Authoring & Playwriting

THANK YOU, Debbie Elicksen!!!

Thank you very much. It's good to know who the bad guys are.

Lois Sullivan If it feels too good to be true, it absolutely is. Publishing is cutthroat and traditional publishers aren't much better. They pay zip for royalties (5 to 10%) and you own nothing.

Wow. Super interesting, Debbie Elicksen. Most of these I've never heard of so good to know. I used to use KDP and D2D exclusively but I also added in Ingram which is the bookstore distributor. They're great to work with.

I've used Amazon KDP and D2D (who incorporated SmartWords that I also utilised into their fold) - no complaints from either here.

I was in NYC in October and unfortunately couldn't get tickets to Oh! Mary - I wish I could have! I wish I was a bit closer so I could go and see more off-Broadway shows too, though I did absolutely love the "Twenty Sided Tavern" D&D improv show :)

I wish I could see Death Becomes Her on stage! I'm a big Megan Hilty fan. It's not mentioned, but I'd also love to see The Outsiders.

Did you hear, I'm pretty sure they're (finally!!) bringing Smash! to Broadway?? I may have to book a trip just for that, honestly (and the Phantom of the Opera immersive experience...)

Dawn Prato

Thanks for sharing, Ashley Renee Smith ! While I think a lot of these tips apply mainly to non-fiction work, I can see them useful for fiction writers too. I always approach writing a book as first writing something that I would want to read, but I do try to make sure that it's communicated well to my readers.

This article has some great tips for non-fiction authors, which can be a much different experience if you're a fiction author.

Also, I'd strongly caution you to be careful about self-publishing through a company. Most are a bad risk.

First do your due diligence. Most of the time, you'll be giving up a percentage of your royalties for crappy editing, a badly designed book cover, and little to no marketing and promotion. And you might have paid a hefty fee to work with them. Depending on the contract, you might be stuck working with that company.

Debra Holland agree with practicing caution. One dirty secret of publishing is that if the press is on the cheaper side (less than $25K to publish with them), you'll likely be disappointed. The only legit hybrid publishers I know charge $25K+ and typically have a vetting process. Also, they typically only do nonfiction titles. The small presses targeting fiction authors with $2K-$5K editing/marketing packages are predatory at worst, naively inept at best.

Great advice, Debra Holland! Thank you!

Thank you for providing those insights, Jonathan Jordan! You're the best!

Jonathan Jordan Gosh, I've always been intimidated by people with writing routines. Either I'm writing all day on deadlines when I was working in media, or write last minute to meet a deadline because procrastination is my jam. With books, I can chip away periodically, and then when it gets to a certain point, dive right in and finish it in two weeks. So yeah, my writing routine is dysfunctional at best. lol. And yet, I eventually get stuff done. Or not.

I am the person who still needs to cut and paste pieces of paper on the floor to organize thoughts, chapters. I just can't do it via computer. I have to see it physically in front of me, like a story board except it takes up way more space. Because most of my books are non-fiction, I figure out the topic list, then group them into chapters. My printed off research is cut and paste under neat the topic heads (usually on a blank 8.5 x 11 paper), then once organized, I write in the computer in order. Yes, I had the interviews and other research ready to insert. And then sculpt from there.

Screenwriting is completely foreign to me so I plan to just going to chip away at storylines and practice A LOT. One thing for sure. There is no such thing as retirement for a writer.

Anyway, I appreciate you taking the time to do this.

I'm in the beginning stages of writer a screenplay drama/suspense if anyone interested in joining me. I work full-time and write in the evenings mostly. The last time I collaborated it worked so well, we split the assignments up in half and bounced our scenes with one another. His goal was to produce the movie in NC which he did, Marked for Trade on Amazon Prime.

I have no writing routine. Sometimes, I don't write for weeks. I still have managed 34 books and 3 pilots and 1 feature. Now, it's easier if I work at least a bit on a certain story every day, even if it's not actual writing.

I had moved from all screenplays to ghost writing books for clients. It's a matter of $. They LOVE what I produce, so much so that 2 of them have started with me on book two of a series. And people that read what is produced love the writing. And yet, on here, the screenplay readers of my writing say things that are totally contradictory...like 'too many words...non-dialogue lines should be three lines long, no more...more white on the page...too descriptive...more descriptions in fewer words...more dialogue, less action lines...who is the protagonist...I love that your have an ensemble of protagonists...arggh. And yet I have sold screenplays in the past...I read submitted scripts sent to me by people on here that are supposedly 'technically perfect' but boring; they criticize my technique, and never discuss the CONTENT...one suggested a secondary character should be the main one, one said the word'started' has only one meaning, and sent comments in illiterate English...and on, and on...seems to me that the look of things is more important than the content to most readers.

Mozart, when told that he had 'too many notes' by Joseph2 of Austria, asked the Emperor which ones should be removed... crickets...then...'' just take out a few, then it will be perfect".

Now I write on demand when provided notes by the book clients, by phone conversations, or emails. I'd LOVE to get more screenwriting jobs, but most on here or elsewhere want a collaboration and offer no pay. Tnen I do almost all of the work and no results.

And I am very fast- a full feature in 2 weeks. This is a weird business.

On a writing routine-write like a demon when you get notes or are hired to do a job-the pressure of creation leads to an acceleration of intensity from rapidly firing synapses-you access the 'muse' who whispers in your ear-it's a religious experience-you contact the divine when the words flow like water, and you can't type fast enough, and you start hitting wrong keys like a madman...and that's GOOD!

I like to go visit possible locations for a script, and ask myself what the characters would do in that space. Then they start talking, and you just take dictation. So easy.

Thanks again for having this AMA, Jonathan Jordan! Happy Holidays!

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi.

Great question, Ashley Renee Smith ! I always enjoyed reading books. "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" was a childhood favorite - I saw the "Willy Wonka" movie on TV as a kid and then read the book in 4th grade. That taught me a lot about how movies and the source book differ. Then it was the movie novelizations that got me really interested in writing my own films & books. I'm excited that I actually get to do it now!

Thats a great one, William Joseph Hill! I also watched the original movie before reading the book and I was surprised by how different they were when I was a kid. I enjoyed both, but the movie is one that I can watch literally any time.

I don't know if it was any one book, but the Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon series were the first books I remember reading that A) I loved and had girls who loved books and story as much as I did in them and B) girls who wanted to be writers. I don't think I knew that could be a possibility, until I read them, and I think something clicked. After that, it was a LOT of fantasy novels!

"Portrait of Dorian Gray". & "King Solomon's Mines".

If you missed it live, you can watch the full video here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDh7FPsyad9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&...

I have seen movies where I was interested in the side character more than the protagonist to be honest!

I also like to make profiles/ character breakdowns for side characters, Maurice Vaughan. I find that it helps me discover and distinguish their voices from the main characters. I’ve also discovered elements of my story and world-building through getting to know my side characters better.

I completely agree, Jonathan Jordan! Side characters can often change my perspective on main characters. They make me like or even dislike characters based on their reactions and experiences with them. So if they feel like plot devices or NPCs, it’s really annoying to me.

I do the same, Bobby G! I love to people watch in public places and when I pick up on a conversation or interaction, it can spark something for me. I carry a small notebook with me, it’s almost always in my bag or back pocket and I’ll write down notes to remember while I’m out and observing things. It helps me with certain characteristics that I wouldn’t naturally think of or consider myself.

Motivations are absolutely the key, Giovanna Silvestre!

There have been some great adaptations this year! The next one that I'm excited to see is Wicked pt 1. I'm waiting for my lil sis to finish her Finals so that we can go see it together, but the wait is KILLING me.

Sam Sokolow definitely excited for NIghtbitch!

DeEvolved….oh wait, someone needs to buy my screenplay first….and publish my manuscript….

DeEvolved:

LOGLINE

When a mysterious alien microorganism begins reversing evolution, turning birds back into

dinosaurs, two paleontologists must team up with a global secret organization to save humanity from a catastrophic extinction event while battling an international villain

determined to unleash prehistoric chaos upon the world.

Treatment available upon request….

Wondering how many will be released and vanish before they can find an audience.

Congratulations, Terrence Sellers that must be such a thrill.

That’s incredible news, Terrence Sellers!! I’m so happy for you!

That's awesome Terrence Sellers! Congratulations!

Maurice Vaughan No, the law is based on the same principles. But the execution of them is much better for the writer. For instance, there are no fees to apply for an ISBN number.

Thanks, Terrence Sellers.

Leonardo Ramirez what it is to be popular in your own home, eh, Leonardo!! ;-)

Wouldn’t have it any other way, Geoff Hall!

Nope! But I still write. Go figure!

Geoff Hall, I'm trying to stay productive during the holidays. I'm polishing up a script right now that's being looked at by a producer. Still trying to work out ideas from my "idea" pile. I actually enjoy the creative process.

Barry Brock writing is an essential element in my life, it's what grounds me. I couldn't imagine my world without it.