A Writer's Roadmap
by
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FOREWORD
Throughout my career as a professional screenwriter, I have been asked to talk about writing at numerous story groups and seminars. There is one moment during these evenings that I can always count on. When we enter the forest of pure plot, everybody gets excited. There is confusion, there is excitement, there is hunger.
Everybody has great ideas. A lot of us have talent in developing quirky characters and great dialogue; but plot construction is the great Enemy. As writers, we are thrust into a deep forest that we are expected to find our way out of. So how do we do this? Is there a secret, magical prototype buried out there? The answer is that there are numerous hidden prototypes. They are not written down. They are rarely presented in classes. They are not spelled out.
As writers we are expected to create a progression of many scenes . . . that paint a picture, that work as allegory, that chart an emotional journey within. How do we do this? Where do we look for a blueprint? How do we know that this sequence should be here, and another sequence should be there?
My book focuses on plot construction. I have worked with other writers in collaborations. Invariably, we will find ourselves up against it. Our discussions are always about plot problems. "We haven’t solved this section. What do we do about the middle section? Do we take this pathway or that?"
The longer I write, the more I appreciate the discoveries that I have made. Recently, one young writer said to me, "I was giving up writing. This gives me hope."
Ultimately this is what story telling is in its simplest form, isn’t it? You create characters in bondage. You give them hope. This is a chronicle of my own twenty years of searching for hope. This is a how-to book that offers you a road map.
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WHAT INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
SAY
ABOUT WENDELL:
“Few have demonstrated what Wendell brings to everything he does,
determination and a passion . . . He has spirit, aptitude, and the practical
experience of professional life as an artist in the entertainment industry. He
acts well, he writes well . . . He’s an excellent teacher of both skills with a
sense of humor and compassion for honest effort.”
--Peter Flood, The Walt Disney Company
“Wendell Wellman’s classes have been the best I’ve participated
in. His knowledge of writing and acting comes from his direct experience from
doing both in the film business. Instead of vague discussion about film theory,
Wendell offers hands-on experience from the actual doing of it.”
--Richard Tuggle, Writer/Director, Tightrope, Escape from Alcatraz
“A highly qualified teacher . . . Wendell is in possession of
exceptional skills and always offers unique insights . . . We always appreciate
his appearances and will be honored to have him return again.”
--Scott Burnell, Chairman, Storyboard
at Sony Pictures Studios
“His teaching is engaging and stimulating and the students respond
extremely positively to his presentations. I am pleased to recommend Mr.
Wellman without reservation.”
--Rick Rosenthal, Chair of
Directing, American Film Institute, Bad
Boys, Ruskies, Halloween II
“The relaxed atmosphere that Wendell created allowed for a
wonderful dialogue, while his intelligence and insight brought out the best . .
.”
--Billy Hayes, Midnight Express
Wendell is “an example for the
students of what the human potential is. The information is invaluable to
up-and-coming industry talent . . .”
--Rubin, Head, Performing and Integrated Arts, UCLA
About the Author
Wendell Wellman is a professional screenwriter who has worked on many successful films with high profile producers. His first work to hit the big screen was Clint Eastwood’s Firefox, and he has written for Mr. Eastwood on other films, including Sudden Impact. He has recently finished a new screenplay, ID, and has several other scripts in development. Wendell has also just completed a new book, A Writer‘s Road Map.
Besides being a successful writer, Mr. Wellman is an accomplished actor who has worked in film, television, and theater for more than a decade. His work includes memorable roles in the films Sudden Impact, Somersby, Curfew, and Streets of Dreams. Mr. Wellman has worked with Clint Eastwood, Richard Gere, Jodie Foster, Bill Pullman, Morgan Fairchild, Lee Marvin, and many others. He founded the West End Theater Company, an acclaimed professional group in Los Angeles, which has produced major plays, several of which Mr. Wellman wrote and starred in.
Wendell received his M.A. in English Literature from UCLA, and taught at UCLA’s Extension classes for five years. He has taught at The Learning Annex, is a repeat guest lecturer with Sony Studios’s "Storyboard Group," and teaches professional classes within his theater.