Heather Wright's Blog

Hi! Thanks for visiting! After more than 15 years, I’ve decided not to maintain this website anymore. I’ve left the most popular pages intact. I’ve found a new love in writing, and it’s screenplays, and I don’t really do anything else. I write strictly Hallmark-style romance and mystery and have never had so much fun writing. The photo above is the poster for my first sold script produced by Trilight Entertainment and Princ Films. It should be available on several streaming services Christmas 2024. I hope that you find the writing niche that makes you happy and wish you every success. Onward! Heather

At 1:30 one sleepless morning, the final scene in the screenplay appeared in my head. I got up scribbled it down and finally got to sleep. Apparently, this is what my writing brain was waiting for because the next day the laptop beckoned, and I could finally start typing. Lesson learned. Nothing happens until I know the ending.

It’s been a long time since I posted a blog. A long slog of 9 months in there, with contracts keeping me busy–and more than a little stressed–and just coping with a COVID-shadowed world. I know how lucky I am to be busy with work that I can do from home. On the plus side, I finished three Hallmark-style screenplays and have finally broken through on the plot for the fourth–that has taken a looooong time. I’ve even started sending queries for the first two out to production companies. The third is still out for coverage and when I get those notes back, I’ll be in editing mode for a while. I always learn so much from my critique notes. ... Read more...

For so many reasons, last year was different, and I learned a some writing lessons that I want to pass along to you, believing I can't be the only one who had a 2020 like mine.

Whether you are participating in NaNoWriMo or not, there will be times when your current project loses its momentum and you need a new strategy to help you get your ideas moving and your words on the page. Below are some links to articles that will help you stay on track and achieve your goals. For non-NaNo writers, my favourite strategy is to have more than one project on the go. When one gets stale or feels blocked, I switch to the other. While I’m working on the second project, the back of my brain will continue to worry away at the first one and the reason for the block is often revealed and solved. When working on NaNo, you ... Read more...

I love October. It’s my birthday month, and my husband’s, and it’s Thanksgiving here, and our wedding anniversary, too. Aside from the opportunities to indulge in cakes and holiday pies, I also love the view from my window, where across the hydro corridor, I see a huge bank of shrubs in glorious colour right now—I love the deep, red sumac. In a little while, our columnar maples will be a brilliant yellow. They’re always slow to turn—like saving the best until last. As we approach the six-month point in COVID life here, I hope you are finding ways to cope, safely connect with friends and family, and even be creative. I’m determined to take more walks now before the sidewalks ... Read more...

Yesterday was a day of bays: Red Bay, Hope Bay, Pike Bay, Stoke’s Bay, and Colpoys Bay, plus Sauble Beach, Oliphant, Lion’s Head, and Wiarton. Too windy for golf or sailing or enjoying the beach, we opted for a day trip to explore some of the Bruce Peninsula, dodging clouds like those above and enjoying sunny blue skies as in the photo below. I hope your last long weekend of the summer held some lovely moments for you, too. Those of you heading back to school or who have family members doing the same, my good wishes for a healthy and smooth beginning to the school year are with you. Teachers, if you ever need any ideas or material to ... Read more...

August already? No wonder I’m seeing ads for back-to-school shopping. Here I was thinking that the advertisers were really jumping the gun. Hard to believe that, in spite of everything, this year seems to be moving along at top speed. I’m still working on my new online course, Your Novel: From Idea to Outline. All of the modules are drafted. Now, I have the visuals/videos to work on, during which, I’m sure I’ll find content that I want to fine tune. I’m enjoying working on this project a lot. I’ve added another project into the mix just for fun–a romance idea that may turn out as a screenplay or a book. Early days. I’ve had a great time using Plottr ... Read more...

July 1 marks my country’s birthday—and more important—my mom’s. I have teased her that she only immigrated to Canada from England in order to have a holiday on her birthday. My country is 153 years old. My mom is 92. For both, their story began long before their official birthdays, needing the right people to get together at the right time with the right intentions and a commitment to nurturing their “child” through the years ahead. I’m proud to be a Canadian and my mom’s daughter, and July 1st is as good a day as any to remember the gifts I have been given by both. If you’ve been writing all along through the pandemic, that’s wonderful, and I’m thrilled ... Read more...

Well, it’s our 12th week of lockdown. How are you doing? I’m hoping that you and yours are keeping safe, that the strategies you’re using to stay sane and creative are working, and that you’re finding some signs of hope in a world that seems to be coming apart at the seams. I’m checking in with my social media feeds less often. It just hurts so much to read the news right now. Last month, I got a creative boost, participating in a series of webinars hosted by Grace Lever at The Doer’s Way. It was the inspiration I needed. Right now, I’m working on developing a new course, Your Novel: From Idea to Draft. I really believe that doing ... Read more...