Sign in to subscribe

Authoring & Playwriting

For all the authors and playwrights in our community, a place to discuss, share content and post tips and advice.

Spencer Robinson Jan'26 Verbal Pitch Lab
Find Your Footing on Stage 32: Join Our December Community Open House!

Find Your Footing on Stage 32: Join Our December Community Open House!

Monday, December 29th at 12:00 pm PT!

Every success story begins with a first step.

If you’re ready to take yours, join me, Ashley Smith, Head of Community at Stage 32, for our December Community Open House Webcast happening Monday, December 29th at 12:00 pm PT!

Free Registration: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-december-community-open-house-webcast-with-ashley-smith

Whether you’re chasing representation, looking for collaborators, or simply tired of creating in isolation, this live event is your chance to show up, be seen, and start making real progress.

This isn’t just an overview — it’s your creative launchpad. You’ll walk away with practical tools, new connections, and a clear path forward, no matter your background or where you are in your career.

You’ll Learn How To:

  • Navigate Stage 32 like a pro and make the platform work for your goals
  • Build authentic connections through the Stage 32 Lounges
  • Access Education, Certification, and Script Services tailored to your next big move
  • Show up in ways that get you noticed by the right people at the right time
  • Participate in real-time Q&A and get guidance specific to your path

Whether you’re a writer, filmmaker, actor, producer, composer, editor, or wear multiple creative hats — this is where your Stage 32 journey truly begins.

If you can’t attend live, don’t worry — registering ensures you’ll receive the full recording to watch anytime from anywhere.

Who’s planning to join me live for the Open House?


Liked by Stefano Pavone and one other

Stephanie Hoover
Illustrating Your Own Children's Books - Still a "No No"?

I'm a retired traditionally published non-fiction author (and current full-time artist) so I know the publishing business, but I've written a children's book that I'd also like to illustrate. I'm aware that the LONG held rule was that agents/publishers don't want to see illustrations from the author...

Expand post

Stefano Pavone

Does it matter, as long as the art is aesthetically pleasing?

Liked by Lauren Hackney and 3 others

Lauren Hackney
Something to ponder....

Hey Authors and Playwrights,

So the festive season is winding down in my little corner of the world. You know the feeling: too much of everything and that familiar internal monologue of “Why can’t I stop shoving food in my mouth?”

Cue a sticky summer storm, another generous pour of Christmas cheer, an...

Expand post

Debbie Seagle
Leave a Legacy

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanuka, and Joyous Holidays to everyone whose creativity is reset with a season of living - when the world seems calmer, people more generous, and imaginations - more magical.

I sincerely wish all of you a beautiful pause for reflection and the opportunity to find joy. Whether...

Expand post

Maurice Vaughan

Merry Christmas, Debbie Seagle! I plan on writing the best scripts of my career in 2026.

Stefano Pavone

To ensure the 1982 anime movie "Queen Millennia" gets the wide release it deserves.

Jed Power
How & where to pitch a WIP novel?

Where & how do you pitch a crime thriller novel, "Saving Hampton Beach," that will also be book #9 in an established Indie published series? This book also has film and binge worthy TV streaming possibilities! No, I don't want to Indie publish this potential best-seller. I am disabled and destitute and need dough BAD, NOT to spend momey.

Kathryn D Smith

Hey, Jed. So, it's very unlikely that a publisher will look at an unagented manuscript, let alone one that's part of an existing series. Also, they won't look at it unless it's finished. I've been in...

Expand comment
Fran Tabor

You seem to think that Indie publishing will cost you money. There are services such as Draft2Digital that will, for free, publish your book online, do all the necessary formatting and make it availab...

Expand comment
Fran Tabor

If all you want is to advertise, there are podcasts that cater to authors that might be willing to interview about your writer's journey. Especially since this is book #9.

Jed Power

Hathryn, Fran, Thank you both so much!

Alex Hunter
Taking a break... or are you?

I'm forcing myself to take a break over the festive period.

Alex Hunter

Rutger Oosterhoff 2 I'll take the KitKat! Enjoy your break.

Darrell Pennington

Definitely taking a break!!

Alex Hunter

Darrell Pennington Enjoy it!

Nancy Wilkinson

I’m not at the computer but my dreams don’t take a break. Polishing ideas keep swimming in for my Operation Sea Devils sci fi script.

Alex Hunter

Nancy Wilkinson Sometimes things come better away from the keyboard I find!

Kat Spencer
When pacing pulls you out of a story...

Maybe this is just my writer brain, but the pacing in Sullivan’s Crossing keeps pulling me out of the story.

Emotional conflict shows up, resolves quickly, then resets. Over and over.

I enjoy the show, but I wish the beats had more room to breathe.

Curious how others feel — and where you think pacing d...

Expand post

Maurice Vaughan

Pacing pulls me out of a story sometimes, Kat Spencer. I think pacing decisions usually come from the writing, but sometimes it's out of a writer's control, like if it's a screenplay that got made and...

Expand comment
Debbie Seagle

Exactly Maurice Vaughan ... I have nightmares about post-production editing. - What if they leave my "darlings" out!

Kat Spencer

Thanks Maurice Vaughan - Do you have a current show or movie where that comes to mind?

Kat Spencer

Debbie Seagle Do you think we have any say at that point? I'm not sure I could hold my tongue, haha.

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Kat Spencer. I think some of the pacing in the beginning and middle of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery could've been better, but the pacing gets better later in the film. It's a...

Expand comment
Debbie Seagle
Can't We Just WRITE?

When I wrote a book, I didn’t want to do the marketing (so I did enough to make it a bestseller a few times) and started writing again. That’s what I am – a writer. Heck – an author. Not a promoter.

When I was convinced that my book needed to be a feature film, I learned to write the script (and I l...

Expand post

Lauren Hackney

Wow - congratulations with having your story being made into a film. That is the coolest thing and thank you for filling me in on how the journey is going... I will vicariously through you until I'm in the same boat!

David Taylor

Wish I had a tractor. I've got books and screenplays, but I don't have a tractor.

Debbie Seagle

David Taylor I'm not a good tractor driver though. It's somewhat like having a wonderful horse you can't saddle. Books & screenplays may be the way to go!...

Expand comment
Debbie Seagle

Lauren Hackney I have no doubt you're going to be jumping the wakes in your boat beside me! (Can I ski behind yours?)

Lauren Hackney

Debbie Seagle Thanks for the vote of confidence - I appreciate it!

Sara Ghadersahi
Self-Belief in Writing

Self-belief is one of the most important driving forces in writing.

It gives you the power to create your ideas and build your own world.

Sometimes this confidence develops at university, through practice and feedback from instructors, or in workshops and open critique sessions.

Other times, none of th...

Expand post

Maurice Vaughan

I agree, Sara Ghadersahi. Believing in my writing talent, getting better at writing scripts, and learning more about screenwriting helped me pitch my scripts, sell short scripts, and get jobs....

Expand comment
Sara Ghadersahi

Maurice Vaughan I wish you all the best and hope you make progress every day. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Sara Ghadersahi. Thank you. Best to you. I hope you make progress every day and have an incredible new year!

Sara Ghadersahi

Wishing you a Happy New Year in advance!

Maurice Vaughan

Happy New Year, Sara Ghadersahi!

Lauren Hackney
For those playing the long game...

Hey Authors and Playwrights,

For those of you playing the long game, what keeps you in it when the wins are slow but the love for storytelling is still there?

Meriem Bouziani

That’s a truly great question. For me, the rule is simple: my mind won’t let me give up. There are many obstacles and struggles, but my stories deserve to be told.

Mandi Allen

I write first for me. I’ve built up quite a collection of stories, have a large project on the horizon, that I’ll self produce.

Jay A Swendris

I'm in the same spot . any way I can help let me know

Lauren Hackney

Thank you Fares Moha @meriem @mandi @jay and @david - it's so interesting to read everyone's responses. I like how you said dreams are goals Fares!

Debbie Seagle

You Nailed it Lauren Hackney - it's the love of doing it!

Meriem Bouziani
Writing and personality

Hello creatives,

I have a question for you all,

How your writing and world-building influence who you are.

Do they shape your values, thoughts, or emotions in ways you didn’t expect?

At its core, do we shape our writing, or does our writing shape us—or is the relationship mutual?

Meriem Bouziani

I feel like my obsession with scientific plausibility almost becomes a kind of mental illness for me—I spend too much time reinforcing it hh Banafsheh Esmailzadeh...

Expand comment
Banafsheh Esmailzadeh

Meriem Bouziani lol I feel that, it could be xD it can be hard to let go of but try it :)

Charmane Wedderburn

Thank you, Meriem — beautifully put. I love the idea of mutual nurturing. When the work is honest, it really does feel like a living conversation rather than a one-way act of creation.

Meriem Bouziani

Yes, it’s a true, active conversation that only the creator truly knows, feels, and lives. Even when we share our work, no one can experience it the way we do the first time. Charmane Wedderburn...

Expand comment
Charmane Wedderburn

“Exactly — that first, private experience belongs only to the creator. Sharing the work invites others into it, but that initial conversation stays uniquely ours, and I think that’s part of what gives the work its pulse.’

Debbie Seagle
Are You Offending Someone?

Oh WOW! I had a conversation with my cousin last night. He is also an author & an amazing man with incredible insight. I asked him to read my script a few weeks ago…

He pointed out that – in my script – I blatantly created a character who was an egotistical know-it-all – and highly recognizable! (No...

Expand post

Kat Spencer

Debbie Seagle Hahaha Wow indeed! Guess it's good you had some other eyeballs on it. I probably have, but very few of my family have read anything I've written, so it's moot HA!...

Expand comment
Debbie Seagle

Koby Nguyen I'm going to write characters (the ones I have witnessed) "like a soul in fiction" from now on! That's beautiful.

Darrell Pennington

Debbie Seagle I've had to make a decision that I don't even bring up or offer or ask people I know to read stuff because I use familiar names and personalities ALL THE TIME....

Expand comment
Charmane Wedderburn

Debbie — this is such an honest question, and I think many of us have been there. Drawing from real people is often where the emotional truth comes from, but there’s a moment where craft asks us to tr...

Expand comment
Debbie Seagle

Awwwh Thank you Charmane Wedderburn. I'm with you on: "Drawing from real people is often where the emotional truth comes from," I invent characters all the time & they become real to me, yet - I can't...

Expand comment
Lauren Hackney
It doesn't have to be perfect....

Hey Authors and Playwrights,

Want to hear something optimistic? Screenplays don't have to be perfect to get over the line. Unlike novels etc, the writing side of the film industry is very different.

Feel like learning more? Check out RB blog:

https://www.stage32.com/blog/coffee-content-the-genius-of-w...

Expand post

Karen "Kay" Ross

GIRL, yes! This is by far the practice we PREACH on Monday's Coverage Report in the Writers' Room. We forget that the "audience" for screenplays is not the "butts in seats", but the actors, directors,...

Expand comment
Lauren Hackney

Karen "Kay" Ross My aim is to create characters actors want to play, design want to dress etc. And if they audience falls in love then that's an added bonus!

Charmane Wedderburn

Lauren — this is such an important reminder. In screenwriting, momentum, clarity, and emotional truth often matter more than polish at the early stages. A script can still open doors if the core works...

Expand comment
Lauren Hackney

Beautiful response Charmane Wedderburn this kind of thinking makes me want to quit publishing haha it's so freeing to hear!

Charmane Wedderburn

I’m so glad it landed, Lauren — and please don’t quit publishing. That freedom is exactly what keeps the work alive. Perfection can wait; momentum is what opens doors.

register for stage 32 Register / Log In
Register for FREE Stage 32 Membership
Members sign in here