While I’m still struggling with experiencing and sharing good news during this tough year, there have been a few sweet moments.
They’ve bolstered me up, and helped me wade through the muck of everyday life. They’ve helped me to keep showing up, keep putting in the work. They’ve reminded me to hold on to hope and support community actions that continually demand an end to genocide. All while I’m still holding onto so much grief, rage, disappointment, silliness and compassion. (I contain multitudes, yo.)
One of the ways that I’ve coped with the challenges of 2024 is to double-down on my creative work. Specifically writing.
I used to consider myself a slow writer until someone (as I mentioned in this podcast) helped me reframe it, so now I consider myself a thoughtful writer.
It was an easy reframe for me because I’ve realized that I do a lot of writing in my head before I actually put pen to paper, or fingertips to keys.
Thinking about what I’m going to write, and why, is important to me because I don’t want to add more noise to the world just because I can.
The thought process of writing can sometimes take me weeks, even months, before I can produce a piece of writing. Other times, it’s only a matter of seconds or minutes before my hands are speeding to capture all of my flowing thoughts. (Remember… multitudes.)
And I find the more I think intently on a project, the deeper I can explore the heart of what I’m trying to say. Which ultimately makes what actually comes up to go on a page richer and more meaningful than if I hadn’t taken the time to think things through. It can make revisions go by faster, too.
So earlier this year I decided to adapt one of my short stories into a TV show. I didn’t know how to write a screenplay. I’d never done it before so I gave myself a deadline to complete it by the end of this year. Giving myself twelve months to figure something out felt generous.
BUT remember what I said about doubling-down on my creative projects? Well, that made me move my goal up to the end of the summer. It felt like a bit of a whim, but I went with it because I knew I’d be okay if I had to fall back on the original year-end deadline.
But then I completed it just after my birthday this year. So, before the end of the summer.
Not only was I ecstatic that I surpassed my goals, but I actually loved screenwriting. Working with people who are a joy to work with and learn from made it easier, too, which makes me just want to keep going because I’m enjoying it and it’s lighting me up.
While this project still has the essence of the short story I’ve adapted it from, the TV show is a whole other beast, and it’s been thrilling to explore the same story differently. AND I fucking LOVE my pilot!
And apparently I’m not alone.
I received a notification that my script, Lark Life, is advancing to the Quarterfinalist round of the Screencraft TV Pilot Screenplay Competition out of the almost 2,500 submissions!
WOOHOO!!!
The news arrived on a hard day, but I haven’t stopped smiling since I read that email from Screenscraft that began with “Good news.”
BUT THAT’S NOT ALL…
Last month I found out that my short story, “The Solitude Booth”, will be published by a literary magazine! I’m so excited to tell you more about it soon!
(And in case you’re wondering, my TV pilot, Lark Life, isn’t based on The Solitude Booth but rather another story that I hope I can tell you more about later.)
Alright, gotta go. I’ve tasked myself with writing a feature film before the end of the year, so I’m going to go make that happen.
How are you holding up? Got some good news to share?
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! What a thrill! Keep going on that feature film!
You are the best and you are so deserving..... I'm just so happy for you 💞