Colby R. Rice's Blog, page 4

CEFJ #112 My Q1 2021 Creative Achievements Round Up! + Winning My First Screenwriting Contest!! (4/1/21)

This quarter has been insane, high-speed, and exhausting… but it’s also been amazing, exhilarating, and rewarding!! Ya girl is out here winning, and I’m so incredibly stoked that I can’t contain myself, lol! Check out the podcast for what I’ve been up to lately, but for those of you who just want to get straight to the tea, here’s a short list:

MY Q1 WINS & ACHIEVEMENTS:

Finished and polished TWO PILOTS!Submitted to 40+ screenwriting / TV writing opportunities, labs, and fellowships!WHEN IN ROHM won the GRAND PRIZE in the WINTER 2021 SCREENWRITING CONTEST at writemovies.com!!! AAAAHHH!!!!!WHEN IN ROHM was ranked in the 91st percentile for the first round of the WeScreenplay Diverse Voices ContestI won a $1000 scholarship to the Writers Bootcamp’s “Basic Training” program via their African American Perspectives Fellowship (describe the project I pitched)EZEKIEL placed as a Quarterfinalist (amongst 4,300) scripts in the 2021 Screencraft Screenplay Fellowship Contest!EZEKIEL was ranked in the 69th percentile in the WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Contest. Was featured on the women’s history panel for the high school I teach at and discussed my novel writing, screenwriting, and directing!!

MY Q2 GOALS SHORTLIST:

– re-edit, shore up, and re-polish my EZEKIEL pilot
– finish up my animation pilot (PI SLEUTHS)
– write and polish 2 more NEW pilots
– write and polish 1 spec script (THE MANDALORIAN)
– apply to the last remaining screenwriting & TV writing contests for Q2
– apply to the major TV writing fellowships (May)
– FINISH Jen Grisanti’s “How to Write a TV Pilot that Sells: Finding Story” course
– FINISH Jen Grisanti’s “Storywise Teleseminar” course

CONTESTS I’LL HAVE UPDATES ON BY MY Q2 ROUND UP (JUNE 30):

Sesame Street Writers WorkshopCircle of Confusion Mentorship MattersFilm Independent LabSustainable Arts Foundation Semi-finalist, Finalist, and Winner news for the 2021 Screencraft Screenwriting Fellowship Quarterfinalist and Semifinalist news for the 2021 ScreenCraft True Story & Public Domain CompetitionQuarterfinalist and Semifinalist news for the 2021 WeScreenplay Diverse Voices ContestQuarterfinalist news for the Script Pipeline TV Writing Contest for both scripts

It’s so refreshing to see what can happen when you keep your dreams front of you and your nose on the grindstone. Please wish me luck as I shoot off into Q2!! Can’t wait to update you on my progress in July!

In the meantime, keep it indie, stay badass, and keep creating, lovelies! And most importantly? KEEP WRITING!

xo,
Colby

The Podcast: http://www.colbyrrice.com/the-epic-fa...
My Author Website: http://www.colbyrrice.com
My Novels: http://bit.ly/ColbyRRiceAmazonAuthorPage
Support the F’empire on Patreon: http://patreon.com/colbyrrice
My FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/ColbyRRicePage/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColbyRRice
My Instagram: https://instagram.com/colbyrrice

CEFJ #111 Happy (Late AF) New Year! + My Creative Goals for 2021! (2/21/21)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, my creative lovelies!

Yes. I am very very late, and that is for a GOOD reason… that I’ll be keeping to myself! #moveinsilence

So 2020 was… trash. Let’s just be honest. It’s a year that few of us will ever forget, and I, for one, learned a WHOLE LOT about myself, my family, and the people we share this planet with. Some of it was good. The rest of it? Well, let’s just say that “independence” and “self-sustainability” is my keyword for the next decade, lol.

I’m still here, though! And my goals have been neatly divided into two foci: writing TV and writing novels. Oh, and staying healthy on all levels. Yep. Those are my three major goals for 2021. I’m distilling my goals down and focusing harder, because, you know… #deepwork and all.

I’ve also resumed my goal to move in silence, but you guys will certainly get the CREATIVE tea and updates as they become relevant.

My Goals Shortlist:
– write and polish 6 pilots (2 down, four to go!)
– write and polish 1 spec
– apply to as many TV writing fellowships, labs, contests, and opportunities as humanly possible
– polish and publish at least 4 more fiction novels (July-Dec)
– continue taking external courses to develop my craft as a novelist, screenwriter, filmmaker, director, and producer
– continue to level up on my health and mental/emotional/spiritual wellness and continue to make progress in those areas of my life

Can’t wait to update you on my Q1 progress in April! Keep it indie, stay badass, and keep creating, lovelies!

xo,
Colby

The Podcast: http://www.colbyrrice.com/the-epic-fa...
My Author Website: http://www.colbyrrice.com
My Novels: http://bit.ly/ColbyRRiceAmazonAuthorPage
Support the F’empire on Patreon: http://patreon.com/colbyrrice
My FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/ColbyRRicePage/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColbyRRice
My Instagram: https://instagram.com/colbyrrice

CEFJ #110 2020 Creative Achievements Round Up! (12/31/20)

Wow, so what a year it has been. In 2020, we got a whole pandemic, quarantine, riots, burning buildings, and a whole lot of death as COVID and Life taught us that all of us are mortal, now matter how powerful or rich.

For me? This year was hard on a macrosocial, political, and sociological level, but re: my personal life, my family, and my creative endeavors, I was honestly very blessed and lucky. This year has been relatively smooth for me and also very creatively fruitful.

I don’t say this to be insensitive, dense, or out of touch. I am just speaking to my truth. I did experience quite a bit of loss this year through extended friends, my students’ struggles, and through my community struggles, but I was also fortunate in my blessings this year.

So this is what I’m dedicating my Round Up to: counting my blessings, sharing my lessons, and recapping my skills. Check out the deets in today’s episode.

TIME STAMPS:
00:00 – Introduction, COVID Teas, and Did I Achieve My 2020 Goals?
09:25 – *NEW* The Skills that I Gained and the Lessons I’ve Learned in 2020
25:40 – Theatre Teaching, Theatre Directing, Teaching Virtually, and Successes at the Day Job
35:02 – Novel Writing + The Next Book of Ezekiel (Book #4, Fraternity)
40:23 – TV Writing + TV/Novel Series Development
59:10 – The Growth of My Rebel Ragdoll F’empire: Developing Current Businesses, Opening Rebel Ragdoll Boutique, and the Upcoming Opening of Rebel Ragdoll Beauty!
01:13:30 – My Self-Care During the Pandemic: Creative Uni, Health & Wellness, Painting, Writing, Tarot, Gardening, and Vintage Vinyl Music!

CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS SHORTLIST:
– 1 new novel mostly finished
– 2 TV pilots finished
– 2 novellas outlined (from my work on a TV pilot)
– 4 TV pilots worked on/developed
– 7 TV/Novel series worked on/developed
– 1 business developed, launched, and opened (Rebel Ragdoll Boutique)
– 2 businesses developed
– 20+ virtual lesson plans and 3 educational units created for teaching HS theatre
– 13 books read
– 4 creative development or personal development courses taken
– 9 life-changing hobbies cultivated
– several liberating and amazing experiences had
– 1 pandemic survived

The Podcast: http://www.colbyrrice.com/the-epic-fa...
My Author Website: http://www.colbyrrice.com
My Novels: http://bit.ly/ColbyRRiceAmazonAuthorPage
Support the F’empire on Patreon: http://patreon.com/colbyrrice
My FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/ColbyRRicePage/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColbyRRice
My Instagram: https://instagram.com/colbyrrice

CEFJ #109, Q4 2020 Creative Achievements Round Up! (12/31/20)

Wow, so it’s been three and a half months since I’ve posted, but that’s because I’ve been CUH-RAZY busy.

Between teaching virtually, homeschooling, a massive refocus on my novel writing and a HUGE focus on TV writing, Q4 hasn’t quite flown by, but it’s certainly felt pretty larger than life. I’ve delved into the final stretch of writing FRATERNITY (Books of Ezekiel #4) and have just started a long and arduous journey down the road of breaking into the TV industry. I’ve had loads fun and have gotten better in my skills already… but will it be enough?

Find out in today’s Creative Achievement Round Up for Q4 2020!

The Podcast: http://www.colbyrrice.com/the-epic-fa...
My Author Website: http://www.colbyrrice.com
My Novels: http://bit.ly/ColbyRRiceAmazonAuthorPage
Support the F’empire on Patreon: http://patreon.com/colbyrrice
My FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/ColbyRRicePage/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColbyRRice
My Instagram: https://instagram.com/colbyrrice

CEFJ #108 My Q3 2020 Creative Achievements! + I OPENED A FASHION BOUTIQUE (9/13/20)

Sooo, ya girl opened a fashion boutique! Rebel Ragdoll Boutique. And I’m releasing a cosmetics line too, called Rebel Ragdoll Beauty, in January of 2021.

Yeah, I know. Like, wait, WHAT?

How did I open an ENTIRE online boutique in Q3? AND DO I STILL WRITE EVEN?!

Yes, my lovely listeners, I do still write. I’m just expanding my f’empire. As planned.

Advice On Faxing From Your Computer

Modern-day faxing is carried out via computers, rather than the traditional units and phone-up services used in the past. But what should you consider when choosing a fax provider and how do you ensure this is a job done effectively? 

You need to consider security and reliability when choosing Internet faxing services. Security is of paramount importance. This is the main concern people have when it comes to using Internet applications and services. Therefore, you need to look for a company that has a stringent security policy in place so you can be confident that all of your documents are protected. 

It is also worth reading reviews that have been left by previous customers to see what they have had to say about the faxing services you are considering. If a company has a bad reputation you should be able to pick up on this. There will be a wealth of negative reviews online warning you not to use the company in question. This is definitely the best way to get an honest assessment of the level of quality you are likely to experience, otherwise you are simply going on the sales pitch that the company gives you. 

Last but not least, it is imperative to ensure that the faxing provider has good customer support services in place. If your system stops working or you need help operating it, you want to be safe in the knowledge that you can get the help and assistance you require. You don’t want a company that just provides you with the platform for online faxing and then just leaves you to it.

Tips On Sending Fax Through Email

Once you have found a reputable company the decisions don’t end there. You need to sit down and think about your faxing commitments. How many faxes are you likely to send per day, week, or month? It is vital to get a good idea regarding this so you can then determine what plan is going to be right for you. If you are only going to send approximately one fax through email per week then you don’t want to pay for an expensive plan that gives you the capacity to send a large number of faxes. 

The best companies will also give you the option to try out their service beforehand. They will likely have a demo version on site. You should definitely take advantage of this. It will give you a good feel for the service you are going to benefit from. After all, you will want to make sure it is easy to use. This is one of the main reasons for choosing a fax through email service, so you’ll need to be certain that the system enhances convenience and efficiency. You must also set up an email account so you can send and receive faxes. Of course, you may already have an email account that you can use, but some people prefer to set up a separate one. By having an email account dedicated to just faxes, you can keep everything more organized.

There is your health to think about too! If you wear glasses, we’d also recommend looking into a provider like eyeglasses.com so you can get glasses designed especially for excess computer use. Also, make sure you take regular breaks from the PC, as repetitive strain injury can cause significant damage.

The storage of your faxes is important too. A lot of companies will offer storage options with their service. Usually, when faxing from a computer your documents will be saved via email. However, some companies will also offer additional back-up services for extra security. It is worth taking advantage of these, especially if the files and data are important. This is much cheaper and more efficient than printing off all documents. It is also much more secure. It only takes misplacement of a piece of paper for you to lose some crucial information when faxing via the traditional method as opposed to faxing from the computer. 

Aside from this, you also need to know how to prepare your documents to send them as a fax. There are a lot of companies that will do this for you or at least tell you how to do so. Generally speaking all you need to do is convert documents into a PDF file. Microsoft Office actually has a free PDF converter, so this makes life a lot easier. Just click on the file and then save as PDF. It is as easy as that. If you don’t use Word you will find plenty of free PDF converters on the Internet. There are also some companies that give you the ability to send faxes as text or Word documents, meaning a file conversion is not necessary.

CEFJ #107 The Journey of No Regrets. Happy Birthday to Me! + My Q2 2020 Creative Achievements Round Up! (6/28/20)

Happy Birthday to me, siiiiiiiiissss!

Wow, I made it, and I’m so amped about the possibilities for the rest of the year. We know what the current and future prognoses are for COVID-19, and this year has been a powder keg for revolution with the anti-police brutality and #BlackLivesMatter protests.

So things have been HARD.

But I’m still going to try my best to make this the best year I can. Things probably won’t be easy, and I don’t know what’s coming. But I’m determined to face everything with optimism and bravery as best I can! In that vein, here’s a round up for what’s been going well for Q2 of 2020, and a brief look into the future as I bring in my personal new year with some creative “gifts to self” and positive affirmations.

Stay safe, keep creating, keep writing, and keep it indie!

Now. Let’s do this.

—
Art for Everyone. Make your own painting masterpieces from these awesome paint-by-numbers templates designed by REAL independent artists: https://www.craft-ease.com/

Some creative things I’m doing to take care of my mind, body, and spirit that you can try too:

— painting
— gentle exercise
— focus on health and wellness overall
— getting more rest!
— reading
— novel writing, screenwriting, and creative project development
— gardening
— reviving my cooking/baking skills (w/ a focus on pies)

The Podcast: http://www.colbyrrice.com/the-epic-fa...
My Author Website: http://www.colbyrrice.com
My Novels: http://bit.ly/ColbyRRiceAmazonAuthorPage
Support the F’empire on Patreon: http://patreon.com/colbyrrice
My FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/ColbyRRicePage/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColbyRRice
My Instagram: https://instagram.com/colbyrrice

CEFJ #106 Dracarys (6/1/20)

So it’s been two months since I last posted a video/podcast. I’m tired, y’all. Honestly. Between the worldwide epidemic, barely seeing the light of day for the past 83 days, my entire month of May, the murders of Gorge Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, AND the United States of America quite literally going up in flames due to riots, I’m just plain tired.

Aren’t you? Or does everything truly have to burn in order for things to change?

Well, in that case: DRACARYS.

TRIGGER WARNING: there’s plenty of creative deliciousness and personal achievements in today’s podcast, but if talking about the preservation of Black lives triggers you, you’re going to have to swerve all the left on this one. Here, I’ll hold the door for you as you leave. After all, this podcast is entitled The Epic, Fantastical Journey of a **BLACK** Female Sci-fi Writer… so you knew this was coming.

With tough love,
Colby

Now. Let’s do this.

—
Art for Everyone. Make your own painting masterpieces from these awesome paint-by-numbers templates designed by REAL independent artists: https://www.craft-ease.com/

The Podcast: http://www.colbyrrice.com/the-epic-fa...
My Author Website: http://www.colbyrrice.com
My Novels: http://bit.ly/ColbyRRiceAmazonAuthorPage
Support the F’empire on Patreon: http://patreon.com/colbyrrice
My FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/ColbyRRicePage/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColbyRRice
My Instagram: https://instagram.com/colbyrrice

CEFJ #105 Virgin Brain, Three Weeks in Quarantine, and My Q1 Creative Achievements Round Up (4/1/20)

So, we’re officially three weeks into quarantine (on my end, at the least) in one of the hardest hit states in the country: New York. Wow has this been a transformative, scary, enlightening, and sobering time.

My family and I have endured so many changes in these three weeks, and we even endured a major health scare of our own, but we’ve pulled through it, thankfully. Overall, we’ve been very lucky during this ordeal (thus far), and I continue to practice gratitude daily (and even hourly).

But another thing I’m practicing right now is the art of balance, creative steeping, and virgin brain (i.e. approaching all creative projects with the mind and spirit of a total, happy-go-lucky novice… which I am, honestly, compared to other artists).

Virgin brain has been working wonders for my growth and sanity, as I get to sit in blissful ignorance and just download the information I need from books, classes, and the creative ether in general.

Oh, and of course, I have my Q1 Creative Achievement Wrap Up. Which is… thin, honestly, but I also think survival is one hell of an achievement too, lol!

The Podcast: http://www.colbyrrice.com/the-epic-fa...
My Author Website: http://www.colbyrrice.com
My Novels: http://bit.ly/ColbyRRiceAmazonAuthorPage
Support the F’empire on Patreon: http://patreon.com/colbyrrice
My FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/ColbyRRicePage/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColbyRRice
My Instagram: https://instagram.com/colbyrrice

CEFJ #104 Suspending My Year of Silence in Scary Times (3/20/20)

Hey all! Sooo, WOW. I’ve been away for a while now, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d ever be broadcasting to you during a pandemic and quarantine.

In light of this, I’m going to temporarily break my promise to move in silence (with regard to discussing my creative projects and journey).

There’s so much silence and fear in the world around me- in the streets, at schools, at many public places- that I feel compelled to fill at least some of this empty space with my voice, with positivity, and with creativity.

AND with resources : https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home

This podcast is an update on my journey as well as on what’s currently happening in my home state of NY during the coronavirus pandemic. Most pressingly, though, I talk about what we can do as artists to stay sane and creative during this time.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay creative, and of course #flattenthecurve

The Podcast: http://www.colbyrrice.com/the-epic-fa...
My Author Website: http://www.colbyrrice.com
My Novels: http://bit.ly/ColbyRRiceAmazonAuthorPage
Support the F’empire on Patreon: http://patreon.com/colbyrrice
My FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/ColbyRRicePage/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColbyRRice
My Instagram: https://instagram.com/colbyrrice