My journey into screenwriting madness.

A million crumpled scripts ago, I moved to LA to become a screenwriter.

Hollywood had other ideas.

Were my scripts not worthy? Would I be a pitch meeting virgin forever?

I launched into workshops all over the map, including at USC and NYU.

I even dug deep to spring for a writers’ conference in Hawaii — despite that I was close to broke.

So what. Big deal. What better reason to blow my pitiful savings than to pursue my screenwriting dreams?

I figured the top people would shell out for Hawaii, too. And I needed to borrow their brains.

The payoff.

Going into debt proved to pay off. Coverage improved.

Better yet, I won a John Hughes Prose Writing Award (2nd Place) for my first novel, Dancing with Jou Jou.

I liked that the award was named for a famous writer/director of classic comedies from the 1980s. Maybe it was an omen — if omens can be good — and I could go back to writing scripts.

A mentor suggested that the characters in this particular project had such diverse personalities, each with their own quirks and storylines, they would make for a wonderful pilot and enduring series.

I’m adaptable. Notes make me think. I hammered out the series bible in no time flat. But my other projects were all original features.

The shutdown.

By the time the Covid-19 shutdown hit, I had moved back east. I missed LA. But I was thrilled to be furloughed from my lame day job.

Working as a part-time stylist and email marketer for an overpriced fashion boutique wasn’t exactly my idea of a fulfilling career.

Nor did I miss my side-hustles designing websites through my own site at barbaralouisedesign.com, and writing for my e-magazine at openhousejournal.com. (Yes, both sites are still up and running.)

Thanks to the pandemic, I was free. No longer did I need to divide my time among a multitude of fractional jobs.

During those solitary days and nights, my focus was on writing The Zen of Otto. It was nominated for a Fade In Award.

My heart soared. I was on a high. So, it was only a nomination. I was happy. I churned out more scripts.

I like to type. The click-click-click of my keyboard makes me feel alive. The sound must remind me of a beating heart — mine.

Was I slipping into keyboard-clicking, scriptwriting madness?

A contact from an LA conference slipped me the private email of a story analyst who had a reputation for being hard-nosed, but honest and deep enough to give great notes.

Bravely, I gave the script guy a try — first with one script, then a few more. Over time, he wrote that my scripts have a common thread, that they were “fresh” and “out there.”

“Fresh” I liked. But was “out there” good? I had to ask the story guy whom I call The Voice from the Sky.

He wrote back:

“You’re at your best when your characters go nuts.”

And that’s why I dubbed this website Madcap Pen.

Wal’apo: The ancient ritual of sucking raindrops.

Aside from awards and a nomination, the best coverage I’ve received to date includes Hula (dramady / LGBTQ).

I was obsessed to write about the traditional Hawaiian culture, after learning how the hula dance form is not merely an amusing tourist attraction. It’s an all-encompassing lifestyle.

True practitioners consider their dance troupe to be their family, and refer to each other as brothers and sisters.

Together as a cozy group, they worship ancient gods, grow organic foods and create costumes by hand for hours, sitting in a sewing circle.

Most surprising of all their routines is sucking raindrops from leaves in a forest during a daily and ancient ritual known as wal’apo.

Rich ground for a script for me. The storyline took shape when I threw in two bickering couples and a big-time whale-and-rescue scene. Story analysts seemed to like whales.

My trip to Hawaii now didn’t seem like an indulgence. In many ways, it was an inspiration. I confess, my hips start to sway whenever I hear the hypnotic lull of ukuleles.

10,000 Hours.

If it’s true that practice makes perfect and 10,000 hours can turn a hack into a level above a wannabe, then I think my two best scripts came next — at least according to those invisible coverage people.

They seem to really like The Devil Plays Bingo (horror / comedy). It placed high in the Filmmatic Awards Competition and two badges on Coverfly. Even The Voice from the Sky called it “glorious” in his notes and said the structure was textbook, with high praise for dialogue and character development.

Really? Did I overpay him to say that? I better check my PayPal account to make sure I didn’t.

Action comedy challenge.

Ron Howard and Brian Grazer put out a prompt to submit an action comedy to their Impact-Imagine Accelerator competition.

Good thing it was free to enter. My bank account was perpetually low and competition fees aren’t in the budget.

My entry, Blue Moon, didn’t make it to the top of the list, perhaps because it’s actually an action comedy / fantasy. But The Voice from the Sky praised it. He wrote that it would attract A-list stars.

I was… speechless. A rare event for me. I can talk or write all day as long as my coffee supply holds out.

Notes are essential.

I do take coverage notes seriously. I make the revisions and turn in the script again. I thrive not only on typing, but also on feedback.

Who wouldn’t be curious about what others see that perhaps I missed?

Next pages.

Currently in progress is Mayday Sings for Her Supper (comedy / live action or animation).

It was inspired by the Britney Spears’ conservatorship debacle, only with a comic twist.

Three other comedies are in the collection: Take Me To Tallulah, I’ve Got Headshots and Tennis + Guacamole.

Any takers? Call me. I’d love your input as the story shapes up. Collaborations beat solitary typing.

Besides, I don’t want to be a pitch meeting virgin forever.

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