Award-winning author and screenwriter David Congalton, (who is also a radio talk show host in San Luis Obispo for 920 KVEC), wrote the screenplay for the 2014 Hollywood comedy Authors Anonymous. It took over eight years for him to see his script transform from page to screen. Along the way, Congalton persevered with a steady determination, which taught him much about the difficult, yet rewarding, work of being an artist.
Congalton recently spoke to the Screenwriters Association of Santa Barbara at the Brooks Institute. This follow-up interview elaborates some of his key points of the night.
Q: Authors Anonymous (starring Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Chris Klein and the late Dennis Farina), is about what happens when a critique group of struggling writers has to deal with the fact that Hannah Rinaldi (Cuoco-Sweeting) becomes a (seemingly) overnight success. (Obviously, there are a number of talented, hardworking authors in real life who have not yet been able to achieve the commercial rewards this character enjoys.) Why is the fictional Hannah, who appears to be the most lighthearted character, actually the most serious writer of the bunch — and how does that translate to the reality of honing one’s craft?
A: Hannah Rinaldi may not know Jane Austen from Ernest Hemingway, but she understands the key principle of the creative journey: The writing comes first. No distractions. No short cuts. You have to do the work. She becomes constantly rewarded with the book deal, movie deal, etc., because she is the only member of the group to be so devoted to her craft. Everyone else is dreaming of success, but Hannah is the only one actually working to turn that dream into reality.
I ran a writers conference for 12 years, so believe me when I tell you that I know all about these unpublished writers and their dreams. I know, because I had them once, too.
Q: What was the script-to-screen process of Authors Anonymous like for you, and how were you able to keep your drive and determination going? Please also share why the two motivators of drive and determination are so important for the oftentimes unnerving yet (hopefully!) rewarding journey toward becoming an accomplished artist.
A: Having a screenplay produced is the single hardest challenge there is for a writer. The odds are so overwhelmingly against you (currently only about one out of every 5,000 spec scripts floating around Hollywood actually gets produced) that you have to have this masochist streak in you. There is so much disappointment, so many false hopes, along the way. Believe me, there was more than once when I wanted to give up, but I didn’t. I’ve chased this dream for almost 25 years. This was my only chance to become the writer I thought I could be — that’s what kept me going.
Q: What advice would you give someone (no matter what his or her occupation is) who is working through a difficult challenge toward achieving a long-awaited goal?
A: The main problem with beginning writers, regardless of genre, is that they assume that writing is enough. They don’t understand that the creative part is only about 50 percent of the job. The rest is getting out there, making connections, marketing yourself, looking for opportunity. I’ve had one script produced and another one is on the way. Both projects came about through people I met, people who believed in my writing and helped me kick down some doors. Opportunity does not come to you. You must make it happen.
Q: When you are writing a screenplay, you have complete control of plot, characters, scenes and dialogue. Once you’re in production, it’s a different story. What is it like to have to collaborate with producers, actors, directors and others?
A: The beginning screenwriter has to master the two Cs: collaboration and compromise. Once you sell or option your script, it’s completely out of your hands. You’ll be lucky if you’re allowed on the set. The director, the producer(s), the actors and the crew are all going to bring their own needs/thoughts/desires to your script. You are going to have to make cuts or changes that you are vehemently opposed to. Get over it. Because if you won’t, they’ll bring in another writer. The screenwriter has to accept compromises to the script and learn to be a team player. Hell, they changed the movie title on me — I called my script “Scribble” (much better title!). Sometimes the changes improve the script, other times, not. It can be frustrating.
Q: Do you outline the entire screenplay first? Or are you more of an intuitive writer, who has the basic story in his head and then lets his characters help lead the way?
A: I write by rewriting. I have a general sense of the story, but I tend to dive in and let my characters tell me where we are going. So I echo Dorothy Parker’s mantra to “write five words and rewrite seven.” I’m always, always, always rewriting. I’m never satisfied with the script. The characters, the plot, the dialogue all evolve over time. There must be an easier way to do this, but it’s what works for me.
Q: What is your most joyful memory of watching Authors Anonymous being filmed?
A: The honor I will always carry with me is that I wrote the final role for Dennis Farina. What a wonderful actor, what a generous human being, he was. He steals the movie as John K. Butzin, published author, and deservedly so. He never got to see the finished movie and I find that sad. The other part that is pinch-me-I’m-dreaming type stuff has to be standing on set after eight long years and see the characters and dialogue that’s been in your head all this time finally spring to life. Wow, that is what made the whole journey worthwhile.
Q: At this writing, your second screenplay, Seven Sisters, is about to go into production. Can you share a little teaser regarding what it’s about?
A: I met producer Jennifer Cron on the set of Authors Anonymous. She had the savvy to ask me if there was anything else I was working on. There was, and I slipped her a copy of Seven Sisters and she optioned it. Danny Leiner is set to direct, and I’m hoping to be in production later this year. It’s another personal movie, this one a comedy-drama about a young man who overcomes personal loss by hiking the Seven Sisters of San Luis Obispo County. I’m ready for this to be made — I’ve been working on it since 2011.
Q: Lastly, how do you find the time to write screenplays when you’re also busy hosting a daily radio talk show?
A: That’s a good question. My show is on weekday afternoons from 3 to 7, so that gives me mornings and evenings to write. I tend to write at night and do rewrites in the morning when I’m not doing show prep. But I haven’t mentioned that my wife, Charlotte Alexander, and I have six dogs and four cats, so there’s plenty of distractions. Hey, perhaps there’s a screenplay in that.
— Tracy Shawn, M.A., lives and writes on the Central Coast of California. Her award-winning debut novel, The Grace of Crows, is about how an anxiety-ridden woman finds happiness through the most unexpected of ways — and characters. Dubbed a “stunning debut novel” by top 50 Hall of Fame reviewer Grady Harp, The Grace of Crows has also been hailed as an accurate portrayal of generalized anxiety disorder and a healing opportunity to the readers. Click here for more information about Shawn, or click here to visit her author page on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter: @TracyShawn. The opinions expressed are her own.