— Forris Day Jr., writer/reviewer for ScaredStiffReviews.com and Scriptmag.com
“Separating the wheat from the chaff, The Writer’s Advantage is my new go-to resource. More than a toolkit for writers, it’s a treasure trove of valuable insights from a seasoned professional. The case studies, questions, and exercises at the end of each chapter are invaluable! They challenged me to remove potentially rose-colored glasses and see (really see!) my work as an unbiased observer. As a writer I will continue to use The Writer’s Advantage as a fulcrum to raise my work to a higher level and prepare it for successful placement in the marketplace.”
— Laurie Buchanan, PhD, transformational life coach
“There’s a proliferation of interchangeable screenwriting guides on the market, but Laurie Scheer’s The Writer’s Advantage is wholly unique. As its title proclaims, it’s not just a ‘how-to,’ but a fundamental approach to navigating today’s ever-changing media landscape. It’s everything writers aren’t thinking about — but should be.”
— Greg Lessans, producer, screenwriter, film executive
“The perfect book for any writer who’s willing to do the work. And trust me, you’ll work. There are no shortcuts in The Writer’s Advantage. What you will find is a road map to being the best writer you can be. The importance of genre knowledge has never been as eloquently stated or as deeply investigated as it is here. I write across multiple mediums and I found myself applying some of these tools to all of them. I only wish I’d had this book years ago when I first started putting pen to paper.”
— Steve Belanger, writer, actor, podcast host
“In Hollywood as well as in all media, everything begins with writing. Seems everybody thinks they can be a writer. To truly be a ‘writer’ you must understand the craft. In The Writing’s Advantage, Laurie Scheer helps the aspiring writer to develop their style, understand the marketplace, and hopefully bring the work to a receptive audience. Scheer provides the coaching and cheerleading each writer needs. She shares so many elements and techniques to enhance one’s efforts. There are real-world examples to help each writer succeed. If you want to make writing your livelihood, you need to use this book and you must refer to it over and over.”
— Laurence L. Levin, photographer and educator
“If you are a writer and you’re writing the next great screenplay or novel, make sure you have a copy of The Writer’s Advantage in hand. You’ll want to refer to it before you begin your writing, during, and especially afterwards, when you begin your pitching and marketing process. As a manager and producer, I am letting all of my clients know about this very important volume of work. You’ll find the information is invaluable and evergreen and, more importantly, your projects will have the necessary elements to aid in setting up your project and making it marketable.”
— Marilyn R. Atlas, literary and talent manager, producer, Real Women Have Curves, Choking Game
“Laurie’s book completely sets the record straight with what is happening in present day media outlets. Before reading, I was feeling overwhelmed and confused, but she broke it down into understandable overviews... plus, I loved the end-of-chapter bullet points and checklists. It drives it all home.”
— Kendra Cunningham, comic, creator of Blonde Logic and lonelygirl48
“The lessons Laurie Scheer taught me still resound years later. Her mentorship, practical advice, and wisdom about all things ‘story’ have been invaluable to my success as a writer, and this book is another amazing tool she’s given us to navigate the storyscape.”
— Dominique Ferrari, screenwriter, currently in production with a “Black List” script
“In a world filled with an overabundance of tips, tricks, and tools of every kind, never has a book been so clear and straight to the point than The Writer’s Advantage. Scheer lays everything out in a concise yet engaging fashion that is relatable and easy to follow. The chapter-end exercises are essential in helping you write your best screenplay yet. How to sell your project is also discussed, which, in today’s conglomerated world, can feel like an impossible task. Thank you Laurie Scheer for providing us with a tool that is essential in creating the greatest films of our future.”
— Lauren Zink, US Advice Network Manager at VICE Media, Inc.
Published by Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 379-8799, (818) 986-3408 (FAX)
Cover design by Johnny Ink. www.johnnyink.com
Printed by McNaughton & Gunn
Manufactured in the United States of America
Copyright 2014 by Laurie Scheer
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Scheer, Laurie.
The writer's advantage : a toolkit for mastering your genre / Laurie Scheer.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-61593-198-9
1. Television authorship. 2. Motion picture authorship. 3. Mass media--Authorship. I. Title.
PN1992.7.S36 2014
808.06'6791--dc23
2014001701
Printed on Recycled Stock
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
FOREWoRD by Christopher Vogler
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
The Book’s Reason for Being
What This Book Can Do For You
Being a Fanboy vs. Being a Fan
of Media
Uniquely Qualified
Toolkit Sandbox
To Begin
SECTION ONE
KNOW WHAT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE
CHAPTER 1
A BRIEF INQUIRY INTO MASS
AND NOT-SO-MASS MEDIA
Media Consumption
Movies
Television
Unfragmented Audiences
Limited Amount of Texts
The Cable Revolution
Fragmented