Catégorie : Writing related topics

Writing a children tv show…

… is something I was told I couldn’t do.

Fair enough.

My storyteller thinking is novel-based, and has been this way for almost three decades now.

Fair enough.

Years ago, I would be in tears right now, raging for being rejected, raging for being told my words are not good enough. (Thank you, gray hair. For real)

However (I love this word, don’t know why, it sounds old, wise, sophisticated), it got me thinking about writing habits, the « set as default » turn of phrase we use, words, expressions, way for eyebrows to rise or sink into the deepest feeling of despair. Just before our hero finds the ultimate smidgen of courage to keep going, to try again, another last time.

Trying different storytelling canva to bring back those sparkles

What if, just for fun, and a bit to prove to myself I can write what other people think I can’t write, I’ll try different storytelling canva, with the same main idea.

I’ll try to write a movie script/storyboard for a 8 to 12 years old audience.

I’ll try to write an hour-lenght play for the same age kiddos.

I’ll try to write… two kid tv show, one for 6 to 8 years old, so ten minutes episodes, one for 9 to 12 years old, so 22 minutes episode, again with the same story premise.

Beauty of this writing adventure: a beautiful deadline. December 25th 2026!

Curious to know what happens? Me too! I’ll keep you posted.

Be safe, have fun and until then, dear fellow writers, may all the good words be with you !

Sunday Radio – Storytelling Sparkles

Did you ever fall out of your writing habits? If so, how were you able to get back to it?

Writing was (and it breaks my heart to write « was »…!) not only a habit, but sort of a lifestyle. And despite all the excellent advice on writing you and I can find out there (heck, I posted a couple of these years ago!!!), despite the famous waking up at 5 am, despite that little notebook I keep beside me at all times…

Something is lost.

Overwhelming. All seems to be.
Many dozens of books are published every day, everywhere.
Many dozens of times this summer, the blue sky was grey with smoke, and the sun was red.
Many, many times in the past months – months slowly becoming years-, I found myself in front of this screen, looking for the words to tell stories, to share through them hope, laughter, excitement, drama, and dreams.
In vain.

Then, I heard her voice.

Sunday Radio

An 80-year-old artist explaining how, since she was a kid, her entire being was drawn to drawing, to playing music, to making movies and telling stories.
Her mother bashed and shamed her dreams when she was 9 or 10, telling her she had no talents. Nearly two decades after, the artist was able to move beyond her mother’s shadow to finally embrace what was burning in her : the desire to create, to make art, to tell stories.

This week, this 80-year-old artist, Paule Baillargeon, will see her first book published.

The book highlights her career through her artwork, which she continues to do, even though she lost her independence due to illness, and now lives in a house dedicated to helping seniors who have lost their autonomy.

A long radio interview, which I listened to without doing a billion little other things.
Something was there, in her voice, her will, her strength.

That something I lost, many, many months ago…

Changing Back to Oneself

That something. Where was it anyway?

Well, that something never went far. It was simply hiding, keeping safe.

Hiding from a toxic manager’s influence, financial insecurity, and anxiety. For two years.

Not anymore.
I will not let those noises bash, shame or silence my dreams.
Never again.

Something is found.

Sparkling Stories

Telling stories always made me feel like something was sparkling inside my soul.
Something happy, dancing in my heart.

I’m gonna work less hours. I’m gonna rest. And I’m gonna start writing stories again.

No plan yet. No schedule.

A promise, however… Write every day, for the pure joy of feeling the sparkles shine again.

Thanks for being here, on the long road to achieving a dream: write novels full-time to make people laugh and dream.

Until next time, take care of yourselves.

Tea at Mid Night

Wondering how to bring back the writing inspiration

Autumn is here.

Now, stars are shining, bright, beautiful, friends from the past and the now.

With a good old mug of steaming Earl Grey tea by my side, the blanket that waited in the cupboard all summer long, wishing the nights would get colder already, wrapped around my shoulders.

Under the daylight, in our little corner of the whole wide world, tree leaves burst with breathtaking colours, and when it rains, everything shines, and when the clouds take their leave, everything smiles under a deep blue sky.

Apple picking, pumpkin picking, soft coat, hot chocolate after a long day of walking under a red-yellow-orange-brown-green canopy, I love it all.

At this time of year, Every year, I write about this fabulous season.

And also…
At this time of year…
Every Year…

… either I share my plan about a new writing project OR I write a post about writing routines, writing goals, word counts, productivity tricks.

Etcetera. Etcetera. Etcetera

Well, not this year. Not this fall.

Wondering

It’s been unusually warm for September. Ans it looks like it’s gonna get « worst ». The leaves are drying off, and the colours are fading before blooming. It’s been a month since it last rained.

The kind of weather you wish for when your Summer vacations are closing in.

Not very fall-ish weather, not very inspiring.

I’ve been looking for writing inspiration… heck, inspiration period… elsewhere. Wondering how to bring back inspiration when everything we’re used to is changing, vanishing.

Still wondering. Still looking.

I surrounded myself with some good old book friends.

Got a tiny notebook I can carry around, ready to capture a sparkle, a ray of light.