Guess Who’s Back?
Hey you! Yep, we're alive. If you noticed our absence over the past few weeks… bless your observant heart. If you didn’t… well, we’ll try not to take it personally. (But just a tiny ouch.)
So, where have we been? Buried. Not literally, thank goodness, but definitely neck-deep in deadlines and writing chaos. Picture this: one moment we’re planning out our cute little Substack calendar, all organized and optimistic, and the next we’re hunched over our keyboards at 3 in the morning, coffee-soaked shirt, typing furiously while whispering “Wait… wasn't that character supposed to survive?!”
Ah yes, the writer's life. Glamorous, no?
Here’s the upside: we’ve been writing a lot because people are actually hiring us. Like, real money-in-the-bank, tax-deductible hiring. We’re talking contracts, invoices, and actual feedback that doesn’t come from our inner critic at 2 AM. It's thrilling. It’s validating. It almost—almost—makes up for all those years we heard, “So… when are you getting a real job?”
The flip side? When you’re juggling client deadlines, editorial calendars, and caffeinated existential dread, something’s gotta take a backseat. Sadly, that something was this little corner of the internet. We hate letting it slip, especially because this is where we get to ramble freely without worrying about word counts or pitch decks.
Here’s the ridiculous bit: while juggling all those other projects, all we really wanted to do was come back here and talk about it. Apparently, our solution for too much writing is… more writing. We might need help. Or maybe just stronger coffee.
Anyway, the good news? We’ve survived the storm. Maybe not with spotless clothes or a full night’s sleep, but we’re back. Kind of refreshed. Definitely re-energized. And carrying a whole backpack full of storytelling wisdom we picked up while wrangling those other projects.
So over the next few weeks, we’re diving deep. Think: how to build story worlds that don’t collapse after one book. Characters that grow in messy, human, hilarious ways. Series concepts that make execs sit up a little straighter. Basically, everything we wish someone had told us before we learned it the hard way.
So grab your beverage of choice—tea, whiskey, sparkling water with a confusing French label—and settle in. We’ve missed this. We’ve missed you. And we’re not disappearing again anytime soon.
Unless someone throws a truly absurd amount of money at us.
Because hey… professionals, remember?
It’s really good to be back.
About the Authors:
Phil Zizza and Wade Peña bring over 60 years of combined entertainment industry experience to their writing. From LA to NY to Orlando, they've worked on the writing, consulting, and producing sides of top TV, film, and animation projects.
Ready to elevate your storytelling?
Discover the professional techniques for story structure and pitching in their new book, "The Series Development Playbook."