Day #6: Hooray for Royalty Checks

Ooh, I wish that Play Royalties were part of this $20,000 challenge. I might have a better shot at this! Today I received a royalty check for the past six months, and it was over $4000. That's not bad, right? I never get tired of getting paid to write. Every check is a little dream come true.

However, as I stated before about 20% of my yearly income is generated by my plays for schools and theaters. That income is already an integral part of our family budget. So that's why the money for this $20,000 challenge needs to come from other sources.

At the same time, I still need to work develop my new plays and advertise my old ones. I want to keep this creative revenue strong.

Today's focus has been on a new full-length comedy, a brand new adaptation of The Three Musketeers. I'm going to direct the world premiere production at the Canyon Theatre Guild -- but I am also hoping that it will be published as well. Tonight, I will be submitting the play to a couple publishing companies. Hopefully, before the end of 2015 it will be in print!

Challenge Total: $76.82

Day #2: $20,000 Challenge - Brainstorm

So, in today's blog I want to brainstorm a bit about my goals and strategies for my $20,000 Challenge.

I'm attempting to earn "extra income" during the next 364 days, so that by the time January 5th, 2016 rolls around I'll have a whole lotta cash in a savings account, and be on the right track toward a debt-free lifestyle.

Currently, about 80% of my income is generated from my teaching career. 20% of my income is generated from my children's plays.

So, where do I plan to get the new income? I'm not sure yet, and that's part of the challenge (and part of the fun). But one definite source will hopefully be my books.

As you already know if you follow this blog, my first picture book "Why Do I Have to Make My Bed?" was published in 2011. Selling my second book was a long, hard, good fight... A fight that I finally won. In 2014, my agent sold "Around the World in a Bathtub." I am hoping to keep this literary success going and sign a third contract in early 2015. Keep your fingers crossed and I'll give you more details about it when I can.

In addition to my picture books, I have several other novel length projects sitting around the office, just waiting for the chance to go out into the world. And aside from selling creative stuff, I'll be looking for other ways to generate revenue. So far, my only non-writer idea is Ebay... Maybe I'll get more inventive as the year proceeds. Oh wait! I know! I'll check under the couch cushions for loose change!

Darn. Nothing there. My first set back.

Each time I do a blog post about the $20,000 challenge, I will end by letting the reader know how much I have earned so far. I'll do so now...

Score: Wade has earned $0.

My Writing Activities: May 15th - June 15th

During the last two summers, I took a break from teaching and went up to Washington state.  It was a blast!  Lot's of adventures with the family, and lots of time to work on writing projects.

This summer -- in order to start saving for my daughters' college funds -- correction, in order to first pay off some credit card bill and THEN start saving for college -- I will be teaching two courses.

At first I was very sad about this.  However, it turns out that because I knew I wouldn't have as much free time this summer, I have spent the last four weeks (my break between spring and summer classes) being ultra-creative and mega-productive.  The last thirty days have been a wild ride that has produced a couple new picture books, two new plays, the final chapters of my middle grade novel, and a whole lot of revision.

Oh, and I am signed up for the upcoming SCBWI conference in Los Angeles this August.

Whew!

Oh, the other not-so-sad part.  My classes take place only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in the afternoon.  So, when you think about it, I still get five days off a week.  Ever since I've been hired full time at Moorpark College, I have been counting my blessings.  I get paid to teach students about writing and literature, and I get a nice chunk of free-time.  Can't get much better than that!

Aesop's Hop - My First Published Play

After Josh and I directed our smash success (by children's theater standards), a few changes happened in my life.

The biggest change: I got married.

The other big change: I moved from Orange County to Los Angeles.

At first, I thought that I wouldn't be directing another show for the Yorba Linda Civic Light Opera.  But, during the year, I kept coming up with some new song idea.  And I kept thinking about the various flaws during the last show.  I wanted to create something that was really tight, structurally. 

And really fun.

And for some reason, I kept thinking of Aesop's Fables -- little stories I had heard throughout my childhood, tales with a clear moral at the end.  And, as I thought about the fables of Aesop, I also recalled a story about a dog, a cat, a rooster, and a donkey -- "The Musicians of Bremen."  So, I combined all of the material and created "Aesop's Hop." (Here are some photos from a college production... Great costumes, don't you think?)

I felt truly proud of the show.  About three or four times a week I drove out from LA to Yorba Linda.  But you know what, I didn't mind.  The rehearsal process was the smoothest experience I've ever had as a director.  The kids were terrific, as usual -- but there was something really harmonious about the songs, something that we didn't quite have in previous shows.  Katie Luekens did the music, and I think it was her finest work of all our children's shows. 

So we did the show, a couple years passed, and for some reason -- I can't quite remember how or why now -- I submitted it to a publishing company: Eldridge Plays. 

I had sent them plays before and they had kindly said, Thanks but no thanks.  They also said to keep trying.  Well, they loved "Aesop's Hop."  They weren't looking for a youth musical -- but they thought the script was great.  So it was published as a non-musical.  In fact, this was the very first play to be published.  I was absolutely thrilled.  (I did have irrational visions of it going to Broadway -- ah youthful expectations.)

Strangely, even though it was the first of my plays to be published, it was one of the last of my directorial projects.  Still, I look back on the show and the writing experience with utmost fondness.  It opened a door into the world of publishing -- and I'm forever grateful to Eldridge Plays for taking on the project!

Learn more about how to bring Aesop's Hop to life at your school and/or theater!