Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

Chapter 38 – And…We’re Back!
by Leesa Dean

Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving. I did! Both of my parents passed away a number of years ago and I don’t have any brothers/sisters so over the time, friends have become family. I normally cook and have a bunch of folks over for dinner or get invited someplace. This year, I spent it with one of my oldest friends at her parent’s house. Our folks were best friends with mine and growing up we always spent the holidays together, so it was a really warm and nice full circle kinda thing.

And right after, I threw myself back into work. Aside from writing/prepping Season Two of the Lele Show and the TOP SECRET project I’ve been working on, I have a few more scripts I’m nursing, including a movie, two tv specs and a new web series. And that’s just for next year. I have no idea when I’ll be done with them all, but it’s fun and I’m having a good time ideating. One thing that’s been really inspiring: The official selections at this year’s Sundance Film Fest. Included is Dear White People by Justin Simiem which looks dope!, plus a film by the wildly prolific Joe Swanberg starring one of my favorite writer/directors, Lena Dunham. Also this year, Low Down which is a bio pic about bebop pianist Joe Albany told from the perspective of his daughter AJ (she actually wrote a pretty juicy/interesting/heartbreaking memoir about growing up with him.) Can’t wait to check all of them out when they’re released.

It’s gonna be interesting when I launch Season Two of the Lele Show. I’ll still be working on all the other projects and it takes SO MUCH work to promote a web series, I really don’t know how I’ll be able to juggle it all.

I learned a ton of lessons from my first go-around and I’m hoping to be a bit smarter this time, but just envisioning how I’m gonna do it all gives me the willies.

Typically, when I write I turn off social media to keep focused. I literally quit my browsers so I’m not tempted to google, procrastinate, etc. while working.

That’s nearly impossible to do when you’re promoting a web series. With Chilltown and the Lele Show, I literally was receiving and replying to hundreds of comments a day between YouTube, Google +, Facebook and Twitter. I’ve found that if I don’t reply right away, it just becomes a nightmare. And next year when I relaunch, I’ve decided to also focus a lot more on Instagram. Last year, Chilltown was entirely in the can while I was promoting, and just taking on the Lele Show put me into 15 hour days, 7 days a week.

I’m thinking of allocating about 4 hours for solid writing a day, with no interruptions, probably in the morning. Then do everything else.

How do you guys handle multi-tasking? Any tips on writing/promoting simultaneously? I’d love to hear any suggestions.

Author: ChilltownTV

I'm primarily a writer. Sold a few series to tv networks and production companies but never had anything get on the air. So I taught myself how to animate and completed 3 digital series, launching two. The first, Chilltown has been named one of "Five Web Series That Should Be on Your Radar" by ABCNews/Univision and a "Show to Watch" by Tubefilter. The second, Lele's Ratchet Advice Show, garnered a fanatic cult following. As a result, I now do Lele's 60 Second Wrap Up, a weekly comedic entertainment report (which I write & perform) that airs on urban radio stations Rhythm 105.9fm and the Just Wake Up Morning Show on WWRNfm. View all posts by ChilltownTV