ANNOUNCING A WRITING CONTEST!!

From their Facebook Page:

The Actors Table of Eugene​ and Found Space Theatre​ are holding a contest for writers.  In June of 2016 we'll be staging a special show:  An Homage To Joss Whedon, and we are seeking "fan fiction" pieces written by local/NW writers (and others!) to stage at the event.  
Works should be written in standard script format (guidelines to be posted here soon) and submitted to Found_Space_Theater@hotmail.com with the subject line:  "Whedon Show submission."  All documents should be in either .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.
 Because our judges will be doing a LOT of reading, ranking, and rating, there is a $5 entry/reading fee.  Within the week, we will have a button up on our website to allow you to pay with credit card and/or PayPal.
Pieces should be written to be performed with minimal staging, props, etc.   Monologues should be from 2-5 minutes long, and scenes from 4-8 minutes long.   Works can be based on any of Mr. Whedon's works, including, but  not limited to:  Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse, Doctor Horrible, the Avengers, etc.  Particularly interested in pieces that cross over - i.e., Buffy meets Captain Mal,  and/or pieces that explore a character in a different setting (i.e., an aged Captain Mal, or Buffy as a housewife).
Winners will have their pieces performed on The Actors' Table stage, and be able to attend auditions. Further details of the contest will be posted in a "Guidelines" document soon.
Deadline for submissions:   January 5th, 2016.  Early submissions encouraged!
Please SHARE this forward, INVITE anyone/everyone, and particularly any WRITERS you know!
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Not really a blog "post,"  but I'm involved with this organization and think this contest will be a really exciting (and pretty unique) opportunity for a lot of writers!
Check out their contest page on Facebook at CONTEST: An Homage to Joss Whedon

The 4 Best Web Lists to Boost Your Writer's Confidence - Or, at least to Make You Laugh

I do community theater, and one thing I am forever hearing about "theater types" is that they have a tendency to insecurity and self-doubt.  Certainly I have seen that from time to time (in the most apparently bold of them) in the years I've done theater work, but, honestly?  They ain't got nuthin' on writers.  What writer hasn't asked him/her/their-self (we really need to work on a collective pronoun in this language) if they deserve to call themselves a writer?  Or doubted their commitment?  Or their talent?  Or that they have "what it takes?"

Sometimes, when I feel that way, I troll the internet (I love using the word "troll" in this way) for things that might validate me, or, at least make me smile at my own self-doubts.   I don't usually publish lists, here, but what I am giving you today is a list you can check out if you're in one of those low valleys of what-the-heck-am-I-doing-I-can't-possibly-ever-be-a-real-writer!

The Four Best I Found (today):

12 Signs You are a Writer at Heart

I like this one a lot - the childhood dreamer, the can't-stop-writing - all feed my need to believe in myself as MEANT TO BE a writer!

25 signs you are a writer

#s 1,2, and 3 had me asking myself, "Wait!  Did I write this and forget I did?"  And guilty also of # 12, #15 (just ask my roomies), #17 (is THAT why I liked "The Devil Wears Prada" so much?), and #20.  I may be guilty of others, but not going to admit it here

You know you're a writer if

The first one on this (un-numbered) list completely cracked me up.  Actually, most of them did.

and....

You're a writer if

Written for teen writers, this one still got me, because I DO "read dictionaries and thesauruses [like] they were New York Times bestsellers."

And I may have been known to "purposely toss paper and assorted junk about the room just so things look ­deliciously untidy."