Writing in Real Life

"Writing In Real Life is here for the writer who struggles, the writer who makes mistakes and the writer who is passionately committed to writing regardless of acknowledgment, reward or honors. I have been on four shows, but the majority of my writing has been for my own self-growth and entertainment. My goal is to tell the truth about my writing path so that others may learn from it, grow from it and maybe get more juice for their own creative endeavors."

Why I Write

By lwalsh | June 7, 2026 | 0 Comments

Growing up, I was always trying to help one of my depressed caregivers feel happy. At six years old, I suggested Disneyland as the solution. It made perfect sense to me. If someone was sad, surely there was a place, a ride, a magical experience that could make everything better. For years, I tried to … Read more

Never Let the Tension Die

By lwalsh | May 29, 2026 | 0 Comments

The moment tension disappears, the audience’s attention goes with it. That doesn’t mean every scene needs explosions, screaming, or nonstop action. Tension simply means something unresolved is happening underneath the scene. A character wants something emotionally and isn’t getting it. A secret is being hidden.A wound is being touched.A relationship is straining.A fear is growing.A … Read more

Why Joining a Writers’ Club Might Be the Best Thing You Do for Your Story

By lwalsh | March 23, 2026 | 0 Comments

You don’t need more ideas.You don’t need more books on writing.You don’t even need more time. What you need… is momentum. That’s where a Writers’ Club changes everything. Writing Alone Is Harder Than It Should Be Most writers start with excitement. A spark. A character that won’t leave them alone. And then… life happens. The … Read more

❤️ Pouring Your Heart Into Your Movie

By lwalsh | February 23, 2026 | 0 Comments

There is a phrase writers hear constantly: “Write what you know.” Many interpret this to mean that they should tell their exact story, recreating events from their own lives as faithfully as possible. But pouring your heart into a movie does not require you to document your biography scene by scene. It means something deeper … Read more

Writing With ADHD: A Screenwriter’s Guide to Working With Your Brain

By lwalsh | January 25, 2026 | 0 Comments

Writing with ADHD doesn’t mean you lack discipline or talent—it means your brain is wired for intensity, intuition, and big-picture thinking, not linear slogging. Many screenwriting systems assume steady focus, orderly drafts, and one “right” way, but ADHD writers often create in bursts, jump between ideas, hyperfocus, lose steam, and then surge again. That isn’t dysfunction—it’s … Read more

Writing for Verticals: How to Break Into the New Format Producers Want

By lwalsh | January 25, 2026 | 0 Comments

You’ve probably noticed the rise of vertical storytelling — those short, addictive, scroll-stopping videos made for your phone. From TikTok and Instagram Reels to YouTube Shorts and ReelShort, the entertainment world is turning its cameras upright. Producers are now searching for writers who understand how to craft these compact, emotionally charged stories — a new frontier where the smallest … Read more

Failure is Not Failure

By lwalsh | January 25, 2026 | 0 Comments

I know the ache in your chest when something you poured your heart into doesn’t work.The script that went silent.The novel that stalled halfway through.The email that never came — the one that could’ve changed everything. You tell yourself you’ve failed.But you haven’t. You’ve learned. You’ve learned what doesn’t move you anymore.You’ve learned what stories … Read more

✍️ It’s All in the Rewrite

By lwalsh | January 25, 2026 | 0 Comments

You know that fantasy we all have as writers—that the first draft will be so brilliant, so inspired, so raw and true that it barely needs editing? Yeah. That’s a lie. The real magic? It happens in the rewrite. Whether you’re writing a pilot, a screenplay, a novel, or even a Substack post, the difference … Read more

Write What Sells: 2025 Network Mandates Revealed

By lwalsh | January 25, 2026 | 0 Comments

Discover exactly what network execs are looking for—and what scripts are getting tossed. Stay ahead of the curve with this essential guide.Shows AmazonWANT: big, sci-fi, supernaturalAVOID: N/A CBSWANT: animation, character driven, grounded sci-fi (not mentioned if other types of sci-fi are OK)AVOID: politics FXWANT: animation, comedy forward (progressive politics), ensembles, tonally similar to “Archer”, taboo … Read more

Branding as a Writer: Owning Your Niche and Making It Personal

By lwalsh | January 25, 2026 | 0 Comments

In a saturated industry, branding as a writer isn’t optional—it’s essential. At its core, branding means finding your niche and mastering it so completely that you’re no longer just a writer in that genre—you’re the writer for it.Your niche should be more than a market category; it should be an extension of your lived experience. Look at Lena Waithe. … Read more