I first took notice of Kaylord Hill on Twitter, where he was encouraging other screenwriters to apply for SoCreate’s “So, Write Your Bills Away” Sweepstakes. Encouraging is probably the wrong word. He was maniacally tweeting about SoCreate sometimes up to 30 times per day! And you know what, we took notice.
Kaylord gained bonus entries into our sweepstakes through his tweets and shares and eventually was drawn as one of our top 25 semi-finalists. I knew this man was determined to be a successful screenwriter, but I didn’t know just how determined he was until I learned more about him during a recent interview. I think we can all learn something from Kaylord’s story about persistence when it counts.
Kaylord took some calculated risks to get where he is today. He’s pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, after leaving behind a great career.
But can a person decide to be a screenwriter one day, and start working at it the next? Yes, and Kaylord is proof.
But it wasn’t as simple to get in as it was to decide he wanted to attend.
Since then, Kaylord has learned to approach the craft of screenwriting with discipline and again, persistence.
In speaking with Kaylord, it was clear to me that he treats his craft seriously and with respect. He thinks deeply about his tone, message, and who he wants to emulate. He’s patient with himself and with his work.
Kaylord is currently adapting a book called “Solitaire” into a television series. In the 11th hour of Nazi Germany succumbing to its destruction, a woman deals the final cards of her life in an attempt to reconcile how she shed her humble Jewish upbringing to become Magda Göebbels, the “Unofficial 1st Lady of Nazi Germany.”
He’s turned off his social media until December 2, when he anticipates he’ll finish his project. Kaylord plans to launch his personal website summer 2020.
He graciously shared two shorts with us during the “So, Write Your Bills Away” Sweepstakes semi-finalist process, and you can read them here.
As my dad always likes to remind me, the squeaky wheel gets the grease,