Everything I Accomplished in 2024 and What I Learned
2024 was my busiest and most successful year yet… Yep, despite all the turmoil in Hollywood and the world.
I was writing my behind off, while being staffed in a room, and keeping the trains running at HONEY CHILE.
Speaking of.. it was also very busy for my production company HONEY CHILE.
We chronicle everything we accomplished in our annual recap: 2024 YEAR IN REVIEW for HONEY CHILE, An Independent Media & Production Company.
It’s a must read (yes I am biased) for those of us who are or want to be more entrepreneurial, increase our income streams, or serve a niche audience.
It also includes what I accomplished professionally this year, which was:
Sold a TV show
Setup a TV show at a studio
Turned in TWO pilot scripts and rewrites on both
Turned in two revised scripts for a series I have in development
Was sent to format on one of my TV series
Turned in a series format, outline, and first script for a limited series
Pitched on a major feature film project; killed the pitch
Turned in a studio feature and its rewrite
Turned in a rewrite on another studio feature which now has a director attached
Staffed in an amazing writer’s room and am now a Co-Executive Producer
Wrote and produced 1 1/2 episodes of television
Completed the WGA Showrunner Training Program
Gave a keynote at Tulane University about gender equity in storytelling
Was featured by Essence for being in conversation with Honey director Tina Mabry during the Essence Film Festival
I have never written as much in my life. And here’s what I learned:
My creative process and practice are my saving graces: The only way I was able to do all of this writing is because I have a defined creative process and a seasoned practice. Both of which I protect fiercely. Trust, people will try to insert themselves into your process and practice. DO NOT LET THEM. Your process is your process. Your practice is sacred. And it can be messy, but you know that on the other side, great work will be birthed. BTW, if you’re looking to develop or strengthen your creative process or practice, I outline both in The Creative Comeback Workbook.
Continuously plant seeds: A lot of the projects that I wrote this year were seeds I planted a couple of years ago. Sometimes they take time to bloom, but our job isn’t to calculate when that will happen. Our job is to keep planting seeds. The beautiful thing about planting seeds is all that can bloom from them - not just the opportunity we expect.
People will remember great work: People won’t remember if your work is late, but they will remember if it is bad. They will also remember if it’s great. Strive for great at all costs. Take another pass on it. Do that extra read down. For you, but also because your audience deserves your best work.
I don’t like intense deadlines: I do not like Hollywood’s intense deadlines in development, mainly because I know the urgency isn’t real. Deadlines are our friends, but intense deadlines be doing too much.
Writing is hard: Writing doesn’t necessarily get easy. But I get better. Putting in the work on craft WORKS. And I love seeing my growth in real time.
The ability to pitch is crucial: All of these film and TV projects that I wrote this year (save for the scripts I wrote while staffed) were sold off of a pitch. I am GREAT at pitching and as a result, I have secured a lot of opportunities. BTW: The Build Bundle has an entire workshop on pitching which includes one of my written pitches and one of my recorded pitches. When I first started out, I had never read or heard a Film or TV pitch. The Build Bundle is pretty novel for that alone.
I need to prioritize my own projects: A number of the projects that I wrote this year were not mine. They become yours, sure, but they weren’t my personal passion projects. So in 2025, I’m committing to finishing those passion projects I put on the back burner this year.
This year was the culmination of all my experience: I was also able to get through this year because of my years of work and interpersonal experience. The intangibles we don’t talk enough about. Whether it’s having tough conversations, understanding career strategy, or knowing how to build long-lasting professional relationships, all of it helped me to attract the work, execute the work, and keep the work moving.
I am proud of myself for not just doing all this writing, but doing it at a high level. This year expanded what I thought I was capable of.
If you’re looking to expand what you think you’re capable of in 2025, The Build Bundle is designed to help you build a profitable and PROLIFIC career as a storyteller. I pulled together all the resources, tools, insight that I have used over my decades-long career in media and entertainment. The ultimate cheat code. Enroll today and make 2025 your best year yet.
BLUEPRINTS
What I’m reading, consuming, thinking about, or inspired by…
How much do creators make? Good question.
A publishing company that went after self-published authors and is winning.
Deadpool director didn't make much money from the franchise. We need better deals.
Starring in a Christmas movie can be good business. No lie, finally writing my Christmas movie is on my goal list for 2025.
WHEN YOU'RE READY, HERE ARE WAYS THAT I CAN HELP:
All of the tools you need for developing your writing craft, pitching your tv/film projects, making your work, and strategizing for a long-lasting career. It's what I wish I had starting out and even mid-way through my career—tried and true tactics, examples, and strategies to help you accelerate your journey.
THE CREATIVE COMEBACK WORKBOOK
It's time for you to start writing again and tell the stories burning within. Through 30 prompts, you'll discover your why, develop a writing schedule, outline your projects and unearth what's holding you back from the career of your dreams. These are the exact steps I took to make my creative comeback. Purchase on Book Shop.
tender: the official script book by Felicia Pride
Specially designed, the script for Felicia Pride’s award-winning short film tender! Also includes an original essay by Felicia and never-before-seen behind-the-scenes photos. A PDF eBook sent immediately upon purchase.
LOOK BACK AT IT: The Official Script Book by Felicia Pride
Specially designed, the script for Felicia Pride’s award-winning short film LOOK BACK AT IT! Also includes an original essay by Felicia and never-before-seen behind-the-scenes photos. A PDF eBook sent immediately upon purchase.
IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING...
Promote your project or business in The Sweet Build. Want to get in front of 1,300+ motivated storytellers? We're offering an introductory flat rate of $500. Inquire today by responding to this email.
This email was originally sent by Kit. And I really enjoy working with them because I can also sell products through them. I sold the first 21-Day Creative Comeback Challenge completely through Kit. It's an awesome one-stop shop. Here's my Kit affiliate link.
Ever wonder how people send those automated DMs? Well, I did! We use Manychat. It's a great way to send links to products, podcasts, articles, and more. You also know who's super interested in your content and can follow-up accordingly. Here's my Manychat affiliate link.
How do I stay organized? I feel like I've tried all the productivity software girls. And none can really compete with Notion. She has it all. It takes some time to learn, but chile... once you do! You can build custom databases (we track contacts, projects, more), create custom pages and more. I LOVE it. Here's my Notion affiliate link.