Author. Speaker. Coach.
Failure. It’s part of life, but even after 50 years, it still doesn’t seem to be any easier to swallow the bitterness as it’s shoved down my throat.
That really is the wrong attitude. I just said, ‘it’s part of life’, but clearly, I still dread it.
We’d all be much better off if we learned… [Read more…] about Turning Failure into Success
I attended the Austin Film Festival this past weekend. My screenplay of Pennies from Burger Heaven made it to the second round of the AFF contest, with over 9,100 entries (read that post here: From Novel to Screenplay). It’s a huge honor, which granted me admission to special workshops and panels just for those who placed in the competition. Incredible!
I also entered the AFF pitch competition where I gave a 90-second pitch about Pennies to judges. I’ll tell you up front, I did not achieve my goal to make it to the finals again (I did that in 2005), but please don’t stop reading.
This post isn’t about writing. It’s about … [Read more…] about Pitching Pennies at the Austin Film Festival
As you know, I took my novel, Pennies from Burger Heaven, and turned it into a screenplay last spring. Next, I entered it in the Austin Film Festival screenplay competition. They had a record number of entries this year — 9,100 screenplays!
It took me 7.5 weeks to write the screenplay. That’s not enough time, but it’s all I had before the contest deadline.Here’s how Pennies performed …
I made it to the Second Round. That’s the top 15%, or the top 1,365.
Am I proud of myself?
YES!
Am I disappointed?
Yes.
Wouldn’t it have been cool to final, or better yet, to win the whole shebang? There’s a mishmash of emotions swirling inside me, but I have to remind myself this was only the second screenplay I’ve ever written, and the first one was over 11 years ago in 2005.
Writing a screenplay writing is completely different than writing a novel. Each is its own kind of hard. Each requires a different set of creative skills, which I discussed in Turning Your Novel into a Screenplay.
The form part of AFF letter said, “This year’s scripts proved to be incredibly competitive, and featured a high-standard of exemplary stories, including your own. This is a tremendous accomplishment, and you should be extremely proud of your success.”
The handwritten comment on my letter said, “Your twist on the crime genre by having a twelve-year old homeless girl as the detective is fresh and compelling. Good work!”
I’ll receive my reader’s notes about Pennies in December, but I’m delighted. I was scared (terrified, in fact), but I wrote a screenplay, and made myself enter the contest. That may be my biggest victory.
I’m attending the Austin Film Festival, October 13 – 16, 2016. Because I’m a “Second Rounder,” I get to attend special workshops and round tables for the top 15%. Maybe, there will even be a special ribbon on my name tag!
But, wait! There’s more!
I’ve also entered the AFF Pitch Competition. I’ll have 90 seconds to sell them on my story. I made it to the finals when I competed back in 2005, so NO PRESSURE, Marcy!
I’ll do my pitch on Friday, October 14, between 10:45 am – Noon. There are 160 participants total, with 16 people in the 10 different pitching sessions. I can’t recall if 10 or 20 folks make it to finals on Saturday night.
Please send any and all good thoughts my way next week.
Pick up your FREE copy today of the mystery, The Moon Rises at Dawn (SkipJack Publishing). Read, enjoy, repeat.
I’m hard at work at Pennies #2 (still untitled, and still going painfully slow). I’ve heard this term before, but now that I’m living it these days, it’s a whole, new kind of awful.
Here’s what I’ve learned so far… [Read more…] about Surviving Second Book Syndrome
Last week, I celebrated turning 50. I spent the day relaxing with my husband and kids, which is exactly what I wanted to do with the ones I love most.
The next day, I sat down and journaled, reflecting on my life so far – amazing moments and unbelievable heartache over the years. I ended up having an interesting conversation with my younger self.
Don’t worry, I’m a writer, so these schizophrenic conversations with myself are totally normal. I took away my titles, like, ‘wife’ and ‘mom’, and just focused on me, as an individual. Bottom line – I’ve come a long way, baby.
I wanted to share you what I learned. Here are.. [Read more…] about 50 Life Lessons I Wish I’d Known at 25
I have another great read to share with you. I’m crazy lucky to be associated with such amazing authors at SkipJack Publishing. In 2014, I’d read Ken Oder’s first novel, The Closing, which is an incredible legal thriller.
In 2015, I not only read Ken’s second novel, Old Wounds to the Heart, but we became writing buddies. I now consider him a friend, as well as a colleague. Although we’ve never met in person, I admire him on and off the page, and know you will, too. Ken is talented, funny, and supportive. Plus, he LOVES Pennies from Burger Heaven, which makes him BRILLIANT in my mind. That’s why… [Read more…] about Want to Win a Free Copy of Old Wounds to the Heart?
