Happy Thanksgiving, Storytellers!
HELLO from Bangkok, Thailand! Just flew in from Phuket last night and am loving the AirBNB I’m staying at right now. We’re super close to a ton of shops and the public transportation for easy access to other cool locations.
Phuket was gorgeous but a bit too laid back for me. I missed the city life and the convenience of food stalls everywhere, which made Bangkok the perfect destination after Phuket. We’ll be heading off for Siem Reap in Cambodia to explore Angkor Wat; I’m SO excited to wander around the temples and to learn about the rich history behind them and to experience the culture.
Today’s a super quick episode as I know you’re all busy getting ready for the big meal tonight! Please have a listen any time you’re free so you’re all caught up on important Holiday announcements for the show.
I also touch a little bit on what I’ve been up to in Asia. I found out super last minute that SOI DOG FOUNDATION was located 15 minutes away from where I was staying in Phuket and I was so happy we were able to volunteer before catching our flight to Bangkok.
Please check out today's shownotes page for ADORABLE pictures of some puppies and dogs we met at the Soi Dog Foundation Headquarters! CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICS!
***I want to thank you all for being such incredible listeners and for creating a loving, encouraging, and supportive tribe with me.***
“If you can reveal everything about yourself, then you can write about anything.”
Hello Storytellers! I just arrived in Singapore about two hours ago– I love how efficient their public transportation is!
Today’s episode marks the 25th episode for 88 CUPS OF TEA— Happy 25th Episode, storytellers! 88 CUPS OF TEA wouldn’t be here without you amazing listeners. Thank you so much for listening in each week and making the storyteller tribe what it is today.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- How social media became an authentic and genuine way for Dan to network and how you can use social media as a portfolio to land a job
- The importance of marketing your writing towards librarians and teachers
- Why it’s crucial that writers should not search for a dollar value during their writing process
- The importance of surrounding yourself with friends that can provide you with constructive criticism
- How setting small goals for himself allowed Dan to achieve great success
- Why Dan believes that you should never put aside your happiness for financial stability
- How being open and honest can allow you to write about anything
“I control my own destiny.”
Hello from Malaysia, Storytellers! I arrived recently to visit my Grandpa and explore my mom’s homecountry. In case you might’ve missed the latest update, I’ve been traveling around Asia and just finished an inspiring and educational intensive tea-study program in Taiwan. (To listen to a special episode about my trip in Asia and about the tea program–my very first production of an NPR inspired narrative episode, CLICK HERE TO LISTEN!)
For today’s episode, I’m so excited and thrilled to share the much anticipated interview with 2015 Caldecott Medal winner, Dan Santat. For those that may not be familiar with the medal— it’s just about the most important award a children’s book illustrator can receive (think OSCARS in the world of children’s books). Dan is also a New York Times bestselling and award winning author and illustrator whose illustrated over 20 books for children. Dan’s book that won him the prestigious award is called “The Adventures of Beekle: An Unimaginary Friend”.
According to a Variety article published in May, “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend” has been adapted into a DreamWorks Animation movie that will be directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jason Reitman.
I’m such a fan of this heartwarming book about friendship, courage, and finding one’s self. It’s proudly displayed on my bookshelf, and recommended to friends time and time again.
About the 2015 Caldecott Medal Winner “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend” by Dan Santat
This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and-at long last-is given his special name: Beekle.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- How the birth of Dan’s son was the inspiration behind “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend”
- The behind-the-scenes creation process of the book
- How The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) gave Dan a head start with illustrating children’s books as a career and how the organization can help aspiring children’s book writers and illustrators
- The importance of brevity in storytelling and how it helped Dan with his success, including winning the Caldecott Medal
- Dan breaks down his writing process
- How Dan is able to substitute text for illustration while being able to convey emotion and a storyline
- Dan’s advice on becoming a quality writer and illustrator
- How Dan forms the characters for his stories
- How being flexible in your style of work can lead to a variety of opportunities in your field
Learn More About Dan Santat
Dan Santat is the author/illustrator of SIDEKICKS and the winner of the Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators for OH NO! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World) by Mac Barnett. He is also the creator of the Disney animated hit, THE REPLACEMENTS. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and various pets.
For Dan's shownotes, go to 88cupsoftea.com/podcast/dansantat
Hey Storytellers! Thank you guys so much for being a part of this storyteller tribe and listening in. This episode is really special to me. As you’ll notice, it’s the first episode of this show where I experimented with my own kind of storytelling, similar to that of an NPR episode. I’ve been so inspired by all the interviews with guests on 88 CUPS OF TEA and have been itching to share a story through this kind of medium. Thanks for allowing me to share that with you.
I would really love to hear your thoughts about this episode, so come on over and find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
I’ve been posting pictures and videos of the tea intensive and my trip around Asia on those same social media accounts so check out #88CupsOfAsia if you’d like to join me on my adventures!
Hey Storytellers! Could you take a minute of your time to help me leave an honest rating and review by clicking here? Thank you so much for your help in increasing my podcast's ranking so that more listeners can find out about the show and add value to their storytelling careers and goals!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- How to find job opportunities as a writer
- The importance of consistently feeding your brain with words
- The benefits of having a mentor
- What Katie turns to for help and inspiration
- Katie’s one key take away on inspiring yourself out of a lull
“No matter how bad it gets, how many couches you’re surfing on, no matter how far away your goal seems- you can’t stop working.”
Learn More About Katie Wech
Katie Wech received her MFA in Screenwriting from the USC School of Cinema-Television and began her career in television as an assistant on the first season of Fox’s PRISON BREAK. A year later, she sold her first feature script to Jerry Weintraub for WARNER BROTHERS. In 2011, her black-list nominated feature script PROM was released by Disney. Since then, she has written and produced many hours of cable and network television, including the CW’s SECRET CIRCLE, ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND, and CBS’s VEGAS. She is currently a producer on the hit TNT series, RIZZOLI & ISLES.
Hey Storytellers! Could you take a minute of your time to help me leave an honest rating and review by clicking here? Thank you so much for your help in increasing my podcast's ranking so that more listeners can find out about the show and add value to their storytelling careers and goals!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
Hello from ASIA! I just landed in Taiwan and settled in a hotel with all my podcasting equipment laid out. Be sure to listen to today's episode to find out why I'm in Asia and to hear the names of the 3 lucky winners of the giveaway contest from Tyler Knott Gregson's episode. To check out photos of my trip around Asia, follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and you can also check out #88CupsOfAsia!
I'm so thrilled to have Tess Gerritsen on 88 CUPS OF TEA! For my listeners who’ve been a part of my storyteller tribe since day one, you guys may recognize this episode. Thanks to you, this is one of the show's most popular and well received interviews. I hope you’ll be re-inspired by Tess’ journey and her actionable tips and advice for writers and storytellers.
There’s also been a jump in new listeners so a very warm welcome to 88 CUPS OF TEA and thank you for joining our storyteller tribe. I’m really excited for you to hear Tess' interview as it's one of my favorite chats, which is also one of the favorites of our storyteller tribe.
What better way to celebrate 88 CUPS OF TEA's huge milestone of reaching 20 episodes than by re-playing one of the most popular episodes that epitomizes what our show is about.
I've been a huge fan of Tess' work since reading her very first thriller novel HARVEST, her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. She has written 26 novels with over 30 million copies sold worldwide. Tess is also widely known for creating the RIZZOLI & ISLES book series that inspired the hit TNT television series. Our chat left me on an absolute high with adrenaline and Tess shares a ton of actionable tips and advice. I'm so excited for you to apply her knowledge towards your own writing careers!
This episode is proudly brought to you by SCRIVENER.
-----------
"I always start (my novels) with what I call the-punch-in-the-gut, which is an idea that has a really powerful emotional resonance for me. I always start with 'Oh my God, and what happens next?'"
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- What to do when you're struggling with resistance-- the dreaded writer's block
- What time in the day Tess finds the most inspiration to write
- What inspired the hugely popular series RIZZOLI & ISLES (You might be surprised!)
- How Tess schedules her writing so she makes it on time for her manuscript deadlines
- The benefits of publishing traditionally and the benefits of publishing online
- Tess' advice for writers who are interested in publishing novels the traditional way
- How Tess landed her literary agent
- Tess' take on the importance of the query letter and what to include so it makes an impression
----------
Learn More About Tess Gerritsen
Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift," which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her 26 novels include Gravity, The Surgeon, Vanish, The Bone Garden, The Silent Girl, Die Again, and Playing with Fire (Oct 2015). Translated into 40 languages, her books have been #1 bestsellers abroad and top-three bestsellers in the US. More than 30 million copies have been sold around the world.
She received the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon) and was a finalist for the Edgar award (for Vanish.)
Her series of novels featuring homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the hit TNT television series "Rizzoli & Isles," starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.
Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), and "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail). Publishers Weekly has dubbed her "the medical suspense queen."
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
-----------
"If I see (my first draft) on screen, I want to edit it. It stops me cold. I use unlined typing paper. I can't have lines on it because I feel like it inhibits my creativity. 25 books, and it's been pen and paper."
Hey Guys, could you please leave an honest review for me? It's a huge help in increasing the ranking of this show so that more listeners have the chance to check it out. The following link will take you directly to the ratings/review page-- Thank you so much!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
Hey Storytellers! I’m so excited to share today’s episode with you. We have our very first poet on the show, Tyler Knott Gregson. He’s one of the most down-to-earth, grounded human beings that I’ve had the honor of chatting with. We get into the philosophy of life, surviving and thriving as an artist, and expressing our authenticity. We also had a fascinating discussion about social media and how it played a huge role in Tyler’s success as a poet and author.
We’re also having a special give-away for this episode! Tweet or post an image of a quote from Tyler’s episode that resonated with you and three lucky listeners will win his newest book “All the Words Are Yours: Haiku on Love”! Make sure to include #88CupsTKG so we can find your quotes! The deadline for this giveaway contest is Tuesday, October 20th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.
“The little moments, for me, have always been the big moments.”
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- How Tyler survives and thrives as an artist
- How social media heavily influenced the success of his first book “Chasers of the Light”
- Tyler’s advice on writing poetry
- The importance of creating an authentic community
- How honesty builds loyalty with fans on social media
- Finding inspiration for your work by exposing the little moments in your life
- Tyler’s experience as a freelance writer and a copywriter and how it shaped Tyler to love everything he writes
- How Buddhism impacted Tyler’s perspective of the world and its influence on his writings and photography
“Don’t ever stop fighting for that thing that you love.”
“If you’re hurting, hurt. If you’re happy, be happy.”
Learn More About Tyler Knott Gregson
Tyler Knott Gregson is a poet, author, professional photographer, and artist who lives in the mountains of Helena, Montana along with his two golden retrievers, Calvin and Hobbes. With wide-eyed fascination and a Whitman-esque appreciation of nature, and life, he began writing at a young age. Love, the dynamics of emotion and physical connections are common themes in his poems. When he’s not writing, Tyler Knott owns and operates his photography company, Treehouse Photography, with his talented partner Sarah Linden. They photograph weddings all over the world, and just like his writing, believe in capturing the silent moments, the hidden glances…Big things made small, small things made big.
Please say “Hi” to Tyler on Twitter, Instagram, andFacebook! You can also follow Tyler on Pinterest.
To check out the books and movies Tyler talked about in his episode, be sure to check out his shownotes page at 88cupsoftea.com/podcast/tylerknottgregson
Thank you for leaving me an honest review and rating!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER.
Hey Storytellers! We have award-winning and bestselling author Jean Kwok on the show today.
For the very first time on our show, we’ll be having a special give-away for this episode! Pay special attention to Jean’s interview and tweet your favorite quotefrom her episode and we’ll be gifting a copy of Jean’s newest book MAMBO IN CHINATOWN to two lucky listeners! Make sure to hashtag #88CupsJK so I can find your quotes! The deadline for this giveaway contest is Wednesday, October 14th at 10am PST/1pm EST. And the 2 lucky winners will be announced that same day.
This is a very special episode for me (listen to the episode’s introduction to find out why) and I’m beyond thrilled to share Jean’s interview with you!
“We are not competing with each other; we are all trying to speak some kind of fundamental human truth.”-Jean Kwok
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- Why writing about something that connects with you deeply allows you tocreate your best work, and how it attributed to Jean’s success as an author
- How to find the courage to write a book about emotional experiences in your life
- The importance of finding your balance of enlightening and entertaining your readers and how Jean goes about finding her balance
- How being an honest writer will allow you to create stories that will touch and change people’s lives
- How Jean prevents writer’s block
- How Jean withdraws from her daily life and places herself into a physical and emotional space to write
- The hardships Jean faced when deciding to speak up about her past and how it can inspire you as an author to not be ashamed of where you come from
- Jean’s advice on rejection and why you should never give up because there is someone out there who will believe in your writing
“Fix it on the page, don’t fix it in your head”-Jean Kwok
ABOUT ‘MAMBO IN CHINATOWN’
From the bestselling author of Girl in Translation, a novel about a young woman torn between her family duties in Chinatown and her escape into the world of ballroom dancing.
Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Wong grew up in New York’s Chinatown, the older daughter of a Beijing ballerina and a noodle maker. Though an ABC (American-born Chinese), Charlie’s entire world has been limited to this small area. Now grown, she lives in the same tiny apartment with her widower father and her eleven-year-old sister, and works— miserably—as a dishwasher.
But when she lands a job as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio, Charlie gains access to a world she hardly knew existed, and everything she once took to be certain turns upside down. Gradually, at the dance studio, awkward Charlie’s natural talents begin to emerge. With them, her perspective, expectations, and sense of self are transformed—something she must take great pains to hide from her father and his suspicion of all things western. As Charlie blossoms, though, her sister becomes chronically ill. When Pa insists on treating his ailing child exclusively with eastern practices to no avail, Charlie is forced to try to reconcile her two selves and her two worlds— eastern and western, old world and new—to rescue her little sister without sacrificing her newfound confidence and identity.
“Sweet and lovely, filled with old-world tradition, Chinese superstition, and the complicated dance of forbidden love.”—JAMIE FORD, NYTBESTSELLING AUTHOR OF HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET
Learn More About Jean Kwok
Jean Kwok is the New York Times and international bestselling author of the award-winning novels Girl in Translation and Mambo in Chinatown. Her work has been published in 17 countries and taught in universities, colleges and high schools across the world. She has been selected for many honors including theAmerican Library Association Alex Award, the Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award, and Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers. Jean’s writing has been featured in Time, The New York Times, USA Today, Newsweek, The Chicago Tribune, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue, People, Real Simple and O, The Oprah Magazine, among others.
Jean immigrated from Hong Kong to Brooklyn when she was five and worked in a Chinatown clothing factory for much of her childhood while living in an unheated, roach-infested apartment. In between her undergraduate degree at Harvard and MFA in fiction at Columbia, she worked for three years as a professional ballroom dancer. Jean lives in the Netherlands with her husband, two boys and three cats, and is working on her next novel. A Dutch television documentary with English subtitles was filmed about Jean and her work.
Please say “Hi” to Jean on twitter and facebook!
Head over to Jean's show notes page here!
Thank you for leaving me an honest review and rating!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
“Gentle, unassuming style that taps into its troubled protagonist’s point of view… Proof of Krantz’ promise behind the camera.”-INDIEWIRE
Hey Storytellers! We have director-writer Morgan Krantz on the show today. His directorial feature film debut BABYSITTER world premiered at SXSW. Morgan shares his experiences making his first feature film and dives deep into the financials of it, including how he secured his film’s investors. Morgan also takes us behind-the-scenes in creating his wildly successful web series NEUROTICA, his passion project that landed him representation with WME as a writer and director, and shares how the web series got picked up for distribution. This is a super special episode for filmmakers and especially for first-time directors-writers!
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- Morgan’s creative designs for his “feel reel” that he found to be the most powerful when grabbing the attention of investors
- Why a video pitch is the way to go when attempting to gain investors
- Why searching for diverse investors helped Morgan fund his filmBABYSITTER and how it can help aspiring directors find the resources they need to produce their projects
- The pros and cons of guerrilla shooting and the risks involved
- The importance of clearly communicating the direction of where you want your film to go with future investors and how it helped Morgan succeed
- The positive impact frankness can have when you have the desire to re-shoot scenes
- The creation process of his successful web series NEUROTICA
- How NEUROTICA landed him representation as a director-writer with WME
Learn More About Morgan Krantz
Morgan Krantz is an actor, writer and director born and raised in LA. His feature directorial debut, BABYSITTER, premiered at SXSW 2015 where Morgan was named one of 12 breakout talents at by IndieWIRE magazine citing his “gentle, unassuming style that taps into its troubled protagonist’s point of view… proof of Krantz’s promise behind the camera.”
Morgan’s comedic web-series, Neurotica, which he co-created and stars in, was a viral sensation online and boasts several million views. The show was sold to Endemol Beyond and they are currently financing a 2nd season in association with acclaimed TV producers Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky (The Office, Hello Ladies).
As an actor, Morgan has appeared in countless TV shows including Girls, Doll & Em, House of Lies, The League and countless more. Most recently, he booked a series regular role on the CBS sitcom pilot The Half of It and co-starred in the independent feature film Shut Up and Drive, which had it’s world premiere at TriBeCa 2015.
Say "Hi" to Morgan on twitter, facebook, or instagram!
Be sure to visit Morgan's shownotes page at 88cupsoftea.com/podcast/morgankrantz
Hello Hello Storytellers!
A super quick episode today, keeping you in the loop about a few changes and updates to the show!
Thanks so much for leaving me an honest rating and review on my iTunes page!
Thank you for leaving me an honest review and rating!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
Hey Storytellers! I’m over-the-moon excited to share today’s episode featuring Jan Ellison, author of debut novel A SMALL INDISCRETION. Jan’s warmth and generosity is infectious and inspiring. Jan’s episode is an absolute must for all writers and artists!
ABOUT ‘A SMALL INDISCRETION’
“Ellison is a tantalizing storyteller, dropping delicious hints of foreshadowing and shifting back and forth in time…moving her story forward with cinematic verve.” — USA Today
At nineteen, Annie Black abandons California for a London winter of drinking to oblivion and looking for love in the wrong places. Twenty years later, she is a happily married mother of three living in San Francisco. Then one morning, a photograph arrives in her mailbox, and an old obsession is awakened.
After a return trip to London, Annie’s marriage falters, her store floods, and her son, Robbie, takes a night-time ride that nearly costs him his life. Now Annie must fight to save her family by untangling the mysteries of that reckless winter in Europe that drew an invisible map of her future.
With the brilliant pacing and emotional precision that won Jan Ellison an O. Henry Prize for her first published story, A Small Indiscretion announces a major new voice in suspense fiction as it unfolds a story of denial, obsession, love, forgiveness—and one woman’s reckoning with her own fateful mistakes.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- How Jan’s short story evolved into her debut novel
- The impact that traveling can have on your writing the way it did with Jan’s
- Working from images VS. working towards images and how it’s crucial inhelping your stories
- Jan’s rule of thumb in gauging the right kind of reader to help your growth as a writer
- How to reach out to literary agents
- The importance of writing workshops and how it helped Jan write her debut novel
- The profound influence that having a mentor has made on Jan’s writing career
“Every day I didn’t write, a little part of me just felt like it had died.”-Jan Ellison
“I trust the writer I am and know that my voice is my voice.”-Jan Ellison
Learn More About Jan Ellison
Jan Ellison is a novelist, essayist and short-story writer. Her first book, A Small Indiscretion, (Random House 2015) was both an Oprah Editor’s Pick and a San Francisco Chronicle Book Club Pick. Jan’s essays and stories have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Narrative Magazine and elsewhere, and she received an O. Henry Prize for her first short story to appear in print. She is a graduate of Stanford and San Francisco State’s MFA program. She grew up in L.A. and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband of twenty years and their four children.
Be sure to check out Jan's shownotes page here.
Thank you for leaving me an honest review and rating!
We have director-writer-producer Frank Hall Green on the show with us today! Frank’s directorial debut WILDLIKE is out in theaters and on-demand this Friday, September 25th. In his interview, we dive behind-the-scenes in the making of WILDLIKE, Frank’s screenwriting process, how he fleshed out an authentic heroine, why he chose Alaska as the location to film, approaching sensitive topics during the shoot, the film festival circuit and how its helped his movie, and so much more.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- How Frank garnered a large following for his movie through the film festival circuit
- Frank breaks down his screenwriting process
- Frank’s advice on how to capture and save notes that pop up sporadically for your script
- How writing from a visual standpoint helps Frank with his screenwriting process
- How he storyboards his film
- Frank’s process in preparing for the shoot
- Why Frank specifically chose to film in Alaska
- How observing and listening to people around him helped Frank pull inspiration in making authentic character choices
ABOUT ‘WILDLIKE’
Mackenzie (ELLA PURNELL), a troubled but daring teenage girl, is sent to live with her uncle in Juneau, Alaska. She longs for her struggling, absent mother, but as her mom’s phone calls become less frequent and her uncle’s care is not what it seems, she must flee. Her only thoughts are to escape her uncle’s grasp and contact her mother somehow, but as she plunges deeper into the Alaskan interior she is suddenly helplessly alone. A chance connection with a loner backpacker, Rene Bartlett (BRUCE GREENWOOD), proves to be her only lifeline. As Mackenzie shadows Bartlett across the last frontier, she thwarts his efforts to cut her loose until Bart has no choice but to help her survive in the wilderness. Against the backdrop of a spectacular Alaska landscape, they discover the redemptive power of friendship. Mackenzie and Bartlett prove to be the unlikely salve for each other’s scars, until the damage Mackenzie carries with her threatens to destroy her newfound sanctuary. Returning to civilization, Mackenzie is once again at risk of capture by her uncle (BRIAN GERAGHTY) as he hounds with manipulative calls and messages. When Bartlett finally discovers her alarming secret, he must make a bold choice to take real responsibility for Mackenzie and help her escape her traumatic past and return home.
Learn More About Frank Hall Green
Frank Hall Green is a film producer, writer and director. His directorial debut feature WILDLIKE is produced by Christine Vachon/Killer Films, Tandem Pictures and Joseph Stephans. It was filmed on 35mm in Alaska and stars Ella Purnell, Bruce Greenwood, Brian Geraghty, Nolan Gerard Funk and Ann Dowd. He is currently producing the adaptation of BOY21 by Matthew Quick (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK) to be directed by Lasse Hallstrom (WHATS EATING GILBERT GRAPE, CIDER HOUSE RULES) and REMITTANCE, the sophomoric feature of writing/directing team Joel Fendelman and Patrick Daly (DAVID). Recently, he produced GHETTO KLOWN on HBO, the award-winning one-man show of John Leguizamo. He was a producer onALLEGIANCE starring Aiden Quinn, Bow Wow, Seth Gabel and Pablo Schreiber, and 1-900-TONIGHT starring John Turturro based on the film by Theo Van Gogh, among others. Frank cut his teeth producing far too many short films and has an MBA from NYU’s Tisch School of Film & Television. Before NYU’s graduate film program, Frank worked in Venture Capital and emerging technology. He is also an alumnus of NYU’s Gallatin School, an avid backpacker and a member of MENSA.
Be sure to visit Frank's shownotes page by clicking here!
Please help me leave an honest review and rating by clicking here. A heartfelt thank you for taking your time to do so.
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- The inspiration behind SONG ONE
- How Kate was able to make the characters so relate-able
- How Kate’s debut feature attracted Anne Hathaway to produce and star in the project
- How Kate made each character’s own unique connection to music come through on screen by weaving in their musical identities
- Kate’s advice on writing screenplays
- The art of re-writing
- How writing short films helped in terms of developing strong characters and dialogue for Kate’s feature script
“One of the main things was trying to write everyday and trying to plow through.” -Kate Barker-Froyland
Learn More About Kate Barker Froyland
Kate is a Brooklyn-based writer/director. Her first feature film SONG ONE (starring Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn, and Mary Steenburgen) premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Over the past several years, she has directed short films and videos and was selected for the IFP/Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Emerging Visions program. Her short film, MATCH, screened at Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art as part of their New Directors/New Films series and was a semi-finalist for the Student Academy Awards. After directing the ‘making-of’ Merchant-Ivory’s The White Countess in Shanghai, she was the assistant to director David Frankel on The Devil Wears Prada. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Kate received her MFA degree in directing from Columbia University in 2011.
Hey Storytellers! I would appreciate it so much if you could leave an honest rating and review on my iTunes page. Your rating & review is a HUGE help in increasing the ranking of my show which helps to spread the word about the podcast so that more listeners can tune in and benefit from the interviews. You can click on this link to be taken directly to the rating&review page (don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted). Thank you so much in advance for your time and your help!
I’m so excited to share today’s episode featuring writer Linda Formichelli. She goes over and beyond to share tips and advice for listeners who want to earn an income as a freelance writer. Linda has so much enthusiasm and her positive go-getter energy is absolutely contagious– you’ll walk away feeling like you chugged an espresso and ready to conquer the freelance-writing world.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- The big differences of query letters for freelance writers VS. authors
- Linda shares exactly how to pitch a query letter and advises what to include in it
- Why it’s crucial to avoid content mills
- How Linda earned $40,000-$60,000 worth of writing gigs just from referrals
- How being a professional “class-taker” can ironically hold you backfrom achieving your goals
- Why it’s crucial to start pitching even if you feel like you’re not ready to
- How diversifying her work helped Linda to cope with moments of burn-out
- How having your own website as a freelance writer can help your career and the important things to showcase
- Why you should break the hard and fast rules in freelance writing
- How to determine your own pay rate
Learn More About Linda Formichelli
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
What You'll Learn From This Episode:
- The inspiration behind Orhan's Inheritance
- What the in-depth research process was like
- How to expertly weave in historical facts into a novel for accuracy
- How Aline crafted her perfect query letter and landed her literary agent
- How she found her writer's workshop and how it helped her writing
A SUMMARY OF ALINE OHANESIAN'S DEBUT NOVEL "ORHAN'S INHERITANCE":
When Orhan’s brilliant and eccentric grandfather Kemal—a man who built a dynasty out of making kilim rugs—is found dead, submerged in a vat of dye, Orhan inherits the decades-old business. But Kemal’s will raises more questions than it answers. He has left the family estate to a stranger thousands of miles away, an aging woman in an Armenian retirement home in Los Angeles. Her existence and secrecy about her past only deepen the mystery of why Orhan’s grandfather willed his home in Turkey to an unknown woman rather than to his own son or grandson.
Left with only Kemal’s ancient sketchbook and intent on righting this injustice, Orhan boards a plane to Los Angeles. There he will not only unearth the story that eighty-seven-year-old Seda so closely guards but discover that Seda’s past now threatens to unravel his future. Her story, if told, has the power to undo the legacy upon which his family has been built.
Moving back and forth in time, between the last years of the Ottoman Empire and the1990s, Orhan’s Inheritance is a story of passionate love, unspeakable horrors, incredible resilience, and the hidden stories that can haunt a family for generations.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ALINE OHANESIAN:
Aline Ohanesian was born in Kuwait and immigrated to So. Cal at the age of three. After getting her MA in History, she abandoned her PhD studies when she realized her heart belonged to the novel. Her writing was a finalist for the PEN Bellwether Award for Socially Engaged Fiction and the Glimmer Train Best New Writers Award. Orhan’s Inheritance is her first novel and has been long listed for the Flannery-Dunnan First Book Award. An international bestseller, it's has been translated into several languages. Aline is an alumni of the Bread Loaf and Squaw Valley writer's conferences. She lives and writes in San Juan Capistrano, CA with her husband and two young sons.
Are you enjoying this podcast? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
Hey Guys! Happy Labor Day!
A super quick episode for a holiday special: I go behind-the-scenes of my podcast and talk about awesome things, and I also touch on what needs to be improved. Listen in to get a sneak peek of some of the guests that will be featured in the upcoming weeks!
What You'll Learn in this Episode:
- How the podcast is doing
- Improvements that need to be made
- The names of some of the guest interviews coming up
- How I found my audio engineer/podcast editor
- Which company I used to create my podcast's tea mugs
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- How Joe’s experience as an accomplished and sought-after producer helped his career as a director
- What goes into being a good director
- Everything that goes into the prep phase before the shoot (from costumes, to set decorations, to casting of actors, and much more)
- How emergencies on set are handles (natural disasters, main actors are extremely ill, etc.)
- Joe’s secret in preparing for the set-up of scenes
- How to approach and communicate with actors who continually freeze during their lines
- How to convey the tone of the show
- How tone meetings help break down all the important points of the episode
- Why it’s crucial to network
Learn More About Joe Lazarov
Joe Lazarov is well known as the producing director of the popular GOSSIP GIRL TV series in New York and more recently a producer of POWER on the Starz Network. He was fortunate to begin his career in television working on Emmy award winning series A YEAR IN THE LIFE, CHINA BEACH andNORTHERN EXPOSURE. Joe continues to be a sought after producer having recently finished the spinoff ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND for ABC, 5 seasons of GOSSIP GIRL, TOUCHING EVIL, PSYCH, INVASION, NCIS, and LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. In 2008, Joe began a new phase of his career with his directorial debut of Gossip Girl with the emotional episode where Chuck Bass buries his father and subsequently directed 8 more episodes. Upon Joe’s return to Los Angeles from the Gossip Girl set, he directed several episodes of the stunt filled series NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING. Joe followed up that effort with a fun romp in HART OF DIXIE and thriller episodes of THE LYING GAME and TWISTED. Joe currently commutes between Brooklyn and Los Angeles where he lives with his wife of 20 years, 13 year old daughter, and two standard poodles.
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- Joe’s experience as a production assistant and how he climbed up the ranksto becoming a sought-after TV producer
- Why mentors are crucial to your success
- How to approach mentors
- The very first step to take to jump into the producing world
- Can producing really be taught?
- What to do when you realize that you want to transition careers into producing
- Why you’ll need a really thick-skin if you want to make it in this industry
- Producer’s Guild mentorship program
- The different tiers, roles, and responsibilities of TV Producers
ABOUT JOE LAZAROV:
Joe Lazarov is well known as the producing director of the popular GOSSIP GIRL TV series in New York and more recently a producer of POWER on the Starz Network. He was fortunate to begin his career in television working on Emmy award winning series A YEAR IN THE LIFE, CHINA BEACH and NORTHERN EXPOSURE. Joe continues to be a sought after producer having recently finished the spinoff ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND for ABC, 5 seasons of GOSSIP GIRL, TOUCHING EVIL, PSYCH, INVASION, NCIS, and LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. In 2008, Joe began a new phase of his career with his directorial debut of Gossip Girl with the emotional episode where Chuck Bass buries his father and subsequently directed 8 more episodes. Upon Joe’s return to Los Angeles from the Gossip Girl set, he directed several episodes of the stunt filled series NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING. Joe followed up that effort with a fun romp in HART OF DIXIE and thriller episodes of THE LYING GAME and TWISTED. Joe currently commutes between Brooklyn and Los Angeles where he lives with his wife of 20 years, 13 year old daughter, and two standard poodles.
Be sure to visit his shownotes page at http://88cupsoftea.com/podcast/joelazarov/
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
What You’ll Learn From Hal Elrod's Episode:
- The #1 quote from Jim Rohn that changed Hal’s life and the foundation of how he lives his life (It will change yours too!)
- What Hal did to keep accountable to complete his book
- What the single most important factor is to close the gap on how we are currently performing and the level we are capable of performing
- How you’re able to write your book while on commute (really neat app that helps to transcribe your audio recording!)
- Why Hall chose self-publishing over traditional publishing
- Breaking down your financial return between choosing self-publishing VS. traditional publishing
- How he recorded his audiobook and the financial side of it
- Actionable steps on how Hal self-published his book
- How you can build and grow a massive email list
Be sure to check out Hal's shownotes page for more info like his biography and the resources that he mentioned that helped him self-publish his book! 88cupsoftea.com/podcast/HalElrod
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- How creating a short film can help your feature film tremendously while your feature is in development (Hint: Financing, calling card for your directing career, and more)
- How Leah prepared and directed the underage lead actress for a graphic sex scene in a respectful and sensitive manner
- The very best thing a director can do to receive the performances they want from an actor
- Why Leah chose stop motion puppet animation to portray the most intimate fantasy parts of her film and how she animated it
- Exactly how Leah financed her feature film
- How Leah found her first feature film investor through the film festival circuit for her short film
- Using Kickstarter as a specific technique to maximize the exposure of your project
- How intentionally casting very specific people hugely impacted theauthenticity of Leah’s feature film
- Why writing grants are really helpful even if you don’t receive the grant
- How limited resources can be incredibly beneficial in expanding your creative boundaries
- How Leah found her crew for her award-winning feature I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS that world premiered at SXSW
Be sure to head over to Leah's shownotes page for more info and the links to the book and resources she mentions at 88cupsoftea.com/podcast/leahmeyerhoff
LEARN MORE ABOUT LEAH MEYERHOFF
Leah Meyerhoff is an award winning filmmaker whose debut narrative feature I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS was released theatrically in 2015 after premiering at SXSW, winning the Grand Jury Prize at the Atlanta Film Festival and additional awards from Woodstock Film Festival, Nashville Film Festival, First Time Fest, Tribeca Film Institute, IFP, NYU and the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. Meyerhoff’s previous work has screened in over 200 film festivals and aired on IFC, PBS, LOGO and MTV. She is a fellow of the IFP Emerging Narrative Labs, IFP Narrative Finishing Labs, Tribeca All Access Labs, and the Emerging Visions program at the New York Film Festival. Meyerhoff is also the founder of Film Fatales, a female filmmaker collective based in New York with over a dozen local chapters around the world. She holds a BA in Art-Semiotics from Brown University and an MFA in Directing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
I absolutely love this chat with award-winning author Juliette Fay, she is so much fun and a blast to talk shop with. This episode is a must for authors and novelists, and especially for those who are balancing a writing career with a family. Juliette discusses (more like dishes) all her writing tips and career advice for novelists and authors with humor and expertise– I hope you’ll really enjoy this chat and find it as valuable as I did!
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- Juliette’s tried and true way of finding your writer’s authentic voice
- Finding and joining the perfect writer’s group
- ALL about literary agents!
- How Juliette finds inspiration for her plot ideas
- Creating grounded characters that best tell the story
- How humor plays a heavy role in all characters, especially those that encounter tragedy
- Authentically create characters who’ve experienced tragedy, like a loss in their lives, that readers will empathize with
- How to be extremely productive with the writing goals for your novel– Juliette shares her secret
- Why pleasing yourself is crucial (why you must prioritize yourself)
- How Juliette balances her writing career and her family
- Inspiration behind ‘Shelter Me’
“The most successful writing really comes from what you love.” -Juliette Fay
“Luck comes for those who put themselves in luck’s way.” -Juliette Fay
Learn more about Juliette and the books & resources she recommends over at her shownote's page by clicking here: 88cupsoftea.com/podcast/juliettefay
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
“Your job is not to decide the timeline, your job is to put in the time.” -Lewaa Nasserdeen
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- One key takeaway for improving your writing (really helpful tip!)
- A breakdown of Lewaa’s action plan for his scripts that carry him from idea through execution
- Detailed action plan using a common and popular script idea as an example
- The one thing that will land you the writing job, giving you an edge over other more talented writers
- How to develop writing habits to help you get closer to your writing goals
- The kiss-of-death for all creative artists and how to avoid it
- Landing a literary agent
- Why mentors are crucial to your career
- How to work with a mentor even if you don’t have access to large networks
LEARN MORE ABOUT LEWAA NASSERDEEN
Lewaa Nasserdeen is an award-winning filmmaker whose career spans film, television, and documentary. Currently writing for the upcoming ABC comedy ‘The Real O’Neals’ starring Martha Plimpton. Lewaa’s additional credits include the hit comedy series ‘The Goldbergs’ as well as the haunting feature film ‘Baby Blues’ (2008). Selected to take part in the prestigious 2014 Disney/ABC Writing Program, Lewaa has also been a story editor on the critically acclaimed series “X-Weighted” (Discovery) and the gritty, real-life documentary “The Rig” (OLN).
“Be kind to everyone because no one wants to work with an asshole.” - Lewaa Nasserdeen
BE SURE TO VISIT LEWAA'S SHOW NOTES PAGE FOR THE BOOKS & RESOURCES HE RECOMMENDS AND MUCH MORE: 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/LEWAANASSERDEEN
PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW
It means so much to me to be able to share my interviews with you. Ratings and reviews on my podcast’s iTunes page helps a LOT in helping me to spread the word about the podcast. The more ratings and reviews I receive, the more you’re helping with the ranking of my show. That means there’s a higher chance of my podcast being found and subscribed to. Please leave me honest feedback as I read every single one and want to know how I can make improvements and continue delivering awesome content.
Thank you so much in advance for leaving me a review and rating!
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
“I always start (my novels) with what I call the punch-in-the-gut, which is an idea that has a really powerful emotional resonance for me. I always start with ‘Oh my God, and what happens next?'” - Tess Gerritsen
I’m so thrilled to have Tess Gerritsen on 88 CUPS OF TEA today! I’ve been a huge fan of Tess’ work since reading her very first thriller novel HARVEST, her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. She has written 26 novels with over 30 million copies sold worldwide. Tess also went on to create the RIZZOLI & ISLES book series that inspired the hit TNT television series. Our chat left me on an absolute high with adrenaline and Tess shared a ton of actionable tips and advice. I’m so excited for you to apply her knowledge towards your own writing careers!
Learn More About Tess Gerritsen
Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, “Adrift,” which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess’s first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her 26 novels include Gravity, The Surgeon, Vanish, The Bone Garden, The Silent Girl, Die Again, and Playing with Fire (Oct 2015). Translated into 40 languages, her books have been #1 bestsellers abroad and top-three bestsellers in the US. More than 30 million copies have been sold around the world.
She received the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon) and was a finalist for the Edgar award (for Vanish.)
Her series of novels featuring homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the hit TNT television series “Rizzoli & Isles,” starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.
Critics around the world have praised her novels as “Pulse-pounding fun” (Philadelphia Inquirer), and “Scary and brilliant” (Toronto Globe and Mail). Publishers Weekly has dubbed her “the medical suspense queen.”
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
“If I see (my first draft) on screen, I want to edit it. It stops me cold. I use unlined typing paper. I can’t have lines on it because I feel like it inhibits my creativity. 25 books, and it’s been pen and paper.”
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- What to do when you’re struggling with resistance– the dreaded writer’s block
- What time in the day Tess finds the most inspiration to write
- What inspired the hugely popular series RIZZOLI & ISLES (You might be surprised!)
- How Tess schedules her writing so she makes it on time for her manuscript deadlines
- The benefits of publishing traditionally and the benefits of publishing online
- Tess’ advice for writers who are interested in publishing novels the traditional way
- How Tess landed her literary agent
- Tess’ take on the importance of the query letter and what to include so it makes an impression
Be sure to visit Tess' shownotes page! 88cupsoftea.com/podcast/tessgerritsen/
Please Leave a Review
It means so much to me to be able to share my interviews with you. Ratings and reviews on my podcast’s iTunes page helps a LOT in helping me to spread the word about the podcast. The more ratings and reviews I receive, the more you’re helping with the ranking of my show. That means there’s a higher chance of my podcast being found and subscribed to. Please leave me honest feedback as I read every single one and want to know how I can make improvements and continue delivering awesome content. Thank you so much in advance for leaving me a review and rating!
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
“It takes a lot of trial and error, and endless, tireless effort in the face of rejection.” -Joe Nussbaum
Today’s guest is director-writer Joe Nussbaum, whose work can be seen in movies and on television worldwide. He’s the very first director I had the wonderful opportunity to work with after moving to Los Angeles! Joe’s interview is incredibly eye-opening on the realities of what it takes to be a working director and writer. Joe’s no-frills perspective is especially motivating for budding filmmakers looking for guidance with their career. Joe’s episode is an absolute must– you’ll walk away with so much more knowledge and preparedness about the industry as a filmmaker.
“If someone says write 10 jokes, write 100.”
“If you really want to make stuff, then you really need to make stuff.”
Learn More About Joe Nussbaum
Since making the acclaimed short film “George Lucas in Love” in 1999, Joe Nussbaum has been working as a director and writer in movies, television, and commercials. He’s directed the features SLEEPOVER (2004), AMERICAN PIE PRESENTS: THE NAKED MILE (2006), SYDNEY WHITE (2007), and Disney’s PROM (2011) along with episodes of television for MTV, ABC, FOX, ABC Family, and Amazon, including multiple episodes of the acclaimed series “Awkward” on which he was also a writer. Additionally on the writing side, Nussbaum has written feature scripts for Warner Bros., Fox, New Regency, Alcon, Walden, and GK Films. In 2015, the first ever TV pilot that Nussbaum directed, “Just Add Magic” was picked up to series by Amazon and Joe is currently directing more episodes and executive producing season one.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- How a short film creates huge opportunities for beginner directors
- The three traits that has helped Joe reach the success he has today (Hint: One of them has to do with summer camp!)
- Recommended day job for beginner filmmakers to help further them in their careers
- How Joe landed his first opportunity to direct a feature
- Eye-opening lessons learned from being stuck in a rut
- The one actionable advice that you can do this week that will open doors for you as a filmmaker
- How to work yourself out of a funk
- How a peer group can help you tremendously in your career
Be sure to check out Joe's shownotes page at http://88cupsoftea.com/podcast/joenussbaum/
Please Leave a Review
It means so much to me to be able to share my interviews with you. Ratings and reviews on my podcast’s iTunes page helps a LOT in helping me to spread the word about the podcast. The more ratings and reviews I receive, the more you’re helping with the ranking of my show. That means there’s a higher chance of my podcast being found and subscribed to. Please leave me honest feedback as I read every single one and want to know how I can make improvements and continue delivering awesome content.
Thank you so much in advance for leaving me a review and rating!
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave me an honest rating and review by clicking here. It'll take a good second for the link to take you directly to the "ratings & reviews page", don't forget to sign into your iTunes account when prompted. A heartfelt thank you in advance for your time! It helps me so much in getting this podcast out there to share with more listeners!
This episode is proudly sponsored by SCRIVENER. Click on the link for your special 20% off discount code that's available specially for our storyteller tribe!
Wow. You definitely want to check out Colleen’s episode. I absolutely loved chatting with her about work and life– from how she got representation, to the tricky discussion about networking, to balancing work and family. As you’ll hear, she’s an incredibly kind and generous person with so much wisdom to share. I walked away from the interview feeling so fired up and ready to take on the world. I’m thrilled to share her episode with you, you’ll love all her takeaways!
“When you’re giving someone a script to read, make sure its really great. And not just good.”
“Telling stories is about taking your experience from life & putting them down on paper wherever you are.”
Learn More About Colleen McGuinness
Colleen McGuinness has written for numerous television shows, including NBC’s Emmy-winning comedy 30 Rock. As a writer-producer on the show, she shared in the show’s 2013 Emmy nomination, as well as its 2013 and 2014 WGA nominations and 2014 PGA nomination. A Harvard graduate, McGuinness is the creator of the comedy pilot Lonelyville, executive produced by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, which is currently in development at Universal Television. She has also written a number of studio and independent film scripts. McGuinness’s latest project is a comedy pilot for F/X, which is executive produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
“Go where it’s warm.”
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- Pilot season and the process of staffing and writing
- How to pitch your pilot and the styles of presenting a pitch
- How an externship program in college helped Colleen achieve the success she has now
- Manageable steps to get you closer to your goals as a writer
- Not being able to land a temp job in the industry and how it works to a writer’s advantage
- How to balance your career and your loved ones
Be sure to check out Tess' shownotes page for the links to her recommended books! http://88cupsoftea.com/podcast/colleenmcguinness/