When the pandemic hit, I decided it was the perfect time to write by story, book, script or screenplay!
Tell Your Story
COVID-19 TIME-PASSING SURVIVAL. There has never been a better time in our lives than now, to tell our story.
It is said that everyone is good for at least one book, so why not now? Write it. Film it. Talk into a recorder daily and get YOUR story saved somewhere.
Once we can reclaim our lives again, we each will have done something valuable with the time in lockdown.
Good Stories Make For Good Stories!
I was a hairdresser for forty-years. My favorite aspect of the job, besides making people look their best, was to hear their stories and share bits and pieces of mine.
I realized many years ago that everyone has had something note worthy, unusual, interesting and storybook worthy to tell.
The stories I use to hear, never seemed to match the appearance of the person telling them. I often wondered how people would assess the stories I had to tell.
Write A Film Script
You gotta write a book, people would often say to me. Your story should be a film, I would often hear. Then I would go home, look in the mirror and think, ‘what’s so unusual about little ole me’?
The years unfolded, my stories grew and when this weird 2020 lockdown and stay-at-home time was forced on us, I knew exactly what I needed to do to keep my mind busy and finally get my story on paper.
Seven months into pandemic time and not only have I filled four notebooks, but I realized that I didn’t want to write a book. I wanted to learn to dialogue in script format, just as I always had done when standing behind the salon chair and talking with my clients.
Try Your Hand At A Screenplay
Lots of time on our hands, and lots of great tutorials on line to teach myself how to write in script format.
Who knows, maybe one day you will see my story on television! Writing a screenplay or script felt more natural for me;
- What people are saying
- How they say it
- Where they say it
- Describe the place it’s being said
I liked that. I did, however, have to do an extended search on what script software I would need to buy if I ever hoped to submit my story to a professional.
Hah! Who am I kidding. Well, I can try, can’t I?
Writing A Rom/Dram
Writing a romantic comedy. Geez. Nothing about my past seemed funny to me. It always seemed like a drama that left me with scars.
Not the kind of scars you get from surgery, or a physical wound, but my heart sure looked as though it had been through at least four war battles, if not more. How is that funny?
Life In Perspective
Pandemic perspectives. Perspectives on life, sure put things in their place. I had tried numerous times in my life to write my story, write a book about my experiences, tell all.
But I never could get past chapter three without throwing the entire mess in a drawer somewhere deep, and just forget about it. Then, the pandemic hit.
Suddenly my internal wounds seemed not so scary, not scary like this pandemic was making us all feel.
It’s All About The Character
Then one day I got an idea that would help me write my story. I created a character that never existed in my story… or did she?
This character suddenly brought light to my otherwise dark story, and with her help I have been able to write and properly format eight short episodes that just might be film worthy material.
So, you see? If I can do this, without a journalist degree, or some degree in literary writing, but simply tell my story, then so can you.
Where Do Good Stories Come From?
I remember many years ago, like a gazillion years ago when my very old (at least she seemed that way to me), grandmother was still alive. She had so many stories she would tell me. Fascinating stories about her life, but she never wrote them down.
One day I bought a cassette tape player (yeah, that was a thing back then), and a dozen blank cassettes and took them to her. I tried to inspire her to go sit out on her front porch, just as she would do with me, and turn the machine on.
Talk, just talk about what ever came to mind. Maybe something in the course of her morning would trigger a memory about her life, and she could tell it to the machine.
She never did. Her stories died with her. The only bits and pieces of stories she left behind were of many photos her professional photographer brother took in the late 1800’s and early 20’s and 30’s.
Good stores come from so many places; obvious and obscure.
Write A Book
Write a book. Tell your story. Talk your memories into a recording device and someone else can put them on paper, if you don’t like to write. We are all good for a story, maybe many.
The film industry is always looking for new stories; a new perspective on life, or something noteworthy that others will want to see or be inspired by.
Several years ago, I had the great pleasure and honor to meet, go to dinner with and have a lovely chat with, Ron Bernstein. Who is he?
Oh my gosh! Ron Bernstein is the literary agent that is famous for turning books into film. Sex and the City, When Harry Met Sally and many more. And I was having dinner with him!
I gave him my first published book, Confessions of a Hairdresser, asked if he would have a look and let me know what he thought. Still pinching myself over that!
To my surprise, he did. He got back with me and said this, “Write 100 more pages. I like the concept but you are not in it”!
He was right. I was afraid to write my story so I wrote other people’s stories. Fast forward to now. That has all changed!
Be Brave
I created the video here with the intention to inspire you, or maybe just to feel the nearness of other people at a time when we were being forced into isolation.
I am a people person and since I have been forced to be in safety-mode isolation I have found creative ways to be with lots of people.
All the people who have had a face, at some point in my life, including you, are becoming intricate characters in my stories.
I hope I have inspired you in some way to tell your story! Feedback is deeply appreciated xoxo
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.