Welcome back to our crazy, fun, always interesting
Round Robin Blog Fest!!
2021 has certainly started with a bang in so many ways.
For one, I found out I am one of the top 10 bestselling authors for BWL Publishing! This is my second year with that honor and I'm so excited! They even make us these great little logos to attach to our social media accounts.
For now, we're going to ignore the crazy things that have surfaced this year and focus on this month's question to our amazing authors: What is on your writing to-do list for this year? Do you have any long range goals or just wrap up?
I tend to take on a lot of things. I just can't say no. That's my biggest downfall.
It would be great if my body could keep up with my mind some days so I could whittle down my Wanna-Do list. At least the Wanna-Do's eventually hit my To-Do list. This seems to be the year a lot of them have migrated from one list to the other!
In the year which shall not be named, I was fortunate to release two novels: Dead Without Shame and Drop Dead Cowboy. I also wrote two more books while in lockdown, one during Nanowrimo and the other that I just finished over Christmas.
Here we are barely into 2021 and my writing world has had a few interesting twists added.
First of all, my Escape with a Writer blog is going strong! Last year I featured over 80 authors!
Secondly, I have two upcoming novels. All That Shines will be released in April and a second, unnamed novel in November. I also have a Gilda Wright Mystery novel scheduled for August.
Then came the twist.
Last winter, I took an acting class that came to a sudden end in March. During that class, I began to write a couple plays. One started as a scene for Acting Class. The other was just a fun idea that popped into my head one day. A mystery. Since I work in a professional theatre, it's not a stretch for me to side step into the direction of scripts. I've read several of them. The artistic director and I had even discussed a couple of my ideas before... You know.
Then came two more twists:
1) a chat with the artistic director regarding about a script I showed him. He can't wait to see where the story goes and would love to workshop it in our theatre! I guess I have some writing to do!
2) an email from Foster Festival in St. Catharines, Ontario to join a playwriting workshop with Canadian playwright Norm Foster. Since we have featured several of Norm's plays in our own theatre, Theatre Orangeville, I was excited for the opportunity and jumped at it! My first class is January 26. Hopefully, I'll have a rough draft of my play done by then. Or at least mostly done.
The good news is All That Shines is done and just needs another good edit before it goes to my publisher. The Gilda Wright novella is almost done as well. As for the third novel, I have ideas.
As I said, 2021 has arrived with a few interesting twists. I've also been asked to lead my first seminar in February. Am I ready for it? Nope! I need to write out what I think I'm going to say. I'm already nervous about it.
Every morning, I have started to write out 5 things I am grateful for. I've written "Opportunities" more than once. Funny how I'm suddenly flooded with them!
All the best to you in 2021!
~ Diane
Please wander through the list and visit our other amazingly talented authors!!
Writing plays! How wonderful! And novels, too! You've accomplished a lot in 2020 and have great plans for this year. I'm rooting for your success!
ReplyDeleteAww thank you! So much more great news to come in February! It's a bit overwhelming, but I'm excited!
DeleteYou sound very busy writing-wise, and that’s wonderful! Plays are fun and completely different than novels in some ways. How great would that be to see it workshopped and perhaps produced at some point! I took a musical theater workshop many years ago. It was fun and very challenging, but worth it. Like Rhobin, I will be rooting for your success.
ReplyDeleteAwww, thank you! I'm excited to try a new avenue as well as getting some other new works out!
DeleteWow, Diane, are you on fire or what! I like writing dialogue and have sometimes thought I might try writing a script, but that will probably always be on the back-burner! Best of luck with all your endeavours and congratulations on your Books We Love best seller designation.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Playwriting has been on the backburner but when the workshop came up, I couldn't pass it up!
DeleteCongratulations on your repeat achievement of best-selling author. And it sounds like you are having fun, which is always a good idea.
ReplyDeleteThank you! That's why we write, isn't it? If it's no fun, then it's work.
DeleteCongrats on the honors. How exciting. Sounds like you are off to a running start for this coming year Good luck with the whole new twist of screen writing, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm looking forward to seeing what this year brings!
DeleteHi Diane, I used to write plays and I'm so excited to hear you're doing that AND you've got a sympathetic reader with a theatre at his disposal. Good luck, Anne
ReplyDeleteThanks!! I'll keep you in mind if I need a brain to pick!
DeleteCongratulations on winning that honor 2 years in a row! Top 10 sellers for your publisher? Great!
ReplyDeleteI've been in contact with a writer who has done screenplays, and he's told me I should try that. But I read one of his full-length novels, and then read the screenplay he turned it into. He had to truncate it to fit into a 90-minute time frame. He left out characters, and entire sequences of action. I vastly preferred the novel with its complexity. I'm not sure I could reduce my writing like that.
But your experiences with taking part in local theater is no doubt a huge help for you. Good luck with all of your various projects!
Thank you! I've also been approached by someone about writing a screenplay but not until next year. One thing at a time!
DeleteYou've been a busy lady, Diane. You got a lot of writing done and it's continuing into this year with a lot of interesting activities. And congrats on being on the top 10 best selling authors.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I think it will be a fun year for sure!
Delete80 guest authors on your blog? Wow! You are so very busy, Diane.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to the lists and sub-to-do lists. Keep us posted on your adventures in developing your play.
Congrats on your top 10 best selling authors for 2020!