I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I was 20 years old when the idea clicked in my naive head. I wanted to write soap operas. I wanted to be the one creating the stories that I so loved to tune into everyday. I wanted to write Erica Kane’s next great romance. I wanted to create characters with depth and breadth that their stories would continue to be told at 1:00 for years to come.
I wanted it so bad that I took an internship in New York at Soap Opera Weekly. Where I watched soaps and transcribed interviews. I filed old story clippings and read the giant soap histories that they kept in the office. I loved it. I loved every moment of it. I knew what I wanted.
And then life got in the way: a new home, college graduation, a job at a local paper, marriage, friends, and family. And of course my Jackson, one small change in my story and there would be no Jackson.
Erica Kane would understand she loved Pine Valley and family, even if she yearned for fame and Hollywood she always came back home.
Then on September 23rd, 2011 I watched Erica say her final goodbye. As Jackson Montgomery (the love of Erica’s life) walked out of her life with a, “Frankly Erica, I don’t give a damn”. I jumped off the couch and shouted at the TV, “I called that! I should have written that!” three days early I had told my mom that, “Erica and Jackson are very Gone with the Wind”.
Yes, I am a soap writer, 40 years too late. Soaps and scripted programming in general are on the decline these days.
And yet if I left my life to go write Erica’s story, my story wouldn’t be the same and I wouldn’t change a word of it.
This post was prompted by Write on Edge where this weeks writing prompt was to write about an unfulfilled goal.
It is amazing how life gets in the way of many of our goals and dreams. You could think in terms of: you might be out of a job today. You really have the best job ever.
I definitely have the best job ever!
Enjoyed your response to "I knew what I wanted". I just sent my youngest off to college this fall. I kinda miss the stuff that got in the way of my life's plan. Enjoy every day! It goes fast. AND I used to be an AMC fanatic!
Glad that you enjoyed the post and so nice to meet another AMC fan. I started watching when Natalie was trapped in the well, lol.
"Yes, I am a soap writer, 40 years too late"
The plotlines don't thunder there's nothing to plunder (with apologies to Jimmy Buffett).
When I was a kid, I watched Santa Barbara. I kind of drifted away after the Eden and Cruz storyline lost its oomph, but I am kind of sorry to see the daytime soaps going out like candles.
You got my Jimmy reference, lol!
If you are interested in seeing the soap genre continue please do check out http://www.sudz.tv for more info.
Thanks for stopping by.
I used to watch All My Children all the time and I would always wonder who came up with the story lines!
I'm so sad that All My Children is no more. It was really bad towards the end but they tried to correct it before the finale.
" I wanted to create characters with depth and breadth that their stories would continue to be told at 1:00 for years to come." I so love this line! I don't watch soaps but I think I'd watch yours! (And you're right, sadly, about scripted program being on the decline. I live my own reality show… I don't need to watch anyone else's.)
Thank you I loved that line too. Your comment made my day : )
I agree I don't need to watch anyone elses reality!
I grew up racing home to catch up with Luke and Laura. Loved all the drama. These days I can't stand soaps (are there any still on?). When I am flipping through the channels I think the 3 seconds I do catch are so cheesy. I am sure they would have been much better with you at the helm.
There are still a few of them out there and sadly most of them don't live up to what they were in the glory days!
OMG! I think we are separated at birth!! I swear I am a soap writer at heart! I tried to get jobs at soap mags post college after my Comm-Journalism degree and didn't find any. Or they didn't find me! I still swear I could write better for GH than anyone they currently have! And Days, don't get me started! 😉 I'm off to read your other post about working for SOWeekly! I have a feeling we're going to be great friends.
Another Soap Fan how nice. Before I realized that I could reply to your comment I sent you an email.
By the way GH's new writing team is starting soon and you should see storyline changes by Feb. The new writing team comes from One Life to Live and they were fabulous there.
Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments. I truly do think that anyone of us could write better stories than what airs on daytime TV these days.
For those who are soap fans I wanted to share a link to a site that is working to preserve daytime drama's and scripted programming in general, http://www.sudz.tv