 But we can do it together. I'm SLP, we've been doing this show for 11 years. Mostly in the lobby of the public theater, we've done it, I've done it all around the world, but the public theater, thank you for supporting me in this endeavor. I was thinking, you know, we're just like free Shakespeare in the park, except we're not Shakespeare and we're not in the park, but we are free. And, and I'm so happy to be doing this. Thank you also to Hal Brown who came on a few years ago to help us live stream from the lobby of the public theater. And now, as of course, come on to help us create this beautiful community that gives me so much joy. Melania's got her hair down today. All right, sister. Yeah, and okay, so what we do, you know what we do, we work together for 20 minutes. Here's the timer, can't see it. And then I take questions from you about your work and your creative process. Okay, it's simple. If you have a question, I'm just going to tell you how to get in touch. Go Audrey. So if you are inside of the zoom, all you need to do is click on the participant tab. Likely at the bottom of your screen on a laptop or the top of your on an iPad or a tablet and inside of the participant tab, there's a little button that says raise your hand. Click on that. A little blue hand will appear and I will call on you. If there's time. If you are watching on HowlRound.TV, you can ask us questions on Twitter at at watch me work SLP with the hashtag HowlRound, which is H-O-W-L-R-O-U-N-D. And you can also tweet at the public theater, which is at public theater NY or right to the public theater's Instagram and we'll get questions that way as well. That's all. That was great. You say it faster and faster every day. But 20 minutes is going to be 20 minutes. Here we go. Okay. Question time. The dialogue part of the show. You're ready. All right, let's do it. Kim, you're up first. Hi. Hi. So I finished the draft of my pilot. And thank you. I'm excited. And thank you. Thank you. So thank you for saying that. And the people that have read it don't hate it. So that's good. It doesn't suck. And I was all excited to get into the second episode. And my friend who's kind of mentoring me. She's, she reads scripts and everything for additional cash, a little side gig. And she said that what I really need to focus on right now is the pitch deck. And I have no idea. I mean, I've been looking it up and stuff and she's given me some instruction, but I have to admit that it's more. It's unfun. It's not like, it's not like writing the dialogue and it's not like, you know, it's not like being having all these people in my head talking and I can spill it on the page. So. Two things, please. Could you please help me kind of figure out how to suck out information from my characters that is pertinent to the pitch deck and maybe even explaining it a little bit from your perspective, because you've done this, you know, the Bible and the pitch deck and all this stuff. Great question, Kim. I can also say though that because I didn't go through a formal training in writing at all. I'm not familiar with certain terms. Okay. I was teaching at NYU a couple of years ago, my students were using a term inciting incident. I was like, what? Yeah. And so I've been using that term now. But I learned it from being in the classroom as a professor. So it's terms like pitch deck. I don't know what that means. Even though I am sure running the series. Yes. No, no. So I'm the same way. And I love that. You give me hope because you don't have professional training like that. Cause I always think, Oh, I should have gone to school. I should have done this. I should have done that. And I just write it. I'm going to stop you Kim. I got to say something. I don't have academic training. I have a lot of professional training. Yes. Yes. That's what I meant. I apologize. That's okay. Thank you. Thank you. I'm on the three day cleanse. So forgive me. No, it's my third day. It's a three week cleanse. But anyway, that's why this isn't always working. So the pitch deck is from what I understand. It's, it's kind of the beginning of the Bible where, you know, it's your elevator speech and it's the breakdown of your characters. And then where are they going to go? In the next several episodes. I guess it's because people don't want to really meet up with people in person anymore. Now they want everything in writing and just hand them so they can reject you. From afar. I hear you. In my experience, um, whether you write out a treatment, you know, a synopsis, a pitch, a Bible. Um, most people want you to pitch in person. Oh, good. Okay. I mean, that's my experience. I, I pitch a lot and I pitch in person. Okay. But I do write out the stuff. So when you would be calling a pitch deck, I would, it would just be like, you know, a mini Bible, you know, a Bible of like, you know, what's going on in the Bible. You know, what's going on in the Bible. You know, the main characters, why they're in the series, what they do. It's an abbreviated outline, if you will. Okay. Right. So you got a character and your friend who's in the business, you know, reading lots of scripts and all that. She can probably give you great ideas about what this should look like. Okay. But you want to have your list of your main, your major players, basically. What they're doing. You want to have a list of each episode. Oh, that's great. So you just talking about it so you can get the, the executives to start imagining your story. You know, where you start, where you're going, what the complications are, how the stories, it's a story kind of builds and changes like that. I think the thing that it's been hanging me up is that I inherently write very funny. I can't help it. It's my coping mechanism. And the show is how women resurrect after the ashes of domestic violence. So the thing, when I talked to people about this and a lot of men have always said, well, you know, how are you going to sustain that? You have to watch women get the crap beat out of them all, you know, and how was that going to be funny? And how are you going to, how are you going to sustain that? I mean, I feel like I am not explaining it very well. So that's why I guess I'm nervous about the pitch part of it because it is quite amusing and quite funny. Even though there's a lot of tension, you know, I use the comedy to break up the tension obviously. And that's what I do in my own life and in my own personal experiences. That's how I've survived 11 pedophiles. So that's how I, that's how I have dealt with things, you know, with really dark humor. And I'm, I guess what I'm, how do I get you interested in watching something that includes the domestic violence, which by the way, I'm not, it's not so gratuitous. Like I have somebody in another room and you hear what's happening, but you don't see it. You know, I don't want to focus on that. I mean, we've seen enough of women getting the crap kicked out of them. And men, I want to show the other side of it when you come out of it, although that has to be addressed. And I guess I was, I'm just struggling with that aspect of, of it. How do I get you interested in seeing something that needs to be told and we need to address in a healthy way. Right. But we're talking about. You know, the active pitching or writing a document that's that you're going to pitch from. If you finish your pilot, your pilot should, I mean, be, I mean, literally it's called a pilot. It's the thing that's going to, you know, help you get off the ground and help you land the plane. So your pilot should have in it. The answers to those questions. Oh. Yeah. Your pilot should be showing us. How are you going to do that? Oh, then I feel better. So if your pilot is, is successful or you're pleased with it, you should be able to look at that document and go, right, now I have to do. Things like this in each episode. Yeah. Yeah. So you are, I think it sounds like you've already answered those questions. You just need to elaborate on those questions. Yeah. In relation to other characters. Other scenarios. And the creation of your series arc. Does that make sense? Yes. Thank you very much. I'm not as in the weeds. Oh, you're not in the weeds. I've missed you all. Yeah. Your Wi-Fi is great. Yeah, I know. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. All right. Up next. We've got Karima. Go for it. Do you hear me? Yes. Hey, how you doing? Good. All I want to say is that I'll finish my first draft. And I'm so psyched. And there's still a lot of work to do, but I'm very excited about it. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about it. There's still a lot of work to do, but I'm very excited about it. And I think I'm so excited about, because I definitely have laid out the roadmap of it. I do think not, you know, I, I know I shouldn't say this, but I think it's going to be really good. Yeah. You know, so I, um, I'm psyched. So I wanted to share that. I'm so happy. That's it. Congratulations, sister. That is fantastic. Thank you. Thank you. And I'm glad you, I'm glad you're feeling it's good. That's a great feeling. Yeah. And you're right. I'm sure you're right. Thank you. And thank you for all your help because, um, a lot of things that you had, have said, has helped me not to worry about, um, what people think or is it going to be this? Is it going to be that that has just allowed me to just create. You know what I mean? And do what I love and see what happens. And, and that's a good feeling because I feel very, I feel free in doing it. So thank you a lot for all that you're doing here. Thank you, Karima. Thanks for that. Thanks. All right. Up next, we've got crystal. I'm here. I'm doing all right. Not too bad. How are you? It's good to see you. How you feeling, girl? You know, I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. No complaining today. I won't complain. Um, I, I am on, um, I finished the fourth draft. I'm going to do a little bit of my demo. Peace. That's great. So thank you. It's been killing me. It's been killing me slowly. But I got through it. Thank you. I, I, and it's, it's, it's changed a lot from where we were in the very beginning where I didn't know what to do, where to go. Um, or anything like that to now we have four characters and they're all kind of, um, giving the protagonist who is the demagogue more to play with. Um, so I guess my question today is that, um, the, I created a character to fictionalize the whole thing. You know, I created a cousin. And, um, it's basically the, the, the projects basically says who am I, what do I want? How did I get here? And what is my hope? Like, that's what I have to, like the questions I've had to answer in all of this. And so the second, the person who's the antagonist, I feel like I've created a person who's a little more well rounded, but more well rounded towards like the middle half to the end. And I feel like he's still pretty, um, flat for the first half of the piece. And I don't know how to give him more dimension. Um, I think mostly because I've made them more, I've made him more of a follower or a supporter of somebody who just loves this, loves this demagogue so much. And, and even though they're like related, you know, and are close, it seems like they're just like this, this non-thinking follower. Right. So I wanted to give, even though it, again, towards the end, he forms his own opinions. He knows who he is. He breaks away from this relationship and, and goes on and he becomes this, this new person. I feel like I haven't given him, um, I don't know if it's a back bone or a stronger want or I feel like I haven't given him enough, I guess, purse personality or, or will or, I guess, no, sense of self, a sense of self or character. Um, I just feel like he's not as layered for the first half. So he, he follows the demagogue because they're cousins. Yeah, they're like close, they're close in age there. Um, you know, he loves her so much and she's accomplished so much. She's like the singer and this pageant winner and like she, so he's basically been there and supported her and told her, you're going to do great things and you're, you know, you are meant to be heard and you are meant, even though she goes into a different direction of, of using her celebrity to do, to do things that are hurtful to others in the beginning. She's like this, they're both this, these young kind of fresh faced people. Um, who are just, you know, one is like a, they're like best friends. Right. So, so I asked, uh, so I asked your question and you answered it. I'm going to ask you the same question again. Okay. But in a different way. Why does she follow the demagogue? Okay. Why? Really. Um, and I'll just say something. I know she's not an idiot, but perhaps we would look around these days and see people who, I mean, if your thing is wearing a mask and you see your neighbor doesn't wear a mask, you would think your neighbor's an idiot and every idiot has a reason. Right. Every follower has a reason and it's not just because they're married. They're married. They're married. They're married cousins. Right. I mean, if they're conjoined twins and maybe their reason is, you know, right, but if they're not conjoined twins, why is she following that person? What does she need from that person that only that person can give her? Why do people not wear a mask? Why do people, why do people vote for the president? You know, they've got reasons, real reasons. They feel very strongly about, and that the person they're following will satisfy their needs. And just because you might not agree with that person, sometimes we are at a distance and we can't develop them fully as a character, but you have to push yourself out of the way and get to know this person for who she is. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. She has needs. Does that make sense? It makes sense. Get to know her. Get to know the, I mean, do you, are you a mask wearer crystal? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So get to know that person in your, your neighbor who is not going to be wearing a mask. Get to know them. Hmm. You see what I mean? Yeah. Get to know that, that follower that cousin character. Get to know her. Right. Yeah. How. Just. Through more listening. Yeah. Listen. Listen, that's. You know, so often we don't listen to people who aren't like us. And then we accuse them of doing the same thing. Hmm. Hmm. Mm hmm. Hmm. You know. Yeah. Yeah. That makes sense. You know what I'm talking about. I do. I do. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Yeah. I'll work on that. But it's great that you're, you're finished the draft. And that is amazing. Yeah. Thank you. That was, that was a true miracle. And I have to present it on Friday. I'll get my notes and then be back at it again. Perfect. Thank you. I did that. I did this. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. All right. Up next we've got Nick. Nick, are you there? Yes. Hello. Hello again. Susan Lord parks. Yeah. So. There you are. Oh. Am I. I'm here. Yes. Okay. Great. Yeah. So I, I think you might have misheard me yesterday on the improv thing. So I was saying that I. Do a hip hop. Theater. Oh, yeah. But I'm like, No worries. I do do a lot of improv stuff. Is the audio on my. Laptop. Not coming through real great. Audio in my head. Okay. But I did, I did what you suggested. And then I ended up with a synopsis that felt. A lot better. So that's one play. That's just. Done. That. Good for you. I'm sorry I misheard you yesterday. But. It's really funny. Good for you. Good for you. Yeah. That's actually the first play in this series of hip hop plays. That all follow like the journey of this one character. And so now I'm on the second one. And that's also gone through a reading. It's gone through. Two drafts. And then I ended up getting some really big advice from a former professor that was. Start this from the end of the play. And start again, and she was right. So now I'm working on this play. There's a whole mess of really complex. And interesting characters who I now know intimately, because I basically know the backstory before they get into the play, which is nice. So I guess what I'm wondering about right now is. Because this is a really diverse cast. I have a few close friends, people I work with a lot who I consult a lot after I write. And we just kind of do a little workshop thing discussions. It's like every week or other week I talk to them. And I'm wondering about like in terms of giving credit once the piece is complete. If there's a way to put that in like. The first page of the play. Or some kind of a note. Cause it doesn't feel completely genuine to just say. Written by me. And I'm wondering if there's a way to put that in like. The first page of the play. I'm wondering if there's a way to put that in like. I'm wondering if there's a way to put that in like. Completely genuine to just say. Written by me. Uh-huh. Oh, I was having a conversation with this recently. So when you say diverse, I'm sorry. Language is a. Is, is a thing. When you say diverse, you mean people of different races. Yes. Okay. Cause that's one of those words like urban. I'm like, what? I just want to make sure I'm understanding it. Yeah. I don't think you're an improv theater again. Huh? Whoa, that is a tricky subject. I think you can. It's very tricky. I'll answer it two ways. One, acknowledging that this play, your play was workshopped. I think that could be a good word to use workshopped. And, you know, it would, you know, just, just a thing that workshopped by, you know, workshopped by you and with these people who helped you. Um, But, uh, personally. This is just my own personal. I don't like that kind of thing. Cause I, I, when I write, I, I write, you know, and I don't depend on people of diverse backgrounds to. You know, make the dialogue legit. I mean, I, I, I was talking to someone, not you, Nick, but somebody else who has won many prizes for their work who was proud of the fact that they, uh, wrote a play about people of a community very different from theirs hired actors and the actors helped them figure out the dialogue. And I had a problem with that being of the community that was brought in to help figure it out. That's my own personal. I know that actors contribute a lot to our works when we workshop them. Um, But I know at the end of the day that I can write the dialogue. If I'm writing a character, I can go there and I want to stretch myself as a writer by going there. That's part of my writing process. So I would say do both Nick stretch yourself as much as you can. Don't just rely on the, you know, the diverse, the person from say, I don't know, Queens to give you that Queens thing, you know, that Queens, New York thing, right? You know, don't just be sitting there and like writing down what she says. And I have a problem with that. Stretch yourself, go to Queens, you know, try to get it as right as you can. Before you lean on your friends for the workshop and then acknowledge them like a mofo because. Yeah. And probably know that. People's, I don't know, it's tricky, it's tricky, but I appreciate you bringing it up because you're a righteous guy to bring it up. You know what I mean? And I appreciate that you're going to acknowledge them. It's a good thing. Acknowledge them. Yeah. And then help them out when it's their time to need something. Of course. And I, I appreciate you being real. That's, that's really helpful. Thank you. Thanks, Nick. I'm glad. I'm thrilled, man. Thanks, Nick. All right. Up next is Kendall. How are you doing today? I'm so good. Miss SLP. How are you? I'm really good because I have no cards. No cards. I think because of your beautiful suggestion, I think this was the most productive 20 minutes I've had in this class today. But that brings me to a problem. It's a, it's a problem of progress, I think, because I'm working on my series and I'm working on the pilot and I need to just like outline the first scene. So I have three notes cards as I've three different first scenes. And it's, it's cool because I think I've like, you know, I got a lot of juices flown. I have a lot of ideas, but I don't know. Like how to pick and choose. I don't know what to cut. To keep drafting this pilot. Cause I mean, I can't. I can't keep all three of them. I feel so it's painful, but I can't keep all three of them. Yeah, it's really rough. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it is, it is rough. And it's great. Kendall, you're, you're writing, you're feeling excited about your writing. Those are all good things. You've written some things. And the answer is the word yet. I love the word yet. So you don't need to cut yet. You're in the writing phase, right? So enjoy, you know, like, give yourself a hard time. Come on, Kendall, you just started having fun. Enjoy yourself. You know what I'm saying? Have a great time. You can go, one of these three scenes is going to be the top of my pilot. I mean, gosh, anybody who's working TV or film, you rewrite in post. We all know that. And you can rewrite the pilot even after you shot it. Yes. So don't worry. One of these three scenes is going to be the beginning and then it's going to go from there. What does the second scene look like? What does the third scene look like? Keep writing. Okay. You've gotten through the whole thing. That's when you can start editing and shaping. Okay. You write. And then. You rewrite. Okay. Two separate processes. Okay. Does that help? Oh, so much. So much. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I need to like. Tell myself that like these 20 minutes, like don't have to be just these 20 minutes. Like I can have more fun and progressive experiences. And it's just really easy to. Like you said, it's like, you know, being hard on yourself. It's super easy to do that. Yeah. Yeah. The world is hard enough on you. Kendall, can't you feel it? Pressing on you. So either you're going to say, great, I'm going to, you know, you know, I'm going to just make it more difficult instead of, I'm going to find ways to receive the love that's being directed at me right in this very moment. It's your choice, right? And I'm not discounting. Difficult things. Of course not. Shit. I'm an African American woman. Motherfucker, right? Okay, but what I'm saying is that in that difficulty, whatever your difficulty is and whoever you are, and we've all got difficulty. We also, we need to accept the difficulty. And part of accepting the burden is to accept. The grace that comes along with the burden. You know, the difficulty of say being a woman, the difficulty being a person of color, the difficulty of being whatever it is that's difficult, a writer for crying out loud, but there's grace too. You get to commune daily with the spirit. How fun is that? Yeah, that's true. It's so fun. Yeah. Okay. Enjoy yourself. So Mo loves New York. That's New York. I love New York so much. I like Mo. I got to give a shout out to your ponytail. I'm like, oh my God. I've got to give a shout out to my ponytail. Look new. I don't know these hair styles. Oh my shit. And under right underneath you is Pimbridge pictures. Mary McGuckian from Ireland. We have a person from Ireland. Right in right there waving. Yes. Oh cool. Thanks. Thank you. I gotta call you. We've got about 10 minutes left and we're going to go to Veronica. Hello everyone. I'm Veronica, a friend of mine that comes to this space, Giselle Bostone, she recommended and I am loving it. Thank you very much. I am very new at this and I started to writing my first chapter, my first outline. And this is a follow up on both Crystal and Nick's question kind of thing. I'm writing outside of totally my comfort zone because it's about a girl that is Native American. And it's more of a common of age type of story. So that is this part. And that is how to bridge that, how to, I don't want, it's fictional, it's everything is fictional so I have a little bit of freedom in how to create this character. But also how do I overcome the uncomfortable zone of the antagonist. When you talk to, when you talk to Crystal, you suggest her to go and talk with people who don't wear a mask or, you know, this is uncomfortable for me because I wear masks. So how do I overcome this and how do I talk about something that it's out of my, you know, out of my boundaries in a natural form, but also respectful and, you know, bringing fluidity to the story. Right, right. Yeah, it's so this is your first is just the first thing that you've written Veronica. Yes. Yes. So on a on a level of like one to 10. I would say that writing outside of your comfort zone for some people could be a greater challenge. Right. I don't I don't know you so I don't know if it's a greater challenge or easier sometimes people have a hard time writing about themselves. Sometimes people have a hard time writing about people who are not more like themselves and then they are so it depends on the writer, but it could be tricky. It involves a skill set, which is getting out of your own way, which is often difficult. It has writing about people who are not you has been done a lot. There are a lot of novels and things written where like say let's just say, like memoirs of a geisha or something that was written by someone who was not a geisha. I think there was a book called the education of little tree or whatever written by you know there are all these books written by the other. Often they're not done well. It requires a skill set you have to, and when I was talking to crystal get to know people who don't wear masks I don't mean actually go up to somebody and talk to them. I mean, spiritually move out of yourself, and into that person's life. The question is, you said a Native American, did you say, from what group. You know, do you have you decided from where are they. It would be a little bit about Comanche. Right. Yeah, a little like a little bit. Yeah, because right now I'm in the phase of researching it. So, I don't want it to be, you know, I want to bring out so this part but I don't want to be too tight, because I don't want it, you know, if, if I get it wrong, I don't want to be penalized, you know what I mean. I understand, I understand. It's very tricky I would say, do a lot, immerse yourself in the specifics of this person, this fictional person, you know what I mean, immerse yourself usually you know, you know I'm not like don't overwhelm yourself with research but in this case, digest anything and everything you can possibly get your hands on about this culture that you are less familiar with than you would like to be. Okay. And as you write keep asking yourself at a certain point hopefully you'll hear, start hearing something. If it's not if it's the voice of the character that's great if it's a voice if it's a sound of your own voice, then you still haven't reached the point of saturation necessary to write the character. You might never get there. If you don't that's okay, because you're going to write something. Okay. And this character might simply be a spirit who's passing by your door. They have caught your interest, and they lure you out into the world of writing. And we are forever grateful for that person but maybe it's not the character you don't know. So we're going to go forth, and we're you're going to follow where this is leading you but but we're not certain that this is going to be the character. Okay, they definitely have something that you need to see. Okay, don't know what it is. Okay, so I mean so just immerse yourself in in research and enjoy it it sounds like a beautiful project, immerse yourself in research and see what happens. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. All right, we've got about two and a half minutes left, and we actually don't have a question at the moment. My practice my posture. Oh, you're muted SLP. What do you think you remember to do when I mean I've been on the laptop all day either writing like this. I'm writing on I write one screenplay in the morning and then another screenplay in the afternoon. The same thing. Who knows. Remember your posture. Roll your shoulders back, engage your stomach muscles. Carol has a question. Oh Carol has a question oh my gosh sorry I was so concentrated on my own posture. You have a beautiful face Carol. Are you there Carol. I'm struggling to click on you click. Are you there. Hmm. Carol I'm clicking ask to unmute. There you go. There we go. Still haven't mastered this. But I wanted to encourage all of those who are mastering their writing skills and and writing freely that's that's so wonderful. I was working on some some things come to you and I loved what you just said about maybe the character that you're on is not necessarily the character that's meant for that book that was really helpful to me right now. Also wanted to give you an update on my great grandson is just his two month birthday he's two pounds and a quarter ounces. And he's, he's just off the vent finally, and on a seapath and doing nicely they keep trying to get him to breathe on his, on his own which he will. And he's able to wear my daughter was thrilled to be able to buy him his first outfit. He's allowed to be dressed. And he loved it. He loved putting his arm in a sleeve. And settled and settled in. So I just wanted to update that because I love to share any good news. And thank you all for your support and prayers we still keep meeting them and they're really working. Take care we love you. What's the name Carol. Rowan. Like r o w a n a n. So everybody I know we won't see you until tomorrow at five Eastern. One breath that you take. Rowan yeah. Thank you. One breath. Okay. Thank you. Oh my goodness and loving to sleep. Everything is a miracle. He's a miracle baby. Okay. Thank you everybody. Keep well everybody. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for being here. As a reminder, please sign up by three p.m. Eastern every single day and I will send you a link between three and four 30 p.m. Eastern. I'm sorry I was late today. It's totally my fault. But thank you all for being here. I'll see you tomorrow. Okay. Thank you.