I taught my first workshop on Sunday at the Willamette Writers Conference in Portland. And actually got paid. My first paid gig as a speaker! It’s a small thing, yet I feel like I’ve hit a new level as a writer. How it will translate into future success remains to be seen. I got terrific feedback on the workshop, titled Your First Draft Doesn’t Have to Suck and based on blogs I’ve posted about my writing process.
While at the conference, I also pitched the first book in my series, The Sex Club, to a Hollywood manager and to a producer. The manager was very receptive and asked if he could have the copy I had sitting on the table. He said he planned to read the book right away. We’ll see. ☺
The producer also thought The Sex Club had potential as a movie, but he was skeptical about Detective Jackson as a character for a TV series. “Not enough hook.” He also said if the book were made into a movie, the first thing they would do is cut Kera, the Planned Parenthood nurse. Which I found mildly amusing. The story loses a lot of its complexity without her. The guy admitted he hardly ever reads anything, but he took a copy with him. Maybe he’ll give the book to his wife to read. She’ll love it, and say, “You have to make this movie.”
A writer can dream…
Great going LJ!
I think The Sex Club definitely has potential as a movie. My kids watch The Secret Life and other shows about teen sex and pregnancy and would want to watch this one as well. I wonder how gritty the movie would be.
Glad your first class was a success.
CJ
LJ, find Dianne Salernie in my FB friends list. She’s on the hot track with a producer for her book, We Hear the Dead. She was approached, not vice versa. She has been working on the script when she’s not in Disneyworld riding the Tower of Terror.
Thanks, CJ and Marva, for your constant support. It means a lot to me.
Congrats on your first paid speaking/teaching gig! And yay for making contacts while you were there. That’s fabulous.
Helen
I remember your post on that subject back in the eearly part of ’09. It was one of the first posts I ever promoted on my blog.
Congrats on your workshop success. I hope it’s the first of many 🙂
“A writer can dream…”
Yes, L.J., and I would add, a writer MUST dream, hmm? Glad to see you are moving forward, earning your much deserved success … but then I would expect that from you, too. 🙂
Hey L.J., I’m taking my new novel, “Beware the Devil’s Hug”, on virtual tour in mid-October. Could I interest you in hosting a stop? If so, please contact me at [email protected], ok?
Marvin D Wilson