A number of you have sent in questions about scripts and other projects you are working on. As many people have asked similar questions, rather than repeat the same answer over and over again, I’ve decided to respond to them in this public forum.
Simply leave your questions as a comment on any of the postings on this blog or just email me at: horowitz.marilyn@gmail.com
The first of what I hope will be many screenwriting discussions can be found below:
Hi Marilyn:
I’m working on a script about a mother dealing with the loss of a child. It’s a drama but I’d like to include elements of the coming of age genre for the mother. What’s the best way to write a coming of age story about someone who’s already “come of age”?
Keith
New York, NY
Dear Keith:
Thank you for your question.
Coming of age is an industry term. At the end of the Rob Reiner film Stand By Me, the boy played by Wil Wheaton becomes a man. This is the conventional perception of the “coming of age” story, but we are always “coming of age” or maturing in the sense that every time we make a major change in our lives we grow. The transitions in our lives are all kinds of journeys that lead us to a “new” and greater self. Many people assume incorrectly that if someone’s already “come of age,” that means there’s nowhere for them to go.
So, to answer your question, the best way to apply the coming of age genre to your script is to find out in what way your character is “immature” and how they need to grow to become the person they are meant to be.
Looking forward always,
Marilyn
