My oh my, where has the time gone?

Hard as it is to believe, it really has been 16 years since I started this blog. (July 9th, to be specific)

Initially once a day, which was a foolhardy attempt on my part, so it switched to twice a week for a while, and then to once a week, which seems to work just fine.

My original intent was to chronicle my journey towards being a working screenwriter. At the time, that translated to “write and get paid for it”.

That still applies – sort of.

Don’t get me wrong. I’d love for that to still happen, but my interpretation of what it means to be a “working screenwriter” has drastically changed.

First and foremost, I can say with absolute certainty that my writing is significantly better. Looking at a script from back then and at one from earlier this year, the difference is more than noticeable. Took a while to get there, but well worth it.

On a side note, I think my analytical skills when it comes to giving notes have also improved. Of all the scripts I’ve read, there’s only been one writer who didn’t like what I had to say.

The number of writers I’ve met, both virtually and in person, has also skyrocketed. I’m quite proud to have established and maintained a professional relationship with many of them.

Some of those connections have led to other things, like becoming involved with the San Francisco Writers Conference to invitations to speak to writing groups and appear on podcasts.

And speaking of podcasts, my connection with another writer led to my co-hosting, and eventually solo hosting a podcast about writing.

I’ve done what I can to help the community, from forwarding or posting “scripts wanted” listings to inviting submissions to the Maximum Z Script Showcase to offering my two cents on screenwriting craft, methods and practices.

And for those who’ve been following along the past few weeks, production finally commenced on my short film, with things now moving into post-production.

It’s been a fantastic journey with lots of ups and downs, and I am exceptionally grateful to all of you fantastic readers who’ve been incredibly supportive over the years. I really appreciate all the likes and comments – don’t be stingy and keep ’em coming!

Hope you’ll join me in a celebratory piece of pie to commemorate this momentous occasion. In the meantime, keep writing and keep pushing forward.

Go get ’em, chums. I’m rootin’ for ya.