Quote Monday

Posted in Posts, Quotes by Rachael C Marek

Last week was the craziness that is GiShwHeS (I’ll post more about it this week). In addition to working a scattered six day work week, early mornings and closing shifts, I discovered, not that I needed a reminder, that I am not 22 anymore, and that this type of schedule wreaks havoc on my body and sleep cycle. I was unable to get to the computer to do anything more than upload photos to get scavenger hunt points, so no blogging. The house is in shambles, the kitchen looks like a bomb went off, and my poor pups have been rather ignored. Thankfully, I have today off to get back to normal, or my version of normal anyway.

I’m still in zombie mode as I write this, but since getting the new job, I’ve been terrible about getting on any sort of schedule. No more. Here’s this week’s quote, partially inspired by GiShwHeS (yes, I’m writing it this way on purpose, we were told to). One of the items on the scavenger hunt was to: Post messages of love or support on or in lockers of students that you think might need it. We could all use a few words of inspiration now and again, and that’s what I want to put out in the world.

Have a great week, my friends! Best of luck to you in all of your endeavors!

6Jul2015

Quote Monday

Posted in Quotes by Rachael C Marek

I’ll just leave this here… 🙂Have a great week!

30Jun2015

Quote of the Week

Posted in Posts, Quotes by Rachael C Marek

Hello, fellow creatives!

I’ve enjoyed my time off, but now it’s time to get back on track. Yesterday sort of passed me by before I even knew it, so Quote Monday has been bumped.

I’m pining away for news about the screenwriting contest, fellowship, and lab I entered and it’s at least another month before I hear anything, and the internal struggle is real. I cannot help but check my email, Facebook, and Twitter fairly often for a status update or hint of any kind.

The Nicholl Fellowship posts top scoring script comments from readers nearly every day on Facebook, and I read each one hoping it might sound like mine, or I try to twist and turn the vague positive comment into some form that could resemble a review of my own script. This is what too much time on one’s hands will do. Patience-Achievement

I decided to look up quotes on patience, and for the most part, they’re kind of lame. That “patience is a virtue” or “patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting” stuff is not what I want to hear. And you’ve probably heard it a thousand times too at this point. It’s hard to wait for action on the part of others, but having a little understanding of how things work in Hollywood, having patience, or practicing having patience, is a good thing, because it’s something that will have to be mastered.

It may seem as if things move quickly in Tinsel Town, but in reality, it takes sometimes years to make something happen. There’s a phrase, “the 10 year overnight success” which is used in regards to screenwriters who seem to find success out of nowhere. They’ve been working, for a long, long time. Everything takes time, and waiting for news about the advancement of my career is just one such test of my endurance.

If you’re in a similar boat, I suppose there is some comfort in the knowledge that there are others who are feeling the same. My advice, which I am taking to heart, work on something new. Pour yourself into a new project. As an aspiring screenwriter, we can absolutely not have only one story in our arsenal, because of the question we are all supposed to be prepared for…”What else have you got?”

That story you’ve always got at the back of your mind, that one where you randomly see or hear something and tuck it away as part of that world, start to develop it. We only become better writers the more we write – we are better able to develop our style and voice.

I’m working on my space odyssey pilot and rewriting my second script. I love the development aspect of a story, thinking about characters and scenes. I had an idea this morning, a fun scene between two characters that I haven’t even created yet, and it’s created an eagerness to get them into action to start exploring this relationship. Squee! (Yep, I’m giddy.)

I wish you all the best of luck as you continue forward! And if you need a chuckle, there’s always this:

How do you handle the waiting game? Advice and tips welcome!

8Jun2015

Quote Monday

Posted in Posts, Quotes by Rachael C Marek

BraveEnough I once jumped without a parachute, figuratively not literally. When The Sis and I moved to Los Angeles, I worked for a restaurant chain that allowed me to have a job upon arrival and to change locations with each subsequent move around the city. Unfortunately, with each move, the money worsened until at a total loss, I up and quit, feeling there had to be something better on the horizon. It was LA after all.

Nearly 2 1/2 years later, I could not find a job to save my life. I sent out nearly 250 resumes in the first year and only ever received 2 responses. Those are some pretty bad odds, especially for a girl from Vegas. I was lucky in that I had the support of The Sis who eventually told me to stop worrying about finding a job and to do what we had moved there to do in the first place – for me to become a working screenwriter.

Easier said than done.

The only problem with that was that the guilt of not working nearly ate me alive. At my age, having my baby sister take care of me was a big pill to swallow, and the screenwriting career took a hit. How does a fairytale writer write happily ever afters when they are wallowing in self pity and depression?

Cut to living in Las Vegas, again, and working for a company that is legitimately shady. Nearly 7 months of trying to find another job have failed to produce any results…again, seriously?! But this time, I’m taking the moral high ground. I will not continue to work for people that A) do not respect their employees B) operate under suspicious terms and C) do things that are, in fact, illegal.

ToMoveForward Besides the mind numbing effect of the work, I don’t make enough money to support The Sis which is why we decided to move back to Vegas in the first place, so that she could go back to school. I don’t write my own things when I get home because I’ve stared at a computer for 8 hours writing nonsense. Sorry blog. I’m usually brain dead, and to top it all off, I think I’ve gained weight because I sit around all day. Sheesh.

So here I am, ready to jump without a parachute, again. I’m choosing to be brave and to expect good things. ((crossing my fingers)) I hope this will lead me to bigger and better…please let it get better!

The life of a creative is a difficult one, always trying to balance work with what we really want to do. Maybe when I’ve found some measure of success (of what I consider for myself), I’ll look back on these days with no regrets. As of right now, it’s tough to endure. Am I making the right decision? I have lifelines here, but I feel making this decision on the grounds of self respect is, well, a bit haughty.

I’ll let you know how I feel about it next week when I find freedom…in the mean time wish me luck!

How about you? Have you ever made a leap of faith? What was the outcome?

1Jun2015

Quote Monday

Posted in Quotes by Rachael C Marek

I would like to thank those who took the time to share my post regarding my furkids’ recent behavioral changes. It truly means a great deal! Although we’re still waiting to hear back from a behaviorist, things are slightly better.

It’s hard not to get bogged down in all that life has to throw at you sometimes, but it’s important to still do things for ourselves. It’s not selfish, it’s self-preservation…or so I’ve heard. 😉

This is one of my favorite quotes, and I think I’ve shared it before, and today it definitely felt apropos.

Here’s to the start of a great week! ((crossing fingers))

18May2015

Quote Monday

Posted in Quotes by Rachael C Marek

Now that I’ve accomplished (some of) the goals I set for myself, I’m ready to make some new ones. It’s the middle of May and we’re rounding that mid-year point, where I feel it’s time to do some reevaluation. How about you?

What are your plans for the remainder of the year?

Write them all down. Tack them up so you can see them everyday. Large or small, each step moves you toward that bigger goal. Keep moving forward!

27Apr2015

Quote Monday

Posted in Quotes by Rachael C Marek

As I continue to send my first script out to contests and other opportunities, I’ve felt this nagging little feeling in the recesses of my mind, a little in the depths of my stomach, this odd sense of anxiety. So many quotes relate to overcoming fear of failure, but this is almost more related to the fear of success. Has anyone else ever felt this?

We work for months or years on something, love it, want it to go out into the world and do great things, only to fear that it might actually do just that…how weird.

I’m not sure how people will respond to my screenplay. It’s been a total labor of love, years in the making with a number of variations until it got where it is today. To think that it might do well, that I may have a chance to do what I really want with my life, to be a working screenwriter is kind of a scary prospect.

But every day someone in the world is getting to live their dream, so why not me? Why not You?

And then there’s that flip side. The other fear if things don’t go as I hope and dream.

What if it’s not good enough? What if I have to wait another year? What will I have to show for all of this in the end? What other options do I have? Ugh. The questions.

Maybe it’s a little of the fear of the unknown. No matter how much we read or hear about it, until we are actually a part of the process, it’s all unknown.

I Moving Forward love writing! I love seeing my characters come to life and make their own choices and lead the story, and regardless, I will never not write, but to never achieve some modicum of the success I would like…I don’t want to know that regret.

So as I look to the end of the week and the opportunity to send my work out to two more times, I’m smothering the fears and looking to the future.

And this is what I wish for you as well! Don’t let any fear deter you from achieving your goal, no matter how big!

Good Luck and Best Wishes!!

13Apr2015

Quote Monday

Posted in Quotes by Rachael C Marek

Small Steps

I finally submitted my first screenplay, Fate(s), to two screenwriting contests – the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship and Final Draft’s Big Break.

I’m feeling pretty good about it, and now I can finally move forward on the other stories I’ve written or need to.

What small (or big) step will you take today?

Wishing you all the best!

23Mar2015

The Best of Quote Mondays

Posted in Posts, Quotes by Rachael C Marek

I was scrolling through my image gallery and saw all these wonderful quotes I’ve posted and thought it might be time to do a sort of “best of”.

Looking back, I have found that my quotes were meant to boost my own morale as I have struggled with unemployment, keeping motivated, staying focused, and achieving my goals, but because these are topics I’m sure, we, as creatives have all struggled with, I hope you have found them useful as well. These are among some of my favorites.

I wish for each of us to reach the level of success we desire and I hope you will continue to find the quotes inspirational and a boost to your own morale. Keep reaching for those goals, make new ones, and make a little progress everyday!

Wishing you all the best, my friends! Happy Writing!

17Mar2015

Quote Monday on a Tuesday

Posted in Posts, Quotes by Rachael C Marek

I honestly have no idea what is going on with me right now, and because I don’t want to complain (because it really does no good), I’m going to try my best to get back to my routine and hopefully find some solace there. I was trying to keep up with the Blogging U class, write my screenplay, while trying to find a new job, and a plethora of other things happening at the moment, and I feel as if I’m failing at everything.

I thought with more on my plate I would achieve more, but what I’ve discovered is that I want to stick my head in the sand and ignore it all. Not really productive. I stare at the computer for long stints without much action, I’m tired and/or feel brain dead a lot of the time, and I just haven’t felt that oomph, you know, that thing that compels you. I just don’t have it at the moment. No Stopping

I’m not giving up by any means, but I need to seriously do something about my current situation and kick my butt into gear. I have no one to blame but myself, and I am thankful for so many things, even the not-so-great job for peanuts, but I know it is the one thing encumbering me from doing more with myself.