Fall 2013 Update

Greetings from the Writing Batcave! Oreo my editor has some notes on my latest draft. Everyone’s a critic! Sheesh! π
Hello from the Writing Batcave!
I hope everyone had a fabulous summer. I can’t believe we’re already halfway through September. Hence this quick update blog and peek from the batcave before I disappear again. As you know from my summer blogs, I was on a Summer Social Media Sabbatical to get some writing done. It was well worth the isolation. I’m still in the batcave but I’m back to tweeting on a more regular basis. (Follow me @paulayoo). So what have I been up to?
(Keep reading after the jump for more!)
Writing-wise, I was busy with a bunch of TV meetings, working on a new spec script, and finishing up revisions on a chapter book. I also placed as a short-list finalist for the 2013 Faulkner-Wisdom Writing Competition for an adult novel-in-progress that I’m also working on! In addition, I participated in several blogs for LEE & LOW BOOKS to promote their upcoming New Voices writing contest for new picture book authors. The deadline for this year’s contest is September 30, 2013. I won this contest in 2003 for my first book, SIXTEEN YEARS IN SIXTEEN SECONDS: THE SAMMY LEE STORY (Lee & Low ’05). So I highly recommend this writing contest for writers of color. For more info, go here:Β http://www.leeandlow.com/p/new_voices_award.mhtml
As for Hollywood, a new book on TV writing came out over the summer for all you aspiring TV writers. It was created by the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program where I also teach occasionally. Some faculty friends contributed to it as well, including the awesome Star Trek writer Richard Manning. (His website is here: http://froonium.com)Β It’s called INSIDE THE ROOM: WRITING TELEVISION WITH THE PROS AT UCLA EXTENSION WRITERS’ PROGRAM (edited by Linda Venis). I highly recommend it for anyone interested in becoming a TV writer. (For more info on TV writing & book writing, please read my FAQs here:Β https://paulayoo.com/blog/?page_id=950)
Reading-wise, I’m looking forward to reading all the books that made the recent 2013 National Book Award Long List for Young People’s Literature. I strongly believe that you MUST read as much as Β you write in order to grow as a writer. I constantly read new TV and movie scripts and books (both adult and children’s books) to study the craft. And I’m also a bookworm, so I love reading anyway. Congratulations to all the amazing authors who made the long list!
Aside from writing,Β I also had some fun summer music adventures. Including a job appearing in a future UNITED AIRLINES commercial. I was one of many orchestral musicians filmed for a really fun United Airlines TV ad. I can’t reveal any details but you can at least get a sneak peek here:

Me at a summer TV commercial shoot for UNITED AIRLINES. I’ll let you know when the ad airs – stay tuned!
I also played a lot of weddings over the summer…
And I learned a lot of fun Stephane Grappelli & Django Reinhardt tunes for a new band I am starting (a tribute band to their music). So it was nice to catch up on some music as well over the summer! (For more info on my music, go here:Β http://www.instrumentalcasting.com/viewmusiciang.php?serial=455)
For the fall season, my Writing Batcave duties are pretty straightforward. I’m now finishing up a new middle grade novel and will finally start writing a new feature spec script. It’s exciting to work on my “passion projects” for the rest of the year. A lot of writing involves “obligations” where you have to write specific projects to cater to your agents’ needs and the market. So it’s great when you can take a break from the “have to” writing projects and do the passion projects instead. π
But don’t worry, I’m not lonely in the Writing Batcave. With Oreo critiquing ever single word (pictured above) and with Beethoven & Charlotte watching over me from Mt. Bookshelf (pictured below), I’m in a good company! π
######
So… how was your summer? What are your writing goals for the fall? I look forward to your comments!Β
Until the next blog, please follow me on TWITTER @paulayoo.Β As always, remember – HAPPY WRITING! WRITE LIKE YOU MEAN IT! π
5 Responses
Fun-filled festival summer (yes, “fall” would’ve alliterated better) – arts fest, concert series (incl Flaming Lips & Erykah Badhu), porch fest, comic con (huge – not San Diego huge, but enormous), neighborhood festival… think I’m missing some. Time for the dine-o-round (a type of festival I’m sure you’d enjoy) and to start concentrating on work & exercise again.
Love that you’re knocking out the writing & rocking out the tunes. Don’t let the cats fool you – really, they’re inspired by your hard work. π
Did you say “Dine-o-round”? LOL! That sounds FANTASTIC. I love your festive summer summary. Hopefully you’ll have one or two fall festivals to attend as well. π
Glad you are back!
I was just told about a TV series I’m watching on Netflix. I was pleasantly surprised to see that you are a writer and producer on it. What fun! We’re watching Eureka and enjoying it.
Hi Stephenie! Thanks for your comment. Appreciate it! Yes, I worked on Eureka for Seasons 4.0, 4.5, and our final 5.0. I hope you have fun watching it! π
Comments are closed.