It’s that time of year where I reflect back and pause as I look forward to tomorrow.  2012 began with a play called Up in the Attic, which has become one of my personal favourite seasonal productions that I have written and staged over these past 5 years.  I’ve recently watched Up in the Attic twice over the holidays and even on DVD, it continues to move me.

As 2012 comes to a close, the month of December has been filled with my latest production Children of Light and another re-write (or more like re-tweak) of my screenplay Twig.  Children of Light had an incredible set which just popped off the stage.  I am always moved by excellence.  Here’s a picture:

The set to Children of Light

The play combined elements of music whereby I had actors singing on stage.  I have not often done this combination before and although it proved laborious and stressful, it was well worth the effort.

In between Up and the Attic and Children of Light, other creative projects filled my 2012 calendar.  I was once again a semi-finalist in the Kairos Prizes for Screenwriting with my script Walk in January.   I re-worked my script Twig and had a reading of it.  After that reading, I re-wrote it again.  I also re-wrote my script Home (for the umpteen time).  Home placed in the top 7 of the WriteMovies Screenplay Competition and is currently vying for a finalist position in the drama catagory in the Screenplay Festival Competition.   There have also been many competitions along the way that have outright rejected my scripts Home and Walk.

Speaking of Walk, I sent it out to get critiqued.  Following the critiques, I made some major changes including a new title – Play Ball.  Play Ball is currently competing in the Kario Prizes for Screenwriting, Ozark Film Festival and Bluecat.   Come the new year, I will hear if I’ve placed in any of these.

This brings me back to today and my script Twig; once this script gets polished and I am confident of the latest re-write, I will send it out to be judged by the world.  In one way or another you are always being judged as an artist and must develop thick skin to take the criticism.   Success is keeping at it.

So, as usual, my hopes are high as the calendar flips to 2013.   My optimism soars thanks to such quotes as the one I leave you with today by one of my favourite playwrights.  This is his take on success:

“Success is blocked by concentrating on it and planning for it… Success is shy – it won’t come out while you’re watching.”
Tennessee Williams