Tag Archives: The Journey

What It Means To Network

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EmoticonsShakingHands

Depending on where you are on your career path, networking may be something you have yet to encounter, and may need a little help in understanding.  Networking is a social device that serves a business purpose.  Regardless of your anxiety at putting yourself into large (or small) social gatherings, mingling with strangers, and having to “talk shop”, networking is something all creatives will have to undertake at some point, if they want their careers to progress forward.  The goal of any networking opportunity is to build a contact list of potential/hopeful business associates, people who can help you advance your career, perhaps become a mentor, someone you might be able to work on a project with, and in turn, those you might be able to help with your portfolio of work, or when you move up your ladder.

Hiddles(serioussuit)And depending on where you live, like L.A., every new relationship could be a potential networking opportunity.  If you’ve ever heard the phrase “six degrees of separation” (there’s a game involving Kevin Bacon), it’s the idea that all people in the world can be connected through just six people, and this has never proven more true than in Los Angeles.  Let me give you a little example of one of my “six degrees”.  Let’s say I want to connect with dreamy Tom Hiddleston.  (You know what that means…picture time!)  My sister knows an attorney who represents a man who’s father worked on The Avengers.  Only four people stand between us.  Then Hiddles to the lovely Benedict Cumberbatch – five.  Actually three, if I take another route.  And back to Hiddles would still be four. You get the idea.  So let’s put this into a business perspective.  Any executive, producer, publisher, what-have-you is only a few people away, if you can figure out the path.  So every time I meet someone new, I put on my best face, pull out the best conversation skills I have (both speaking and listening), talk about my work and theirs, and then give them my card (and hopefully receive one in return).  This is how you start building your rolodex (yes, that’s an old school term) or contact list.Benedict(B&W)

It is after this initial meeting that you must take the next important step, the “follow up”.  Depending on how your conversation advanced, you may need to send a sample of your work, you may just want to say “it was nice meeting you”, if other information was exchanged, a “thank you” might be in order.  The point of the follow up is to keep you fresh in their mind.  Now this is something to bear in mind – don’t abuse the connection.  This new contact you made could be in a wonderful position to help your career, but you don’t want to turn them off by bombarding them with calls or emails.  Tread lightly.  Allow them ample time to reply, taking into consideration their busy daily lives.  It’s easy to become overeager when faced with the prospects of advancement, when those six degrees have been narrowed down to two or one, but business is business.  Treat each new contact with respect, honesty, and professionalism, so that your reputation grows as someone people want to know and work with.

My previous post was on positivity, and I believe that works in conjunction with networking.  Even if you don’t feel it when you’re surrounded by strangers in a new environment, staying positive and being friendly is infectious.  People are drawn to good vibes, and even if it’s a temporary façade, do your best to maintain it in public and who knows who you’ll meet.  I try to keep this in mind every time I leave the house, in particular, because I recently met one of my neighbors who is also a director and we’re meeting for coffee next week.  Who knows where the connection will lead, but if I want my career to go to the next level, I have to be open to the possibilities.

I hope this was helpful, and as always, I wish you all the best of luck!

Staying Positive

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HappyEmoticonThere’s a reason life is referred to as a roller coaster, or a merry-go-round, because the uncertainty, the highs and lows, and the sometimes nauseating experiences we encounter on a daily basis leave us either winded or reveling in those moments.  And sometimes it’s hard to maintain a positive outlook when everything you encounter is telling you to expect the opposite.  Most of the battle is uphill, with numerous peaks and valleys, and so many twists and turns that you have to wait quite some time to be certain that you’ve made the right choices along the way.  This is also the life of a writer.  And people wonder why we go a little crazy sometimes; between deadlines and submissions and the waiting, our own tendencies to sabotage either ourselves or our work, and the years of hard work we have to put in before we can even be taken seriously…yea, staying positive is definitely a trick that needs mastering.  Here’s an article that may help a bit, 15 Things that Emotionally Strong People Don’t Do.

I’ve always thought of myself as a positive person.  Obviously, as any artist does, I’ve had my low points and questioned if I would ever feel happy again (well that sounded a little dark), because it’s easy to be waylaid by negative outside (and inside) influences and voices that would eagerly delight in our giving up, because it’s easy, and this is why we should be more determined to prove all those voices wrong.  This is why staying positive is such a necessity.  In order to continue down a thankless path, there has to be something that propels us forward.  A reason, a hope, a glimmer of something beyond the darkness, and in order to see it, we have to be willing to stick it out.  How would we ever accomplish any of our goals in the face of such adversity if we weren’t positive (at least in some regard)?

I’ve been (mentally) all over the place the last week.  There’s been a lot going on.  Last week I attended a lecture by a producer whose message was all about “being positive” and creating positive stories, and I left in a great state of mind with a few tools to improve my writing.  The entire time I listened to her speak, I was thinking of my own stories and how they might be altered according to these ideas (and my life, as we are the heroes of our own stories).  I’ll share a few things I learned, in regards to writing:

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”.  Stories don’t have to be complicated to be interesting.  She used the example of the Disney film, Tangled.  Every character’s want is clear and obvious.

We love to watch a character who is really good at something, or learning how to be good at something.

Audiences don’t care about a character’s accomplishment, but the moment after between the hero and their loved one (and knowing which relationship is the most important is key to the whole story).  We also love a character’s resilience to overcome great adversity or loss.

Learn to end your story where it is satisfying, not necessarily happy.

Since taking this new outlook on my career; trying to make industry connections, joining writer’s groups, trying to be more social in general, and taking chances, I’ve discovered that the dark cloud has lifted.  The knowledge that I’ve taken control of my life is empowering.  A lot is still left out of my control, as a screenwriter I can not achieve my goals alone, but doing what I can to achieve some forward momentum has helped reiterate this positive mind set.  Then a friend called, inviting me to be a part of a new animated series he’s working on.  I’m so excited by the prospects of a “real” writing job that I had to share.  Hopefully, this is the first step at that turn in the road that I will look back on one day and remember “this is where my new journey began”…Let the uphill battle continue!

I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors!  And remember, stay positive! 🙂

Do Your Homework

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Let me be an example to all.  Heed my warning.  Do your research thoroughly before you start writing.

I was polishing my first screenplay, getting it all pretty for submission season, when I discovered I had made a rather large error.  In trying to create a more compelling version of my female protagonist, I did a little research into women’s roles in Ancient Rome and learned something that would change everything.  Ancient Rome was not what I thought.  I allowed my ignorant assumptions, probably based on remnant memories of movies/tv/fiction past to create a world that was a bit on the inaccurate side.  As I have commented (numerous times) before, I have always struggled with the third act.  I have rewritten it so many times, and I’m still sort of displeased with it.  I thought if I could change a few character details, maybe that would give me a different perspective on how to alter the finale.  So I went into research mode.  I’m not sure if I should kick myself now, for not having done this sooner, but nonetheless, here I am…again: major rewrite in progress…*Sigh

Desert

Oh, writing.  Why are you so painful some days.  On Monday at my writer’s group, I did some “reworking” and deleted everything I wrote.  Two hours had passed and I was no closer to solving my dilemma.  I’m going on two weeks with no new developments, and I have a week and a half before I want to start submitting it.  Tick tock.  Tick tock.

There’s this idea that in order to get the story out, you just write.  You don’t worry about it being good or bad, you just get it on paper.  We discussed this on Monday, and I agree, but this isn’t currently where I am on this piece.  It had its days of being “bad”.  Until a few days ago, I loved the first two acts (and I still do).  I just wanted a way to wrap it up nicely.  Stupid period piece and your historical inaccuracy.

My tip of the day: Do your homework.  Seriously.  Don’t follow in my footsteps.  Unless you really know what you’re talking about, don’t rely on fictionalized accounts and a faulty memory, do a little research.  I love doing research, so I’m quite surprised to learn I was not more thorough.  Create special folders on your computer of sites you visit for information as a quick reference tool for each story.  Read up on different aspects (time period, male/female roles, political climate, cultural influences, scientific advancements, etc.) of the story you’re telling, and you may be surprised to learn something that changes your story for the better (or worse, for your characters anyway, depending on your tale).

Now I must go and stare blankly at my script in the hopes “M” will come to life by some sheer force of will.  That picture above is the equivalent of my mind at the moment…

I hope your day goes better.  Wishing you all the best!

Reminiscing

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BalloonsToday is my birthday.  It goes without saying, as with the passing of the new year where I might reflect on unkept goals, that I will reflect upon the current state of my life.  I’m another year older, and I’m working harder than before to get where I want to be, but I have to wonder where I would be if I hadn’t decided to take this chance; moving to Los Angeles to become a writer.  For those of you who have been following me for a little while now, you know I am working at becoming an established, professional screenwriter in Hollywood.  This is not what I thought I would be doing when I was growing up.  When I was a kid, I thought I’d be a teacher, or an artist of sorts (I always liked to write and tell “stories”, some of which got me into some trouble), or maybe an astronaut.  I’d definitely be married with at least four children, living somewhere nice in a house with a picket fence, and where the kids could build forts in the wild.  My life would be “settled”.  It’s strange how things do/don’t work out.  I look at some of my friends, their grown up lives, and wonder, “Have I veered off track?”.

I’ve written about this before, about not comparing lives.  What works for some does not work for all, and neither should it.  If I had married when I was younger, stayed in the church life, had a family, and started a career of another sort, I have to wonder what kind of person I would be now?  Would I be happy?  Would I still be writing?  Would I still like to play video games?  Would I be content in the life I had built, or have a nagging feeling that I did not follow my dreams?  Do dreams change?  I love the line at the end of Tangled (the Disney movie) about how they each became the other’s new dream, which is a lovely sentiment, but as with all princess stories where the end goal is to catch the prince, is that the best message?  I think I’ve grown a bit cynical in my “old age”.  Yes, I do want my own happily ever after, but now I want it wrapped with a different bow, one of my own making.  This is something that has come with age — knowing yourself better.  I’m not unhappy about where my life is, but sometimes I just wish I would have realized earlier that this is what I really wanted to do.  But then again, who knows if I would have had the nerve to do this.  Life is a series of events and decisions that makes us who we are today.  Maybe now I am the best version of myself to accomplish this dream.

I thought about this woman I know, a professional with a family.  She has no hobbies, no further goals, her movie watching and book reading are limited, and I have to wonder if I’d be more like that at this point had I followed a similar path?  To each their own, but oh, how boring that sounds.

I was reminiscing this weekend…I think I was about thirteen or so when I knew I wanted to be a writer.  I was writing a romance novel, of which I had no actual knowledge by the way.  While vacationing, I left my pages on the balcony and a wind picked them up and scattered them to the world below.  I went from floor to floor in a panic, trying to gather all the pages from the balconies I could see them on.  I never did recover them all.  I’m not sure exactly why this memory came up, except that I am much older now, and finally working at making that little girl’s dream a reality.

I also thought about my first love.  I would have married him at twenty-one years old.  He broke my heart, letting me go to follow my dreams, and although it took some time to get here, I have to thank him for that.  He had a great impact on my life.  We shared some extremely romantic moments that I refer to in my writing still to this day.  He was a good man, and I hope he is well, wherever he is.

I don’t really have any tips or words of wisdom from all this, take from it what you will.  It was basically a ramble as I reflect on my life, but thanks for letting me do it.  If you have a dream, I hope you’re brave enough to follow it.  Today, again, a friend told me how they admired my passion.  I’m glad I have people in my life rooting for me to succeed.  I hope you all do too.  If not, let me be the one who says — “I admire your dedication and passion!”  I wish you all the best of luck!

Have a great week!

Candles

Writer’s Groups – To Join Or Not To Join?

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TypewriterFontWriterLast week I sat down at my computer and planned on writing at least two more posts, but some how, each time I looked at the screen, I lost the spark to write.  The first thing I had planned on discussing was an article I read about why writer’s groups are useless and should be avoided, and the second was the mixed emotions I felt after attending a writer’s social.  I had something planned each day last week, all part of that plan to get “out there” and advance my career, but with each passing day, I felt less and less inspired.  I’m not sure exactly why, but it all culminated on Friday night after the mixer (which ironically circles back around to the article).

First up, the article from ScriptMag and it’s quick synopsis: “quit groups”.  At first I was a little annoyed with this writer’s take on writer’s groups, but by Friday I had partially changed my stance.  As I recently wrote, I like my Monday night group.  2 hours of silence.  It’s really nice and useful for its productivity.  I need (nay, crave) more of these quiet moments.  We may share our work, but the feedback we do offer is that of encouragement and support for just having the courage to write if nothing more.  It’s a different premise from most groups, I guess.  We have published authors and people who are paid for their work, professionals, so there are people in attendance who can offer real world advice.  I recently joined some groups as part of my New Year’s resolutions for a couple of reasons.  I (let’s say “foolishly”) believed they would offer networking opportunities, which they have, but maybe not exactly to the extent I had hoped, but more importantly, as a writer, an opportunity to get out of the house.  Yes, I’m going to say it again – writing is a lonely vocation.  As I do not work outside, how else am I to meet anyone?  Let alone industry people.

So this leads to topic number two.  I attended a writer’s mixer/social/networking opportunity that was not exactly what I thought it would be.  Over 80 people were scheduled to be attending, so I had high hopes of meeting someone who might offer some sound advice or be a potential writing buddy.  The venue was a good space, open for mingling, but the music was too loud, so I had nearly lost my voice by the end, and it was too darkly lit, as if we were out for a night of clubbing.  There was this slightly raised area, where three people fell down the stairs because they couldn’t see.  I guess the part that left me wanting was the fact that everyone I spoke with was in the same boat, maybe even in another boat, further back.  I had a larger portfolio of work, most people had only written one thing.  When I discussed the necessity of multiple ideas, I got dazed look responses.  And I got hit on a little.  Really not why I was there.  On a positive note, I did meet some very nice people.  Maybe it’s the cynic in me, but other than being proud of myself for facing such a crowd on my own, I left thinking I had just wasted my time.  Working writers most likely would not have the time to attend such an event, nor would they have the need to.

On Saturday, I listened in on a teleconference about rewriting and discovered I still have quite a bit of work ahead of me on the script I thought was nearly ready.  This knowledge compounded with the “time-wasted” recent events brought everything back to the article I had read.  Maybe joining all those groups is not the best use of my time.  So what if I’m a loner?!  I have friends, none of whom live within a reasonable distance, but who are always just a phone call away.  I have my sister and my furkids for companionship, and who could ask for more than that?  What I learned this week was that as good as my intentions were (although a great opportunity for me to shed any timidity), a lesson of trial and error, did nothing to advance my career.  I wasted a lot of time getting ready and driving to events, I barely wrote anything, and I didn’t meet anyone on “the inside”.

I don’t regret the last week, because I wouldn’t have learned so early on the lesson that not all opportunities are the right ones.  I made the goals, I’m doing my best to keep them, but the point is to learn what you can and move forward.  The goals are meant to be evaluated and rewritten.  My rewritten goal – be more discriminating in regards to the events I attend.   I’m torn at the moment of attending another mixer, part of a series that I’ve never gone to before, or going to my group and being productive.  Yea, when I write it out like that, it’s clear which is the better of the two options.

I hope you’ve been more productive than I have!  Here’s to the start of a better week!  Best of luck!

A Ramble

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Yes, you read that correctly.  I’m going to ramble a bit.  I realized something last night while sitting in my writer’s group…There’s this thing that happens the longer you remain idle…you become even more idle.  It’s a perpetual cycle, and it’s hard to start up again when you’ve been motionless for so long.  Take me, for example.  Until I mentally (and subsequently, physically) decided to do more with my life and my career, I hadn’t realized how much I needed time away from my living space (and the living objects within it) to accomplish some things until I joined a few writer’s groups as part of my New Year’s resolution (one in particular – Writers Blok).  For two solid hours, once a week, I get “me time”.  I can focus without interruption, without constant noise, and me yelling at my dogs to stop play-fighting to just write.  To prove my point – since beginning to write this, I’ve been interrupted at least three times by my very sick sister to make her food or tea, I’ve had to intervene on my dogs’ crazy antics…I’ve lost count, and I’ve been sidetracked by other randomness a few more times.  Most writers like to sit somewhere and work, but as we’ve established previously, my laptop no longer works, so for quite a while now, I haven’t been able to leave my environment to work, at least not on anything new.  Unless I’d like to use the old standard of pen and paper, which unless I’m taking notes or making an outline, does not make for a conducive writing experience, not for me any way.  So, since joining this new group, I’ve been going through drafts of my scripts sent to my iPad in order to review them and make notes.  (Last night, I did learn from another writer about some writing apps that might be useful.)  Then I come home and write on the new stuff, inspired by the solitude and being surrounded by other writers eager to accomplish their goals…except for last night.

Everyone was so relieved I was home; my sister was finally able to go to sleep, after worrying where I was when the writer’s group ran an hour over (this is LA, after all), and the dogs needed dinner and my lap to finally find some peace, which of course meant I couldn’t sit at my computer, so I accomplished nothing (well, nothing further).  We have our routine and when that’s interrupted, everything goes south.  So what I realized is, regardless of my technology-challenged status, I need to get out of the house more.  Not only for my sanity and creativity, but for the randomness that occurs when you’re out and about.  Last night on my way to the group, I saw a man jogging wearing two different shoes.  Why?  A woman waiting for the cross walk, holding her yoga mat, was doing stretches.  Was that the most opportune moment?  A woman driving next to me, who could barely see over her steering wheel, nearly caused an accident because she was driving well under the speed limit and hit the brakes when there was no one in front of her.  Ma’am, please get off the road and save us all the rage.

So back to that light bulb moment…now that I’ve started to take part in some events, I have two more this week, I realized how much I’ve been missing out on.  All that time being idle did me no favors.  And to top it off, I’m a bit of a flake.  So when the day of some event arrives, I am easily swayed into not going.  Usually by my own volition.  But, when I decided to change my perspective, the easier it became to do things.  I still have that lingering thought, that little voice that whispers it would be easier to just stay home, not worry about parking, traffic, being on my own and not knowing anyone, and all the other little doubts that make it easy to chicken out/flake.

So why am I sharing this?  Because if I can do it, so can you.  As a writer, and a screenwriter at that, a lot is left up to us in order to achieve our goals.  I have to do a lot of leg work in order to get my work out in the world and seen.  So I can’t be idle.  I can’t stay home because it’s easy, I have to get out, meet people, network.  We must be like the characters we write – bold, daring, adventurous!  If you’re struggling, remember to write down the goals you’d like to accomplish and create a path on how to achieve them.  Don’t let fear, idleness, or doubt hinder you.  A friend told me today that she admired my fortitude.  It’s new for me, to be this determined, but the positive things that are happening because of this mental shift are just fuel to continue forward.

I’m sure I could ramble on, but everyone is finally asleep, so now I can work…I wish you all success as you journey toward your own goals!

On The “Write” Track

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Yes, that’s a play on words.  I’m feeling pretty good right now.  In my continuing effort to take my career more seriously, I attended a meeting with a career coach tonight.  It was a good night.  The primary focus was making one clear and concise goal and determining the best route to achieve it by year’s end.  Initially my goal was too broad, so she helped me narrow it down, and then helped me formulate a plan of attack for monthly progressional hurdles.  And what I learned, other than how to make my goal more attainable, is that my professional “to do list” I’m incessantly talking about, at least has the right things on it.  Yay!  Another boost.

So, what’s great about all those articles I’ve been reading and sharing is that they are indeed good and helpful.  I still have quite a bit of work ahead of me, but I feel better, more determined, knowing that I’m on the right track (or at least was very close to it).  I can continue to move forward, a little more secure in the knowledge that the choices I’m making, although at times a sacrifice, have put me on the “write” track.

*If you’d like any further information in regards to any of the above, let me know.

Wishing you all continued success!

Moving Forward on The Journey

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LiebsterAwardImage2

I recently read a quote that said, “How can you expect the universe to give you what you want when you’re not clear on what it is that you want?”.  Or something to that effect.  When I made the conscious decision to change things this year, they started to change.  When I made my goals clear and started acting upon them, the universe began to respond.

On Saturday, I met with a group of women with different pursuits in the entertainment industry and am meeting with two of them further to discuss collaborations.  Then I received a lovely message that another blogger, aspecialkindofunique, had given me The Liebster Award (which I will work on tonight).  This award recognizes new bloggers with under 200 followers for their content.  Thank You!  Thank You!

See, all it took was a little mental kick in the butt to start making things happen!  I have my writer’s group tonight and then I’m attending a meeting with a career coach later this week to learn how to further my career goals.  All of this has been a huge confidence boost and a great motivator to keep moving forward.

So thank you to all of you who have been supportive and encouraging as I start this new phase of the journey, progress!

Here’s to making good things happen!  Good luck!

A Few Things…

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A long weekend with my sister off from work led to very little progress on the writing front.  We did finally watch some movies on the ever-growing Netflix queue, so a little progress made on the personal to do list, as well as getting the living space more organized.  Yay.  And I’m finally making some headway in the novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.  It takes a little effort, because his writing style is very particular, but a definite read for any writer.  Quick overview – it’s about the future and how books are banned.  One of my goals (not to be completed in a year) is to read all the “best” books.  I grew up in a state that ranks at the bottom of education, so I’ve taken it upon myself to read those things I should have years ago.  I alternate a must-read with a pleasure-read, but have been doing rather poorly the last year or so, so, it’s on the list!  Here’s a link to the 100 Best Novels, if you’re up for the challenge.  I was recently asked why I’m doing this, and my response, “I’m a writer.  I should be educated in those that are considered great in my field”.

I wanted to do more with my dot.com (I love saying that), so I’ve started to add “Excerpts” of my work for a little insight into the types of stories I’ve written (all part of the “branding” I’m trying to achieve), a “Calendar of Events” for contests and writing opportunities (there are links for you to explore), and a Pinterest link to see the types of things that inspire me; people, places, castles, clothes, art, etc.  Take a gander if you want to waste a little time –

Hiddles(rugged)

(in adding that link, I still had Tom Hiddleston on the page, so that was a nice, welcome sight…So this is for my fellow Hiddles’ swooners!  Yes, those are both words.  Or will be.)  All of these are a work in progress.  And I’d love if you’d share any writing items (contests, meetings, conventions, classes, etc) of note as well.  I’ll put them up on the calendar.

Today’s post is a little random, as I am, at the moment…LitReactor shared The 10 Weirdest and Most Wonderful Libraries in the World.  I think I could be happy working in a library.  I’ve always wanted to open a little coffee/tea shop and have loads of books that people could take, swap, share.  That’ll be later.

And then not to forget about the writer’s struggle, The Write Life shared the Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing.  This would be a monetary investment, but sometimes, it’s necessary.  I have a couple of those to make in order to move forward.  This would be one of those catch-22 scenarios where you need a little money to make a little money.

So it’s Thursday and this is my first post of the week.  Shameful.  I hope you’re all doing better than I!

Continued success!