I'm Joanna Cohen in drag!

KIDDING! JUST KIDDING! (Steve, hush! )

I'm just an ordinary soap viewer. I work retail to pay the bills and allow me flexible scheduling. Writing (along with music) is my passion -- I attempted to persue it in my early 20's, even sent a subsequently rejected spec to AMC seven years ago. I have family in the writing industry (one of my cousins even got featured in Black Enterprise magazine last year), but I'm not naming names because, thanks to Jackie, we all know how that goes. Oy!

But anyway, I'm no stranger to editing my own stuff and pulling it apart. Realizing when some things are overkill, and just aren't needed -- which is why I question Jeff Beldner's editing abilities, because once Mimi Leahy left, I've notice a lot of garbage has been getting through -- at least moreso over the last 2 years. Someone needs to pare Beall down on all of the insults and bitches/skanks/ho's/tramps/sluts, and "shut me downs" "hate ons" and "I'd rather gargle glass." Like I said, this is not a sitcom, it's a drama -- which means the dialog should be a little more natural and a little less kitschy -- which is what she writes, really. Kitsch and repartee -- not conversation.

How dare they reject you?!? lol Seriously though, keep trying.

I honestly think you could be a great success if you're willing to devote time to writing full-time. Whether it be magazine articles or books, you've got the talent.

How dare they reject you?!? lol Seriously though, keep trying.

I honestly think you could be a great success if you're willing to devote time to writing full-time. Whether it be magazine articles or books, you've got the talent.

Gobs and gobs of talent!

But thanks for the vote of confidence!

I think you should write for AMC. It's obvious you're a writer, so why not? You can type out perfect arguments (like the above) in no time. What exactly do you do for a living??? lol

How dare they reject you?!? lol Seriously though, keep trying.

I honestly think you could be a great success if you're willing to devote time to writing full-time. Whether it be magazine articles or books, you've got the talent.

I keep saying that, he just won't listen!

But, somehow I think he'll listen to you!

I work retail

Thank God you don't live in Europe, I don't think they'd take you seriously.

And P. S. what horrible handwriting! (Kidding!)

Thank God you don't live in Europe, I don't think they'd take you seriously.

And P. S. what horrible handwriting! (Kidding!)

LMAO! You must have radar! I was thinking to myself while writing these last few posts "Hmm... I wonder what Sylph has to say about things?" and then, lo and behold, you're here!

And I know I have fabulous handwriting. People always used to say to me, "You're handwriting's so gorgeous! You write like girl!"

I guess having a penis means you write in chicken scratch?

LMAO! You must have radar! I was thinking to myself while writing these last few posts "Hmm... I wonder what Sylph has to say about things?" and then, lo and behold, you're here!

And I know I have fabulous handwriting. People always used to say to me, "You're handwriting's so gorgeous! You write like girl!"

Well, they don't say to me that I write like a girl, but they often can't believe how nicely I write.

I guess having a penis means you write in chicken scratch?

Penis is a funny tool, all the wonders it can do! Mysterious are the ways of penis!

I'm Joanna Cohen in drag!

KIDDING! JUST KIDDING! (Steve, hush! )

I'm just an ordinary soap viewer. I work retail to pay the bills and allow me flexible scheduling. Writing (along with music) is my passion -- I attempted to pursue it in my early 20's, even sent a subsequently rejected spec to AMC seven years ago. I have family in the writing industry (one of my cousins even got featured in Black Enterprise magazine last year), but I'm not naming names because, thanks to Jackie, we all know how that goes. Oy!

Yay for retail! Tis my current job description as well. I am intrigued that you sent in a spec to AMC and would you be willing to share with any of us what your main storyline ideas were? I always love your posts because as someone else mentioned any argument you make is a solid one and you back it up which makes it really hard to debate because you back it up so well. Your continued detailed arguments as to why Amanda L. Beall is a sub par script writer more and more are making me turn on her

But yes, I'd love to hear more about this spec you sent in.

Yay for retail! Tis my current job description as well. I am intrigued that you sent in a spec to AMC and would you be willing to share with any of us what your main storyline ideas were? I always love your posts because as someone else mentioned any argument you make is a solid one and you back it up which makes it really hard to debate because you back it up so well. Your continued detailed arguments as to why Amanda L. Beall is a sub par script writer more and more are making me turn on her

But yes, I'd love to hear more about this spec you sent in.

About my silly little spec, I wrote a little about it in the Writers and Directors thread, it was a prologue and two acts of original material, character breakdown and story summary. Returned, rejected -- moved on.

As for my Beall hate, I enjoyed her when she first started writing. I've always admitted that -- but then, once she got settled in under the McTavish regime, she began drinking the Kool-Aid, and whaddya know, she's pushing the same agenda as McTravesty. Careys are good, Laverys are saints, Chandlers are evil -- and her own twist, Greenlee and Kendall are gay men in drag. Her scripts or breakdowns, in my amateur opinion, are slanted. That day, you MUST think this way, or else the characters will think it for you. And don't listen to Poloma, who says you can't sense a writer's stamp on a breakdown -- that's rubbish. Breakdowns tell the scriptwriter the set up and intention of each scene. If you can manipulate dialog to push agenda, you can definitely manipulate the breakdown to be structured to fit that agenda, i.e.

Breakdown: "Jonathan enters and tells Annie how right she and Ryan are for each other and how much sense they make as a couple. Annie waffles, not entirely sure. She claims to have cold feet and is a little unsure of her instincts after learning how much of a monster Terry was. Jonathan acknowledges this, but he encourages her to pursue Ryan and fight for him

.

Now, right there, before a scriptwriter even writes dialog for that scene, it's pretty clear what the intention of the scene is -- and it's to drive home how right Annie and Ryan are. Also, if you notice, I -- as the breakdown writer -- made sure I threw Terry in the mix. That way, the audience would think that, "Hey -- in comparison to Terry, Ryan is a much better catch!"

To me, Beall hasn't shown any growth in her skill over the last four years because it's the same routine. Catty, kitschy repartee that's overly accentuated with pop culture references and snide remarks. Quippy, witty and homogenized. All characters are sarcastic, and all characters are downright hilarious!

I'm not trying to make anyone hate Beall's work or love it -- it's just my opinion, which is backed up by reasons. Some are based on fact, others are based upon my interpretation on what I've been given.

We all pretty much are unanimous when it comes to Courtney Bugler. (Just had to throw that in there)

Anyway, Beall's work irritates me, and yeah... I'm more than happy to pull it apart and show you exactly why, as I did above. Of course, I'm not going to dissect every single line in the transcript -- as obsessed as I am with writing, even I have a life! But, I am more than willing to show you the points that make me cringe every time I hear a Beall script being performed on AMC. That's the only reason my arguments seem so persuasive. It's because I present evidence -- not proof or fact, but evidence. Other people praise her and say how wonderful she is and how if anybody else were to write it, they would pale in comparison... but yet, offer no substantial evidence to support such claims.

Besides -- I'm a gemini. I love to debate.

ETA: Oh yeah... I love retail!

Edited July 6, 200718 yr by R Sinclair

I wonder if B&E will move Amanda back to scripts to make room for some of their friends.... and someone reported Marla Kanelos is on mat leave so maybe that's why Amanda is pushing out back to back scripts

Excellent post by the way as always R!

Since you are so in tune with soap writing and AMC's various writers. In your time viewing AMC do you have a favourite script writer or staff writer? Just curious. Was there anyway of knowing thought pre-2003 which writers wrote which episode. I always remember every staff member being credited each episode.

I wonder if B&E will move Amanda back to scripts to make room for some of their friends.... and someone reported Marla Kanelos is on mat leave so maybe that's why Amanda is pushing out back to back scripts

I still don't understand that. Script writers can (and do, in a lot of instances) work from home.

ETA: I miss John PiRoman... I hope B&E bring in at least ONE male scriptwriter... get a different perspective.

Edited July 6, 200718 yr by R Sinclair