January has been full of new momentum, new connections, and fresh goals, but also a few reality checks. Whether you’re in pre-production, deep in post, or just trying to find time to create again, this is your reminder: growth doesn’t have to be loud or fast to be meaningful.
So let’s check in with each other.
What’s one lesson, creative or personal, you’ve learned this month that you’re taking with you into February?
It could be something that changed your process, something you let go of, or something that surprised you.
This week, my creative growth has come from learning how to work new tasks and priorities into my current workflow in a way that ensures I’m not dropping any balls or overextending myself. It’s always a learning curve at the start of the year, finding the balance between keeping what works and striving to achieve more.
Share what’s helping you grow. You never know who might need to hear it.
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Congratulations on your creative growth, Ashley Renée Smith! I'm not sure if I've learned a lesson this month, but I've been reminded of some things, like sometimes a project needs more time, so don't rush it.
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Love your creative growth challenges, Ashley! This isn’t so much a lesson as it’s become a mantra…. Like the Glengarry, Glen Ross, saying “ always be closing” I like “always be growing” because life is a constant evolution and if you settle you get stuck in a comfort zone. There are so many fascinating things in the world to help you grow, whether it’s AI, like-minded groups, technology, workout or health, etc. I challenge myself every day to always be growing with the abundance of things available to do that.
i’ve noticed our team here at Stage 32 innately has The same mindset. I look at Geoff and his team and how efficiently they’ve been able to bring opportunities to far more people in our community than we have ever been able to by using technology and it’s incredible. If anyone here is reading this and is looking for help on matchmaking their project to someone who might be looking for it. Email them at successstage32.com.
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Great topic, Ashley Renée Smith! It's tough but I learned to trust the process. This month reminded me that not every breakthrough happens on our timeline. Some projects need time to breathe. Some connections take months to develop into real opportunities. Some scripts need to be polished many times before you can see what they actually need. Forcing progress can sometimes be detrimental. I'm learning to be patient and let things mature.
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Ashley Renée Smith I can definitely relate! I love this post Ashley. I've been getting more work, both as an actor and a screenwriter, and also taking up dancing again, and have learned to simplify my days, instead of trying to jam pack them: rather than trying to do everything at once, spreading it out by priorities, and also, sort of like "rewards": finish auditions with deadlines first, scripts come first when I'm through with the first draft flush out and they have that editing / polishing momentum to submit to OWA's and pitches, festivals, and then, after work is done, or if the day is free, I dance. So, flow / priority organization, management, with flexibility.
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Patience. I submitted a redraft for a contracted date and now... waiting!
So kind of as Geoffroy Faugerolas said, "trust the process." And perhaps I would add, put something else on your front burner so as to, as Amanda said, "always be growing."
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Ashley, this really resonates. One lesson I’m carrying forward is that preparation builds confidence — but presence builds connection. I’ve learned to trust the work I’ve already done and stay open when conversations go somewhere unexpected. That shift has changed how I show up creatively.
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Love your goals Ashley!
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This month I’ve learned the art of going with the flow. Not in the sense of stopping or slowing down, but in trusting the process and letting things unfold while I keep creating and working :)
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Totally agree, Ashley! This month, I’ve learned that growth often comes from making mistakes—and being willing to acknowledge when course corrections are needed. January pushed me to look more closely at my workflow, reassess priorities, and be more intentional with my time. Not wasting time matters, but so does having a life outside of work to stay grounded and sane. I’ve also learned that having something to look forward to, even something small, can make a big difference—it gives you that extra motivation to finish tasks and keep moving forward.
Also, this month, I helped launch our newest partner in the Global Contest Hub, LET'S MAKE IT! Screenwriting Contest
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The biggest lesson I'm taking from January is the power of "creative containment." I realized I was letting every new idea or ambition blow up my existing projects, leaving me with many starts and no finishes. My lesson was to give each major project its own dedicated space like a specific notebook, a separate digital folder, and most importantly, scheduled time. When a shiny new idea pops up, I jot it in its future container and return to the task at hand. It's not about limiting creativity, but about respecting the work already in progress. That focus is what I'm carrying into February.
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Maurice Vaughan, honestly, that is a lesson, even if it doesn’t always feel like one in the moment. Realizing when a project needs more time, and giving yourself permission not to rush it, is such a hard-earned reminder. We’re surrounded by pressure to move fast, ship quickly, and always be producing, but some stories genuinely need space to breathe before they’re ready.
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Amanda Toney, I love that!! “Always be growing” feels like such a healthy, expansive way to frame creative life. It takes the pressure off perfection and replaces it with curiosity.
And yes, absolutely echoing that for anyone reading along: if you’re looking for help matchmaking your project with the right people, the Success Team is such an invaluable resource. Reaching out to Success@Stage32.com can truly change the trajectory of a project when it’s paired with the right strategy and relationships.
Grateful to be growing alongside you all!
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Geoffroy Faugerolas, you’re absolutely right. Trusting the process is one of the hardest lessons, especially in an industry that constantly pushes urgency. You’re spot on about projects, relationships, and scripts all having their own rhythm.
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I love how thoughtfully you’ve framed this, Juliana Philippi. That flow of priorities paired with flexibility is such a healthy evolution, especially as the work starts to ramp up in multiple directions. This is a great reminder that simplification isn’t about doing less, it’s about doing the right things at the right time. Really proud of how you’re navigating it.
And if you need any advice for OWA submissions and opportunities that align best with your material, the Success Team is great at that as well!
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That waiting phase can be so tough, Michael Dzurak, especially after you’ve hit a contracted deadline and done everything you can do on your end. It’s a strange mix of relief and nervous energy. Rooting for good news when it comes, and cheering you on in the meantime.
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I love that distinction, Charmane Wedderburn! The fact that this shift has changed how you show up creatively says a lot. That kind of awareness doesn’t just strengthen your work, it deepens your relationships too. Thank you for sharing this, it’s a reminder a lot of us needed to hear.
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It sounds like you've found a really healthy rhythm this month, Sydney S! When you stay active but release the need to control every outcome, things tend to unfold in ways you couldn’t have planned anyway, often better ones.
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Yes to all of this, Jaz Lagrimas!!! That’s such an honest and grounded takeaway. Having something to look forward to is such an underrated motivator. Those small anchors can carry you through the heavier days and give purpose to finishing the unglamorous tasks.
Huge congrats on helping launch the LET’S MAKE IT! Screenwriting Contest in the Global Contest Hub, that’s a big win and such meaningful work for the community!
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I really appreciate how practical your approach is, Sam Rivera. And I like, “Creative containment”. Focus like that is how things actually get finished, and finished work is what moves careers forward. Carrying this mindset into February feels like a game-changer.
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Thank you, Ashley Smith — that really means a lot. It’s been a quiet shift, but a powerful one.
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I've learned to be more selective when it comes to choosing my collaborators, Musical Theatre composers and producers in particular. I lucked out in a half dozen instances where the right composers responded to my job postings on this site and elsewhere, but I still have more than a dozen other projects in need of musical treatments. One project, about Catherine the Great, is ready for production and another show has an almost complete score.
For details: carver.robertd@gmail.com
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Robert D. Carver, this is such a valuable lesson to call out, especially in musical theatre where the chemistry between writer, composer, and producer can make or break a project.
It sounds like you’ve already proven to yourself that the right collaborators are out there, and that when the fit is right, the work actually moves. Being more selective isn’t about closing doors, it’s about protecting the projects that are already asking to be finished. With that many works in development, discernment becomes a creative skill, not just a practical one.
Out of curiosity, what qualities have you noticed separate the collaborators who helped those projects move forward from the ones who didn’t quite click?
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Maturity and modesty are qualities that I look for. A composer who brags about his own talent or one who uses the same four chords repeatedly and always at the same tempo--in this case one and the same--is to be avoided like poison! I also prefer composers who are literate and have some familiarity with Musical Theatre history and understand how a lyric functions within the context of the script, developing character and plot.