I never really had any interest in writing screenplays, I've always tried to stay close in the land of fiction novels. It seems like once I get in the groove of a great fictional story, something comes along and pulls me out - like when I'm asked to edit a non-fiction, ghost-write an inspirational teaching series, work on a memoir or autobiography, design and manage a newsletter, or produce a news article for an online magazine. I don't mind these things, but they don't make my heart palpitate hard against my chest. They don't cause goosebumps to pop up all over my arms or send the hairs on the back of my neck into full attention.
Needless to say, when writer/producer Elise Dimitria Bowman of CINIGI Lighthouse first approached me about writing a screenplay, I was very reluctant. Part of me was asking, "Why can't SHE just write one if she's so interested in my work?" With an already OVER-EXTENDED schedule, I just couldn't fathom the time, energy or desire to do it properly and so became almost hard-hearten to the opportunity. Today, I'm glad she didn't give up on me. I'm so thankful she insisted I participate in her Intro to Screenwriting Workshops because I'm finding that writing screenplays offers me the same excitement that my fiction novels provide, at least when it comes to adapting one of my own novels.
I still have an over-extended schedule and it has caused this screenplay to be slow progressing, but it is progressing none-the-less. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel, enough so that I'm doing what I can to remove some of my other responsibilities to make a little more time for this new-found love in my life. I know I have a long way to go and lot more to learn, but now I'm not so squeamish to give it a shot. Maybe because she's a great teacher more than I'm an eager learner.
I still don't know what Ms. Bowman's role will play in my life, but if it never goes any further than what it has already, she's been an important inspiration to me.
Till next time,
~T.L. Gray
