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Coach Teresa says: “You can write any genre that hooks you. Just write.”

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Just recently I remembered that in a college English class, the teacher gave us this assignment… to write about any book or story we had read in class. She had said: “No rules. Just give me a 3-page paper.”  I didn’t want to write a summary or a book report, so, I wrote a monologue (a speech–what I would have said if I were Othello on Judgment Day). The teacher gave me a B and wrote next to it “Creative.”

That was three decades ago.

Since then . . . I have:

• taken a 10-week course “Writing Children’s Literature” and have written 2 children’s stories; someday I’ll publish them. [ rewards: learned how to craft a story for any age group; formed a critique group with 3 classmates--we met twice each month for 10 years ]

• taking my counselor’s recommendation to read Maxine Hong Kingston’s memoir

• received an award for my fiction [ rewards: joined California Writers Club which opened my networking world ]

• found my agent for my novel Love Made of Heart and she landed a contract for me with Kensington Publishing Corp. New York [ rewards: being represented by respected experts in the book industry and receiving advance praise from celebrated authors before publication of my novel]

• written and delivered keynote speeches for Denim Day and Take Back the Night during Sexual-Violence-Awareness-Month on behalf of the folks at Community Violence Solutions [ rewards: making my name synonymous with subject matters I write about; speaking out for folks who cannot speak for themselves;  ]

• writing President’s Message for monthly newsletter of California Writers Club-San Francisco Peninsula Branch [ rewards: building my name as writing-career-coach and advocate for writers  ]

• sold my signature article “The Perfect Pitch” to Writer’s Digest [ rewards:  gaining recognition as an expert on how to pitch to agents, acquisition editors and publishers ]

• submitting short pieces and getting published in San Jose Mercury News and San Francisco Chronicle [ rewards: making my name visible to general readership ]

• started my own publishing company and launched my workbook Build Your Name Beat the Game which a year later became Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days [ rewards: being Coach Teresa who provides a 22-day program for writers to make their names synonymous with issues they write about ]

• on January 8, 2012 when I presented”Writing-Career-Make-Over with Coach Teresa” at California Writers Club– Redwood Branch, I heard that  Linda Loveland Reid was sponsoring the 3rd annual Redwood Writers Playwriting Contest.  The entries had to be 10-minute pieces.  Hmm… I would like to write a 10-minute play.  So, the following week . . . I wrote the play in 30 minutes, but, it took several weeks to rewrite (after receiving critique from Lynn Scott).  Answer Me Now (a 10-minute monologue) is about a middle-aged woman asking her dead mom a question. [ rewards: I will get to hang out with directors, actors, producers, set designers, theater folks and theater supporters ]

Playwright Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Creator of Redwood Writers Play Contest & Festival / Playwright / Novelist Linda Loveland Reid. Thank you, Linda!

Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: "Thank you, Elisa Sasa Southard, for going to awards ceremony with me even though you have so much to do after having led Washington D.C. and New York City tours for students!"

Thank you, Sasa!  I’m on Cloud Nine and I plan to stay there/here . . .  long after the performances at the Redwood Writers Play Festival of  June 29, 30 and July 1, 2012.

The 4 shows will be at the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, CA:

June 29, Friday at 8pm; June 30, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm; and July 1, Sunday at 2pm.  Tickets will be on sale starting May 1st, 2012.  $16 per person.

the 9 contest winners: Elaine Maikovska, Harry Reid, Jean Wong, Amanda McTigue, Nancy Lockard Gallop, Malena Eljumaily, Elizabeth VanPatten, Teresa LeYung-Ryan; Gene Griffith was not at awards ceremony

Again, thank you, Linda Loveland Reid, contest judges Lennie Dean, Natasha Carter-Yim, Michael Fontaine (who couldn’t attend the awards ceremony), Redwood Writers, fellow playwrights, Lynn Scott, Elisa Sasa Southard, my MaMa, and my friends who send me good wishes.

Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Redwood Writers Playwriting Contest Judge & Playwright Natasha Carter Yim. Thank you, Natasha!

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Redwood Writers Playwriting Contest Judge & Festival Director Lennie Dean tells Teresa LeYung-Ryan which symbolism in Teresa's play touched her. Thank you, Lennie!

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Redwood Writers Play Festival Director Lennie Dean with Playwright/Writing Coach/Story Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan and Travel Writer/Certified Tour Director Elisa Sasa Southard

Teresa,

Congratulations! Answer Me Now is a beautiful sojourn of the mother/daughter soul affinity. I continually seek to be the best of the best of my mother: your play is a tribute to that ongoing relationship of mind, heart and healing spirit. Thank you.

As Festival Director, I am thrilled at the announcement of the collaboration between Redwood Writers President Linda Loveland Reid  and 6th Street Playhouse – Craig Miller, Artistic and Education Director. This match will bring the best of both worlds to serve in the enrichment of our community. It is sure to be an event of the year!

I will update as the process of the creation of this event unfolds!

Lennie Dean

Thank you so much, Lennie!

Thinking back to that monologue (Othello on judgment day) I had written for that English class. . . I wonder where that paper is.

You can write any genre that hooks you. Just write.

Thank you, Elisa Sasa Southard, for helping me (Teresa LeYung-Ryan) do advance publicity for Redwood Writers Play Festival at 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, CA

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung-Ryan

As editor/story consultant, Teresa LeYung-Ryan identifies themes and universal archetypes for clients. As author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she says: “Make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.” Teresa has built her own platform happily; her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. She says her novel and her play Answer Me Now carry the theme closest to her heart: mother-daughter relationship.  http://writingcoachteresa.com for Coach Teresa’s Blog and other resources.  “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”

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3 April 2012

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here to share sweet news with you.

At 8:19pm this evening I received a phone call from Linda Loveland Reid, telling me that my 10-minute play Answer Me Now has been chosen as one of the nine plays to be produced.  I listened to Linda as she explained that directors will be selected, auditions will be scheduled, then casting, and rehearsals, and that the plays would be performed at the annual Redwood Writers Play Festival on June 29, 30 and July 1, 2012 in California.

Performances will be June 29, Friday at 8pm; June 30, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm; and July 1, Sunday at 2pm.  Tickets will be $16 per person.

at Santa Rosa’s premier theater, 6th Street Playhouse. The plays will be presented on 6th Street’s Studio stage.

I’m feeling proud and sad at the same time; my play is a monologue (middle-aged daughter talking to her mother); I miss my mom so much.

Thank you, Linda Loveland Reid, for your generosity in creating the annual Redwood Writers Playwriting Contest. Thank you, judges Natasha Carter-Yim, Michael Fontaine and Lennie Dean. Thank you to fellow playwrights and everyone involved in this project.

Thank you, dear Lynn Scott, for your editing my play.

Last week I had already asked dear Elisa Sasa Southard to attend the April 15, 2012 meeting with me, winning or not, so that we could cheer for all the playwrights. Tonight, after receiving the call from Linda . . . I called dear Luisa Adams.  Sasa could still be on her trip. It’s too late to call other pals, so, I write this blog post. Gotta email my sis (teaching abroad) and KB in Australia!

Kim McMillon, I’m thinking of you.  Your plays have inspired me so much!

Kathryn G. McCarty, thank you for inspiring me with your writing and directing plays, and for giving me the thrill to be on stage for the fundraiser performance of  Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues to benefit Community Violence Solutions.

Carol Sheldon, you have inspired me too.  I look forward to seeing your new play this month.

Chandra Garsson, I’m thinking of you too. Your films have inspired me so much!  Last month Chandra had offered to film me performing Answer Me Now so that I would have a Chandra Garsson production for my YouTube channel; I guess I better memorize my own lines… in addition to attending some of the rehearsals (as the playwright, not actor) when casting has been completed for the Redwood Writers Play Festival.

Screenwriter and screenwriting teacher Terrel Seltzer, thank you for having coached us on what a compelling story is.

Goodnight, Everyone!

Being a writer is a reward! Keep writing!

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung-Ryan

As editor/story consultant, Teresa LeYung-Ryan identifies themes and universal archetypes for clients. As author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she says: “Make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.” Teresa has built her own platform happily; her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. She says her novel and her play Answer Me Now carry the theme closest to her heart: mother-daughter relationship.  http://writingcoachteresa.com for Coach Teresa’s Blog and other resources.  “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”

Here’s the email that I just received from Linda.