Kathleen Warnock
  • Home
  • Playwright
  • Too Many Hats (a blog)
  • Best Lesbian Erotica

"I can do joined-up writing now, you know!"

1/1/2011

12 Comments

 
When I am frittering around on the Internet, trying to avoid writing, I sometimes come upon articles or discussions that get me…at least thinking about writing something.

On one of the boards I frequent, there was a discussion of cursive writing, or “joined up” writing, as Gilderoy Lockhart called it. I went to a Catholic school as a child, where the nuns and other teachers (who were, contrary to stereotype, very kind and never would have raised a hand to a child) made sure we learned the Palmer Method of Penmanship.

I noted that I still write in cursive (which is apparently becoming a lost art), especially when I send “thank you” notes. I had to go to the store yesterday to buy more when I ran out, and have noted (ha!) that it’s getting harder and harder to find them, with the exception of small pre-printed packets that pertain to babies or weddings.

Since I have had/am planning neither, I have to take whatever too-small glossy pink or green thing in a barely-suitable font is hanging in a packet of 8 on the endcap at the drugstore. Condoms come in more sizes. I’m also sorry to see that there are fewer beautiful blank cards. (Well, except for things with kittens on them, and I’m just not sending a card with a kitten on it. Shades of Dolores Umbridge!)

But getting back to both penmanship and thank you notes, I’ve dropped a steady pile of hand-addressed envelopes in the mailbox across the street in the last few days. If no one dumps snow or a suspicious package in the blue box, the cards will be headed to their destinations Monday. It’s not instantaneous, it’s not convenient, but it’s nice. People appreciate hand-written notes, usually with a level of positive response that more than covers the minimal effort to write them.

It’s a personal style that makes sense to carry over into a professional style: everyone appreciates a thank you, an apology, a “nice job,” whether the person who’s getting it is your sister or the director of your new play.

I’ve been working on a book about marketing for playwrights with Patrick Gabridge, a guy who knows a lot about these things, and as we put together the outline, I suggested we include a section on the importance of saying “thank you.” Each morning, when I’m planning my day, I make a note of anyone who needs to be thanked. Did a colleague create a really cool map on deadline? Did a fellow writer give good critique at Playwrights Circle? Did someone read a beautiful piece at Drunken! Careening! Writers!? (interrobang!)

So a line or two of thanks is in order, more if it was a big project. Detail is always appropriate: as in “your comments helped me figure out the first act” or “the character in your short story is someone I will think about for a long time,” or “I really, really liked the chocolate-covered bacon.”

And at the end of the year, along with totting up things like how many books I’ve edited, how many plays and stories I’ve submitted, how many readings I’ve curated, how many manuscripts I’ve screened, how many plays and novels I have unfinished, and how many birthdays I’ve forgotten, I try to remember if I’ve thanked everyone. (That’s  one of the things that keeps me up at night, or wakes me up, along with scary dreams of giant animals attacking my pets. No, I don’t know what that means.)

There were many people to thank in 2010, especially because there some unpleasant surprises where people stepped up and stepped in, both personally and professionally.

As a playwright, I have to thank the folks at Upstart Productions in Colorado, the Universal Theatre in Provincetown, PlaySlam in Boston, Twenty Percent Theatre in Minneapolis, and The Women’s International Theatre Festival (also in Provincetown),  Working Theatre Collecective in Portland (OR), Playwrights for Pets in NYC, and Vanguard Rep in Los Angeles, along with my alma mater, UMBC, for putting on/giving staged readings of my plays (and thank you, Dramatists Guild for representing my interests!) 

Thank you Smith & Kraus, Applause, Samuel French, Dramatic Publishing and United Stages for publishing and keeping many of my plays, scenes and monologues in print. And of course, I must thank my home theaters EAT and TOSOS for making it possible for me to help put on a benefit for the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival last March (and all the artists who gave of their time and donated to the raffle), and for giving me a platform to hear my work read, and presenting staged readings by playwrights whose work I LOVE and often producing it.

Team Wombat (aka the team that put on the TOSOS production of The Five Lesbian Brothers’ “The Secretaries” at the NY Fringe and Fringe Extension) deserve “not over yet” thanks for one of the productions I’m most proud to have been part of  in my career.

Thanks to all the talented writers who participated in Drunken! Careening! Writers!, and to KGB Bar, which continues to host the series for an eighth consecutive year. And thanks also to the hot writers (and guest judge Lea DeLaria) who made editing Best Lesbian Erotica a sweaty joy (and all the people at Cleis, who continue to back this series!)

Huge, great thanks to all the bloggers (and the Extra Criticum blog, where I endeavor to blog on occasion!), journalists, photographers, editors, artistic directors, directors of marketing and publicity, and fellow travelers who list the events I host and plays I have produced, and books I edit, and give of their time, talent, knowledge and wisdom.

Thanks as always to mentors and friends from Tina Howe to Kaylie Jones to Doric Wilson, Mark Finley, Paul Adams, Carol Rosenfeld, PENolan and so many others. And  if I haven’t thanked you this particular time, expect to hear from me soon & often.

I’ve just ordered some new thank you notes from Vistaprint, which are much nicer than the ones at the drugstore.

Oh, and before I close, I should tell that you can say “thank you” in an infinite variety of ways. The only constant is that when you say it, you have to mean it.

Thank you.

Kathleen W.

12 Comments
Matt C. link
1/2/2011 01:18:53 am

Thank YOU, Kathleen. You are a tireless supporter of original work and a huge inspiration to all of us. Your energy and commitment to helping other writers - and to your own craft - has kept me from quitting more than once. I don't say it enough, but thank you, Love! - Matt C.

Reply
Claudia link
1/2/2011 01:35:52 am

If I had your address...I'd send you a note. Thank-you Kathleen for so many positives that you brought to me in 2010 - encouraging status updates, opportunities and an appreciation of theatre that is never jaded.

Reply
Sue Yocum link
1/2/2011 01:46:05 am

Wonderful blog post, Kathleen! I'm determined to make it to a DCW night in 2011. Keep up the great work; you are making a difference for many of us :-) Happy 2011 to you and yours, Sue

Reply
Kaylie Jones link
1/2/2011 02:00:06 am

I agree it's sometimes hard to find such cards, blank ones. But I've found great ones at Barnes & Noble. A friend as a thank you gave me the most amazing cards that she made herself of dried PA local flowers and weeds -- they're great!

Reply
Steven Bergman
1/2/2011 03:39:08 am

Kathleen - wonderful words! Thanking people has become such a lost gesture, but one that always provides an impact. "Thank you" for the reminder - I have to go and thank some folks right now! Wishing you a happy and healthy 2011.
Steve

Reply
Glory Gallo
1/2/2011 06:45:29 am

Kathleen, I don't often go to people's blogs - but I did yours, and I'm so glad. It was really wonderful. I, too, love cursive - and have always been proud of my handwriting. I don't write enough thank you notes, but I do write them, and search out pretty blank note cards (TJ MAXX and Marshalls are great places to find them!). But the main reason I'm writing on your blog is because I owe you and Donna a big "thank you". The sincerity of your concern for me regarding my mom touched such a place in my heart that I've even mentioned it to friends in the past few months. Not that everyone else wasn't sincere, it's just that you guys seemed to understand. So thank you. And thank Donna. And Happy New Year. xoxo

Reply
Jonathan link
1/3/2011 01:08:45 am

You rock, Kathleen! Thank you for being such a great playwright's Circle manager...and for being such a great playwright and supporter of others.
xxoo
Jonathan

Reply
EM Lewis
1/3/2011 02:02:09 am

Lovely post, Kathleen. Thank you for it! And for letting me come and play at DCW this year! Maybe we can go see a play together in the new year?

All the best,

~Ellen (who still likes writing in cursive, on occasion...)

Reply
Ian Streicher
1/3/2011 05:34:39 am

Great post, Kathleen.

I wish you and Donna the ry best this year.

Ian

Reply
Cheryl link
1/3/2011 09:14:57 am

Nice post. I too learned the cursive writing in Catholic school, except with mean nuns. As for thanks, I am thankful you are such an awesome friend!

Reply
Air Jordan link
1/25/2011 09:36:07 am

Bring your desires down to your present means. Increase them only when your increased means permit. Do you think so?

Reply
David Kerry Heefner
2/9/2011 10:31:09 pm

Saw/heard you at the Dramatists Guild
self-producing round table. I was the one who spoke of the history of self-producing, and mentioned that it used to be meanly called "vanity producing."You inspired me to, you guessed it, self-produce.
Meantime, I have a play dedicated to
the spirit of The Ridiculous Theatrical Company, that is perfect for TOSOS. I've been unable to find any information about submitting there.
Can you help me?
Thanks.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Kathleen W.

    Writer, editor, curator, Ambassador of Love.

    Archives

    May 2014
    March 2014
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    January 2013
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    August 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    November 2010
    July 2010

    Categories

    All
    Adpatations
    Andrea Alton
    Awards
    Best Lesbian Erotica
    Burlesque
    Cheryl B.
    Composing
    Courtesy
    Craft Of Writing
    Dance
    Doric Wilson
    Drunken Careening Writers
    East Village
    Egopo
    Emerging Artists Theatre
    Farting
    Grounded Aerial
    Ireland
    Kgb
    Marketing
    Marketing For Writers
    Metropolitan Playhouse
    Mona Lisa
    Musicals
    My Awesome Friends
    New Plays
    Ny Fringe
    Peek-A-Boo Revue
    Performing Artists
    Philadelphia
    Pifa
    Plays
    Plays And Playwrights
    Playwrights
    Poetry
    Poets
    Readings
    Residencies
    Statements Of Purpose
    Storytelling
    Theater
    Tosos
    Women Playwrights
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.