I spend a lot of time on the internet looking for places to send off my screenplays/plays. Moviebytes is a great source for screenwriters. It has a comprehensive list of all screenwriting contests in the world – most of them are in the U.S. I have sent my screenplays to many contests over the years and when I read interviews by the winners, I discover that some of them have written only 2 or 3 scripts. I’ve written 16 – mind you, I would only send out 3 of those screenplays today, the other 13 were stepping stones. It isn’t always easy to read that a writer of 2 scripts went onto win a contest. I am unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how on you look at it), a competitive person by nature. Maybe it is that competitive spirit in me that keeps me writing, keeps me believing that the 17th script will be the one that brings all the elements together. I’m not sure, but what I am sure of is that I would not be writing if it wasn’t fulfilling a deeper need within me. Every time I sit to write, I know I’m climbing a mountain…and I keep writing because, despite all the rejections, my writing is improving with age like wine. Break- throughs are happening, maybe not on a monumental scale, but change is slow and in order to stay on the mountain one has to keep climbing…get stronger. It’s not about getting to the top, but getting better. And besides, what is “the top”? And what do people do when they get up there? I fear I might be bored.

This last month, I continue to climb on different levels. A rough draft of my new play Circus is complete and I will be meeting the director of Blue, Jane Miller, to read the play together. This is always an exciting and nerve-raking time. I savory the moments of sharing a new piece of work; it’s one of the most gratifying parts of the process. I’m always looking for people’s reactions. It brings great satisfaction when something clicks.

Speaking of clicking, I read Coffee & Cake with a group of volunteer actors from my church last week. The play read very well and ended up being funnier than I expected. This is a Christmas play which will be performed near the holiday season in December. The script combines gospel, as well as traditional and not so traditional Christmas music. The task now is to rehearse the play and get it on its’ feet.

I am about to embark on another screenplay. Not sure exactly what the idea is, but I will be entering it into a screenplay competition at the end of November which offers some large sums of money for placing in the top 3 positions. This contest has specific themes on faith and morality and they are looking for scripts that are family friendly.

So if you’re a writer, keep climbing, don’t look down (I’m afraid of heights, so I never do). Don’t even look up at the writer who just won a big fat pay cheque after writing just his/her second script. Just remember who you are, where you’re at and the journey will take care of itself and be that much more fulfilling.