By Ann Minnett
I had the great pleasure to take Kathy Dunnehoff’s Screenwriting class at FVCC in May. She’s taught for twenty-five years but still managed to be enthusiastic and involved with our class. Great feedback and handouts, too! Guest speaker Dennis Foley was a plus.
Kathy inspired me to give screenwriting a try.
I use Scrivener for my novels, and it features a scriptwriting template. Even with that assist, the screenwriting format is initially clunky, and I tend to add details of a novel (a big NO). Nonetheless, I’m writing a screenplay based on my second novel, Serita’s Shelf Life. The novel is funny, sad and sometimes crazy, but readers love the main character. She might translate well to film. About a third of the way into the story, her flamboyance is coming through on the script’s pages.
We’ll see if I have the aptitude. In the meantime, this writer’s having fun getting back into Serita’s head and imagining her on the big screen.
Montana Women Writers 
Ann is never afraid to tr something new. I hope her Serita makes it to the big screen.
What a brilliant idea. It’s a very visual book with lots of sort of slapstick moments. Who do you envision to play Serita? Karen
My psychologist friend suggests a crossdressing black man!!! Meryl Streep could over-act enough for the part. I don’t know. Any suggestions?
I suggest Melissa McCarthy, only with red hair. Karen
Thanks, Marie.
Hi Ann, I took a couple of screenwriting workshops several years ago and have written the Bigfoot novel as a screenplay. Don’t know if they tell you this, but a screenplay should be no more than 111 pages. Easier to do than you might think, though. Nan
Yes, Kathy emphasized page numbers. I’m warming to the format. Have you had any luck with your screenplay? ~Ann