Fiction author Robin Brande talks about writing, reading, and other vital matters

I’m leaving tomorrow for the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, where I will be running on Starbucks and Advil for five days as I see three or four movies per day, beginning at eight every morning.

Because it’s FUN.

And also because it’s one of the best things I do for my writing career. This is the fourth year I’ve gone, and I intend to keep going. Talk about refilling the well–as a writer, I couldn’t ask for a better infusion of ideas and energy and creative motivation. One of my favorite features of the festival is that after almost every movie the screenwriter and/or director hangs around for Q & A, so I get to hear how those people brought their stories from conception to screen. I’ve learned so much every single year–about storytelling in general and about the business side of writing. I try to go to at least two writing conferences or workshops every year to recharge my batteries, and I’ve started counting this film festival as one of them. I have always come home a better writer as a result of these five intense days.

Plus I got to see Napolean Dynamite and Garden State before practically anyone. And I met the guy who played Pedro in Napolean Dynamite, and talked to him over dinner for a good half hour, and that was a blast. And I got invited to two absolutely otherwordly Hollywood/Sundance parties that made me realize I’m even more of a hayseed than I ever knew.

As some of you know, I tried to bust into the Sundance Screenwriters’ Lab this year, and made the semi-finals (from 2200 entries down to 250), but not the finals (from 250 down to 12). I intend to try again for next year’s lab. I’ve always loved the idea of writing both novels and screenplays, just like my hero William Goldman of The Princess Bride fame. Since I know it’s possible (and it’s not like Mr. Goldman is the only one out there doing it), I will continue to try. So going to the film festival also helps me on that score–I need to know what it is that makes a great screenplay.

So what does all of this mean to you? A week’s worth of celebrity sightings and must-see movie previews, for starters. Don’t worry–the Tuesday Book Club is still happening tomorrow, although I may be a little sketchy about posting your comments during the part of the day when I’m traveling. But fear not, as always I try not to let my personal or professional life inconvenience the blog.

Now off to go finish reading Laura Fitzgerald’s fabulous Veil of Roses so I can report it tomorrow and then begin reading The Time Traveler’s Wife for next week’s book discussion.

Busy, busy, busy . . .

Technorati Tags: Writing, Publishing, Screenwriting, Sundance Film Festival

Posted on Monday, January 22nd, 2007 at 5:04 am under Movies & TV, Writing . Subscribe to responses: RSS 2.0 Comment Feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.