Podcast Summary
Determination and persistence: Even in the face of rejection, determination and persistence can lead to success. New York Times bestselling author TJ Newman chose to pursue her dream of writing despite a demanding career as a flight attendant and numerous rejections. Her unwavering dedication paid off when she secured a literary agent and published her books.
Determination and persistence can lead to success, even in the face of rejection. TJ Newman, a New York Times bestselling author, shared her journey from being a flight attendant to a published author. She wrote her first book on planes during her downtime, but when her career took off, she had to make a choice between flying and writing. Newman faced numerous rejections before her books were published, but she didn't give up. She followed the steps outlined in a book on publishing and eventually secured a literary agent. Her advice to aspiring writers is to keep going, even when it seems impossible. Newman's chaotic bookshelf is a reflection of her unconventional path to success. Her love for aviation and being a flight attendant shines through in her work, making her books a testament to her unique experiences and determination.
Persistence and belief in one's work: Even in the face of multiple rejections, persisting and believing in one's work can lead to eventual success and opportunities like movie deals.
Persistence and belief in one's work are key to overcoming rejection. The speaker shared her experience of receiving 41 rejections before finally getting an agent to represent her book. She personalized each submission to fit the agent's preferences and kept going despite the setbacks. Even when she doubted herself, she reminded herself of the progress she had made and refused to give up. Her determination paid off when her book was eventually published and even went on to receive movie deals for both it and her second book. The speaker also emphasized the importance of an agent in navigating the process of turning a book into a movie. Each project follows a unique path, and the speaker is still learning about the industry. Despite the challenges, she remains grateful for every rejection as they led her to the right person who saw the vision for her work.
Book to Film Adaptation: Adapting a 300-page book into a 100-page film script requires significant compression and translation while preserving the story's essence. Books offer direct access to characters' thoughts, while films rely on actors' actions to convey emotions.
Adapting a book into a film script is a complex process that requires significant compression and translation of the story into a visual medium. The speaker in this conversation shared her experience of adapting a book she wrote into a movie script, explaining the challenges of condensing a 300-page story into a 100-page script while preserving the essence of the story. She also discussed the differences between the two mediums, noting that in a book, readers can access the characters' thoughts and feelings directly, whereas in a film, viewers can only infer them from the actors' actions. Additionally, she mentioned the convenience of services like Hello Bello, which can help parents save time and energy by delivering diaper supplies to their door. Finally, she highlighted Shopify as a versatile platform for businesses, allowing them to grow from startup to million-dollar enterprise with ease.
Character creation, Writing process: Focus on writing for the character instead of envisioning a specific actor for open-minded casting and productive writing process. Limitations can lead to greater creativity.
When creating characters for a screenplay or a book, the author should focus on writing for the character rather than envisioning a specific actor. This approach allows for more open-minded casting and the opportunity for the actor to bring their unique interpretation to the role. The author's experience of writing in the galley of a plane on red-eye flights inspired their disciplined writing process, which later evolved into a productive home office setup. The author's mentor's advice, "to truly set a cow free, you must build a fence around it," influenced their belief that limitations can lead to greater creativity. This mindset allowed the author to be more productive and create engaging characters and stories.
Writing Processes: Writing processes and approaches can vary greatly between stories, from 'pantsing' to meticulous plotting, and adapting to each story's unique needs is essential for success.
Every writing process and story is unique, with different approaches and challenges. The author discussed her experiences writing three novels, "falling," "drowning," and "worst case scenario." In "falling," she wrote by the seat of her pants, discovering the story as she went along. In contrast, for "drowning" and "worst case scenario," she was a plotter, meticulously planning the story before writing. The process for each book varied greatly, with "worst case scenario" being particularly personal and taking less time to write than the others. The author also mentioned that future stories may bring new challenges and require different approaches. She concluded by sharing that her novels, all featuring planes, could be seen as an unofficial trilogy, but her latest book, "worst case scenario," took a new direction with the plane crashing and the story following events on the ground. Overall, the author's experiences demonstrate the importance of adapting to the unique needs of each story and the excitement of discovering new ways to tell a compelling tale.
Unexpected situations, Preparedness: Ordinary situations can turn dangerous, be prepared for the unknown, soft and durable clothing essential for children, Poshpina, Zoptoc for booking top-doctors with verified reviews.
Even the most ordinary situations can quickly escalate into something unexpected and potentially dangerous, as highlighted by the speaker's experiences as a flight attendant. This idea of being prepared for the unknown and the potential for chaos is a theme that the speaker has carried with her into her writing. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of soft, durable clothing for children, such as that offered by Poshpina, and introduced listeners to Zoptoc, an app for booking top-tier doctors with verified patient reviews. Growing up, Michael Crichton's thrilling novels were a major influence on the speaker's creative development.
Genre diversity: Expanding our creativity and imagination by being open-minded to various genres and art forms, and giving ourselves permission to enjoy what we like, can lead to a more authentic and inclusive culture.
Being open-minded to various genres and art forms can expand our creativity and imagination. Michael Crichton's work was particularly influential in opening up the speaker's mind to the limitless possibilities of storytelling. Furthermore, it's essential to give ourselves permission to enjoy what we like, regardless of societal expectations or appearances. The speaker's experience of being a woman who loves thrillers but doesn't fit the stereotype highlights this idea. Ultimately, we are moving towards a culture that encourages authenticity and the celebration of diverse voices and interests. The speaker's success in reaching various audiences with her work is a testament to the universality of themes like love, hope, sacrifice, and community, which resonate across genres.
Personas for focus and social media connection: Using different personas can help prioritize aspects of ourselves and focusing on professional vs intimate self. Social media can foster personal connections with audience, expanding reach and accessibility.
Using different names or personas as a mental check-in can help us prioritize and focus on various aspects of ourselves. The speaker, an author, uses the name TJ as a shorthand for her professional self, while Tory represents her intimate self. This practice allows her to ensure that both aspects are being attended to. Social media has become a powerful tool for authors to connect with readers and promote their work, making book discovery more democratic and accessible to a wider audience. The speaker enjoys engaging with her fans on social media platforms like TikTok and appreciates how it allows her to build a personal connection with her readers. By using different names or personas and leveraging social media, we can effectively manage our personal and professional lives while fostering meaningful relationships with our audience.
Book and podcast recommendations: Exploring new book and podcast recommendations can broaden literary horizons and bring excitement to the reading community. Connect with authors and hosts to learn more and share experiences.
Discovering and sharing underrated books or recommendations can broaden one's literary horizons and bring excitement to the reading community. Author TJ Newman emphasized this point, expressing gratitude for book talkers who introduce him and his work to new audiences. He encourages readers to explore new titles, add them to their Goodreads lists, and connect with him on social media. On a different note, Kendall Tull and Gailie Alex shared their excitement for their new podcast, "Wholeheartedly," where they plan to discuss their personal triumphs, tragedies, and lessons learned in life. They invite listeners to join them on their journey, promising a mix of laughs, tears, and insights into building careers, self-worth, and relationships. Both TJ Newman and Kendall Tull and Gailie Alex embody the spirit of pursuing new passions and sharing experiences with others. Whether through books or podcasts, there's always something new to discover and learn from. For those interested in sci-fi movies, Pluto TV's Summer of Cinema offers a universe of free movies, including classics like The Matrix and World War Z. And for those looking for a new podcast to add to their list, "Wholeheartedly with Kendall and Gailie" will be available starting July 17th. Happy discovering!