Category: Productivity

The Bricks of Breaking in: Sal Calleros on Mentorship

Former TVWriter™ Contributing Editor Kelly Jo Brick is writing for FinalDraft.Com now, but every once in awhile we get lucky and spot something she’s done there that has extra value for our visitors.

Such is the case with this interview of Sal Calleros, a former TVWriter™ Spec Scriptacular Competition Finalist and now co-executive producer of a delightful little show called The Good Doctor:

by Kelly Jo Brick

Sal Calleros

Mentorship can be vital to a writer looking to break into the industry, but finding a mentor and building a relationship with that person can be challenging. read article

How to Write a Story

A better title for this video would be, “How author John Dufresne works out his stories,” but what the hell. New writers trying to find their way through the process of actually writing, as opposed to selling their work, will find this a helpful and positive look into how to make the creative process work for them:

From TEDX

Why Writers Have A Hard Time In Recovery

If learning your lesson was easy, it probably wouldn’t be much of a lesson, would it? Can you handle the challenge of recovery?

from Dreamstime.Com

by David Silverman, MA, LMFT

t’s tempting to follow in the footsteps of great writers who used alcohol or other substances to boost their productivity.  Tempting, maybe, but also long term most likely not such a great idea.

“Write drunk. Edit sober.” read article

PJ McIlvaine: In The Zone

Now THIS is the zone where we’ve always wanted to be!

by PJ McIlvaine

Writing can be a long, rough, exasperating, never-ending, demanding, heartbreaking slog. Anyone who claims that they were an “overnight” success, ahem, I’d take that with a grain of Himalayan pink salt.

Writing is lonely. The only people speaking to you are the voices in your head. And if you don’t listen to them, man, do they get cross.

Writing is physically demanding. If you wait for inspiration to strike, you may end up as old as Methuselah. I have written through flu, sinus attacks, kidney stones, the kids throwing up in pots beside me, and other untold miseries and tragedies…you name it, I’ve done it, survived and even thrived. I’m not saying I’ve done it well or that it’s easy. That’s a story for another day. read article

“You Are Not Alone” Beating the Challenges You Face as a Writer

Lucy V Hay continues her journey to get to the bottom of all things writerly. The following article contains some of the best advice we’ve ever seen for facing the kinds of obstacles all to often sends our way:

by Lucy V Hay

Writing Challenges

We all have challenges to our writing. In today’s world we all live busy, hectic lives and sometimes it can feel impossible to finish writing what we started. But what about those of us who face extra obstacles or challenges that can make writing a page feel like writing War and Peace? read article