Before I get to today’s blog…

Thinking about doing more with your writing? Why not join me in Paris June 2-7 for my Masterclass in Screenwriting? Come be part of a dynamic community of writers and literary agents to learn, to write, to network, to energize your literary goals—and just to have fun in the City of Light!

The Paris Writers Workshop is the longest running literary program of its kind. This program offers 6 masterclasses by renowned authors, each a specialist in their field—and I’ll be teaching the Screenwriting Masterclass—in English, of course.

The workshop will be held at Columbia University’s beautiful Reid Hall campus in the heart of literary Paris—Montparnasse.

Registration is now open: https://wice-paris.org/paris-writers- workshop

We’ll have a great time getting your story ideas off the ground!!

Spring 5 Ways: #5 - New Dreams

It’s been a month of taking advantage of the spring season being upon us. As the snows stop and the cool days turn warm and you begin to think about leaving your windows open at night, you get to enjoy the change that comes with spring. Sun replaces shade, warm replaces cold, birds replace… well, lack of birds. In so many ways, spring is about new birth.

And we’ve had a great month of discussing new beginnings, new possibilities, new ways of doing things, and even new exercise routines to add dimension to your writing. The last “new” I want to talk about is new dreams.

Sometimes, when the winter is so oppressive you look out the window and see… clouds. Dark clouds. Grayness. And it can take a physical toll on you; your entire outlook can be adversely affected. And that can make your writing dark and dull, and it can make you put your dreams on hold.

So, enough. The sun is shining [well, most days] and the flowers are in full bloom and the pool is beckoning. So let your desires out of the winter closet and let them fly into the clear blue sky.

As a writer, what are your dreams? If you could be writing your dream project 5 years down the road, what would that dream project be?

Think about that. And don’t limit yourself to a writing project you think you could get. For example, if you’re a screenwriter but have always kind of wished you’d tried to write novels, maybe your dream is that you’ll have a novel on the bestseller list in 5 years. Try not to even consider if the dream is practical, just let your imagination go and dream it!

So let’s say that’s it—your secret dream would be to have a novel on the bestseller list in 5 years. Next step? Imagine it’s not a dream.

Imagine, instead, that it’s a goal. What would you have to do to make that happen? If you want to write novels it’s a pretty sure bet that you read novels. So pick the three novels you like best in a genre that you like and study them. You’ve already read them so you know who’s who and what’s going to happen, now you go into detective mode and figure out how that novel was written. Outline it. Write up profiles of the characters.

Then imagine more. Imagine the novel you would write. Imagine the genre, the characters, the cover if you want. Do anything you can to make it real. Because that’s the point, isn’t it? To make the dream real. To write the novel.

Whatever your dream, imagine it, think about it, and work to make it come to fruition. If you can dream it you can do it? Maybe not. Hey, maybe you won’t get a book on the bestseller list. But… maybe you will. So why not dream a new dream? And why not give it a shot?

Copyright © Diane Lake

29Apr18

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com