"The label you give yourself cannot impact external forces that are not motivated by your own psychology or influenced by a third party's pre-existing consciousness of you. We are all presented with reasons to struggle which come from completely external forces; to pretend that one is not struggling is either arrogance or an admission of defeat. To admit that one is struggling is a sign and a source of strength." - Evan A. Baker

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Oh, Hey There!

Life is kinda funny. You put so much energy into other things, focusing on other aspects of life, and then, boom! bam! bing! Good stuff happens.

So maybe some of you know that I wrote a book, Break the Rules and Get the Part: Thirty Monologues for Women, but what you might not know is that I've been not writing on here as much because I've been writing elsewhere. In the next few months, I'll have an essay out for New York Magazine's vertical, The Cut (oh my god, it's good!) as well as an article for InStyle about life as a hair model.

But I've also been looking into television writing.

My first pilot, Love Scenes, LLC, made the Top 50 (or top 2%) of the Tracking Board's Launchpad Pilot Competition, and I just found out my spec, Master of None: Ambiguity, just made the semi-finals of the Breakk competition for women television writers.

I know what you're thinking: "Damn, why's your makeup so fancy today?" I know. It's a lot. But don't I look good?? And of course I didn't apply this makeup by myself - I can't make myself look this good on my own! This gorgeous face is because I just worked my FIFTH day on an extremely popular television show!

So yeah. Things are good. I keep getting validation on what I'm doing, and I'm so blissfully happy right now.

I hope you are too.

xo

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Best Book for Newish LA Writers and Actors

I tore through this book so incredibly quickly; 100 pages would go by and I'd be like Geez! I can still keep going!

I've highlighted sections, made notes in margins, and dog eared sections to go back to.

If you're like me and want to know more about the television industry without being talked down to, this book shows what the entire process is like from pitching a show all the way to be hired as a Showrunner and what that process involves, including the calendar of when to hire each production head.

The best thing? The author talks to his audience as people who are serious about writing, and who will follow a successful trajectory, with ways on how to even begin. He doesn't assume you are some lofty dreamer -- he assumes you know how to write and need to know everything within the industry.





Highly recommend. And cheap!

xo

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

I Kicked 2017's Ass

I've been blogging less because I've been busy writing. Isn't that funny? I have multiple essays being considered at several women's magazines and one at a lit journal, and my book is in book stores and online.

One essay I wrote was taught at Dartmouth last year. And a pilot script I wrote and sent out to a friend for notes, was returned with the response, "I think you can sell this. I want to help. Give me a call." And I'm doing the last bit of post production on a sizzle reel I created for it. I raised money to pay my almost fully female crew and it was one of the best sets I ever worked on. I watch the bar scene after we picture locked, and I am shocked and amazed at how I wrote it. Because I already know what happens, and I still want to know what happens next! My lead actors made it so good. I am so, so proud.

I've been working on the pitch materials for the project, and have been hard at work on writing a second pilot, developing another series idea, and finessing a six episode web series script.

So many things are out of a struggling actor's hands, but there is so much power in creating your own content. There's so much power producing. There's so much power in believing in yourself.

May 2018 bring us all powerful belief in ourselves.

We can do it.

I believe in you.