Odd Job Chronicles

The Writer’s Path: Success Through Failure

Written by Tony LaScala Wednesday, May 02, 2012, 9:59 PM

My Dearest Odd-Jobbers,

There’s something ironically humbling about receiving a call informing you that your script has been passed on while scooping up a literal massive pile of dog crap at your “eight to six” job. Usually no “reason” is given for why a company passes. Normally Odd-Jobbers just never hear from them. Honestly, I felt lucky that they even called to crush my dreams.

I worked my “tokhes”off on this script. It started out as garbage, a bad script from cover to cover. But inside was this rough uncut gem of a story that I just had to find the right way to tell. After many a night spent writing through ungodly hours, the screenplay is a polished diamond.

I should be more upset at being so abruptly rejected, falling into the kind of mind numbingly deep depressions they show in montage during romantic comedies:

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Pulling All Nighters and Recharging Your Brain

Written by Tony LaScala Monday, April 23, 2012, 3:16 PM

Apologies for my tardiness Odd-Jobbers,

I’ve never been much of a social person. It’s not that I don’t enjoy hanging out with friends; I just can’t afford the time (or money) it takes to “go out on the town.” I haven’t been single in 10 years, so I just don’t see the point of spending $80 on cocktails while ridiculously loud music I hate raises my blood pressure. We Odd-Jobbers are lucky to get in a few hours here or there to pound the keyboard. There’s no way I’m spending those precious moments at a dive bar in North Hollywood. 

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The Writer's Fight Against Technology

Written by Tony LaScala Thursday, April 05, 2012, 9:40 AM

Beep Boop Beep,

(I think that’s how R2-D2 says hello)

I’m my own worst enemy. Balancing laziness and getting rid of distractions is the true Antagonist of all writers. The modern age is making writing consistently more and more difficult. I can watch almost any movie on a whim streamed directly to my T.V. If I still indulged in video games, I’d practically be a vegetable. Fortunately, I’ve been writing a lot lately. My DVR is full with several months of shows I regularly watch...

OMFG the kitten in this video is so hilariously adorable...B-T-Dubs, I have adult Attention Deficit Disorder (Apparently 115% percent of men between the ages of two and one-hundred twelve are afflicted with it.)

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Finding Characters: On the Emerald Island

Written by Tony LaScala Sunday, March 25, 2012, 9:33 PM

Hullo Odd-Jobbers,

(That’s how they say it in Ireland)

March was pretty hectic. I got married and have just returned from a two-week trip to Ireland. Oh how my keyboard has missed me! It’s keys feel somewhat strange as I type, so cold and distant. We have a lot of catching up to do.

Being away from the screenwriting game for a month is unnerving. I had to remind myself every day that there are more important things in life… like… marriage and stuff. Fortunately, my screenwriting energy has been renewed.

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Crafting a Story & Writing for You

Written by Tony LaScala Monday, February 20, 2012, 11:42 AM

To Any Odd-Jobbers It May Concern,

I learned a lesson years ago: If someone puts a free advertisement on the Internet looking for a screenwriter to develop a screenplay on deferred pay, no matter how professional they sound, I’m not clicking on it. (I still might click on it now that I think about it. What if Dustin Hoffman wrote the free advertisement searching for a new script!? Sigh, stop dreaming and get back to work.)

Read more: Crafting a Story & Writing for You