Hi guys, Mark here! Thanks in advance @David Stem for this group…I am so happy to have found it. A little about me…I have been working in the Entertainment industry in one capacity or another since 2005. I make (or made, since it’s been dead in LA) my living as a local 44 Prop guy but have always aspired to write full time. This past Sunday I got a little closer to that dream when a script I wrote, “The Christmas Cup” aired on Hallmark and is currently available now to stream on Hallmark plus. Granted, I prefer writing comedy and I don’t pretend my script is anything other than saccharine sweet, cheese ball, Holiday fare…that said, having to take notes and kill my darlings has been a tremendous writing exercise, and incredibly eye opening. My goals are to keep learning and to continue to develop the craft. Very excited to be here. Cheers!!

Grab a cup and jump in. I want to hear what you're building, what's moving, and where you're stuck. I'll share what's coming next for the Forge, answer questions, and help you get traction on whatever you're writing. Quick, casual, useful. See you at 12:30.

I know it's been quiet this week, but there's a lot moving in the background and I'd love your input. I'm lining up guest writers to come in, talk shop, and answer your questions — including Phil Stark, screenwriter-turned-therapist and author of How to Be a Screenwriter. He wrote Dude, Where's My Car? and spent years on That 70s Show, so he'll have plenty to share. I want to start having guest writers and agents and such in regularly. How's Phil sound as one to kick it off? Also I dig deeper into how to run this community well, I've been exploring the Skool "Challenge" feature — and I think we might have something here. A December Challenge built around pages, word count, or scene output could be a great way to get momentum. But only if it's supportive, collaborative, and genuinely fun — not another source of pressure. We all put enough weight on ourselves already. So before I build anything, I want your take on this: Would a December writing challenge help you? If yes, what would make it feel motivating instead of stressful? Drop your thoughts below. I want to hear from you — and I want to shape this with you, not at you.

Let's say 12 noon today, Pacific Time! I've been running around like crazy this past week, time to catch up with what's going on with everybody and get clear on our goals moving forward in December!

December is a month when too many writers go to war with themselves. We look at the year, decide we “didn’t do enough,” and suddenly want to finish strong with some massive push… right as the holidays knock every routine sideways. Then the guilt kicks in. Not writing enough. Writing too much and missing family moments. Either way, we lose. But if you shift the mindset, December can be a powerful month — not because you grind harder, but because you get clearer and more present. My daughter just headed back to NYU after Thanksgiving. We had a great visit. I was genuinely present, and I’m grateful for that. Now I’m back at the desk setting my December goals — for the work and for my life — and I want this community thinking the same way. Here’s the frame: 1️⃣ Pick one North Star for your creative work. Something meaningful enough that hitting it would feel like a real win. A draft. A rewrite milestone. A character breakthrough. One thing that moves your story forward. 2️⃣ Pick one North Star for your life. Something simple but intentional: being present with family, slowing down your mornings, protecting one night a week from screens, finishing the year grounded instead of frantic. Not everything — just one thing that matters. 3️⃣ Break both goals into small, doable moves. Weekly checkpoints. Daily actions that fit inside December, not some fantasy sprint version of it. Write a page. Make a call. Take a walk. One beat at a time. 4️⃣ Grant yourself the grace to hold both. You can honor your work without disappearing into it. You can show up for your people without abandoning your creative life. This isn’t a tug-of-war — it’s a rhythm. So here’s the invitation: What are your December goals — for writing AND for your life? Drop them below. Name the big ones that really matter to you. Then break them into small moments you can actually execute. If you want help shaping them, tag me — that’s what I’m here for. Let’s close the year intentional, grounded, and present on both fronts.