An Interview With Jake Frankel
If you want to be a writer, write. Don’t think you’re “not a proper writer unless you get paid.” Yes, take every paid writing gig you can get, and be grateful for the income. But don’t ease off when the work dries up. That’s your chance to write something for you. Not for someone else. It’s the work you write for you that will pay off.
Many successful people reinvented themselves in a later period in their lives. Jeff Bezos worked on Wall Street before he reinvented himself and started Amazon. Sara Blakely sold office supplies before she started Spanx. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was a WWE wrestler before he became a successful actor and filmmaker. Arnold Schwarzenegger went from a bodybuilder, to an actor to a Governor. McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc was a milkshake-device salesman before starting the McDonalds franchise in his 50s.
How does one reinvent themselves? What hurdles have to be overcome to take life in a new direction? How do you overcome those challenges? How do you ignore the naysayers? How do you push through the paralyzing fear?
In this series called “Second Chapters; How I Reinvented Myself In The Second Chapter Of My Life “ we are interviewing successful people who reinvented themselves in a second chapter in life, to share their story and help empower others.
As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Richard Sparks.
Born in England, now living in California, Richard has been a writer since leaving college (Oxford University). Starting as a writer of comedy material (sketches, TV and stage plays), he moved on to writing opera libretti, both translations and original works, mainly for the LA Opera. Now he is writing fantasy adventures — all spiced with a strong thread of comedy — in a new series which begins with New Rock New Role.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
Born in London, I was raised in a village on the outskirts of Cheltenham in the west of England. My parents were both teachers, joint head principals of Berkhampstead School in Cheltenham. One of them would read either to my sister or me each night at our bedtime. I devoured books from a very early age, particularly loving adventure and fantasy stories set in magical, strange worlds, as well as the myths and legends of gods and heroes from Norse to Greek to the Indian Ramayana. Aged about six I wrote my first book, Bunny Goes West, which brought to life the exploits of a heroic, gun-slinging rabbit, with excellent illustrations by my friend, Hugh Christie. It was a graphic novel. Hugh did the drawings, I did the speech bubbles. I think it might have run to nearly three pages. It remains unpublished.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson.
It’s up to you as a writer, and you alone (even if you’re working in a collaboration). You have to love what you’re doing, or it will turn out to be mediocre.
You have been blessed with much success. In your opinion, what are the top three qualities that you possess that have helped you accomplish so much?
I. I enjoy putting in the hours, which a writer has to do. I love work, but I can’t stand toil. If a task doesn’t interest me, I’m no good at it. If something piques my interest, I go all in.
2. I’ve always been willing to try another genre. Comedy. Lyrics. Libretti. Plays. Radio and TV and film. It’s all writing. Getting better at one form helps you get better at others.
3. “Nothing else matters.” It does, of course. I have a life away from my writing; but the writing is always present, even when it isn’t prominent. My wife is an artist, so she thinks the same way. Doing good work is what we both want to do.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about ‘Second Chapters’. Can you tell our readers about your career experience before your Second Chapter?
I had a TV job after leaving college, for Welsh television, writing continuity scripts and making trailers. I stuck it out for two years before heading off to make a living with my typewriter, with a great sense of liberation. From then on I was a jobbing scriptwriter and script editor. Some good years, some broke years — one great year writing 23 scripts of a 26-part TV series that enabled me to buy my first house. I wrote, or worked on, a number of TV shows in the UK. One that I created, The Optimist, was a disappointment to me, as it turned out to be, in my opinion, weak and unfunny — despite the heroic efforts of a very talented (and hard working, and delightful, and very funny) lead actor. It just wasn’t nearly good enough. This pretty much turned me off writing television. I needed to pay the bills, of course, so more TV work followed; but I never came up with much that was other than run-of-the-mill. Which is a pity, as there have been so many incredible TV shows in the last decades, and I’d have loved to have been part of something as good as them.
And how did you “reinvent yourself” in your Second Chapter?
Becoming involved in writing opera libretti, mainly with the composer Lee Holdridge, has been a wonderful breath of fresh air for me. My motto in life is, “all that matters is doing good work.” It’s nice to have done some in that field. And music is very important to me. There’s nothing like hearing magnificent voices singing your words — especially when they are English lyrics to Italian or German masterpieces by the greatest composers.
Can you tell us about the specific trigger that made you decide that you were going to “take the plunge” and make your huge transition?
I “went all in” (see above) when I discovered MMORPG’s (Massively Multi-Player Online Role Playing Games). I spent all my spare hours playing them. I loved being the hero of my own stories in the wonderful worlds that our genius game developers have built for us. One day, I wondered: What would it really be like, to be that guy — that heroic, young battlemage, in that magical, mysterious, adventure-filled world?
For real?
There was only one way to find out.
Write it.
What did you do to discover that you had a new skillset inside of you that you haven’t been maximizing? How did you find that and how did you ultimately overcome the barriers to help manifest those powers?
I’d always had the skillset. I’ve always known how to write. What I had never found, until the idea for New Rock New Role fell out of the sky and hit me on the head one summer morning, was what to write.
I threw myself into writing it, and its (so far) four sequels with a great sense of relief as well as excitement. At last, I thought. This is it. I hope to keep writing my New Rock stories until I drop. I feel incredibly lucky to have found my bliss as a writer at last.
How are things going with this new initiative? We would love to hear some specific examples or stories.
I can’t quite believe how well it’s going. I’ve written four 160,000+ word books in four years, been signed to a fantastic publisher, CAEZIK SF&F — who have assigned me to a brilliant editor, Lezli Robyn. And all I can think about, as always, is: What I’m going to write next? Today. Tomorrow. Where is the story taking me? What’s the next scene, the next event, the next puzzle, the next challenge, the next ambush by some craziness I’d never have seen coming…?
Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
There are so many that it is hard to pick just one. To quote Tennyson: “I am a part of all that I have met.” So many collaborators, friends and colleagues have inspired and encouraged me. The support of my wife and family has been fundamental, and I wouldn’t have achieved anything without them.
I will mention one mentor, the eminent Broadway director, Albert Marre (creating director of Kismet, Man of La Mancha, et al.) Albie gave me many “black belt level” pieces of advice — the sort of things you’d never hear in school — and the benefit of his wisdom. I’m very grateful to him.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started in this new direction?
By the time my agent had finished reading the MS of New Rock New Role, I was well into the sequel. When she called to say how much she liked it (best phone call of my life), I told her I was writing a follow-up. She said, “Great! Three book deal.” I said, “Oh, it’s three now, is it? Okay…” Three became four, is becoming five. I just hope that I don’t run out of steam and ideas. I’ve got a whole new world of my own to find out about, to revel in, and to roam around in with my characters. I’ll do my best to leave as little of it unexplored as possible, when it’s my time to leave this planet. Which I am going to miss when I’ve gone.
Did you ever struggle with believing in yourself? If so, how did you overcome that limiting belief about yourself? Can you share a story or example?
No. Not for one moment. This is what I am here for. Now, I did find it hard to accept that I’d never fulfilled myself as a writer — that I’d never truly found my voice, my niche. TV and film are a director’s medium. The stage is an actor’s medium. Opera is a singer’s medium. I’ve enjoyed working in all of them, with some great people (and great talents). Narrative fiction is just you and the reader. It is the writer’s medium. It’s such a relief to have found my place in it. It’s like coming home.
In my own work I usually encourage my clients to ask for support before they embark on something new. How did you create your support system before you moved to your new chapter?
It was already in place. My Second Chapter has really been simply a change of gears. Perhaps also a change of vehicle. I traded my bicycle for a spaceship.
Starting a new chapter usually means getting out of your comfort zone, how did you do that? Can you share a story or example of that?
Actually, it meant getting into my comfort zone. At last! After all that meandering around doing all the other stuff — from which I learned so much, of course — here it is! Of course! This is where I’m meant to be. Isn’t it, really, that way for every “Second Chapter” explorer? My publisher was a Wall Street Master of the Universe before he couldn’t stand it any longer and leapt out into the unknown to start a publishing house. He’s much happier now. Just as I am.
You just have to go where the Second Chapter takes you. Oh, so that’s where the story is going. Okay, let’s do this.
Resistance is futile. It took my wife and myself from London to California. It wasn’t an upheaval, it was an adventure.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me before I started” and why?
1. Don’t bother writing bad works. Throw them away as soon as you can. Who were you kidding? Why would anyone want to read that? Open your eyes. Move on. I’ve written more than enough bad stuff. Thank all the gods none of it saw the light of day. Focus on the good stuff. Adjust the ratio. More good stuff, less bad stuff.
2. There will be times when you don’t know what to write. Write something anyway.
3. If you want to be a writer, write. Don’t think you’re “not a proper writer unless you get paid.” Yes, take every paid writing gig you can get, and be grateful for the income. But don’t ease off when the work dries up. That’s your chance to write something for you. Not for someone else. It’s the work you write for you that will pay off.
4. “There is no such thing as a bad note.” That’s my (tongue-in-cheek) motto. It’s not true, of course. How about the famous note from the studio executive on a script for My Favorite Martian? “A Martian wouldn’t say that.” Hehe.
The point is this: that “bad note” you were given might have come because you didn’t explain what you meant clearly. You didn’t write it well enough. Go back and do it again, thank the note-giver for the great note, and present the new, improved version of what you were trying to do all along. You’ll find that’s just as easy as doing your rewrites to all the great and helpful notes you got. It’s a collaboration, after all. And the lines don’t belong to you in the end, they belong to the actor.
Johnny Carson said, “Television is the only industry that eats its own young.” He did indeed.
But one of his writers wrote it for him.
5. Do the other jobs in the industry as well. You’ll learn a lot (directing, producing, acting, script-editing, stage and set design). It’s all part of the process of getting to the good stuff.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
“Humankind cannot bear very much reality.” — T.S. Eliot.
Reality can be grim. Brutal, even. Stories are how we make sense — or attempt to make sense — of life. I am unable to bring peace to the world, as we all are. But we can bring each other peace of mind, through the life of the mind.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them. 🙂
Billy Strings. The boy is a gift to us all. I’ve seen him live twice now, and I can’t wait for the next one. He never fails to astonish and amaze. You’re walking on air after his shows. Talk about the feelgood factor.
Billy, if you read this: Thanks for the music, matey. And if we ever do meet for lunch (not breakfast, I’m not an early riser), I’ll bring my five-string banjo and we’ll jam a little. Old Dangerfield, Forked Deer, Arkansas Traveler: I’m no Billy Failing, or John Hickman (my banjo hero), but with luck I should be able to get to the end of them at just about the same time you do.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
www.richardsparks.com. https://www.instagram.com/richardsparks_author/
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Author Richard Sparks: Second Chapters; How I Reinvented Myself In The Second Chapter Of My Life was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.