I just flew back from NYC and boy are my yarns tired.

I feel like every time I meet with a new group of screenwriters, the story is the same: great writers, active, brilliant imaginations, wonderful cooperation, excellent final product, and righteous goal-setting. But I have to say this last group was one of the best in my experience; we really did some great work.

This is the workshop weekend where we take your two or three ideas and, as a group, pick one we like best. Then we spend time beating on your logline, forcing to the surface the thing that it really is, and make you explain and amplify what you see that excites you about writing it. So… who is your protaganist? Where is the antagonist? And what about that logline makes us, someone not privvy to the flash of genius you had in the shower, want to see what happens next! (in your story, not in the shower)

And I gotta say, we had 11 fabulous minds in this group this past weekend, a mix of writers with experience — and even agents — and those for whom this task is new — and the results were the same. Getting you to clarify your idea is an art form! Those who think getting the logline to sing is just for “salesmen” are dead wrong. And some of the ideas we had were so so so great! I expect to be driving down Sunset one day and see them on the movie billboards — and eagerly await spending $10 to see them at the theater.

By the time the weekend was over, 11 writers got up and pitched not only the logline but the 15 beats of the story we had worked out in class. Don’t think it’s possible? It is. I see it time and again. And man, it never ceases to excite me.

We also have had many success stories now. Sales. Options. Off the chart responses to email queries. Pitches that get assignments. It’s working because we’re working at it and using a method that proves itself again and again.

For those who are in the New York area, check out the momentum we are building one weekend at a time at the Save the Cat meetup site. And for those who haven’t had the workshop experience yet, stay tuned! I want to go to your city next; just ask and I will be happy to get on a plane and fly out and work with your group on your loglines. I love this job! And I love the writers who are doing what it takes to succeed. You guys rock! And you make what we’re doing here at the Save The Cat! Institute For Let’s Make A Sale worth it!

Thank you, New York City!

p.s. We also happen to have the best, most enthusiastic people on our team. One such person is Bob McFarlane, who designed our software and continues to be the single best go-to guy for help in the world of tech support. In response to glitches many of you experienced with the Mac version of our STC! software, Bob got in there and fixed it and now has a download update for everyone — free of course! Check it out up there at the top right hand corner of this page. And thanks, Bob!