Awards

PROJECT GREENLIGHT

In 2000, The amazing Harvey Weinstein, of then, Mirimax Films, along with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, sponsored the first Project Greenlight – an online, screenwriting peer review process where high ratings lifted you upward and the final winning script was produced.  A near claim to fame is that my screenplay version of Keepers of the Dream rose to the top 250 out of 7000 entries in year-one of that project which means, I think, that Matt and Ben may have watched a video of me plugging my script.  I didn’t win, but placing so high in the competition made me VERY happy!

      LA's Screenwriting Expo 2003

Screenplay Contest

Not precisely an award, but another ranking I'm proud of as a neophyte screenwriter-- my screenplay Keepers of the Dream placed in the top 25% of 1300 entries. 

LILLIAN DEAN AWARDS

As of October 2011, I am honored to have received 5 Lillian Dean Awards from the Central Coast Writers Conference Page-1 and Poetry competitions.

2088

YA Novel First Page - As Beauty Does, Third Place

2010

Zowie!  Thrilling for me, a clean sweep!  First, Second, and Third place for Poetry -- Double Edged Feather, Landscape of the Leaving, You Stole my Heart

2011

YA Novel First Page - Keepers of the Dream - Second Place

From the CCWC website:  “The Lillian Dean Writing Competition, named after the first director of the Central Coast Writers’ Conference, seeks the outstanding first page in fiction, nonfiction/memoir, and children/young adult. Agents and editors review hundreds of submissions each month, discarding most after the first page. Your job as an author is to get them to keep reading! From the very first paragraph, your story must grab their attention and hook them with something different. Whether it’s your voice, word choice, imagery, setting and/or characters, your writing must wow readers and compel them to read past the first page. The competition also offers a poetry category. And, new in 2012, a query letter category.   Literary agents and editors won’t read your first page or poem unless you first “hook” them with your query letter. We’ve added a query letter competition category so you can find out if your query has what it takes to get your submission noticed. Entries will be judged by a literary agent, and the winner will receive a ten-page manuscript critique review by a literary agent or editor."  Visit www.communityprograms.org

2016 

Central Coast Writers Conference Contest

First Place in Short Fiction 

2016 

Central Coast Writers Conference Contest

First Place in Screenwriting

 SLO NIGHTWRITERS 

SHORT STORY & POETRY COMPETITION

2009
Honorable Mention for Short Story - Glory Days

2010
Honorable Mention for Poem - Space Cowboy

THE RACHEL GORDON WRITERS AND ARTISTS PROGRAM 

I am blessed to have an amazing mentor, Rachel Gordon-- a really smart, kick-ass, no-excuses, pull-no-punches, taskmaster, teacher with a huge soft mushy heart, a deep love for the creative process and a wicked sense of humor.  She has a gaggle of folks under her wing that she calls 'The Group.'  Rachel provides consultation, education, and inspiration on all things creative.  Every day we receive virtual gifts of artistic images, philosophy, insight into the business of art and so much more. 

In March 2013, I had the extreme honor of naming this wonderful gaggle of creatives.  One of the posse suggested we name the group.  Rachel put it out to us for suggestions and a vote and my entry won!  We are and have been officially and professionally, The Rachel Gordon Writers and Artists Program.  As of 3/13, officially and affectionately, we are now also:
The Air Castle Construction Company. 

Rachel Gordon Competition

I am so honored to be among this large group of creatives 
and to have won this annual award! 

In 2010, I could have won for submitting a sample of my current work, or for submitting a great excuse for why I wasn’t currently writing.  I submitted both and to this day, I’m not sure which one got me the prize, but hey, it’s a writing award, so I’m listing it!

In 2012, I won for my newly completed YA Novel, In Your Dreams.    

In 2015, I submitted essays and short stories and won a 2nd place for branching out in a new direction.

In 2016, I won 2nd place for a combination package, short story, Beanie's Flowers, and short screenplay of the same story.

THE ANNUAL

WHY I’M NOT WRITING (creating) OR YES I AM CONTEST

(Or why my tube of titanium white is hard as a rock contest.)

If you receive a daily Rachel Gordon email,

you are eligible to enter. Even if you are solely a visual artist who receives the email, you are eligible to enter.  

ALL ENTRANTS GET FEEDBACK ON THEIR ENTRY

WHETHER THEY WANT IT OR NOT.

AND you can win one of two ways:

#1. MY EXCELLENT EXCUSE(S) FOR NOT WRITING IS/ARE:

EXCELLENT Excuse (s) for not writing must be a minimum of 350 words, submission email-dated no later than September 7thth, 2012, Noon.  PDF or .doc formats only. (no docx)

OR #2.  HERE IS A SAMPLE OF WHAT I AM WORKING ON NOW.

Turning in something that you wrote in high school is punishable by curse.  Rachel will curse your libido; thereafter, you’ll only be attracted to Philippine Tube-nosed Fruit Bats. Entry.

San Luis Obispo County School District 

Annual Student Writing Competition

'Judge'

From 2011 - 2015 I served as a judge for this wonderful contest.  Student writers from elementary school through high school entered demonstrating amazing skills.  I only wish I had had that kind of opportunity and encouragement when I was in school!