The Write to Know, Issue 1
Recommendations, reviews, randoms and reads
Subscribers to The TEN!
I’ve got another feature for you to enjoy. Scooch closer and I shall explain…
Every other weekend, I aim to share with you curated bits and bobs from across the vast ocean of the internet.
Nothing is off limits as long as it somehow pertains to the world of writing and/or interests the hell out of me.
I know, I know, you’re just going to have to trust me on this.
It could be unmissable articles about writing, news about book or film competitions, great reads, interesting social media accounts, writing jobs and fellowships.
On the weekend where I don’t publish The Write to Know, I’ll be uploading conversations with successful writers, who will be sharing invaluable insights into their writing process.
These will be original interviews and Q&A’s. They’ll be free for now but this will almost certainly change later on when some elements of The TEN become subscription only.
So, without further ado (“Get on with it” - Ed), here’s your first list of tasty treats…
SCRIPTAPALOOZA 2024
Screenwriters!
The Scriptapalooza screenwriting competition deadline is fast approaching.
The late deadline is February 5 (entry fee = $60)
The FINAL deadline is March 4 ((entry fee = $65)
The FINAL FINAL FINAL WHAT THE DEVIL ARE YOU WAITING FOR deadline is April 8. (entry fee = $75)
There are a lot of hokey screenplay comps out there but I like this one. I was a semi-finalist in 2010 and then again in 2016 and it made a difference.
Both times placing so high landed me read requests and meetings with producers, managers and agents, including Diablo Cody’s agent (the writer of Juno, Young Adult and the United States of Tara). Although, mostly what I remember about that first phone call is being followed down Melrose Avenue by a slightly crazed homeless man, which was somewhat distracting.
I was also courted by production companies including Plan B, which at the time was owned by Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. It gave me confidence that I was on the right track.
The second time I made the quarters, my script, then called American Woman (renamed Jeannie Miller), was picked up, which led to a fascinating 18 months indeed.
Down the line, I’ll be writing a separate post about that experience and what I learned from it, and also my thoughts on the pros and cons of writing competitions.
WE’RE JAMIN
On another screenwriting note, Michael Jamin, a prolific television writer/showrunner, in Hollywood, has a very successful profile on TikTok.
I follow his account because it’s full of interesting gems about the industry that only an insider would know. His credits include Maron, King of the Hill and Rules of Engagement.
He also has a new book out in February. Called A Paper Orchestra, it’s a collection of personal essays. If you’re not a TikToker (is that right? Tokerist? Toktastic? TikTokerooni?), his website can be found here.
DON’T WAIT, READ!
I’ve just finished reading A Waiter in Paris, Adventures in the Dark Heart of the City, by British journalist, author and copywriter Edward Chisholm.
It’s completely and utterly captivating and blows the lid on what goes on behind the scenes at those many enticing bistros that pepper the streets of Paris. You know the ones. They have a well-polished bar, feature giant mirrors and a specials chalkboard that changes daily. They’re perfect for people-watching and trying to look effortlessly cool (something I could never quite achieve despite a jaunty scarf or statement coat).
The theatre of the restaurant is one thing but the hierarchy and pressure to keep the train on the tracks is something else. I could almost smell the morning delivery of fresh croissants, the panic of the run-ragged servers, their sweat patches hidden by their smart jackets, the endless cigarettes, the even more endless cups of coffee (always Cafés Richard) and the fear that this is it for many of the transplants to Paris, who cannot find work anywhere else. Brilliantly written, I rampaged through it like I was tearing into a juicy filet mignon.
I’ll certainly be looking at things differently the next time I enjoy a plat du jour in the French capital. Check it out, and then remember to tip your server!
APOCALYPSE, HOLY COW!
This is such a great read about the making of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 movie, Apocalypse Now. From the pen of Reid Goldberg, it was first published on Collider, in 2022.
If you’re interested in the film-making process or simply enjoy a rip-roaring yarn about enormous egos, the human condition, and living on the edge of madness, this is it.
Coppola himself said of the experience: "We were in the jungle, there were too many of us, we had access to too much money, too much equipment, and little by little we went insane."
If you think you’re in the middle of a sticky creative knot, read this and immediately feel better about your life!
THE FELLOWSHIP OF A THING
And finally, applications are now open for The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize 2024, which this year will be awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of ‘Language’.
First place wins a whopping £3,000, which could keep you in snacks, scarves and notebooks for a very long time indeed.
Submissions close March 1, entries shouldn’t exceed 2,500 words or have been published anywhere else.
The Alpine Fellowship is a charitable foundation that supports, commissions and showcases artists, writers, academics and playwrights.
I’d love to know if you found this interesting or useful.
Issue two will be dropping into your inbox in a couple of weeks, so if you know of anything you think I should share with the community, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Lisa
loving THE TEN!