The Writing Show

The movie business is changing, and this week's guest has reinvented her business as a result. What inspired literary agent Candace Lake to become a literary manager, and what is a literary manager anyway? Candace Lake has represented writers and directors at Ziegler, Diskant Associates; International Creative Management; her own The Candace Lake Agency; and now Stone Canyon Media. Join Candace and Writing Show host Paula B. as they delve into the high-stakes world of writing for Hollywood, including: * What a literary manager does * Why she left agenting to become a literary manager * How writers get jobs in Hollywood * What she looks for in a writer * What qualities give screenwriters the best chance of finding and keeping work * What it takes to be a successful agent or literary manager * Which TV shows and movies she considers excellent * Whether screenwriters need to live in Los Angeles to be successful.

Jan Whitford's Mystic Island, a comic, romantic tale with historical overtones, unfolds from the perspective of a strong female lead. The author, a guy, says that the book even inches toward "chick lit." How did he write such a convincing woman protagonist? With a little help from his friends. Join Jan Evan Whitford and Writing Show host Paula B. as we explore: * Why he alternates between third- and first-person points of view * Why he decided to make his main character a woman * How he manages to get inside a woman character's head so convincingly * How he choreographed his hurricane * How he was able to make every detail of the hurricane so realistic * How he dealt with the issue of putting words in a historical figure's mouth (or pen) * How he managed to surprise the reader at the end without contrivance * What "snake hands" are and why you should care.

You would not believe how good at marketing this week's guest is. Check her Web site under Archives and you'll see the dozens and dozens of interviews and book signings she's done, without the help of a publicist, mind you. In today's publishing environment, her accomplishments are nothing short of phenomenal. And she's going to tell us how she does it! L. Diane Wolfe's five-book Southern-based series, The Circle of Friends, centers on a group of college-age kids and portrays love and friendship overcoming all obstacles. Meant to inspire as well as entertain, Wolfe's books have been described as "encouragement personified." Traveling the East Coast to promote her series, Wolfe sets herself a heavy tour of book signings and speaking engagements. She averages more than eighty appearances and interviews each year. Join Diane and host Paula B. as they discuss the best and the worst ways to market your books, including: * Why she calls herself "Spunk on a Stick" * How she got the idea for her series * How she gets dozens and dozens of interviews and signings * How she gets her press releases noticed * What the secret to writing a great blurb is * What you should wear to a book signing * What you should always do at a book signing (and what you shouldn't) * How not to market your books * How to do a great interview.

Since last September we've been following Jean as she attempts to find an agent to represent her intergenerational novel Karaoke Nights at the Twilight Lounge. So far, Jean has received a number of rejections, but she still has some queries out. Today we hear more about the fate of Jean's queries, discuss her dilemma about revising the opening of her story, hear some advice from Writing Show listeners, and learn that Jean has been holding out on us.

Dr. Linda Seger created and defined the job of script consultant when she began her business in 1981, based on a method for analyzing scripts she developed for her dissertation project. Since then, she has consulted on over 2000 scripts, including over 40 produced feature films and about 35 produced television projects. Join Linda and host Paula B. for a fascinating exploration of creativity, including: * What creativity is * Whether creativity can be learned * Whether great artists, writers, and musicians are more creative than other people * Whether drugs and drink help people be more creative * Whether you have to be a little crazy to be creative * Whether you have to have a hard life to be creative * How to jump-start your creativity * How writers can develop their visual thinking skills.

Join ghostwriter Joey Robert Parks and Writing Show host Paula B. for part 2 of this riproaring discussion of ghostwriting.

Join ghost writer Joey Robert Parks and Writing Show host Paula B. for a riproaring discussion of ghostwriting, including: * What ghostwriting is * How he finds clients * What the ghostwriting process consists of * How he makes clients feel comfortable with him and the process * How he deals with the business aspects of ghostwriting * What happens if he doesn't like the client, or vice versa * What he does when a project doesn't interest him * What sorts of issues come up when ghostwriting a book * What the pay for ghostwriting is like * What his duties as a ghostwriter are and aren't * Who holds the copyright to a ghostwritten work * What advice he has for those considering going into ghostwriting.

In episode 3 of "Getting Published, with Mark Leslie," we learned that Mark was planning to take a detour from working on his novel, A Canadian Werewolf in New York, ACWINNY, for short. He had decided to self-publish a picture book for his five-year-old niece to clear his mind and experiment with self-publishing. Only after he completed that project would he be ready to continue with his horror story. Today we present episode 4 of our reality show, "Getting Published, with Mark Leslie" and find out what happened with "A Horse Named Cow" (or was it "A Cow Named Horse") and dig into a fabulous critique of ACWINNY submitted by Writing Show guest host and Internet bad boy, Mick Halpin.

This month we've heard from an attorney who examines and compares self-publishing contracts and an entrepreneur who runs his own self-publishing company. Today we hear from an author who has chosen to self-publish her books. Lyda Phillips is an award-winning journalist, novelist, and screenwriter who has written two award-winning young adult novels: Mr. Touchdown and Peace I Ask of Thee, Oh River, as well as several unpublished novels for both young readers and adults. Join Lyda and host Paula B. for a first-hand look at a self-publishing experience, including: * Why she decided to self-publish * What the production process was like * How she got reviews * How she got her books into libraries * What obstacles she's faced as a self-published author * How she thinks authors can improve self-publishing's image * How she thinks iUniverse could help its authors more * What she's learned from her self-publishing experience * Why she's now looking for a mainstream publisher.

We've had more requests for a show on writing groups than any other topic. It's been a long time coming, but here is our first look at this important subject. Join writer Sean Dent and Writing Show host Paula B. for an illuminating discussion about writing groups, including: * How writing groups work * Whether writing groups help writers gain commercial success * What sorts of pitfalls groups encounter * How to provide good feedback to other writers * What to do when you feel you aren't getting quality feedback * Whether writers should worry about their work being stolen when they participate in groups * What you need to run your own group.

Having trouble getting a Hollywood production company to read your screenplay? Submit it to the Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition, and they will! Join Mark Andrushko and host Paula B. for a fascinating conversation about Scriptapalooza, including: * What the contest offers its winners * Who reads the scripts, and how many scripts each judge reads * How the judges grade the scripts * How many entries they get * How winners get connected with the film industry * Why they have three deadlines * Whether a film's potential budget affects a screenplay's chances of winning * Whether a lousy script hurts a contestant's chances in the future * How they got so many production companies involved in the contest.

In episode 3, Jean reported her progress after having sent out several queries and told us that she had modified her query letter based on a listener suggestion. We also explored the idea of overpolishing one's work, and Jean admitted that she enjoyed her scenes from the sixties more than the ones based in the present. Today we hear more about the fate of Jean's queries, discuss the state of the industry, and hear some advice from Writing Show listeners.

First prize is $10,000. The deadline is March 1st. Are you ready for the BlueCat Screenplay Competition? This week, screenwriter/director and BlueCat founder Gordy Hoffman joins us for a look at this internationally acclaimed contest in which every entrant receives a written script analysis. Join Gordy and host Paula B. as they discuss: * What the contest offers its winners * What sorts of screenplays have won * How winners get connected with the film industry * What sorts of critiques entrants get * Whether a film's potential budget affects a screenplay's chances of winning * What some of the most common writing faults are * How you can insert back story elegantly * How to write great log lines * How Gordy feels about titles.

In 2003, Paula Berinstein and her husband did a really stupid thing: they started an online bookstore. In 2004, humiliated and a great deal poorer (but wiser), they closed it. In episode 7 of "How Not to Run an Online Bookstore," Paula talks about the crazy branding workshop she thought might help save her business, including: * How she ended up going to the workshop in the first place * Why branding is important * What sorts of people attended, and why she had trouble talking to them * What she found helpful about the workshop, and what almost made her run screaming * What she discovered about herself at the workshop * What her final branding statement looked like * What was helpful about the experience, and what ultimately didn't matter.

Charles John Huffam Dickens is the author of such classics as A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, and the beloved A Christmas Carol. Some of his characters are the most famous in all of literature: Ebenezer Scrooge, Miss Havisham, Fagin, Little Nell, Madame DeFarge, Uriah Heep. He was born in 1812 in Portsmouth, England. Join Mr. Dickens and host Paula B. as they discuss all things Dickens, including: * How and where he works * What it's like to write in installments * How A Christmas Carol came about * What his "Carol philosophy" is * How Carol was received * What he keeps in his notebook Memoranda * How he prepares for his public readings, and how Mark Twain felt about one of them * How he's fought the piracy of his intellectual property * What his influences are * How he approaches his characters.