There isn’t a simple answer to this question. Like most things in life, it depends. Your free time, your ability to focus, how much research your project requires, and a dozen other factors all play a part. The average writer produces somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 words per day. Stephen King ( The Shawshank Redemption , The Green Mile , It ) once said he aims for 2,000 words daily. Many writers start to feel inadequate when they can’t reach it, but we are all different. I

It’s a daunting idea to step into something without a backup plan, but that’s exactly what I want to talk about. Having a Plan B can help in some parts of life, but when it comes to succeeding in the entertainment industry, I believe it pays not to have one. Too many people chase the same dream with half-hearted effort, hoping to climb the ladder without giving everything they’ve got. The field is crowded, and something has to set you apart. Most of the time, that difference

Anyone who knows me knows I obsess over spicy food. I’ve been a member of a hot-sauce forum for more than fifteen years and I’m always ordering something outrageously hot. To put it in perspective: the ghost pepper rates about 855,000 to 1,041,427 Scoville units. The Carolina Reaper clocks in around 1,400,000 to 2,200,000). My custom sauces push the edge (some claim levels up near Mad Dog Plutonium 9. One day during class I had a bottle that rated around three million Scovill

What is the point of either a delightful or miserable existence without throwing a few challenges into the mix, right? If you’re a writer, challenge yourself at least once by writing to a location. That’s what Edward King III: Edward King III - IMDb —and I did with The 8th Year . I find it ironic that we spent that time writing and planning an entire story inside an abandoned insane asylum where countless people had died. We walked those corridors of decay, thinking about the

Sometimes you just have to say, “F*** it.” I don’t think anything in life is more important than being happy. I always tell people: “You only get to live once. When it’s over, there’s no reset button, no starting over. So you might as well live it happy. As long as you’re not hurting yourself or affecting someone else’s life in a negative way, do whatever makes you happiest.” This is the kind of mindset everyone should adopt. Stop caring so much about what other people are do

There are a lot of talented people in the world. That’s a given. But there are also plenty of people who obsess over things, have addictive personalities, or say, “I wish I could do such-and-such.” The truth is, most of us can do almost anything we want if we’re willing to put in the time. Those with addictive personalities, like me, need to accept that trait and channel it in the right direction. Those with obsessive tendencies, also like me, should take what they fixate on

While shooting the feature film Sorority of the damned in 2020, I decided to do something that I thought would be pretty fun, and it led to me being chased down by real security personnel that worked at the RSI studio. This is how it all started: So, I’m playing a few roles in a film written by Joe Davison: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1368482/ ?... And co-directed by him and Roy Knyrim: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0461865/ ?... —with a great cast and crew when something pops

Manuscripts of novel length take enormous effort, and shortcuts should be avoided if you want a finished project that holds up. But what happens when you’re deep into one—say, your newest baby on paper—and someone approaches you with a paid offer to write a screenplay? The answer is simple: take the job if you can meet their deadline, then return to your manuscript when it’s complete. Always prioritize paid work once you’ve agreed to it. If you’re already committed to another