Authoring & Playwriting

Tammy Winterringer If you’re looking to take the next step and share your story with producers, I highly recommend reaching out to our Stage 32 Success Team at Success@Stage32.com. Let them know more about your book and your goals, and they can help guide you toward the right resources, executives, and opportunities on the platform.

Tammy Winterringer - what a beautiful story of triumph over hardship. I am so very sorry for the loss of your son but also proud on your behalf that you conquered addiction. I love stories like this. I hope you'll stay active here so folks can keep you encouraged in the journey.

I definitely will. Again, thank you for the kind words. I will be sending out copies of the book soon. Many blessings to you

Danny Range, I appreciate your guidance and congratulations on your sobriety. My book is already published and is available on Amazon. It's more than about my drug addiction. It also covers the sexual assault from family members and others in my life. The physical abuse I suffered, homelessness, and I found my son that took his own life with a firearm. Two years later I lost my husband on a motorcycle accident. I have literally been through the pits of hell. I never relapsed. Even through all the trauma and heartache I'm still 17 years completely sober. I know im my heart that I am strong enough now to face whatever challenges are going to come. I'm ready to get this book of mine out into the greater audience.

Tammy Winterringer I'm only California sober lol I've been completely sober for three years at one point. People don't understand how hard it is to stay away from it for 17 years--changing your friends, changing where you go out, losing family--so good for you, man!

And I didn't mean that there's only competition with addiction stories. There's competition for EVERYTHING. There are countless scripts about addicts, assault, you name it. It doesn't mean yours won't work, or that it's more intense than others, but what it does mean is that you really need to stand out. Not what you went through, YOU need to stand out. "Why you instead of somebody else with similar issues?" That's a question executives are going to ask.

Just be prepared for it to be tough and be in it for the long haul is all I'm saying! this takes years, even decades no matter how soon you feel ready.

But if you want it bad enough, like I do, then you have a chance.

Dawn Prato Embrace its existence, and procrastination no longer has to be a foe. Sometimes, it's just showing us that other things are the current priority. Not always :P but sometimes.

Hi, Kat Spencer. I got some work done on my short script, but not a lot. It wasn't because of procrastination though. I just got busy with things. I'll probably work on the script again today.

Thanks Kat Spencer, for The Elysian Rhapsodies I wrote one scene in particular first because it stood out to me, inspired by “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” and I wondered about it even being the climax because it was so good. So I wrote leading up to it mainly using foreshadowing and background events and thankfully it wasn’t the climax lol but it helped not to write it linearly. As for BoFS… it’s officially on hiatus lol but I might do the same thing when it gets its own glowy scene haha

Hi Kat. When I interviewed famous screenwriter Scott Frank for Creative Screenwriting magazine in 2015 he told me one hard and fast rule that he said has led directly to his success: he writes every day--for at least 10 minutes. He told me that some days that effort stretches into two hours, or at the most four hours. I've tried to follow his rule! (Not everything ends up being used, but I NEVER completely erase anything that I have written.)

Start with an outline, even if it's on the back of an envelope. It not only helps you guide, or change what comes next, but brings the storyteller the ability to connect everything soundly.

"It's not who you know, it's to whom you are connected". Jeff E. Gregory, March 14, 2015

"Its not who you know, or what you know, but what you know about, who you know."

"The written word is shit... until it isn't -- Ernest Hemingway

Gary Laney I say something like that all the time when writers don't give me anything to work with hahahaha.

"You can’t edit a blank page." – Jodi Picoult

How can I sign up for this webinar? Thanks.

Hi, Randi Busse. Here's the link to sign up: www.stage32.com/education/products/free-stage-32-webinar-how-to-write-at...

Maurice Vaughan excellent see you there!

Maurice Vaughan Thank you for fixing that! I tried to post this three times last night, and it kept malfunctioning! The last time I saw it, the link was listed. Weird.

You're welcome, Kat Spencer.

Dami | Screenwriter, I love that you’ve found a process that works for you! It’s so easy to get stuck in the cycle of over-planning and over-analyzing (trust me, I’ve been there), but I think it’s really smart to use that worldbuilding and idea gathering as a resource without letting it slow down your writing flow.

Having everything ready to pull from; whether it’s scenes, dialogue, or world details, gives you that safety net so you can focus on staying in the moment while you write.

Geoff Hall, I love the way you described that, it really is like a dance! That back and forth between worldbuilding and writing feels so natural once you settle into it. I think it shows a lot of creative intuition to know when it’s time to pause and build more versus when it’s time to let the story lead.

Ashley Renee Smith thank you, Ashley. I think we are led by our characters and sometimes they want to go in a particular direction and you realise as the writer, that you haven’t mapped out that terrain yet.

Sometimes I have an idea and wonder “what’s this about?” And I have no idea, until I develop the world of possibilities for a character or plot. Then by world-building I can immerse myself into the story and the dance begins.

A book I've been working on for a couple years has required a fair bit of worldbuilding, though I've found it helpful to do a back-and-forth approach, starting with the story. When I reached a point where I realized there was a gap or an explanation, I hit pause, did the necessary research/world creating, then continued on. But always, always, story had to come first.

Jonathan Jordan, I love that approach. Keeping the story at the center and letting the worldbuilding evolve as needed is such a smart and grounded way to develop a project. I’ve found the same thing to be true: when the story leads, the world reveals what it needs rather than becoming overwhelming or overly complex.

That back-and-forth rhythm between creating and writing not only keeps the momentum going, but also keeps the world tied directly to the emotional and narrative core of the book. It sounds like you’ve built a really intentional process. Can’t wait to hear more about the project as it unfolds!

Hey Terry Chodosh , what makes the most sense is to make sure you're marketing the heck out of your book and racking up sales. The cruel fact of the industry is that they aren't much going to care about the quality of a book more than the marketability. There's a reason that "Fifty Shades of Grey" gets made into a major motion picture but a Pulitzer Prize-winning title like "The Orphan Master" still hasn't been adapted. If you want Hollywood's attention, it's not to spend your time and money on a screenwriter yet, but to give it your all to market the book.

These are great questions Ashley Renee Smith. I've done this with two of my books and have loved the journey. Moving forward, I plan on focusing on screenplays and using them as an outline for the books. I agree with Dawn in that the pacing was the biggest issue I had to overcome. But the journey has been worth the struggle.

Ashley, I have published my novel “ Shaloha Gems” had a “pitch deck” & series bible done, wrote a longline, have a producer interested (but he produces reality TV shows in a different genre.)

I would be happy to collaborate with a screenwriter with a track record.

Frankly I would like to connect to Adam Sandlers studio Happy Madison since I think he would be a perfect fit for this story. which is a combination of “ My Big Fat Greek wedding” and

“ Nobody wants this” aling with his movie “uncut gems.” How would you recommend that I proceed?

Hi, Terry Chodosh! If I were you, I would reach out to the Stage 32 Success Team at Success@Stage32.com. Tell them about the project and the types of producers and writers you're hoping to connect with. They can then share a curated list of executives and resources right here on Stage 32 that can help you with your next steps.

Hi Ashley. I have adapted my two nonfiction (and published) books into screenplays. I think the first thing I did was to annotate and circle the scenes in my books that visually would have the most impact. Secondly, I crossed out or red-lined through parts of the books that did not deliver visually. This worked well for my comedy feature: "The Broken Spoke."

Then I cut the scenes, like index cards, from Final Draft software and shuffled them within the chronology. I understood that something dynamic must "hook" the reader on page one, but I also knew that I could provide other scenes that would play out as flashbacks. But because my primary source for the book died of a heart attack in 2021, I decided to make him the narrator (in V.O.) of his own story when I began writing the screenplay adaptation in 2023.

For my other adaptation, I also red-lined my book pages and made index cards of scenes in Final Draft. However, I needed help figuring out how to write each episode of a limited true crime series as a stand-alone story with a beginning, middle and end. So I searched for a collaborator and found Cynthia Uhrich on LinkedIn. Together we have written the TV pilot for the series: "The Texas Secessionists." With Cynthia's input, we have managed to write a compelling pilot that will lead into three other episodes. Each episode will be a story within a story!

That's a great question, for me I just write what I wanna write and trust that whoever likes it will come back haha. It's like real life for me; I've been told that I'm a lot of fun to be around and even though I don't personally get it I know that that means I'm doing something right haha. So I figure in most cases the best way to do it is to just be yourself. I don't imagine readers like to read something they know is fake, just like they don't like dealing with people they know are fake in real life.

I agree completely Banafsheh Esmailzadeh! That is a wonderful mindset to have. Especially for the creative process.

Thanks, Kat Spencer! Yeah my sense of self is tied quite closely to my creativity so it makes sense that there's overlap :) plus, y'know, as artists I do believe we're all still kids at heart and it's never a bad move to keep that in mind haha

I just wrote and published my first book. I had sold about 15 copies on Amazon and all feedback had been that they love that I keep them wanting to read the next chapter. What I found is cliffhangers. It’s also a story based on true events of my life and It seems to be taking off for me.

I hope one day to inspire others.

Hello everyone. I come from a journalistic background; I believe that everyone has a story to tell. I hear stories every day, in the line at the grocery store, or waiting for a flight at the airport, or sitting next to someone on a plane or at a dinner party. I've always felt like it's my job to "find" the story and to write it. I've written two nonfiction books (both published) and as many screenplay adaptations. I've discovered that people like to tell their stories scene-by-scene---have you ever noticed? As they tell their stories, they often use all of their five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. A few storytellers embellish with a sixth sense as well. I like to capture each scene of a person's story in details. Then I like to play with the chronology. I like to begin with something that has already happened and something that is about to happen. Sometimes, this scene or chapter ends with what some may call a "cliff hanger." Other times, the scene or chapter ends with a question delivered in dialogue, or a thought someone was thinking. I've found that no one ever tells the bare naked truth right away. They bait us, tease us, and challenge us to say: "ask me what happened next?"

Amanda Alencar Anytime. Until then, happy writing.

Amanda Alencar Yes! That is exactly how it works for me :) It's very magical.

I write for usually just a joke, then I discover, it could be a good story, and I have to expand it to make it something for tv or movie. Not the best way to write books. From there I try and come to an open and a close.. and then try and come up with things that happen in between, laying out the scenes so far.. the open usually changes.. as well as come to more characters. If u have an open and end.. you have a story, then the missing middle shows a lot easier. I did a different process in Marathon. That one kinda wrote itself.. for direction of.. cause it follows an actual path the runner had to take, and has its own history u have to follow.. so I laid out a map and put different points he would have to be at and timed out where the sun would’ve been, based on a average time the running segments might take..then the middle between those is trying to come up with an assortment of added things happening. I think an outline of scenes works really well, and leaves you seeing questions like how’d it go from here to here, and let’s you add scenes more easily (on computer) or just putting a note between scenes to add content too. The most fulfilling writing is when a joke or sketch, you wrote for someone hits and the whole audience laughs and laughs. That’s what got me into writing.

Amanda Alencar I am new to writing stories.

I have written poetry since the age 10.

Recently published my first book and I would have to say what inspired me to write was wanting to get my story out there to help others who may have had similar lifestyle that I grew up in.

I want to inspire people so badly one day! I also feel writing down my thoughts is so therapeutic.

I would love support and feedback from everyone!

Like you I am a Pantzer. My writing comes to life when the character is born and I inhabit its being. It lives and I follow, never knowing where, like this comment, it will go until I reach the final word.

I can’t remember my very first story, but luckily my mom saved my first script. In fifth grade, I started writing this Spy Kids-esque heist adventure on notebook paper and proudly carried it around in a bright red three-ring binder for weeks. I took it very seriously at the time. Nearly 10 years later, when I left home for film school, she gave it back to me. It’s completely ridiculous in the best way, but I’m so glad I have it. It’s such a fun reminder of where the dream began. Thanks for sparking the memory, Kat Spencer!

Hahahaha Erin Leigh Nice!

That's a beautiful memory Ashley Renee Smith! Hug your mom for hanging on to that and giving it back to you.

I wrote a story that I placed my niece as the main as the though, who’s ahead in school.. and had her run for school office, treating it like it’s for actual president and inviting real candidates to debate… ?? I don’t remember everything I do remember it was to try and work a bunch of inventions into a book format. So she was somehow inventing new things and carrying out ideas.?

This is my first story. I am learning and have only published this one.

Currently working on book number two however, that’s taking me a bit longer.

I would love some feedback!

Nice William Joseph Hill

Dawn Prato, it’s so relatable to hit those mid-edit snags, especially with a multi-POV format where every chapter has a specific role to play in the structure. I love that you and your co-writer are going back to the beginning and reevaluating character backstories and plot reveals. That foundational work can make all the difference. When I run into logic issues or conflicting motivations, I usually create a visual roadmap or timeline to track what each character knows and wants at every major beat. It helps me spot where things veer off or contradict. As for structure, I’m a fan of using it as a guide but not a cage. If a chapter doesn’t serve the story, I try to find a creative workaround, like combining perspectives or shifting the order slightly, so the rhythm stays intact, but the momentum doesn’t suffer. I’m curious to hear how you two decide what to keep and what to let go.

I remember reading that the writer of Death Note had to kill off a character, Naomi Misora, because she was too clever against the antagonist Light that she basically would have derailed the entire story. Since Death Note is a serialised manga of course the fix was pretty jarring but nonetheless it needed to happen in order to keep the story going.

I know in my second life's work Petal I've written myself into quite a few corners and most times the solution was to go back and remove the corner and try new directions. If the previous direction was the way then I had to figure out where it bottlenecked and have setups that organically lead the way out of said bottleneck.

Hey Dawn Prato - I usually go through the document and highlight any plot holes or lingering questions. Normally, I add those to the outline but in a case like this where there was something I missed, I create a new word doc that lists all of the plot holes or unanswered questions. Then I search through the doc to see where those can either possibly be handled or inserted. Hope that helps.

This is all fantastic advice (and commiseration - it's nice to know it's not just us!), thank you everyone :) In a way, I'm almost glad we're bumping into these snags, because it means we've fleshed out parts of the world and backstories - at least, in this case. So it's a good thing, in the long run, and it definitely gives us a lot to talk through and strengthen.

There may be consolation popcorn mixed with chocolate, from time to time..... but it's all going to work out in the end :)

What a cool experience to look back on, Sam Sokolow! Seeing that original production with such an iconic cast must’ve left such a strong impression. Glengarry Glen Ross has such sharp dialogue and electric pacing, whether on stage or screen, it hits hard. I’ve seen the James Foley film and thought the performances were phenomenal.

BLAKE: Put. That. Coffee. Down. Coffee is for closers only.

WILLIAMSON: Will you go to lunch? Go to lunch. WILL you GO to LUNCH?

Alas, never saw the play though I'd like to.