Hi Reader, Today’s newsletter is short because my writing day got superceded by an emergency room visit with a loved one. Sometimes life happens and you can’t make your commitments or goals. That’s okay. It is important to give ourselves grace when events out of our control impact our creative life. Next time you don’t meet a deadline because of an emergency, take a breath, set the next goal and keep going. Don’t let the unexpected derail you. Computers for Writers I got a new computer – a...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Inspired by the Fourth of July, let’s explore how American identity has shaped some of our most iconic fictional characters—and how you can use those archetypes (or subvert them!) in your own work. From noble heroes to scrappy rebels to underestimated underdogs, American storytelling leans hard into a particular brand of mythmaking. Here are a few of the most enduring archetypes in pop culture and how you can use, remix, or subvert them in your own work: The Idealistic Hero: Truth,...
16 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Happy Independence Day! While we’re celebrating freedom, sparklers, and possibly overcooked hot dogs, I’d like to propose another kind of liberty worth toasting: The freedom to write terribly.Yes, you heard me. Awkward dialogue, clunky exposition, inconsistent characters, plot holes you could drive a truck through—bring it all on. First drafts are supposed to be messy.Not “kind of messy,” not “slightly unpolished.”I mean leaving your notebook open during a windstorm kind of messy....
23 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, It’s Saturday afternoon. The weather is fine. The to-do list is not. And I’m standing in my kitchen, eyeing a deceptively small box. Inside it? A flat-packed wine rack with approximately 347 tiny screws, a vaguely smug Allen wrench, and instructions that may or may not be translated from ancient runes. Now, for some people, assembling furniture is no big deal. They thrive on it. They hear “some assembly required” and smile like it’s game night. I am not one of those people....
30 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Part 2 Continued from last week’s excerpt of Becca Syme on the BookFunnel Podcast More from Becca Syme on how to strengthen your outlook to deal with industry disruption. You got this! The Wheel Keeps Spinning "But there are so many things that motivate us that we do not understand and know. We think we're in charge of so many more of our choices than we really are. Roughly only 5% of our choices are under our control on a daily basis. We think it's so much closer to 100. And so...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Excerpts from Becca Syme on the BookFunnel Podcast Recently Becca Syme was on the BookFunnel Podcast talking about how authors can ride the wave of disruption happening in the publishing industry. She calls it playing the rules of the game. I thought what she had to say was insightful and helpful, so I have excerpted some of the podcast here. What she says also applies to screenwriters and the entertainment industry. Disruption is never fun. I know some of you are struggling and I...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, I made a book trailer! Check it out! You can make one too for your book or screenplay! As writers, we play with words. It's fun to play with images to tell our story. Now using AI tools, you can make the movie in your head. Don’t let AI Trigger You In my decades long career, nothing has triggered creatives more than generative AI. The only time I have I have received a death threat (from someone I know) was in response to a private e-mail over his reaction to a newsletter. He told...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, What If Every “No” Was a Good Thing? Stick with me. You pitched your story. You queried the agent. You posted the excerpt. And what you got back was… silence. Or worse, a “pass.” Cue the imposter syndrome orchestra. (Hello darkness, my old friend.) But wait! Before you spiral into a Netflix-and-regret marathon, let me offer you a spicy little reframe: A “no” isn’t the end of the road. It’s a neon arrow saying: “Not here, not yet—but keep going.” A No Means Someone Read It First...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Let’s face it—talking about your own work can feel just as awkward as showing someone your eighth-grade yearbook photo. (You know the one. With the braces and the unfortunate haircut.) But here’s the deal: people can’t read your brilliant screenplay or novel if they don’t know it exists. So how do you promote your work without feeling like a walking billboard or a pushy used car salesperson in a tweed blazer? Welcome to the first installment of Building Buzz a playful peek at ways...
2 months ago • 2 min read