I'm very excited to finally announce our brand new annual writing competition - Write/LA!
After doing 13 LiveRead events, and talking to a range of Insiders, it's clear no-one builds a writing career on talent alone. Like any other highly skilled job, being a professional writers takes hard work, persistence, more hard work, and a lot of writing no-one will ever see. It's the truth, but I know as a fellow writer, it's not what we want to hear.
I spent years believing one good script was all I needed to get in the 'door', and then I'd figure out the rest. And there are plenty of script competitions who feed that dream by offering prizes like representation and meetings. I know, because I've entered them all - with some success.
But no amount of meetings or reps will help if you don't have command of the craft. You might sell a script with talent alone, but you won't have a career. Which by the way, applies to every single job/industry. Why should writing be any different?
So, I wanted to create an annual competition to help talented writers gather more of the information and experience they'll need if/when 'Hollywood' comes calling. Launching something like that is ambitious when we're already doing all we do.
And then I met Angela Bourassa, founder of LA Screenwriter.
Angela has built an amazing online resource for all writers, while also writing her own scripts. You really should check it out - it's remarkable and very impressive.
Angela shares my desire to help writers, and to create something unique that speaks directly to the writing process, rather than trying to sell a potentially unrealistic dream.
We've been working together for months now to build Write/LA - and it's been a fascinating and valuable journey for me. I've learned a great deal. Many thanks to Angela, and also to the amazing folks at The Standard Hotel on Sunset in Hollywood for coming on board as our Hotel Partner. You will not meet nicer people, who are more eager to support creative folk.
So here we are - Write/LA exists, and now it's over to you!
We'll be selecting 3 writers to come to LA next January for workshops, breakfasts with Industry Insiders, and a final night Gala where up to 30 pages of each winning script will be read by amazing actors at an exclusive invitation only event.
We'll be open for submissions from March 23 through September 2 - and we're accepting features and TV scripts - no categories or anything complicated, and no favors to either field or to any genre. We're looking for writers with talent, who we think will benefit from the LA experience we offer.
I'm head judge - it was important to me to put a face to the judging process, as so many competitions keep it all very mysterious. The reading/judging buck stops with me. We have a written feedback service for an additional fee - and I want to make it clear that just like LiveRead/LA (which will continue), everyone's feedback will go through me, and will have the same helpful tone and care that we apply to every bit of feedback we currently do.
I'm really excited to launch Write/LA - because it increases our opportunity to connect with, and help writers from all over the USA, and the world.
So check out our amazing website (thanks Angela), and think about entering. Who knows, maybe it'll be you coming to Los Angeles, or if you already live here, getting the rare chance to meet Industry people, spend 2 days working on your craft, and then being celebrated on stage and hearing your words read out loud. Or maybe you'll be a quarterfinalist and receive smaller, but still useful prizes.
Experience, education, celebration - Write/LA!
Regards,
Tim