Find Your Voice! 🤩

Hi Reader,

All writers struggle with finding their voice. There is no magic button you can push to figure it out. The only way is to keep writing. Write a lot. The more you write, the more your own voice will come out. You will gradually find your voice, your author brand, and your favorite genres.

On the latest episode of The Screenwriting Life podcast, they had two Austin Film Festival (AFF) winning screenwriters on Alex Convery and Tate Hanyok. Hanyok said that the first two years she started writing, she entered every screenplay contest she could find. At the end of two years, she had a bunch of scripts in different genres to sell and use as writing samples. She was a stronger writer and had found her voice.

I love this idea! It gives you writing prompts as what contests are looking for and structure with a deadline.

Fiction writers can try this approach too. Try writing a short story in five different genres. You could use the same writing prompt for each one or try a different idea. It's a great way to explore genres and work on your craft. You can publish those stories either on a website, a Patreon, a newsletter, or as a book.

My Current Obsession

Instagram creator @producer.patrick is my current favorite obsession. He posts short videos every day detailing entertainment news and how it's impacting the Hollywood community. He smartly dissects and explains the painful evolution the entertainment business is going through. My favorite thing about him is despite the news that he is reporting, he is still positive.

Today he took a break from news to give a pep talk.

I want to help all of you through this crazy transition. This is why I always say learn new things, keep writing, and find new ways to make money off your ideas. Let’s multiply our revenue streams!

Book Nook

Did you know that when you check e-books out from the library, authors earn money? You can get an ebook for free from your local library and authors get paid per checkout! It's a wonderful way to support your favorite authors if you're on a budget.

Checking out ebooks and getting them onto your devices is easy. Most places you can get a library card online. Go to your library’s website and search the catalog for the book you are interested in. Click on digital copies and check it out. On my on-line library, there is a button after you check out the book that says read on my Kindle and it autoloads it.

Or using the app Libby, you can check out digital books and audio books from your local library and read them on your phone or tablet and send them to your Kindle, Kobo ereader, or Nook. Even cooler, on the Kobo devices you can browse Libby and check out books.

My book, How to Turn Your Screenplay into a Novel, is available on Libby!

Writing Contest:

The Emily

The League of Romance Writers annual romantic fiction contest, The Emily, is open for submissions until Oct. 2! Submit the first 6,000 words of your novel.

The subgenres accepted are contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, paranormal, romantic suspense, historical, YA, novel with romantic elements.

Please let me know if you win! I will be at the conference/awards banquet Feb. 28 - March 1, 2025!

Check out last week's newsletter for two other fiction contests.