The Backstory of "Legendary," Conclusion

I began adapting my 1980s high school screenplay, "Finding the Way," in the spring of 2010. I discovered that my train rides to and from work were my favorite times to write. The 45 minutes there in the morning, and the 45 minutes returning home gave me enough time to write 8 - 10 pages at a time. The year I spent writing the first draft of the book was the most enjoyable and freeing 12 months I'd ever spent as a writer. For the first time in my life, I didn't give a damn about what anyone was going to think about my work. I kept telling myself, "This is an experiment. I'm a screenwriter, not a novelist." I believe it was that lack of concern that allowed me to be so loose and to write so fast. I've been chasing that feeling ever since.

I completed the first draft around Thanksgiving of that year. Now entitled Legendary, I sent it to my friend who worked at Simon & Schuster. At Christmastime, we met for coffee to discuss the book's potential. She had general notes on how to make the book better, and felt that it was worth pursuing. Her two biggest suggestions were 1) changing the time period from the 1980s to the present day. This way, the book might have a better chance of getting read, and I might get a literary agent. And 2) reducing the number of main characters/narrators. In adapting the screenplay, I'd come up with seven different narrators for Legendary. The book may have captured the ensemble feel of a Paul Thomas Anderson film, but it was hard to follow.

I had no problem with any of what she said. On the spot I decided I would rewrite the book to follow the love triangle that made up one third of Legendary (the other two stories might make it into another book someday. Who knows?) The feedback I received got me excited to dive back into the text.

Throughout 2011, I revised, revised, revised. Some writers hate the editing process, but I find it thrilling. It's like a puzzle and you're trying to find the exact word or phrase to fit the sentence or paragraph. Maybe you cut entire passages, things you love, but it's all for the betterment of the book.

By the end of 2011, I had completed the new version of Legendary. My friend reread it and was enthusiastic. She even offered to submit it to her bosses, and to allow me to use her name in some of the query letters I sent to literary agents. This was how I knew that she wasn't just paying me lip service that Legendary was pretty good. If she was afraid that Legendary would have embarrassed her, she wouldn't have offered what she did.

I did the query routine, sending the book to a long list of agents. Unfortunately I was turned down by all. Maybe I shouldn't say that, but I'm not ashamed. That's part of the game, right? Rejection is how an artist grows. I actually received some very kind feedback from several agents. Most of them really liked the character of Allison (one even suggested rewriting the book entirely from her point of view), but almost all of them said that trying to get a book with a male protagonist as the central character would be too difficult.

It was disappointing, to say the least, but I didn't let it get me down. The experience of writing Legendary gave me the confidence to continue writing prose. For the second time in its life, "Finding the Way," now known as Legendary, was put to sleep in a file cabinet, or rather a hard drive.

*****

In 2012, while sending out all of those queries, I self-published Basement Songs, the book that collected some of my favorite posts from Popdose (but you know that because you're here and you own a copy, right?). In editing that book, I pretty much put to rest the "Basement Songs" column. It had run its course. I attempted two other columns for Popdose, "Scotty's Jukebox," which was supposed to be a look at all things pop culture, and "Goin' Country," an attempt at exploring country music. Neither gained traction. Or rather, neither got me thrilled the way "Basement Songs" used to do.

As 2014 began, I started thinking about what I wanted to write for Podose in the coming year. I was working on two spec TV pilots and a feature length screenplay, but these things wouldn't work on Popdose. Then it struck me: What if I published Legendary as a serial novel on the site? The book was complete, so I wouldn't have to worry about writing deadlines, and I could include music, like I did with "Basement Songs." But what music? And would a contemporary teen driven story connect with Popdose's audience.

Then I thought, "What if I returned the story back to its 80s roots?"

Within days, I worked out the details with Jeff and began revising the novel. I made 10 separate playlists of songs to include in the posts. And I came up with the idea to include original art with each chapter.  There may not have been writing deadlines, but I have a spreadsheet charting everything that needs to be done for this summerlong project.

You know what? I'm stoked. In placing the story back in its original time period, I believe Legendary got better. For anyone who read the original final draft, this story will be familiar, but different in enough ways that I think you'll get a kick out of it. Plus, it has music and art, people, music and art!

So that's the general backstory about Legendary. I could write more, but the history isn't important, not in this case. What's important is that Legendary is out there, and that you enjoy reading it throughout the summer.

Check out Popdose tomorrow for the official introduction to Legendary.

Aloha

The Backstory of "Legendary," Pt. 2

The early 2000's were hectic and full of potential. Within a five year span, I wrote and directed King's Highway, we bought a house, Jacob was born, I sold another script, I took a new job at Cartoon Network, and I ran two marathons. 

The life changing moment in our lives was the day Jacob was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). When you’re told that your newborn child has a life threatening illness, your outlook on the world becomes radically different. His well being becomes priority number one. This is one reason I began working at Cartoon Network. The company offered stability and health benefits, in addition to the opportunity for growth.

I felt limited in what I could do to help spread the word about CF, a relatively unknown disease, and how to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Running a marathon became a way to get people's attention and raise money. Around this time, I discovered a new way the Internet was allowing people to communicate and express themselves, something called "web logging." It sounded like a cool way to keep family and friends up to date on my marathon training, as well as providing information on Jacob's health. And so, I began blogging.

My first blogwas strictly about my training. I kept it for three years. When my body finally told me to "cut this shit out" and quit running, I began a second blog, ''thunderbolt." It was on that website that I created "Basement Songs," the periodic column about the songs that were essential to my life. It was through “Basement Songs” that I met Jeff Giles, Jason Hare, and several other wonderful bloggers who were supportive of my writing and my family’s pursuit of finding a cure for CF. When Jeff approached me about becoming a charter member of the Popdose group staff, I didn't hesitate. I brought along "Basement Songs," and published my personal stories for over 100 weeks.

A couple years after "Basement songs" began running, I was in a conversation with a family friend. At the time she was a junior editor at Simon & Schuster in their Young Adult division. She, too, was a fan of "Basement Songs," so when I remarked that I'd always thought about writing a novel (which is true), she said, ''If you ever have anything, I'd be glad to read it.''

I took her words to heart. For two months I worked on adapting one of my more recent screenplays, the story of a teenage girl with a sibling who has CF, into a novel. I wrote about fifty pages before I hit a wall. If I'm being honest, I wasn't prepared to write about cystic fibrosis just yet, not the way this character me needed me to. However, I didn't want to give up. I really wanted to try my hand at prose. I had nothing to lose. In need of a story about teenagers, I went into my files and pulled out that old script of mine. I decided to adapt "Finding the Way" into a novel.

Popdose podcast: The Matt 'N' Jeff Radio Hour

I joined my fellow Popdose writers, Jeff Giles and Matt Wardlaw, to discuss Basement Songs and for some reason Alan "Fitz" Fitzgerald came up in conversation. Please check out the podcast for the Matt 'N' Jeff Radio Hours.

Feel free to discuss how dorky I sound.

http://popdose.com/the-matt-n-jeff-radio-hour-episode-8-basement-songs/

A word about the Foreword

There are some writers who inspire me to read their work no matter what the subject. Roger Ebert makes poetry out of film criticism. Cameron Crowe's attention to detail places you in the moment like few journalists. Ann Powers' use of words is as lyrical and moving as the music she writes about. To this list I add Jeff Giles.

I became friends with Jeff because of a Billy Joel record guide he wrote on his long-lost Jefitoblog and some Springsteen bootlegs I mailed him. Soon thereafter, I began writing the Basement Songs series on my own blog, thunderbolt, which Jeff championed and helped find a wider audience, first by providing links on Jefitoblog, and then by asking me to bring it to Popdose.com. In addition to being an excellent Editor-in-Chief, Jeff has never wavered in his support of my (or any Popdose writer's) personal endeavors and using the site to help those projects get attention.

Releasing a movie on DVD? Hell yeah you should use Popdose to promote it. You just published a comic? No doubt, write about it on the site and help build an audience. Raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation? You damn well better utilize Popdose's resources because we're all behind you.

It's that last one that's always meant the most to me.

As a writer, Jeff inspires me through his master of language and the uncanny ability to take something complex or stupid and make it accessible for everyone. What he writes is fun and alive, whether he's head over heels in love, pissed off, or just having a laugh. Time and again I read a piece by Jeff and I'm given pause, thinking, "Son of a bitch, I wish I could write like that."

When it came time to ask someone to write the foreword to BASEMENT SONGS, there was only one person I thought of: Jeff Giles. For the book, Jeff wrote a beautiful opening that sets the table perfectly. Each time I read it I'm humbled and appreciative. The many times I've thanked Jeff for writing the foreword, he says that the honor was all his.

No sir, the honor was all mine.

Nail biting...

Now the nail biting begins. Next week I'm supposed to record a podcast with my Popdose co-horts, Matt Wardlaw and Jeff Giles. I sent them the book on Friday night and they're the first two people to read the final draft.  Logically, I should be thinking, "Hey, these guys already like the column, what am I worried about?" However, there is still that side of me - the writer side - that fears rejection.

It can't be as bad as the reactions to "King's Highway" can it? I mean, some people HATED that movie (I shouldn't publicize that, should I. What I meant to say is that some people just didn't GET the movie. Yeah, that's it).

I think I'm more nervous that two people I highly respect are reading the book and I really hope they like it.

Not that I don't want everyone to like it. Because I do. I'm a writer, see, and we're neurotic messes.

Aloha