2024 in Review

In 2021, on the recommendation of one of my mentors, I started the practice of tracking my creative endeavors / writing stats. She encouraged me to do this because it is very easy to focus on the rejection you face as a working artist. For every acceptance/award/publication there are at least 10 rejections, so she explained it was important to track your wins. This made a lot of sense to me, so for the fourth year in a row I'm posting about my yearly stats. In the whirlwind of life this is a good reminder for me to savor all that was 2024.

(ID: Jessica Renslow very pregnant posing silly on a golf course. Jessica Renslow with baby in sunflower patch.)

Soooo 2024 was full of transitions for me and my little family. It kicked off in January when I was blessed to find a wonderful day job (after 6 months of hunting) and started it on the first day of my last trimester of pregnancy! With my major deadline on the horizon, I had to get all of the creative freelance projects I pitched in 2023 completed by the end of March, as our little Earth Day baby had me booked out for April. 

(ID: Jessica Renslow and husband at baby sprinkle.)

Miraculously, I made all my deadlines and had a healthy delivery. There is no waaay I would have been able to pull all of this off without my village. My hubby Shawn, sister Mandi, cousin Dawn and bestie Gretchen were my rocks this year. They all let me lean on them when my three-ring circus got too wild to tame. That transition from one to two kiddos was a big changeup for us. Adding an extra layer to all our new learning, our oldest was diagnosed with being on the autism spectrum. As his daddy and I have been learning to navigate our roles as parents/ advocates for our funny, bright big boy we have been very fortunate to find great resources and services upon the way. It's been a joy to see our boys bond and become "The Brothers Griffin." 

(ID: Konrad in a strawberry patch with big sunglasses. Konrad and Ewan sitting on pumpkins.)

A sad note for 2024 hit in June when my father-in-law, Jerry Griffin, passed away after a long illness. Jerry was a good sport, especially in his last few years on this mortal plane. Shawn and I were happy he was able to meet his youngest grandson. 

(Popa Jerry with his grandkids.)

So, what's in a goal and why should you write it down?

 According to studies by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University, her research indicates that writing down your goals increases your chances of achieving them by 42%. 

So, if it could raise my achievement rate by 42% plus keep me focused on the positives of being a working creative, I decided that once again it was worth tracking my goals. 

(ID: cookies with Tuskegee history on them and Jessica Renslow with the State Children's Librarian.)

Best laid plans....My 2024 Goals were:

• Complete my adult paranormal thriller and workshop it
• Finalize postproduction on Unearthed Documentary
• Enter Unearthed Documentary into some festivals
• Finish Cozy Mystery rough draft
• Finish holiday romcom
• Finish 2 nonfiction children’s books
• Query contemporary middle grade fish out of water comedy 
• Get an agent
• Have a safe birth and lots of fun adventures with my guys!

(ID: 2024 stats pinned on a corkboard with multi-colored posted notes.)

 

My 2024 Goals (Actually Completed):

• Completed my adult paranormal thriller and started editing it
• Finalized postproduction on Unearthed Documentary
• Entered Unearthed Documentary into 26 film festivals
• Halfway through Cozy Mystery rough draft
• Finish holiday romcom (still working on this rough draft)
• Finished nonfiction project for Indiana State Children's Library (details to come) 
• Queried 33 agents with my contemporary middle grade fish out of water comedy 
• Get an agent (still in query trenches)
• Welcomed in our little Earth Day baby earthside last April and have been having adventures with all my guys ever since!

(ID: Jessica Renslow teaching filmmaking to active older adult. Silver Screener and her granddaughter.)

My 2024 Creative Endeavor/ Writing Stats

• New Words: 59,950
• Reviewed Words: 118,981
• Completed 1st draft of adult paranormal thriller (80,000 words)
• Queried 33 agents 
• Partial Requests: 9
• Full Requests: 5
• Participated in 14 pitch contests
• Got 7 agent ♥️s
• Got 5 publisher ♥️s
• Participated in Camp NaNoWriMo and NaNoWriMo 
• Completed Inktober (31 prompts)
• Applied to 5 Grants 
• Applied to 1 Fellowship 
• Got 4 Grants and 1 Fellowship 
• Completed 2 film fellowships (received in 2023)
• Got into Heartland! (Film premiered at Heartland's Indy Shorts Film Festival)
• Documentary was in 1 film festival and 6 showcases 
• Submitted to 26 festivals for 2025
• Completed Nonfiction Writing Contract
• Completed 2 Teaching Artist Contracts
• Taught 3 cohorts of Silver Screeners Filmmakers Club 
• Birthed a 9.6lbs and 20.5 inches long healthy baby boy

(ID: Jessica Renslow at Heartland Indy's Shorts Festival. Griffin Party of 4 at Greek Easter.)

Giving birth to Baby Ewan and having "Launching the Lagoon" Premiere at Heartland's Indy Shorts Film Festival were my two biggest creative accomplishments of 2024. 

(ID: Filmmakers reception at Heartland Indy's Shorts Fest. Gnome mascot wearing flamingo floatie.)

My 2025 Goals are:

• Complete edits on my adult paranormal thriller and workshop it
• Release "Method: A Voice Actor Prepares" online
• Finish Cozy Mystery rough draft
• Finish holiday romcom rough draft
• Finish western romcom rough draft
• Finish limited comedy series
• Write/Direct/Produce animated short
• Finish spooky YA 
• Get an agent
• More adventures with my guys!

(A full house during the Unearthed Film tour and a very pregnant Jessica Renslow speaks to the audience at the Silver Screeners Filmmakers Club Spring Showcase.)

(ID: Party of 4 exploring the 2024 Lake County Fair.)

 

2023 In Review

2023 in Review

ID: Jessica Renslow holds a camera as she gets B-Roll in the snow.

That old saying about making God laugh when you make a plan held true for me this past year. So, 2023 was a very transitional and productive 12 months for myself as an writer/filmmaker. I was blessed to be awarded several writing/artist grants and a fellowship. These came at truly the right time as I was also laid off from my day job. (Yeah 2023 was a tough year for those of us working in the tech sector.) 

ID: Jessica Renslow Stands in front of a pink Christmas tree displaying he 6 months along baby bump.

Even in the bad times there are moments for reflection and learning. Something I picked along the way was learning to not underbid myself. I was required to really pursue and negotiate hard for my freelance gigs which ended up being a skill I know will come in handy in the long run. Also, I had to figure out my family’s insurance situation which eventually ended up not only saving me some money, but really opened my eyes when it comes to determining if a full time job’s benefits are actually worth the hourly pay cut one takes by going the salary route. I think a lot of writers hold back from taking the freelance route because of fear of losing benefits. From my experience, I recommend to anyone considering becoming a full time working artist do the research on how the change could impact you and your family. The results may surprise you. 

ID: Jessica Renslow National Humanities Conference Workshop Speaker Profile.

Financial ups and downs aside, I was able to stick to my writing schedule, garner some great new clients and spend more time with my guys. Shoutout to my supportive hubby for walking the tightrope of life with a working artist. What an eventful first year of marriage it has been!

ID: Best Documentary Short Award from the Madonie Sicilian Film Festival  in Palermo.

So here is how 2023 played out for me. I do this practice each year to give myself perspective. Writing is a such a solo pursuit it is easy to get bogged down by all the rejections and easy not to accentuate the wins. This is a reminder to myself and anyone else out there pecking way at a project that tenacity does eventually pay off. I did not reach all of my original goals, but I grabbed a few brass rings I did not even knew existed at the end of 2022 when I drafted my intentions for 2023. So here it is, the good the bad and the ugly. 

ID: Jessica Renslow speaking at the National Humanities Conference where 300+ government, nonprofits and scholars came to discuss the field.

My Original 2023 Goals Were:

• Finish converting my second chap book into a middle grade contemporary.-Finished
• Complete my adult paranormal thriller.  -Almost (17,000 more words to go)
• Finalize postproduction on Take Bike the Streets (A documentary short film)-Finished
• Enter TBTS into some festivals-Finished and Premiered in Sicily!
• Finish the quirky romcom script I have been brewing on for a few years. (Not done)
• Get an agent (Got closer)
• Enjoy living life to the fullest with my guys! (Yep and we are adding another little                               boy to the pack in April of 2024.)

ID: Take Bike the Streets Trailer

My Actual Stats for 2023 Were:

• 122.227 New Words Written 
• 111,750 Words Reviewed/Edited
• 8  Pitch Events Entered/ 7 Agent ♥️/ 3 Publisher ♥️
• 44 Agents Queried /5 Partials Requests /3 Full Requests 
• 3 Grants & 1 Fellowship Awarded 
• 15 Articles Pitched
• 1 Speaking Engagement (National Humanities Conference)
• 2 Films Shown at Festivals 2 Awards Received 
• 1 New Nonfiction Client 
• Participated in Camp Nanowrimo in March
• Completed all 31 Inktober Prompts
• Participated in Camp Nanowrimo in November
• Applied to 614 day jobs (Got ideal job offer and accepted it on 1/4/24 )

ID: Jessica Renslow Writing/Creative Project Stats for 2023 listed on white cards tacked to a light turquoise board.

My 2024 Goals Are:

• Complete my adult paranormal thriller and workshop it
• Finalize postproduction on Unearthed Documentary
• Enter Unearthed Documentary into some festivals
• Finish Cozy Mystery rough draft
• Finish holiday romcom
• Finish 2 nonfiction children’s books
• Query contemporary middle grade fish out of water comedy 
• Get an agent
• Have a safe birth and lots of fun adventures with my guys!

ID: Green Card with red letters that read "Joy." Inside the "O" a 3 year old boy smiles surrounded by Christmas decorations.

Hope your 2024 rocks and head over to jessicarenslow.com for more info/ to follow me on my social media platforms. 

ID: Green Card with red letters that read "Expecting even more joy in 2024!" Jessica Renslow and her family are surrounded by Christmas decorations as they announce their second baby.

Unearthed Film Project Announcement!

I am ecstatic to announce that I am 1 of 3 filmmakers from across The Hoosier State awarded an Unearthed Film Project Grant. From March 2023-March 2024, I will direct the Almost Fairytales crew as we produce a documentary exploring the importance of incorporating universal design into greenspaces and bridging private/public partnerships to sustain community projects for the long term.

To read more about Indiana Humanities click here. To read more about how the Unearthed Film Project Grantees were chosen go here. 

For updates on this project go to jessicarenslow.com/almostfairytales

2022 in Review

 

明けましておめでとう! (Happy New Year everyone!)

2023 was full of life, work, and passion projects. As I clunk along on my keys, I like to take an end of year audit to see what all I was able to accomplish, and what I need to focus on for improvements.

 

My hubby and I tied the knot in Savannah in October. We were blessed to be surrounded by some of our closest friends and family. 

 

Our little boy was the ring bearer, and it was really everything we could have ever hoped. 

 

 

 

(Our venue was amazing. Check out The Cohen’s Retreat if you are looking to plan an event in Savannah, GA. It’s an artist retreat/ restaurant/ event space.)

My 2022 Goals Were:

·       Complete my first upper middle grade fantasy-completed

·       Finalize the video for the comedic short film I wrote and directed a few years ago. -Completed

·       Get our short film into some festivals. -Completed

·       Finish the quirky romcom script I've been brewing on for a few years. -Still working on it.

·       Get an agent. -Still working on it. (See updates below for more info.)

·       Plan our fun fabulous getaway wedding for October with my love. -Mission Accomplished 😊

Here are my stats 2022 Stats:

·       Got my short film Method: A Voice Actor Prepares into several film festivals

·       Received an Award for Exceptional Merit at the WRPN Women’s International Film Festival

·       We were nominated thrice for a Peoples' Choice Award for Method: A Voice Actor Prepares

·     Saw my film on the IMax at the Reading Film Festival

·       I had to file taxes for money made by my writing for the first time!

·       Got IMDb to update all my credits (Over 700+ are now listed on my page)

·       Got 6 agents to like my twitter pitch for The Secret of the Ghost Ship’s Compass

·       Have 2 full requests out currently for The Secret of the Ghost Ship’s Compass

·       Joined Gotham Writer’s 10-week intensive taught by Newberry Medalist and NY Times Best Seller, Erin Entrada Kelly (This has totally been worth the investment. Erin is an excellent teacher, and my classmates also give great feedback. I have 5 weeks left and cannot wait to see how much there still is to learn.)

·       3 article pitches submitted for various children's magazines for 2022

·       Converted my urban farming chap book to a contemporary middle grade novel.

·       Completed and workshopped my second chap book.

·       Did my second Inktober (While on our honeymoon!)

·       Did my third Nanowrimo

 

My 2023 Goals Are:

·       Finish converting my second chap book into a middle grade contemporary.

·       Complete my adult paranormal thriller.  

·       Finalize postproduction on Take Bike the Streets (A documentary short film).

·       Enter TBTS into some festivals.

·       Finish the quirky romcom script I have been brewing on for a few years.

·       Get an agent.

·       Enjoy living life to the fullest with my guys!

 

CHEERS TO A HAPPY HEALTHY 2023!

 

Springing into 2022: Cover Story, NPR/PBS, and School Visits

Since coming home from New Orleans, where our Almost Fairytales Films latest short, METHOD: A Voice Actor Prepares, premiered at the Lysistrata Future is Female Film Festival, life has been a bit of a whirlwind. (If you want to read more about our fabulous experience at Lysistrata you can read my previous blog here.)

Word spread of our premiere and the NWI Times ran a cover story about our creative process and our crew’s postproduction experience during the time of Covid-19 (full story here). Then Chris Nolte from Regionally Speaking contacted me for an interview on NPR about living as a working creative in Chicagoland, Lysistrata and the other festivals/ awards our comedic short is up for this year (full interview here). 

After my Regionally Speaking interview, Eye on the Arts got a hold of me to be one of their featured artist’s interviews for NPR/PBS. John Caine and I chatted about the challenges of filmmaking during the pandemic and the tenacity it takes to complete a project (full interview here). It was a lot of fun discussing our little project with like-minded artists supporters. Love all the local support for working creatives!

The spring has also been one for school visits. I participated in a collaboration between the Family Folklore Foundation, NorthernLights Eco Adventures, The Hammond Academy of Science and Technology and ThePaul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education.

In celebration of Earth Day, these community partners assembled to hike the portion of the Indiana Dunes National Park located in Gary, Indiana. Participants wrote out their observations of Miller Woods, then interpreted them as creative nonfiction. They also performed a radio play about the history of the dunes 100+ year battle to get recognized as a National Park. My little wild thing even played a skunk in this historical reenactment. The Chicago Post Tribune ran a nice article on the celebration (full article here). 

 

I had a wonderful time helping the participants draft their pieces and presenting about my experience writing natural science articles for Cricket Media’s Muse Magazine.

This past week has been filled with activity as well. I started by submitting my partial requests to the literary agents that liked my #PitDark tweets. (#PitDark is a one-day-long Twitter contest for writers seeking representation. It is open to all writing age groups the stories just need to have a spooky theme.) Now I wait, but it is exciting. I hope THE SECRET OF THE GHOST SHIP’S COMPASS finds a home. Some of you may remember from my past blog, about the awesome yet challenging (due to the lockdown) year I had as an Indiana Arts Commission Individual Artist Advancement Grant Fellow. 

This middle grade paranormal mystery is set in the dunes and features a fun cast of nature-loving characters. It would be amazing to find the right agent to help it get to the shelves. So, if you are the good vibe-sending type, please throw a few my way. It has been an excellent learning experience and doing #PitDark also helped me connect with more members of the writing community too.

I also got asked to do a school visit at the Area Career Center. Located in Hammond, Indiana, they serve high school students seeking vocational education from across Chicagoland. It is an amazing facility. I would have loved to attend this program as a high schooler. 

 

I cannot believe the amount of equipment they have access to, that they graduate with 12 college credits and that they also get certified in Adobe Premiere Suite. Just wonderful all around and their teacher, Stephanie Reiser is doing a great job. These young leaders have made it to the national championships several times. We discussed my zigzagging career path, what it is like to be a working creative/small business owner and deciding what type of life they wanted to shape for themselves. 

 

I shared my experiences working in the Hollywood Studio System and for a boutique sound studio in Burbank, as well as when/why I went out on my own. Speaking to some of the future broadcasters and filmmakers of tomorrow was a great honor. My “production assistant” and I also enjoyed the full studio tour and view down of the students’ award-winning projects. I am hoping to help become one of their internship sponsors and have these talented young people work on the postproduction of Almost Fairytales’ latest documentary, Take Bike the Streets (film info here).

I cannot wait to see what this summer brings. I will keep hammering away at my writing and filming a few passion projects, as well as doing wedding planning with my Fiancé for our October nuptials. My guys and I are also looking to savor these soon to be summer days, as winter will be here again in a blink. Hope all of you dear readers enjoy this warm weather and the seasonal festivities.