First off, let me thank everyone at Screenwriting Expo for the fantastic job this past weekend. My speech, “Supercharged,” was just that! A packed-to-capacity crowd was on hand to hear a little bit about my third book in progress, Save the Cat! Strikes Back, including a preview of its final chapter, “Discipline. Focus. And Positive Energy,” which details my turning point as a screenwriter. I was so pleased with the results of my talk, and even got more ideas to include in the book thanks to your feedback. Mostly it was just great to see so many screenwriters all gathered to improve their stories and careers. Thanks one and all!
As part of my talk, I also revealed my plans to fly to China next week — that’s right, Save the Cat! is going to The Great Wall, thanks to an invitation from the Beijing Film Academy. Seems Cat! has been discovered by filmmakers everywhere and I am so pleased. I will be missing Thanksgiving — again! — but happy to volunteer my time and grateful for the opportunity to spread the word about STC! I hope to be posting my blog from China next week and look forward to the many new friends I will be meeting.
I will be back in time for my talk to Chapman University film students December 4 at 7 pm, and for our final L.A. Beats workshop for the year to be held at the Writer’s Store the weekend of the 6th and 7th. It may be our last class in L.A. for a while, so for all you who are “supercharged” about the opportunities of 2009, let’s get you started right.
These and other events — including next January’s Screenwriter’s Summit here in North Hollywood — will kick off the best year ever. 2009 promises to include the launching of our online school, the publication of the third Save the Cat! book, our continuing outreach to high school and college students, and the news of, yes! a 14th spec screenplay sale for the Save the Cat! author himself.
Stay tuned; if you email me while I am away I will do my best to get back to you. If not, I will catch up as soon as I come home on December 1. Thanks for your patience!
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Blake, you did a great job at the expo! I didn’t realize you had so much energy! Thank you for signing my book, also!
Cody
By the way, Quantum of Solace was great! ;)
Holy smokes Super-Blake – China!? Plus, a phat congrats on your 14th spec sale. Can’t wait for the story details.
Hey, congrats, Blake! On the presentation at the Expo (wish I could have gone, but had schedule conflicts), the branching out stuff, China, AND a spec sale! Very cool!
Have fun in China, and post lots of photos! :)
Hey Blake, congrats on all the above! You are proof positive that we don’t have to be down in this economy. :-) I’m pre-ordering my copy of Save the Cat! Strikes Back right now. “Discipline. Focus. And Positive Energy” is where I’m at in my writing career and your advice always works wonders. Have a great trip to China. We’ll all be waiting to hear the stories!
it’s amazing how much of these mantra’s seem to be “in the air.”
thinking positive and positive thinking does work and the smile on my face is proof. With the right kind of energy, and a certain Cat author, I’ve been able to get a slew of material completed with great interest this last week at Expo.
thanks Blake; once again, this weekend proved STC was the last book on screenwriting that I’ll ever need.
Hi, Blake—Thank you so much for giving your talk at the Expo. Funny, I already had a copy of STC but had never read past the first chapter or two. However, after hearing you speak, I was SUPERCHARGED….and bought STC Goes to the Movies. Really great information. And I now have read all of STC. Why didn’t I do it sooner?? See, I knew the story I wanted to tell, and was literally just ambling along writing scene after scene after scene, and I knew the endpoint, sort of, but at 167 pages, I was only halfway done. HELP!
But now, NOW, I am using the Blake Snyder beat sheet, and I finally have STRUCTURE, yea! And I believe I can keep it all within the page allotments and end up with a feature instead of a mini-series!….Thank you so much for developing and conveying your system to us through STC. I can’t wait to buy the software as well. Thanks for all your hard work, and I look forward to reading your third book! TREY
Sorry I missed ya this year, Blake. You’ve been a big help to me for the past three years.
By the way, when you’re in Beijing, I recommend the fried seahorse. Very tasty!