Action!: Following my dream, literally.

One night, I dreamed a movie. It had a beginning with a great hook, a middle, action, and a twist at the end. Unlike most of my dreams, I was not in it. I was an observer. A viewer. Like at a movie theater, only without the popcorn. When I awoke, I told my husband about the dream and he became very excited, "I want to see that movie!" We discussed possible ways I could sell the idea.

In the meantime, I was tinkering with writing. I liked to write but struggled to find my niche. I thought of my dream and attempted to write it as a novel. It fell short in less than a chapter. Novel writing did not fit me.

As I continued my quest to find my writing direction, I came across a book on screenwriting. I checked it out of the library, took it home to my basement office, opened it up and skimmed a few pages; but, before I even read it, I felt excitement race through my veins. I felt on fire. I cannot describe the feeling, but I immediately recognized it.

I felt that same sensation a few years prior when I stepped into a classroom to attend a lecture titled: "Your Stories for the Next Great Films." The lecture hadn't even started, but I felt that familiar tingling the moment I stepped into the room. I quickly found a seat in the auditorium and wrote this note: I feel so alive and excited being here! ...  I feel more alive than I have in years!

Recognizing and marveling over the similar sensations, my mind reflected on how I read novels... skimming over description to get to the action and dialogue. Suddenly, I was enlightened by the Spirit, and the puzzle pieces locked into place: I wasn't meant to sell my movie idea... I was meant to write the screenplay!

I ran up the stairs shouting, "I know what I want to be when I grow up!"

It was May of 2005. I was 48 years old.

Because of that experience, we sold our home, and moved across the country, where I returned to school and earned a degree in Film and Media Arts. I've written two feature-length screenplays. My first one is ready to market (see: Action!: Moving forward with my screenplays).

What about the dream that started this adventure? It's my second screenplay... the one I recently retyped into my screenwriting software... the one I'm re-writing and polishing now.

And sitting on my shelf is a binder full of movie ideas which surfaced after I took action to follow my dream.