Month: November 2014

John Cleese and Eric Idle are so funny people pay just to hear them talk

John Cleese Capture

…To each other yet! This was wonderful to see live last week, but the recording ain’t bad either:

YOUR AUTHOR PLATFORM

Author-Platform

by Rita Karnopp

There has always been talk about how to promote your work once you finally get published.  If you’re like me, I’d rather write stories – promoting takes effort and time.  But a writer must make time and take efforts to create a writing platform.

Oh, I’ve heard it, “Do I really need to have a platform?”  No, not really, but then that depends on your goals and aspirations of selling your books.

If you desire – need – want – commercial success and great sales, then I would say, “Yes, having a platform will make all the difference in the world.”  It’s irrelevant whether you’re an indie (self-published) or traditional published author.  You must decide how you can grab those readers and get exciting exposure for your books if you want to be competitive in the marketplace. read article

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 11/26/14

TOSHIBA Exif JPEG

Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are=&0=& (SLEEPY HOLLOW) and Scott Rosenbaum (GANG RELATED) are teaming up to write a science fiction pilot described as “The Dirty Dozen in deep space? for Fox. (Which as old-fashioned as it sounds still seems kinda catchy to el munchero. Besides, this is a new and original idea compared to the oft-written but never shot pilots that described th emselves as “The Magnificent Seven in deep space.” I’m hopeful. For reals.) =&1=& (FELICITY) are developing a “relationship comedy” for ABC about the lies being told at a wedding. (Hey, if you think the premise is unworkable, wait’ll you see who’s running the production of this thing: Shonda Rimes. How long do you give it before the comedy turns to soap? I’m thinking two episodes, but then I’m an optimist at heart.) Neil Cross (LUTHER) is doing a U.S. remake of the series for Fox. (No, Idris Elba won’t star – or so he says. Instead he’ll be a producer cuz that’s, you know, where his real talent lies…?) =&2=& (MEET THE PARENTS) is going into the TV development biz with an overall deal at Fox. (And my munchiness is jumping up and down with excitement cuz…ZOOLANDER! Yeppers, John co-wrote that. And…I know the guy. All I’ve gotta do is butter him up a bit and a staff job is mine, all mine, mine I say! Hehehehehehehehe…Or not.)

That’s it for now. Write in and tell munchilito what you’ve sold today. TVWriter™ can’t wait to brag to all your friends. (And, more importantly, enemies. Hehehe….)

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie #84

Back to the Drawing Board
by Leesa Dean

So, heard back from the extremely long-shot opportunity for one of my projects and…it was a long-shot.  They didn’t buy it.  Le sigh. becoming-a-writer-01  Luckily, I’m one of those types who moves on from rejection pretty quickly, i.e., spent a night with friends drinking, grousing, complaining, occasionally weeping and moved on by the next day.  Ok, maybe not weeping.

My first inclination whenever I get rejected/turned down/kicked to the curb is to put together a plan b and/or c.  So I did.  And, truthfully, I actually am pretty excited about the prospects.   Because it’s the end of the year, going back into meetings is pretty much out, which is fine.  It gives me time to refine, rewrite, strategize about relaunch/promo and work on the three other projects I’m doing.

My grandmother always used to say, “One door closes, another one opens.”  And I’ve found that’s always been the case.  Or maybe that’s just my perspective. read article

Yo, Writers! How’d You Like a Career in Iraqi TV?

Nope, we’re not kidding. It’s viable. The opportunity is real. And the political turmoil within the biz there seems to precisely mirror what goes on behind the scenes right here in the good ole U.S.A. Whole thing’s kinda amazing, actually:

A view shows actors during the filming of the set of the television series, whose title is loosely translated as "State of Superstition" in Baghdadby Shukur Khilkhai (translated by Joelle El-Khoury)

Each year, Arab TV stations compete to buy and broadcast dramatic productions from Egypt, Syria and Gulf counties. Yet, there is no demand for Iraqi drama, which is limited to local TV channels. It is a bitter reality for the Iraqi TV and film industry, over which concerned parties are in constant disagreement.

The poor production quality of the Iraqi entertainment industry is the direct result of mismanagement made intractable by rampant corruption. read article