100 sites for fiction writers: #38 - Trigger Street Labs

This is an ongoing series looking at websites that can be of help to fiction writers with their craft and career.

Trigger Street Labs

In 2002 actor Kevin Spacey and some friends came up with the website Trigger Street, which is now known as Trigger Street Labs. Initially this site focused upon screenwriting and short films, but it has expanded over the years to also include short story writing. Rumors over the years that novel writing might eventually also be included in the site have sprang up, but as of right now it has not occurred.

But what does Trigger Street Labs do for writers?

At its heart, this is a critique site. You sign up, upload one of your works, review the works of others for points, then use those points to get others to review your work. Quite simple.

More importantly, especially for screenwriters, Hollywood folks are known to sometimes peruse the stories and screenplay and films at this site. You never know, if some big wig sees something they like, they might look you up.

For prose writers, I suggest learning a little more about screenwriting. If you can write a decent screenplay, more than likely you can put together a decent novel or short story. Screenwriting can teach you the basics of building a plot and character, typically using far fewer words than are needed for a novel, which can also help you to learn to write tight.

Back to Trigger Street Labs.

Other bonuses at this site are the connections and friends one can make through the busy Message Board. Plenty of readers and writers and filmmakers hang out there, so you can have some fun or get down to business.

At Trigger Street Labs you can also keep up with Industry News, that industry mainly being Hollywood.

If you're seeking critiques as a short story writer, check out Trigger Street Labs. Or if you just want to read some others' stories and screenplays, and watch some short films, you should check out this site.