips from Wordsmythe.ca.

Let's start at the beginning for those just joining us.One of the most frequently asked questions at my public seminars is “Where do I get my story ideas?” as if there is some magical place or supermarket where more experienced writers find good story ideas on a shelf. Well, I have a secret for you…. the supermarket for stories is called LIFE.

I am honestly not being flip in my response - but challenging you to start looking around you at life itself. Your world is ALIVE with story possibilities…. you just need to train yourself to begin to see them. And that training begins with the actual writing.

Check out this link to see how one writer began to see the possibilities around her. http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html

As you struggle to harness the creative energy that compelled you to begin the process of writing - you change it and channel it to where you want it to go. You move from asking yourself what IF or HOW come….. to something far more concrete. You move to I DID, or they DID, or your hero did…. Something - which started a journey for the both of you. And now you just have to see it through to the end.

And as you write and make choices for your characters based on who you think they are - you grow as a person, as a craftsperson and as an imaginative being. You grow to trust the intuitive side of your brain (right) to come up with answers for where the road map side (left) says you have to turn next to keep the momentum of the story moving forward. And as you see more of your inner world of story - you begin to see more of the story possibilities for the outer world too. Each feeds the other, in turn.

The second most frequent question that I hear is, “What makes a good story?” And again, not intending any kind of humor at all - I answer, YOU make a good story. Anything at all can BE a story ! But it is the choices the writer makes in telling the story that give it depth, and humanity and emotion. You, the writer, will determine how much of your own passion and wit and personality you will RISK pouring into your characters and their lives. The more you risk, the greater your chances for outstanding success. Great stories are not created by writers who are afraid to venture into the darkest corners of their (or their characters) psyches. You can’t expect your audience to FEEL big emotions if you aren’t willing to feel them as you WRITE.

As an exercise, watch a movie or read a book that makes you uncomfortable emotionally; not just antsy - but really uncomfortable. Once you’ve finished watching the film all the way through…. Ask yourself why you were so uncomfortable. Try to imagine how the writer felt as she/ he created the scenes that made you squirm the most.

We tell stories for any number of reasons, but the best stories MOVE people to FEEL things. The best stories seduce the viewer / or reader into identifying completely with the world of the main character - their hopes, their dreams and their calamities. You can’t create that unless you LIVE IT as you write.

Check out these LINKS to my own 'story' that I wrote and started shooting right on my own kitchen table over Christmas. There has never been a better time to be a screenwriting. Just start writing now!! AND ENJOY....

The School of Practical Wizardry on You Tube: my tiny mini-series

Chapter ONE - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbNz_T7bR38
Chapter TWO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jM4CnLSafA
Chapter THREE - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEkAoooUZU0

See you in 2 weeks for more screenwriting advice. And I hope this helps you make the leap to writing!!

I just finished my first screenplay and am going to start looking for an agent. Do you have any advice?

Congratulations on completing your script. So few people finish, you should be proud! Make sure you register it with an internationally recognized body and good luck with the next step. Getting your work noticed by a producer with a track record can be tough. New writers inhabit a 'no-man's land' of needing a track record to get an agent; but not having a track record to attract an agent in order to submit to a producer. Yikes!

Agents for the most part work on commission; and they work darn hard, too I might add. And an agent who has been in the business long enough to be useful, has a vast network of connections that rival many producers or lawyers. They've spent years building their reputations and connections, not to mention the money it's taken. Often their return on any contract is a meager 10% to offset the effort it's taken to create this infrastructure and the daily expenses that go with it. It's not cheap to live in Hollywood; nor to employ people there either.

So, I ask you (just as they are probably asking themselves) - What's in it, for them? What can you give them in return for the vast amount of time and energy they've already put on the table by simply taking your call? The thrill an agent gets in making a really talented discovery probably won't pay many bills for years to come. What's an aspiring screenwriter to do?

First of all, polish the script that you have. Every scene needs to be solid as a house and ring with the truth of conviction. Second, start ANOTHER SCREENPLAY. No artist approaches a gallery for a show with ONE painting. In your writing portfolio you should have a variety of scripts that show the breadth of your talent; various genres, various characters and all bright as new pennies. And third, enter competitions. Do some of the agent's work for them... get your name out there!

But be smart about what you enter; you can spend a small fortune there are so many competitions now. Pick several that offer significant prizes (Final Draft, Disney) or recognition (Nicholls, or big Film Festival) or both. And then enter a number of smaller competitions too - where the odds aren't so tough. A win in Topeka still prints out FIRST PLACE on your script resume.

And finally, KEEP WRITING. Don't let yourself fall prey to discouragement! Keep writing and perfecting your craft; keep hoping and keep marketing yourself and your writing so one day an agent will pick up the phone with enthusiasm when you call.

I hope this helps. I wish you every luck with your screenplay and would love to read what's next!

A buddy and I took a writing class - and while he just kind of plowed through his first draft I got kind of side-lined fixing stuff. Is this wrong?

Writing really is one of the strangest undertakings. We are seduced by a story idea in our head and practically driven crazy until we succumb and begin the process of putting it on the page.

And then, the real torture begins. We manage to write a scene or two, or even a whole first act; and then, inevitably we begin to second guess ourselves. As we soldier through the next tough scene sequence a little voice begins to speak over the one in our head telling us the story. 'The main characters name isn't strong enough - you should FIX that. The villain isn't evil enough; the opening scene isn't FRESH enough. The scene transitions'.... well, you get the idea!

Some of this self-commentary may actually be quite accurate. Your main character does have a putzy name, at the moment. And maybe those scene transitions do really suck. But guess what, we don't care - NOT RIGHT NOW. Your only job in the FIRST DRAFT IS TO FINISH! Repeat this to yourself, over and over and over again when your inner critic dares to speak. Resist the temptation to go back and just KEEP MOVING FORWARD; that's the only way to finish your first draft.

On the other hand, don't lock up that inner critic and throw away the key. Just throw him/or her a bone to keep her quiet. One of the best gimmicks that I've discovered is keeping a notebook and pen next to your computer and every time that critic SPEAKS - write it down!` Voila, your inner critic feels 'heard' and so deigns to leave you alone so you can write. AND, bonus time, by the time you have a first draft done you also have a dandy blueprint for your first REwrite waiting for you as soon as you type THE END.

I hope this helps. And I wish you lots of luck on your screenplay. Let me know when you've finished. I'd love to see your work!