As a writer, I struggle relaying the big picture elements when pitching my stories.

Not good.

A good pitch should be concise and to the point. No extraneous information. Short on details, and long on concept.

Blake Snyder would say the trouble stems from not really understanding what your story is about.

I agree.

Today I was asked to pitch a story. In less than five minutes I received a red light. I had already lost the listener. It struck me how much this essential skill eludes me.

Writing more loglines will help. Pitching more will help.

I've gotten better, but I'm still not good at it.

Ultimately, it's about boiling off all the crap until there's nothing left but the essence of the story. Once you have that, the details aren't propping up a weak concept, rather they're further enhancing an already stellar story.

I have a feature length script I've written, re-written, and have decided to let die.

Or cryogenically stored. (well, maybe not cryogenically - that would require freezing my backup hard disk)

After re-working the theme for the film, I realized I didn't have anything interesting. Nothing gripping that would hold a reader's attention. The story rehashed previously explored ideas into generic packaging.

I've been working on this feature for 12 months, and it's devoured every ounce of creative energy I've given it, but despite nurturance it hasn't evolved.

It's time to move on.

Kill your babies. I know, I know, but this is like throwing out the crib, formula, and toys, then repainting the baby room some realtor pleasing shade of blah.

The upside being I have a vacant room.

So, tonight I searched for a new tenant by rummaging through my storage bin of ideas and rediscovering some lost loves - unborn, infant ideas waiting for a room to flourish in.

I don't relish releasing material I've worked so hard on, but it's been educational and enlightening. As a developing writer, I've matured tremendously, and the lessons I've learned will improve future endeavors.

Maybe I'll revisit that story one day. Maybe I'll reincarnate some of the characters. Who knows?

But for now, it's time to let go.

I've taken a few hits to my confidence recently.

It's not that I don't believe in myself as a writer, but occasionally I receive a blow that's difficult to absorb.

I've put forth a few writing samples that weren't well received. There's nothing wrong with the writing itself, at least not from the feedback I've received, but the stories just didn't grab people the way I had hoped.

Then my brain overreacts trying to weed out the problem. Was the writing poor? Maybe the subject wasn't interesting? Maybe the audience wasn't right for the material?

Essentially it's like delivering a case of military grade munitions to my inner critic.

Which threatens to grind my writing to a stand still.

I have deadlines. Expectations to meet. I don't have the luxury of negotiating a cease fire with Rambo and convincing him not to destroy my peaceful village of made-up people dwelling in my Right Hemisphere.

Yes, Rambo. Creative, probably not, but an accurate reflection of my inner critic and appropriately left brained.

So today, I've been deflecting Rambo using a few tools:

Step 1: Give Your Inner Critic an Outlet

Write, draw, sculpt, whatever. Take all that energy coming from your inner critic and focus it into your work.

Your inner critic has a voice too, and denying that voice builds energy inside yourself. You become a vessel for all that energy and without a place to go, it can drown you.

The good news is you have ways to release that energy. Set it free. Bottling it up or ignoring it will only prolong your agony.

Step 2: Don't Hold Back

Once you've given your inner critic an outlet, don't hold back. Let out everything.

This isn't an exercise in creativity. It's popping a release valve to free room for your artistic pursuits.

You throw yourself into your artistic endeavors. Show your inner critic the same respect. It's a part of you. Part of what make you whole. It deserves respect too.

Step 3: Put it Away

Don't destroy it. Don't even look at it. Just put it out of sight somewhere, like that basement corner you're pretty sure the devil lives in.

You've probably released some extremely negative energy. There's no need to keep that in sight. If you're at all like me, it might even be self-destructive energy.

You may be literally buzzing with energy now or completely drained. Hopefully, though, you're no longer feeling like a pestilent reservoir.

One day, maybe, you'll dig into those relics haunting your basement and discover some pretty amazing things.

That source of inner strength that kept you going despite the criticism.

The unrelenting drive that wouldn't allow you to quit.

That the most powerful source of inspiration and encouragement was there all along.

Inside of you.

Nothing.

That's right. Zero.

A post by my brother prompted me to offer my own opinion on Traditional vs Self Publishing.

"A traditional publisher will market your work increasing your exposure and sales."

Really? They market you? When's the last time you've seen a commercial, billboard, or web ad promoting an author's work? Much less a NEW author? The confines of my subterranean abode may shelter me from most ad-blasts, but even I can't escape a bunker busting marketing campaign.

Let's assume for a moment they DO advertise your work. Great. Any day now the rainbows bearing cisterns o' cash will light upon my doorstep. Any day now...hmmm, maybe I should double check the contract.

Oh, dear. Looks like the cistern will actually be an offering plate where everyone donates or takes according to their need, and I'm last in line of a row of paupers that look suspiciously like my agent and publisher.

So, they advertised my work, gave me a respectable advance, and then spent the next few months recouping all those costs while I receive zilch.

With Self-Publishing I get to keep a much greater percentage of the income, I don't have to repay a publisher for a service I could have gotten from a freelancer for MUCH cheaper, and my e-book reaches readers sooner.

"But over the years, the money will continue to come in from that title."

It will? Are you sure about that? How long will your title continue to be available on bookshelves? Forever? Not unless you become an A-List author.

With Self-Publishing your titles will be available to anyone in the world. Forever. I earn money TODAY and for the rest of my life. On top of that my backlist stays in my control - I won't have to wrestle it from a traditional publisher down the road.

"But I want to see my book in a bookstore. It would be grand."

Pure vanity. I'll be the first to admit, the thought of seeing my own work in a bookstore thrills me, but let's ask ourselves a legitimate question: What's a bookstore?

What bookstore are you going to be visiting in 10 years? A whole generation of new readers being born today will never visit a brick and mortar bookstore. Not even for textbooks. They'll never know the thrill of holding a real book and flipping through the pages. And guess what?

They won't miss it.

The'll opine about the thrill of holding a physical e-reader, the tingle of excitement with each click or swipe of the page. They'll wax nostalgic for interacting with a physical device of any sort.

The bottom line is we're in a wildly liberating publishing age. Your work delivered directly to your readers under your control. 

As an author, you're a entrepreneur, and a myriad of services exist to help you succeed without the perceived aid of a traditional publisher.

No one knows you better than you.

Publish your work.

Amaze us.

The past couple of months have kept me very busy.

I've been re-writing a feature length script, written two short films, written two treatments for a feature film, worked on two websites, and currently 1st AD for a short film going out this coming weekend.

On top of that, I'm inking a deal for a feature length script based off the treatments I wrote, and I'm working on a novel.

And I'll be traveling to LA in October for a Screenwriting Conference held by Script-A-Wish founder Michael Ferris.

And I've been invited to VISIONS Film Festival in Wilmington, NC for an academic paper I wrote.

And I've been nominated as a judge for RiverRun Film Festival in April.

And I'm working PT.

Yeah. Busy.

One of the projects I'm most interested in is the novel. I'll be self-publishing through Amazon when it's finished, but part of this blog will be sharing the experience. I'm hopeful the information I gather will be useful to others.

A note about the screenwriting deal. I first mentioned it here in April, 2011. From my first conversation with them to receiving a deal, it's taken almost 10 months. It will take another 3 months before the script is finished, and many months after that before the film receives funding, IF it receives funding. Then comes pre-production, production, and post-production.

What does that mean?

It's a long road to releasing a film. A very long road.

That's one reason I'm excited about self-publishing. I won't have to wait years before my stories reach the public, and there's potential to earn a living writing while I continue pursuing a career in Hollywood.

It's an amazing time to be a writer. There's opportunity everywhere.