In about 2010 I was working on a novel about a filmmaker. I didn't know much about the nuts and bolts of filmmaking so I was doing a lot of research and somehow found my way to the Indietalk forums where I soon became intrigued enough with filmmaking that I abandoned my novel and bought a video camera. I made a few short films, managed to get them into a couple of small festivals and then made the mistake of trying to turn my new hobby into a job. I started a videography company, which I ran part-time while also teaching writing at a community college. The videography business did alright for a couple of years, until everyone had their own dslr and the market got crowded. Also, I got bored of making corporate videos, and I started teaching full-time, and family life took over, et cetera.
A couple of years ago, it occured to me that I was now somewhat qualified to write the book I had originally set out to write--maybe not the same novel, but something about filmmaking. I recently finished the book. It's not a Pulitzer Prize winner--not even close--but I feel moderately satisfied.
I originally intended to try my luck with some small publishers, but I guess the recent pandemic has put me in a bit of a "seize the day" mentality and made me want to connect with the outside world sooner rather than later (which, frankly, is probably also why I started making short films in the first place), so I've been breaking the text into parts and putting it up online. It's nearly all up now. The end of the project is in sight, so I was curious to see if this forum still existed, and I'm glad to see that it does. I don't think many people will ever read the book, but I take a little creative satisfaction in being able to come back here and post this link to it: https://faintscrawls.wordpress.com/2020/03/24/new-novel/
I don't know what I'll do after I put up the final pages in the next few days. I might start playing with my camera again (I still have one even though I don't use it much). It's good to know there's still a place to ask questions and bounce around ideas.
-Tom, formerly Swink
PS I hadn't been back in so long that I forgot that my username was Swink. Now I know where I got the idea for the name of my videography company.
A couple of years ago, it occured to me that I was now somewhat qualified to write the book I had originally set out to write--maybe not the same novel, but something about filmmaking. I recently finished the book. It's not a Pulitzer Prize winner--not even close--but I feel moderately satisfied.
I originally intended to try my luck with some small publishers, but I guess the recent pandemic has put me in a bit of a "seize the day" mentality and made me want to connect with the outside world sooner rather than later (which, frankly, is probably also why I started making short films in the first place), so I've been breaking the text into parts and putting it up online. It's nearly all up now. The end of the project is in sight, so I was curious to see if this forum still existed, and I'm glad to see that it does. I don't think many people will ever read the book, but I take a little creative satisfaction in being able to come back here and post this link to it: https://faintscrawls.wordpress.com/2020/03/24/new-novel/
I don't know what I'll do after I put up the final pages in the next few days. I might start playing with my camera again (I still have one even though I don't use it much). It's good to know there's still a place to ask questions and bounce around ideas.
-Tom, formerly Swink
PS I hadn't been back in so long that I forgot that my username was Swink. Now I know where I got the idea for the name of my videography company.
