In today's episode Sam talks about his experience in writing his newly release children's book: "Actually For Real". He talks about what he learned in the process, the struggles he had, and what went right. Today's episode shares his top 4 tips to publishing your creative writing piece. Check out www.samber.productions to enroll in our free newsletter and check out the acting classes! Follow along on Instagram: www.instagram.com/samber.productions To purchase his book: https://www.amazon.com/actually-real-sam-prince-ebook/dp/b09n8sqlnf Remember, All the world is a stage!
Sam Prince 0:05
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a great actor on stage or television? Do you wish you had an acting coach to help you get to the next level? Or maybe you just have a great idea for a movie series are played but aren't quite sure where to start? Well, you are in the right place my friend. My name is Sam Prince and I am the director of a production company here in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and have been an actor for over 30 years. I've directed and written plays, and screenplays and taught many acting classes. This podcast is your place to learn how to move forward with your career in acting, theater, film, playwriting, screenwriting, and much more. There will be inspiring conversations with special guests as well. So welcome to the creativitorium podcast, and action.
Hey, hey, hey, welcome back to the creativitorium. And when I say Welcome back, it's not like this is the second part of the first part that you miss. So please don't get confused. I'm just saying Welcome back from the last episode. Okay, just to be clear. Hey, my name is Sam Prince. And I am very happy that you are here joining me. And I'm just so excited. This is episode 12. Wow. Already, Episode 12. already has some great guests. Thank you for listening. If you're new to the show, welcome. If you're old to the show, and one of those avid listeners, thank you so much. But please leave a review. Okay. We review y'all. Let me know what you think. We're really curious. All right. But let's talk about what we have learned. Since last time, you just heard me. And we learned a lot of cool things. Like for example, we got a bunch of vocal tips from one of the most amazing vocal coaches in the world. And she lives right near us in Michigan, but can definitely help you no matter where you are virtually. Check that out. vocal coaches rock. That's the episode check it out. Well, who else did we have? We had, we had one very famous, very beautiful actress talking to this firing actors, the aspiring actors know the ones that are up and coming the ones that want to be an actor, but don't quite know what to do. She has some great tips, y'all gotta check it out. Then what do we have modeling, runway, print, media, film audio modeling. We had one of the top notch experts talking about that the do's and don'ts of modeling. If you want to get into it, or if you already into it, and you're looking for some more help, got to this episode. All right. And then just like recently, another great, beautiful actress, giving you some tips about differences between stage and film. And acting on those you know, acting on the stage is different than film, y'all know, kind of sound sounds obvious. But it's, it's so crazy that it's not, you know what I mean? Like it's, it's something that you have to just understand and know the difference and know where you are. And, and act the right way and project the right way. And, and, you know, do movements the right way, and there's a different show. So, check that one out. That was just the last episode, episode or anything. So yeah, so what do we got coming up though? There's some cool stuff. One of my favorite actresses of all time, he's gonna be talking about monologues. You know how to learn those, you know, when we have really long, long scenes, while we're talking, we got paragraphs and paragraphs of dialogue. How do you memorize that? You know? So we're gonna talk about that. And then I'm super excited about that. You know, one of my family members, is a really great comedian. And I don't want to call him up and coming because he's been doing it for a while. And he's doing his thing, you know, but many haven't heard of him yet. But y'all are about to on my podcast, and you know, sooner or later the world will. So I'm so excited to talk to him, you know about performing on stage as a comedian, you know, and if you want to be a comedian, you want to go to one of those open mic nights, and see if you're funny. You gotta check that episode out. Alright, so that's coming up. And then also excited to have a professor and a great friend, Director, Shakespeare as well as many other things, talking about her life and, and giving some some some tips. What brought we're probably gonna talk a lot about Shakespeare, because, you know, that is her thing. And I'm just super excited to involve that because I mean, Shakespeare Come on. I mean, we don't. We don't need to say anything besides that one word, you know? Shakespeare. Alright. So yeah, super excited about all that.
So check them out. Y'all keep listening, subscribe, make sure that come out every Tuesday. Alright. So let's get into the nitty gritty of today. Wanting to kind of talk to the creative writers out there today. So this is not about acting today, this is about the writing, and the creative writing part, because that is also a passion of mine as well. And you know, Sandra productions, and the whole coaching thing is all about the full circle of creativity when it comes to performing, you know, because come on, let's just be honest, when what are we performing on stage? You know, I mean, what are we performing on film, it's a script, it's a play, it's something that was written, you know, somebody, that's, that's where it starts to the writing is where it starts. So when I say full circle, and Sam productions, and the coaching and, and helping and all that we want to cover everything, you know, from from A to Z, an A is the writing part. And the creative writing part. Well, actually, actually, a really is the creativity part that the, the what's going on with the thoughts in your brain, and the images and the, whatever you want to be portrayed there on stage or on film or in a book or whatever. Actually, the thoughts are, where that's a, that's where it starts. And then B is where the writing comes into play. So I want to talk about that. So if you live in the West Michigan area, or close by, you gotta come check out our play, Frederick, it's gonna take place February 11. Through the 13th. At the ken theater and Cedar Springs, Sandra Productions Presents Frederick. And it's about Frederick Douglass who, back in the 1800s, we're going to take you back in time and tell you about his life from being born as a slave to becoming a great political figure. And the coolest part is that we have some amazing West Michigan actors and actresses are going to be portraying Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony and more. You'll be amazed. Trust me, so come check it out. February 11. Through the 13th. Tickets are on Eventbrite when you go to Eventbrite, just search Frederick and at Sandburg dot productions as well. Check it out. Yeah. Can't wait to see you.
About my children's book, which began really, like 2004 2005 The story is that my daughter Hannah, home, she was very articulate. At the time very, super bright, you know, could like talk sentences, you know, at the age of like two around when she was like three or four, I mean, she was just like, you know, you just have a normal conversation with her like an adult, you know? So you know, like, if so if you're saying, Hey, Hannah, you want to go outside and play? She'll say, no, actually, I'm gonna play with adults, for real. And that was a thing. Actually, for real. Started with actually in a frail, actually, I do want to play outside for No, no, no. And that was her thing. And it would just crack everybody up. And I said, Oh my gosh, that sounds like a great book, you know, and then I decided to write it. And slowly slowly wrote it and you know, worked on it, you know, of course, you got job and family and all that stuff. And I was even in a band at the time. So wasn't a super big priority, but I really wanted to do it. kept working on it. You know, my buddy, Brett. I showed him the idea. And he loved it. gave me some ideas. We even found an artist or two because that was the thing. And you know, here's, here's where obstacles happen when you're a writer. Because if you're not, if you're doing something like a children's book, that needs illustrations, and and you're not an artist, that's going to make it difficult. So we were he helped me my buddy, Brett, we we help me look for an artist. But that was the thing, you know, one. They just never seem to work out for whatever reason, you know, either their art was just not we're looking for, or maybe what we had wasn't what they were looking for. So that was the what, how many years we talking now? 2004? Yeah, so what, 14 years? No. Oh my gosh, yeah, like 17 years. Yeah, 1617 years, something like that, that I've been trying to find an artist, you know, and I kept, I kept working on it kept kept editing the content of the book, but still need an artist. And you know, and I actually started when I lived out in New Jersey, and I moved in Michigan, moved to Michigan in 2004 2005. Still was looking, you know, and, and actually found an artist here who did really love and His work, but he was a very busy man, you know, just he was he was a hot commodity. So I don't think my children's book was, you know, a priority for him. Which I completely understand. But here's what I'm telling you years, years of, of looking and work until finally, just this past year 2021. Friend of mine, Michael Lin, who was great guy has an animation studio, he does marketing, just an entrepreneur of sorts. He helped me find an artist. Alex was on the cover now. And I really liked his work. And next thing you know, we're working together and it's moving along finally, in 2021. And make a long story short. It's on Amazon. Super excited, super proud. You know, at this point it's one of those things where I just wanted to publish. You know, it's one of those bucket list things I want to publish a book. And I did.
And it's about my daughter and it's something that'll be out there forever. Definitely, you know, not expecting or looking to be rich and you know, I know his children's books all over the place and then but that doesn't matter. It was the fact that it was accomplished and 17 years of work and and No, not no, no blood, but definitely some sweat, some tears, you know, and some disappointments and some roadblocks. But that is my whole number one point about any creative writing thing that you're doing, don't give up. Do not give up. I've got friends who have had an idea in their head for 30 years. You know, and like, oh my gosh, I really need to write this. Yes, you do. All right, make some time. Don't give up. Don't do it. No, and don't worry about how long it takes. And don't worry about if people like it, you know, if you like it, and in your your goal is to finish that book, and do it. Do it. So that's number one, you know, just don't give up on me, I might as well just end it there. Because these next steps are just aren't as important. But that's number one, I had to start out with that. Be picky. Be picky. When it comes. Like if you're looking for an artist. Or if you're an artist looking for a writer. Or if we're talking about yourself, be picky on who you choose to partner with you. And be be picky on what you're doing. You know, make sure it's perfect, as perfect as you can make it you know, as perfect as you can make it because you don't want to publish something that you like, you know, you want to be 100% Happy what you got. Alright, so be picky with yourself and others. And then constantly, constantly edit. Just kind of go with number two. Personally edit yourself. I spent 1617 years editing this book. And then we edited, edited, edited, edited, edited it. Wow, that's tough to say. I'm not gonna say it again. A bunch of times this past year, we did that. So, you know, just like I said, you want to be 100% happy with what you got. Others check it out. You know, you know, and like I said, you don't have to, you know, take your opinions to heart. But listen to him. If it's good advice, you know he did, right. Next one, you might need a team. You know, you might need a team when it comes down to the final parts of publishing a book, you know, there's copywriting, there's marketing. You want a website, in Facebook page, you want to go on Amazon, you don't want to go on Amazon? Are you printing, I had self publishing as an e book, who's gonna make the book, you know, these are all things that you will have to do. But if any of those things, you're like, oh my gosh, I don't know how to do that. You're gonna need a team. You know, I couldn't have done this without Michael in helping me find Alex and then finding Kristin, who helped me with the marketing and the copywriting. In the social media, and Amazon, you know, all stuff that I did not know. Sure I could have taught myself. But I'd still be teaching right now. Myself and no book will be published, probably because I'm still learning. So that team really helped us helps you out, you know. And yeah, I mean, it's not gonna be free. Unless you got some really good friends. So yeah, it's gonna cost but it is worth it, you know, to not have that worry.
And just obviously speed up the process, you know? So do that. Think about a team. And then last one, you're going to be constantly marketing, and you're gonna be constantly learning. Marketing is forever changing and is forever additional marketing that you can do If you're looking to publish a book, and get it out there, I'm still learning that myself, you know, almost every day, I'm learning some other ways to market. And just to learn the publishing business, an ebook business and, you know, what are other ways to get your book out there? You know, there's so many. So just prepare yourself to be constantly learning that. Sure, now you could pay somebody else to do that, too. But then that brings up a question, you know, are there people on me I know there's SEO that do social media and all that stuff? And you know, they'll put you in the right places. But are there people that really just research different ways to do you know, what's a good question? But those are the tips off. Thank you for listening. I hope you got something there. Got to talk to my creative writing cat sometimes, you know, it's important because like I said, it is the core it is the foundation of any type of acting and performing. They are reading something that is written. And there's some talented writers out there, obviously, making these actors amazing. And that's where it starts. Alright, y'all. Thanks for listening. Talk to you soon.
Hey, thank you for listening to the creativitorium podcast. Again, my name is Sam Prince. And it is my honor to be your host and thank you so much for listening. I would also be honored if you could leave a review on Apple podcasts and say some nice things about what you just heard. And definitely please listen every week. We come out every Tuesday. Also, for more information about coaching classes, workshops, and upcoming productions, please check out our website Samber dot productions, that's s a m b e r dot productions. And you can also subscribe to our newsletter. And remember all the worlds a stage!