tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post2811680625681969440..comments2024-03-28T09:29:40.502-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Zombie lawyer defends a vampire hooker: "Pay Me in Flesh" by K. BennettJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-61327819275899250632011-08-17T22:20:28.168-04:002011-08-17T22:20:28.168-04:00Thanks, Robin!Thanks, Robin!James Scott Bellhttp://www.jamesscottbell.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-86608152623449219702011-08-17T16:14:50.263-04:002011-08-17T16:14:50.263-04:00The only problem with reading things like this is ...The only problem with reading things like this is I walk away soooo depressed that I didn't think of it myself (or rather, I didn't think of something as wonderfully clever... sigh...)<br /><br />Brilliant! Can't wait to see it in print.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-2354669918832472872011-08-17T12:18:31.248-04:002011-08-17T12:18:31.248-04:00Ronnie, thanks. I'm not familiar with that wor...Ronnie, thanks. I'm not familiar with that work. I've heard of Pratchett, of course. I think the difference would be that I am writing a contemporary Los Angeles legal thriller series with a Lead character who is a zombie. Mr. Pratchett's world sounds like fun, and I should dip in there someday.James Scott Bellhttp://www.jamesscottbell.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-76564953065705478462011-08-17T12:13:49.654-04:002011-08-17T12:13:49.654-04:00Melissa, I do have a "formula" for this ...Melissa, I do have a "formula" for this in the back of my book, Plot & Structure. It's helpful.James Scott Bellhttp://www.jamesscottbell.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-66703125276933939492011-08-17T10:18:22.208-04:002011-08-17T10:18:22.208-04:00Zombie lawyers? been done, Mr Slant in Sir terry P...Zombie lawyers? been done, Mr Slant in Sir terry Pratchett's Discworld series.<br />It was said that Mr slant opted to become a Zombie to benefit from the financial disbursements arising from conducting his own defence at the trial which lead to his execution.<br />Shadowy, shady, involved in everything, but never getting his own hands dirty ....Ronnie Soakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09619423911526952408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-26130246187160977662011-08-17T08:25:01.035-04:002011-08-17T08:25:01.035-04:00Thank you. I'm working on the query letter an...Thank you. I'm working on the query letter and pitch. The Guppies are helping me, Hank! <br /><br />Jim, is there a formula that can help with pitches?Melissa Robbinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11660227475140255088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-71490873298360564012011-08-16T21:04:39.566-04:002011-08-16T21:04:39.566-04:00Melissa, that's good. Very good. Keep after th...Melissa, that's good. Very good. Keep after that pitch. The time you spend on it will be worth it. And it can always change if you want it to. I've revised these during the writing process.James Scott Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00676794013514302359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-5826869719153665652011-08-16T21:03:18.700-04:002011-08-16T21:03:18.700-04:00Melissa, that's really good! Can't wait to...Melissa, that's really good! Can't wait to hear more...Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-45103265975783273252011-08-16T21:00:23.021-04:002011-08-16T21:00:23.021-04:00For my wip, my tagline was easy. "When there&...For my wip, my tagline was easy. "When there's a war on, what's one more murder?" It's the pitch I have trouble with. I struggle describing my story in two or three sentences.<br /><br />Jim, I'm glad your agent laughed with you and not at you.Melissa Robbinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11660227475140255088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-57735871575690541192011-08-16T16:29:26.829-04:002011-08-16T16:29:26.829-04:00Julia, from your keyboard to J. J. Abrams' ear...Julia, from your keyboard to J. J. Abrams' ears. Thanks!James Scott Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00676794013514302359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88718439351513372992011-08-16T15:57:42.826-04:002011-08-16T15:57:42.826-04:00He IS roguishly handsome, to boot!
I think Zombie...He IS roguishly handsome, to boot!<br /><br />I think Zombie Lawyer in LA is one of the best high concept premises ever. I can already see the movies: Sandra Bullock as the lawyer, Scarlett Johansson as the vampire hooker and George Cloony as the Deputy DA.Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09553268569509053159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-55523888363017198732011-08-16T10:19:16.326-04:002011-08-16T10:19:16.326-04:00Hank, I think your DH will love the courtroom scen...Hank, I think your DH will love the courtroom scenes. And the fate of a certain judge.James Scott Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00676794013514302359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-67962164159159018372011-08-16T09:58:57.527-04:002011-08-16T09:58:57.527-04:00Oh, and as the wife of a defense attorney, this is...Oh, and as the wife of a defense attorney, this is especially funny. I'll restrain myself from the the "so what's to imagine?" jokes.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-86984177734941661702011-08-16T09:57:49.810-04:002011-08-16T09:57:49.810-04:00Thanks, Jim! I'm so envious of our idea--it...Thanks, Jim! I'm so envious of our idea--it's terrific. Grr. Eager to read it. I mean--when a tag line makes you burst out laughing, you know?, you've got it.<br /><br />It works for titles, too.<br /><br />For instance, I love the title Mars Needs Moms. I always think about it as a example of something that sounds casual, but is actually perfect. It's not Mars Could Use a Few Moms. Or Mars Would Like Moms, or Mars Wants Moms. Or even, Mars needs Women. (Which would be a very different movie.)<br /><br />But MARS NEEDS MOMS. There's the whole movie, right there. (Sadly, I heard it was terrible, but that's another blog.)<br /><br />Still. Living up to the tag line or title is a challenge..you have to know you have enough stuff to carry a whole book, right, and<br /> it's not just a clever conceit.<br /><br />Oh, hilarious. My captcha word is eatingb. You KNOW what's I'm thinking about now. Yuck.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-49119666196082881222011-08-16T09:26:06.927-04:002011-08-16T09:26:06.927-04:00Thanks, Jan. The Voice Journal is fun to do and de...Thanks, Jan. The Voice Journal is fun to do and delivers great results.<br /><br />LOL, Hallie. The nice thing is you don't HAVE to show your tagline to anyone. Just so long as it works for you. Getting the concept into one or two lines really forces me to get laser focused. <br /><br />I did spend quite a few years studying and doing copywriting and advertising. I think there are two things a fiction writer can do "outside the box" that are helpful: study copywriting and taking an improv acting class.James Scott Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00676794013514302359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-32268186112604503742011-08-16T08:41:02.370-04:002011-08-16T08:41:02.370-04:00So easy for you to say, Jim. I want a tagline writ...So easy for you to say, Jim. I want a tagline writer. I find it SOOOO hard. The emotional oomph for writing a novel comes from a much more convoluted situation that evolves in my head... so NOT useful for marketing.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15023457192951962932011-08-16T08:39:27.563-04:002011-08-16T08:39:27.563-04:00I love the part about the voice journal. Still lau...I love the part about the voice journal. Still laughing over the Zombie Defense lawyers.Jan Broganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11323983086318138814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-22747011566040844112011-08-16T08:07:25.664-04:002011-08-16T08:07:25.664-04:00Thanks, Lucy. The tagline and pitch are fun parts ...Thanks, Lucy. The tagline and pitch are fun parts for me. The tag is something pithy you'd see on a movie poster. Remember <i>Alien</i>? The tag was "In space no one can hear you scream." Brilliant. It creates an emotion, which is what I need before I start writing. <br /><br />The pitch is something I keep working on until it hums like great back cover copy. I think this one went through about five iterations before I put it in the proposal. The nice thing is that as you work on it, you can just feel your plot foundations getting stronger, giving you more confidence as you start writing.James Scott Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00676794013514302359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-45140994530469456702011-08-16T07:03:01.763-04:002011-08-16T07:03:01.763-04:00This is brilliant Jim, starting with a tag line an...This is brilliant Jim, starting with a tag line and a pitch. Can you tell us about the process of developing them? I don't really tend to like paranormals, but this book sounds hilarious!Lucy Burdettehttp://www.lucyburdette.comnoreply@blogger.com