by Melinda Snodgrass | Jul 25, 2013 | About Writing
Since I will be writing a Wild Card graphic novel for Bantam books I have begun to really study this art form. Lucky for me I have an outstanding coach in this endeavor — I’ve got Len Wein the creator of Wolverine and Swamp Thing among many other memorable characters. First some background. I tend not to buy individual issues of a comic. Partly because I don’t have a comic shop anywhere near me, and I don’t think to mail order them. They were also not part of my youth. My parents...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Jul 16, 2013 | About Writing
I’ve always like Ken Follett’s spy novels, and THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH had been recommended by my architect husband and several other people. So I downloaded it onto my IPad mini and started reading. I was struck initially at the rather pedestrian, workman-like quality of the prose, and the rather arm’s length almost omniscient POV despite, supposedly, being in a particular character’s POV, and I wasn’t sure I was going to actually finish the book. But then I...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Jun 29, 2013 | About Writing, TV & Movies
SMASH the NBC show about the trials and tribulations of bringing a show to Broadway was, alas, cancelled at the end of their second season. I really loved the show, but then I’m a singer and have performed in a lot of broadway shows with the New Mexico Civic Light Opera. I fell in love with the dreadful, womanizing director played by Jack Davenport, it was a great nuanced performance. The two young women had amazing voices, and I enjoyed and bought a lot of the music from BOMBSHELL....
by Melinda Snodgrass | May 29, 2013 | About Writing
I’m hit that point in the third Edge novel were all the dominoes have been arranged, and I went flick with a finger, and now they are falling as I race toward the climax. I love this point in a book. I don’t want to stop. I cancelled my riding lesson today. I didn’t get to the gym. I didn’t eat. Now I’m trying to make some dinner because I can’t keep going without food, but I don’t want to stop. These are the moments you live for as a writer. I...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Apr 29, 2013 | About Writing
Well, I have just emailed the second draft of the Wild Card script. My deal with Universal guaranteed me two drafts, and now they can decide whether to keep me on the project or turn it over to some other writer, or abandon it all together. I think it’s one of the best scripts I’ve written, and I have to give a shout-out to my terrific studio exec, Gregory Noveck, the head of SyFy Films. Together with his associate, Heather they have given me tremendous guidance and notes that...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Mar 21, 2013 | About Writing
I thought it might be fun to do a post about commonly used phrases in Hollywood and what they mean. Actually, many of them are very useful and can offer real guidance to a writer. The reason for these musing was I learned a new one today, and I think it’s great. So today I went off to a very helpful and productive meeting with my excellent producer/executive Gregory Noveck over on the Universal lot. A brief aside, it always makes me pinch myself when I’m walking across the lot...
