Menna Van Praag's Blog, page 34
October 24, 2013
Coming soon to a TV near you…
I’ve got my pitch ready for all those Hollywood producers! So, here we go: The Witches of Cambridge is a supernatural drama series about a secret society, all professors, all witches, who use their magical powers to help ordinary people but find it considerably harder to help themselves…
What do you think? Do you want to know more? Do you want to see this TV show? Is it a winner? I certainly hope so!!
Pic: the witches of Cambridge last Halloween 
)
Coming soon to a TV near you… I hope!
I’ve got my pitch ready for all those Hollywood producers! So, here we go: The Witches of Cambridge is a supernatural drama series about a secret society, all professors, all witches, who use their magical powers to help ordinary people but find it considerably harder to help themselves…
What do you think? Do you want to know more? Do you want to see this TV show? Is it a winner? I certainly hope so!!
Pic: the witches of Cambridge last Halloween )
October 22, 2013
Great British Bake Off!
Tonight I went to a deliciiiious event involving 60 strangers and 30 cakes. We congregated in a Cambridge pub to celebrate the final of the Great British Bake Off. Instead of watching TV home alone on the sofa, we socialised and ate copious amounts of cake. Now, my comfort zone is my sofa, I’m rather shy about socialising with strangers, but I went for it – tempted, of course, by the cake – but mainly because I believe that breaking out of my comfort zone generally leading to great things. And indeed it did. It was so much fun watching a favourite TV show with people who share my passion for baking and eating. Tonight I made some sweet new friends and ate about 30 slices of cake. I also came home with a goodie bag laden with lots more cake. So I’m certainly glad I got off my sofa for all that!
Pic: a very small selection of all the cakes on offer… Oh, and congratulations Frances!
October 21, 2013
Do you ever find yourself at an inspirational cul-de-sac?...
Do you ever find yourself at an inspirational cul-de-sac? You go around and around in your head trying to find the answer to something, trying to make something work. Well, I’ve been trying to create a film pitch for HOPE and hitting a wall at every turn. Then I had the wise notion to discuss the problem with Laurence and he gave me the answer! I couldn’t make it work because it isn’t a film, it’s a TV series. Genius! Instantly it all clicked in my mind (& heart) and the inspiration started flowing once more… I sometimes forget that if something isn’t working it probably means we should do something radically different, rather than keep banging our heads against a brick wall. I’d so wanted to write for films that I didn’t see wonderful opportunity of the obvious! Now I’m buzzing with inspiration & thinking of turning all three books into a TV series… imagine that!
Pic: The Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge – Alice & I visited last week and saw an original manuscript of Winnie the Pooh 
October 20, 2013
Yesterday I spent the day at my friend Laurence’s screenw...
Yesterday I spent the day at my friend Laurence’s screenwriting workshop. It was AMAZING. I left feeling giddy with inspiration. I was so alight with passion to write I felt the sparks flying from my fingertips. It’s funny, because this isn’t the first of his workshops I’ve been to, it’s the forth or fifth. And each one is just as amazingly inspirational as the last but, as time passes between them, I forget and – when I believe the thoughts telling me screenwriting is an impossible dream – my passion fades. I wonder then, just how many of us have passions that we’ve forgotten because we’ve believed them to be impossible? We need then to keep acting on our passions with consistency. It doesn’t matter how small the steps forward are, as long as we don’t stop altogether. When we stop taking action, that’s when the negative thoughts seize hold and we risk losing our passions forever. I won’t let that happen to me, don’t let it happen to you!
Pic: visiting Oxford for the day today
October 17, 2013
Today I was reminded and re-inspired by the power of conn...
Today I was reminded and re-inspired by the power of connection and collaboration. I taught a one-on-one class with a new student who had a great idea for a book she wants to write. We chatted about it, brainstorming ideas, plot, themes & characters. By the end of the class we’d come up with a story so brilliant that I wanted to write it myself! I won’t, of course But it was a great reminder that, if you’re ever stuck for inspiration or stuck with anything, to look outside yourself for inspiration. Personally, I don’t find it easy to come up with plots. So, when I have an idea I love enough to want to write about, I set up a meeting with my writing group (see pic for our meeting last month) and within a few hours we’ve plotted out a whole book. Of course, it usually all changes while I’m writing, but it’s an excellent beginning and, without it, I’d probably never get started. So, if you’re stuck with anything, don’t mull around inside your own head, reach out to someone else instead!
October 16, 2013
LOTS to celebrate today! My very first group online writi...
LOTS to celebrate today! My very first group online writing workshop (4 one hour sessions for £99) is now live & ready for booking! Places are limited, so if you want to join me, don’t hesitate! & a new edition of HOPE is out! It’s the large print edition with a cute new cover featuring a sprinkling of autumn leaves… rather perfect timing. I’m very excited to be doing more teaching – I just adore sharing my passion for words, compelling characters and the art of crafting stories that you can’t put down. Don’t you love reading a book waaay past your bedtime because you simply MUST know what happens next?! Bliss…
October 14, 2013
So, the next seemingly impossible thing has shown up! In ...
So, the next seemingly impossible thing has shown up! In less than two weeks I’ll be attending the London Screenwriters Festival. Three days of talks, classes and pitching our projects to Hollywood producers. Eeek. I’ve wanted to write films for as long as I can remember. I started writing film scripts even before I started writing books. And I’ve always dreamed of one day being a screenwriter. But, deep down, I never believed it possible or myself capable. Which, of course, is why it hasn’t happened yet. However, now I’ve begun adapting HOPE STREET as a film and I truly believe it will be an amazing film. Next week I’ll be pitching it to Hollywood producers. Wish me luck!
Pic: a pic of O last year, after I bought a clapper board to inspire my film-writing dream
October 13, 2013
I went on my first post-pass drive today. It was lovely. ...
I went on my first post-pass drive today. It was lovely. So easy and ordinary and, at the same time, so exciting and extraordinary. I still can’t quite believe it once seemed so impossible and is now not only possible but normal. Then I remember that once the idea of publishing a book seemed impossible and now that’s normal too. Likewise being a mother. And having a beautiful, amazing marriage when we were once on the brink of divorce. All these things remind me – when the next seemingly impossible thing comes along – that we’re all capable of creating that which we dream of. And, if you think that doesn’t include you, it does. Because if it’s true for me, then it’s true for you too. Really. Try it and see…
Pic: Alice in Wonderland afternoon tea at the Sanderson Hotel, London – I can’t wait to try this!
I passed!!
Whoop! Whoop! I still can’t quite believe it. I’m a driver. I can go wherever I want, all by myself I don’t know why I was so scared to learn before I finally decided to do it. It doesn’t really matter. Fear is fear. And, as long as we believe all the diminishing, limiting thoughts fear whispers into our ears, we won’t do the things we are so capable of doing. The key is not to wait until those thoughts stop – they won’t – or until we’re fearless – when does that ever happen? But just to act anyway. I didn’t feel too nervous a few minutes before my test, then when it started I noticed my left leg couldn’t stop shaking. My first manoeuvre was a reverse bay park and I did it so badly I almost failed my test before even leaving the parking lot! Half of me wanted to cry and give up right then. But I remembered how I felt when I KNEW I was going to pass. So I pulled it together and went out and did a near-perfect drive. Amazing. Incredible. So, our fears are one thing, but our infinite potential to do absolutely anything we set our hearts on, are quite another…
