Back to School… Again

Based on the advice of a friend, I spent part of the summer of 2013 at the New York State Summer Writers Institute, hosted by Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. I hadn’t been on a college campus as a student in more years than I care to admit. It proved to be a wise decision. Being mentored by the program’s exceptional writers and teachers was a gift. Where else could one have the privilege of hearing Pulitzer Prize winners, William Kennedy, Honor Moore and Paul Harding, share their experiences and wisdom?

While drafting the screen adaptation of, She Called Him Raymond, my instincts led me back to Skidmore. I discovered that a gifted screenwriter and film industry veteran, Nicole Coady, would teach a course this summer entitled, Storytelling for the Screen. I was quick to enroll. It is clear that the investment of time, the guidance of Professor Coady, and the shared wisdom of my classmates as we workshop our scripts, will pay handsome dividends.

It is never too late to learn and you may discover that the resources for success are in your own backyard.