The pitch

Last night I had my section class and we had to bring in our homework: 3 script ideas/pitches and one outline of our favorite pitch. I'd been working on my all week and had it all typed up nice and pretty. And when I sat down at the table last night with the others, I felt very unsure.

It's one thing to type up ideas and even stories, novels, and yes, screenplays, on your computer and think, "Oh, that's not bad." It's one thing to share those writings with family and friends who never have a negative comment (even though I beg and plead, although some people are great at constructive criticism, Erika!). It's one thing to pour out my ramblings here in my blog, somewhat anonymously where only a handful of people, and one stranger that I know of, come to peek at my world.

It's a whole other thing to spend thirty minutes sharing your pitch and know that your teacher, a real-live, working screenwriter, and 7 other writers are going to instantly judge you based on this first idea.

So what did I do? Naturally I raised my hand and offered to go second, when the instructor asked for volunteers. Get it over with is my motto, pull the band-aid off quick. I knew it'd be a much more enjoyable 3 hours if I wasn't sitting there sweating my pitch. So I started reading. And I gave the pitch a title that I'd come up with ten minutes earlier. And my instructor scribbled notes, and so did my classmates. And I just kept talking. And guess what?

The liked it! I got that it was a cool idea, interesting premise, great character arc. And then they started telling stories and giving me ideas for details and how to shape the plot and what movies to watch and stories to read for ideas and I wrote everything down as fast as they said it. And then we took our break and I didn't even get out in the hall before one student grabbed me and started sharing her thoughts and suggestions and then others asked questions and I know I never stopped smiling.

Yeah, I know, it's just a pitch. A page and a half outline. But it gave me courage to keep writing, the incentive, the exterior motivation I needed. So what did I do? I volunteered to be in Group A which means I have to present my expanded outline and character sketches next week instead of the week after. I'm so excited.

I don't know if all pitch "meetings" will go like that, or frankly, if I'll ever have another pitch meeting but let's just say I was glad my first was in such a supportive, encouraging environment. Okay, I'm off to create...