Preparing Your Story Inventory for 2024 We're all aware of how much the writers' strike slowed things down in 2023. That only means that things are going to speed up more and more as we move into and through 2024. What we as writers need to do - other than continuously write - is plan as much as we can for where we can send and submit each of our scripts in the coming months and years. Traditionally, the ISA's Director of Education and Co-VP of Development with Creative Screenwriter Prods, Max Timm hosts his final free ISA webinar on a topic related to loglines or brainstorming or some kind of, "You can do it!" inspirational topic to end the year. While some of these elements will be covered in the December free webinar, he is also going to detail how you can organize your plan and approach to 2024. Max calls it a Story Inventory, but it's much more than just a list of your project loglines. It's outreach plans, contest submission plans, industry contact organization, and so much more. If we are going to make a career out of this endeavor of screenwriting, we need to act like the CEO of our own writing company. So let's get on Zoom one last time in 2023, make some resolutions, and get organized for what promises to be one heck of a new year.

Preparing Your Story Inventory for 2024, ISA Webinar with Max Timm:

0:00 – Hello/Introductions
2:09 – More than just a Creative Endeavor
3:32 – Screenwriting Twitter
4:24 — What Is a Story Inventory?
4:59 — 4 Primary Elements 
7:20 — Structuring Your Logline
11:01 – Knowing What your Story Is
12:30 – Stay Away from Passive Words
14:10 – It’s Our Paintbrush, Words (ends 14:25)
14:28 – Examples of Character Flaws
17:20 — Comps Clarification
19:00 — How the Reader Considers your Project
20:33 –  Introducing Genre
21:31 –  Genre Mixing 
23:16 – Keep it Simple
23:47 – Accolades and Quarterfinalists
26:21 – Top Screenplay Contests and Finding References
28:20 – How to List Story Inventory
29:13 — Question: Finalized Scripts and Pitch Decks
33:17– Question: Incomplete Scripts and Maintaining Interest
34:28 – Question: How do you know what’s considered successful for comps?
36:34 – Finishing: Another Form of Story Inventory
37:05 — Creating your list of Resources
38:48 — IMDB Pro Page Guide
42:16 – Getting in touch with contacts
44:38 — Making a List of Deadlines and Contests
46:20 – Agencies vs. Management
48:30 – Writing a Cold Query Email 
54:45 – Jumpstarting a Paid Writing Career
55:29 – What we’re Doing is Important (ends 55:53)
56:00 – Writing Your First Script (ends 56:40)
57:06 — Question: First time Writers securing A list Talent
58:33 – Question: Recommending InkTip
1:00: 32 – Asking for Writing Contest Feedback
1:03:23 – Question: Hearing back from Executives
1:05:18 – Addressing Strikes
1:07:00 – Question: January Post strike/New Year check-in
1:04: 49 – Announcements and Goodbye