DZ-64: Backmatter - Controlling your Work, Treatments, and Writing Styles

Listen to understand what you can control in your career--and what you absolutely cannot. In our annual Backmatter-only episode, Stu and Chas indulge themselves by offering personal opinions on the life and work of emerging screenwriters based on their own personal experience. To that end, they discuss: what is and is not in your control in relation to an emerging writing career; choosing what project to develop next; using the Black List site to gain traction; the difference between treatments for pitching as opposed to for development; and the difference in writing style when writing on spec as against work for hire. We also unexpectedly have a guest: David Wappel kindly joins us to share his thoughts on anchoring nouns. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:05:27 – What is in your control? 00:28:58 – Choosing what to develop 00:33:24 – Using the Black List site 00:59:47 – Treatments for development vs for pitching 01:23:23 – Writing on spec vs work for hire 01:37:37 – Backmatter to backmatter LINKS Read: M. Night Shyamalan on His Failures, His Successes, and Glass YouTube: Can't watch a rough cut lady song Read: Write Along Podcast on Planners and Pantsers EPISODES IN THE BACKMATTER SERIES DZ-17: Where's my gold-plated ensuite? DZ-36: Backmatter - Time Risk and Fixing Movies DZ-47: Backmatter - A Lost Jedi, White Knighting, and Writers-On-Set DZ-57: Backmatter - Aesthetics and Forgiveness in Writing DZ-64: Backmatter - Controlling your Work, Treatments, and Writing Styles DZ-77: Backmatter - Prioritising and choosing projects DZ-86: Backmatter - Minimum Viable Product DZ-95: Backmatter - Building and Maintenance ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2020/dz-64/