Ceara Comeau's Blog: Lessons From A Struggling Writer - Posts Tagged "book"
Normal
With July fast approaching, I really didn’t have anything to write about until yesterday. See, most of this month was the same as last month and the month before due to the events that have been going on in the world. Book events were still being canceled or postponed right and left and there was very little to do except to continue writing my second book of the trilogy.
In reality, life has been rather dull and, like many of us small business owners, I was getting really discouraged in regards to my books. Even my publicist was having a hard time finding ways of helping me get my book out there. But I had an epiphany yesterday.
My husband and I decided to venture out a bit from our hometown and we went to the mall for the first time in months. We had no idea what to expect, but what we didn’t expect was how relaxed it was. There were few people and everyone was keeping their distance and for the most part, everyone was playing it safe. It felt…normal!
For months now, I kept hearing from customers coming through my line at work, “This is the new normal”. And yesterday, on our way home, I got to thinking. What is normal? Is normal what we knew before the pandemic? Or is normal just a setting on a dryer (as the old saying goes)?
No, we are the ones who define what is normal in our society. Sure, my book events have been delayed, but that doesn’t mean I can’t push my book out there more through giveaways and virtual book tours. Sure, major fairs and upcoming holiday events are canceled, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a cookout for ourselves and make a “fair” in our own backyard.
We have so many options in our current situation, we just need to tap into the creative side we were all born with and try something new.
In reality, life has been rather dull and, like many of us small business owners, I was getting really discouraged in regards to my books. Even my publicist was having a hard time finding ways of helping me get my book out there. But I had an epiphany yesterday.
My husband and I decided to venture out a bit from our hometown and we went to the mall for the first time in months. We had no idea what to expect, but what we didn’t expect was how relaxed it was. There were few people and everyone was keeping their distance and for the most part, everyone was playing it safe. It felt…normal!
For months now, I kept hearing from customers coming through my line at work, “This is the new normal”. And yesterday, on our way home, I got to thinking. What is normal? Is normal what we knew before the pandemic? Or is normal just a setting on a dryer (as the old saying goes)?
No, we are the ones who define what is normal in our society. Sure, my book events have been delayed, but that doesn’t mean I can’t push my book out there more through giveaways and virtual book tours. Sure, major fairs and upcoming holiday events are canceled, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a cookout for ourselves and make a “fair” in our own backyard.
We have so many options in our current situation, we just need to tap into the creative side we were all born with and try something new.
Book Sisters Productions
The month of September has been a roller coaster of craziness! But through the ups and downs, I had something really amazing to look forward to--filmmaking. Remember last month I said I was going to work together with a local filmmaker/author? Well, it's not just a concept now. It's officially a reality!
With my marketing and public relations skills and Killarney's filmmaking vision, we make an amazing team. What's better is that we're both writers, so we understand each other's dreams!
To be honest, I never knew just how difficult it is to maintain the marketing aspect of a project and the project itself. But, it's very rewarding in the long run because at the end of the day I can say, "Hey, I helped with this! I made it work!"
Book Sisters Productions is what we have appropriately titled our little company. Our first project will be taking my old Amber Oak short stories and turning them into films. That, in itself, is a challenge.
For those who haven't read my original stories, they were written when I was twelve. Being in my late 20s, I can see areas in these stories where I need to either explain things better or flesh out the plot entirely. It's definitely a lot of work, but what's fun about it is that I'm also writing them in the series they were meant to be.
While the screenplays are in progress, our little company is assisting in other films. There's never a dull moment, whether it be last minute props…emergency script adjustments…or planning out the film day to a T. Although I still have a lot to learn about "show biz", I feel that assisting in these upcoming films will help me understand things better and also help me better as a writer whether that be writing on or off-screen!
If you want to be part of our journey, check out our website at www.booksistersproductions.com
With my marketing and public relations skills and Killarney's filmmaking vision, we make an amazing team. What's better is that we're both writers, so we understand each other's dreams!
To be honest, I never knew just how difficult it is to maintain the marketing aspect of a project and the project itself. But, it's very rewarding in the long run because at the end of the day I can say, "Hey, I helped with this! I made it work!"
Book Sisters Productions is what we have appropriately titled our little company. Our first project will be taking my old Amber Oak short stories and turning them into films. That, in itself, is a challenge.
For those who haven't read my original stories, they were written when I was twelve. Being in my late 20s, I can see areas in these stories where I need to either explain things better or flesh out the plot entirely. It's definitely a lot of work, but what's fun about it is that I'm also writing them in the series they were meant to be.
While the screenplays are in progress, our little company is assisting in other films. There's never a dull moment, whether it be last minute props…emergency script adjustments…or planning out the film day to a T. Although I still have a lot to learn about "show biz", I feel that assisting in these upcoming films will help me understand things better and also help me better as a writer whether that be writing on or off-screen!
If you want to be part of our journey, check out our website at www.booksistersproductions.com
New Year, New Updates
So, it wasn't until I started scrolling through my past blog posts that I realized I actually didn't have any major life lessons that I learned this month! (Shocking I know).
But, I do have some pretty awesome updates for this coming year.
My film partner, Killarney Traynor, and I have been hard at working building our new film company--Book Sisters Productions. I'm sure I've mentioned the new venture, one or two times ;)
So far I've written four screenplays which are all in various editing phases right now. We are also having two logos being done up by my awesome cover designer, Matt Crafton of Space Viking Productions and we are also looking in to getting a sample theme song done by a mutual friend of ours.
Things are right on track for pre-production which we hope to start this June! While we are in the waiting stages for the new multi-film series, Killarney is getting ready to do her next film, Peacemaker. This will be a western theme. That is something she anticipates will be filmed in the spring which Book Sisters will be a great part of.
Along with that, Killarney's latest short film will be premiered on January 31st on YouTube. Here is the link for it, you don't want to miss it!
https://youtu.be/2DtCfrOZtgc
But, I do have some pretty awesome updates for this coming year.
My film partner, Killarney Traynor, and I have been hard at working building our new film company--Book Sisters Productions. I'm sure I've mentioned the new venture, one or two times ;)
So far I've written four screenplays which are all in various editing phases right now. We are also having two logos being done up by my awesome cover designer, Matt Crafton of Space Viking Productions and we are also looking in to getting a sample theme song done by a mutual friend of ours.
Things are right on track for pre-production which we hope to start this June! While we are in the waiting stages for the new multi-film series, Killarney is getting ready to do her next film, Peacemaker. This will be a western theme. That is something she anticipates will be filmed in the spring which Book Sisters will be a great part of.
Along with that, Killarney's latest short film will be premiered on January 31st on YouTube. Here is the link for it, you don't want to miss it!
https://youtu.be/2DtCfrOZtgc
