Authoring & Playwriting

As promised, after various discussions about writing 'design briefs', here is the brief for my new label, 'Lucent Dark'.

You will notice how brief the brief is! Colse Leung runs his own design company. I pay him a monthly retainer and this means that he is at my beck and call (ha!) whenever there's a...

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As promised, after various discussions about writing 'design briefs', here is the brief for my new label, 'Lucent Dark'.

You will notice how brief the brief is! Colse Leung runs his own design company. I pay him a monthly retainer and this means that he is at my beck and call (ha!) whenever there's a project that needs his design skills. Because of the way I work, there's always a backlog of projects, especially when we talk about the 'World of Owl' series.

He has also designed the website for the novels. https://www.worldofowl.co.uk/

This project, for Lucent Dark, was an additional piece of work. After the last couple of years of working together, we have developed a shorthand relationship, so that I don't need to over-elaborate with the various briefs I've written for him.

It pays not to cloud the focus with long texts, but to boil down the essence of the design you'd like. It's acorns and not the full-grown tree. Here below, is the brief I wrote for him. I will also include the photo, that is cited in the text.

In the comments below, I will add the images of Colse's designs and that I will use going forward, to promote the novels and backstories for the World of Owl Series, so that you can see the whole scope of the process. What goes on between the brief to the finished design is a to-and-fro of ideas and the search for a design which encapsulates, embodies the inspiration from the brief. I hope this helps.

Lucent Dark: Design Brief for Colse Creative

Lucent Dark is to be my ‘trading as’ publishing company for all the side projects with the World of 0w1 series.

Lucent Dark is a chapter in David Hinton’s amazing book on Tu Fu called, ‘Awakened Cosmos’.

In this case he is writing about the poem, ‘Full Moon’ and his description, (see photo), evokes quite an image of the creative and spiritual process.

“To cut a pattern from a cloth, to make a form appear.”

Lucent Dark then, will be publishing patterns (language) from a cloth; the dark world or night sky of our reality.

Hinton goes on to write: “Here lies the explanation for how...the moon emerges into existence for the first time...” (from its embryonic source).

With this in mind, Lucent Dark will pierce the darkness in the cloth of the night sky, so that light can shine through.

Tu Fu isn’t speaking as such, of a new full moon in an astronomical cycle, but an existential event; a totally new and never before seen event of a Full Moon; born, brought forth from the pictograms of his poetry.

Geoff Hall

Kick-back this Sunday and listen to a talk from James Baldwin, who for this Brit is the standout social commentator and essayist of American life, in the 20th Century.

Standout quotes:

“The audience can only be...

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Morgan Aitken

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1 person likes this
- D.E. White
2 months ago

OMD! I was thinking of sending em something... Would that be nepotism? Thus spake, M.F. Aitken

Seriously, I didn't think they were open to unsolicited subs. But way cool for posting, D.E. White !...

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Richard Buzzell

I'm in. Thanks encore D. E.

Shellie Schmals

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2 people like this
- Carina S. Burns
- Maurice Vaughan
2 months ago

Carina S. Burns - congratulations!! What is your approach in completing the project?

Maurice Vaughan

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1 person likes this
- Carina S. Burns
2 months ago

Great to hear an update, Carina S. Burns! Happy 2023!

D.E. White

Brilliant Carina!

View all All comments

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1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

Maybe you're right Maurice Vaughan about the Anything Goes Lounge. Technically there's so much info coming down the social media stand-pipe, it really comes down to what one makes of it... or gets pla...

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2 people like this
- Morgan Aitken
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

Hi Morgan Aitken - great suggestion!! There is definitely a need to help author's connect too! Glad Sam Sokolow was here to see it! :)...

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2 people like this
- Maurice Vaughan
- Morgan Aitken
2 months ago

Brilliant suggestion Morgan Aitken and yes, so many adaptations going on, it would be an excellent addition to Stage 32. And yes, price point is an issue, but with the correct one, it be great to get...

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2 people like this
- D.E. White
- Maurice Vaughan
2 months ago

Precisely, @D.E. White : price point. Screenwriters can try their pitches in front of an exec for $35 but the only option for writers with a literary work they'd like to see about adapting for film/TV...

Same!

L. Tom Deaver

Thank you for sharing, Sam.

Dathane Turner

Entertaining, thank you.

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1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
2 months ago

Sounds great Sam!

GiGi Raines

Thank you for sharing Sam! And congratulations to Julia for finding success in following her passion. There’s always a way!

3 months ago

Here's one version:

and then the one I chose...

I should point out that after this brief is posted to the designer, a conversation ensues. He asks for images to be sent, that somehow exemplify in some way, the feel or look, I am wanting.

He will th...

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1 person likes this
- Geoff Hall
3 months ago

Very interesting, Geoff. I like your design.

2 months ago

L. Tom Deaver thank you Tom. I think when you find a designer who ‘gets it’ and ‘gets you’ then they are gold dust.

I never have to force it and I’ve learned from him that he has a better eye for thing...

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2 people like this
- Dominic DiMarco
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

I got the same email. Assumed it was spam. If it's for real, usually a clerk or intern from a real agency - you can ring up and ask to speak to said person - gets in touch to ask if rights are available. Then later you might hear from an agent or rep.

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3 people like this
3 months ago

Dominic DiMarco - this is a quick hack, but I will search an email in google to see if it exists and then do another search like :

"email@me.com" scam

and see what comes up....

Dominic DiMarco

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2 people like this
- Maurice Vaughan
- Shellie Schmals
3 months ago

Thank you everyone for the great advice! Turns out to be a scam, and looking closer makes much more sense. Despite the letdown, makes me eager to get more scripts going and query agents soon! Thank you again everybody!!

Jeff E. Gregory

Hi Dominic DiMarco - always ask for references and referrals from our Stage forums. That's what we're here for! :)

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1 person likes this
- D.E. White
3 months ago

Personally, I'm not really sure what romance writing is. Seriously, it looks to me like fiction. What draws the line between fiction and romance? Is it the level of snogging and snagging that defines...

Great tip! Thank you! Do you write predominately romance?

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1 person likes this
- Morgan Aitken
3 months ago

I write crime, but for romance writers this society is great! Morgan, all of the above lol, and yes, the structure and tone play a big part. Like the crime formula, there is a romance formula too. Romance is another massive and highly lucrative genre, with some incredible writers.

I have a few friends who will be interested in this - thank you!

I couldn't resist - I sent in a submission. When will I ever learn? Thanks for the lead D. E..

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2 people like this
- Richard Buzzell
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

@Richard Buzzell , guess you'll learn when you hear back from them. But good on ya for submitting!

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1 person likes this
- Richard Buzzell
3 months ago

Hope they love your manuscript, Richard!

Good luck Richard and ya got to be in it to win it!

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2 people like this
- Maurice Vaughan
- D.E. White
3 months ago

Thanks for sharing!!!

Julia Warren

Hi Aaron and welcome! There's plenty to explore here - have you also checked out the 'Introduce Yourself' lounge? It's another great place to meet up with fellow creatives : https://www.stage32.com/lounge/introduce_yourself

What are you working on at the moment?

Aaron Tarpley

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1 person likes this
- Julia Warren
3 months ago

Thank you! I have a few projects I'm working on I hope to work out into some sort of product :)

Authoring & Playwriting

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