Tara L Conklin: Screenwriter in Tampa, Florida.

Oh Joleen!! You speak to my heart and soul. I've been writing since I was little (my dad recently sent me some of my work from when I was in elementary school once upon a lifetime ago); (the talking Cheeseburger was quite amusing even if I wondered if my parents were secretly medicating me). Regardless of my passion or inability NOT to write, I didn't...for decades. I started a food blog about 5 years ago and only do that from time to time (life is so pushy) but I'm not writing creatively there, telling the stories that clutter the white matter in my brain. So at 44 years old (last year) I made the decision to start writing what I wanted. To Hell with the people who told me I had better things to do with my time. To Hell with those who told me I had too many responsibilities. I put off my passion for 40 years (I only started writing at 5 so the first 5 don't count), and decided 'no more!'. I've been a screenwriter in my heart since I was 15 and although never even learned the craft of screenplay structure, I knew it's what I wanted to do. So here I am, 46 in July and working on my first two original scripts. I struggle daily with self doubt, those freakin' voices in my head that I heard for years, perfectionism and writer's block but I'm doing it. Reading this reminded me why I'm writing and to keep going. Thanks Lady!!!

I'm turning 46 this year and after listening to other people who "only had my best interests at heart" for the majority of my life, I stopped listening to them and am finally pursuing my goals of becoming a screenwriter and novelist. Granted the Novel may take me the rest of my life, but it's all about the story. I am currently working on two original screenplays; a mining western during the Colorado Silver boom of the lat 1800's and a modern day ensemble drama that deals with overcoming prejudice and living up to others expectations. Both are expected to be finished this year. I work a full time job and fit words in whenever I can. It's not WHEN it gets done, it's THAT it gets done that counts. - Write On!

Perfection is the death of all good things. Especially in creative endeavors. Perfection is a disease of addiction that pretends to be an asset, it is the creator’s monster. It is the cause of unfinished novels, screenplays, scores, sculptures and paintings that could fill a warehouse or hundred. No matter how much we strive to finish a piece of work, we cannot resist to give it one more pass – until it’s noodled to death and has no spirit of the creative surge of curiosity that created it. All creators are guilty of this. But illustrators and painters go into the endeavor fully aware of this tendency and they give themselves permission to do 30 second figure drawings, 30 minute iPad paintings... Ironically, these works that are given permission to be loose often end up being so alive that the artist then adapts it to a fully realized expression. Two things: 1) As writers, give yourself 10 minutes to write freeform about anything that piqued your interest in the day – it can be cashier, someone with road rage, a news story, a bug hanging on for dear life on your wiper blade. Do this at minimum once a week, ideally everyday. 2) Recognize in your characters that their need (or lack thereof) to perfect something is a flaw – not an asset. This in no way is meant to be a ticket to typos, nonsensical story logic and poor craftsmanship, it is acknowledging that even though writing is rewriting, deadlines serve a purpose – give yourself one, meet it, and write, the end.

Hey Tara, I'm the CTO and lead developer at Stage 32. Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback about the site. I'd love to hear your comments! To get started with Stage 32 and understand all the features and resources the site has to offer, please check out the Getting Started section and our FAQ.

Hi Tara. I'm RB, Founder and CEO of Stage 32. As an actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker, I know first-hand the challenges all creatives face finding work and attracting attention to their projects. That's why we created Stage 32. Since our launch in September of 2011, the community has grown to 250,000+ members strong representing every country on the planet making Stage 32 the social network uniquely populated with the most creative people on Earth. This is a network for you, built by you. Like most things in life, the more you participate, the greater the rewards. We ask all new members pay it forward and invite at least 5 fellow creatives and to spread the word of Stage 32 through other social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. You can also invite fellow creatives through the site by using the "Send Stage 32 Invites..." button on the upper right side of your profile. The more creatives, the stronger the network. The stronger the network, the more opportunities. Thanks for joining the movement and for being a part of this most talented and inspiring community. PS - Please take a moment to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @Stage32online.