Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Harris.
Hi Crystal, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I always knew I wanted to be a writer; well, I always knew I loved to write, but I never thought it could be a career. I never knew how one could make money from writing, but it was never about the money; it was about telling a story. When I graduated high school, I attended CUNY College of Staten Island, because I really didn’t know the trajectory of my life. But after one year at Staten Island, I enrolled into Rutgers University – New Brunswick and majored in Journalism. Still I wanted to write and thought I’d be working in magazines, but by the time I graduated, magazines were dead! Social media (Myspace, Facebook) was blowing up, but I got the unique opportunity to intern at CNN – American Morning show and the Entertainment Bureau. I tried hard with making journalism a career, but it was hard landing a full time job. Although I worked really cool gigs and interviewed hundreds of celebrities – Chadwick, Boseman, Chris Rock, athletes, so many different, I transitioned into Education as an English teacher. It was then that I developed my knack for screenwriting. At the time in 2015, my mom had passed away from Breast cancer and my husband was experiencing on his previous employer, I just wanted to tell a story. So i started researching, and I learned that people wrote screenplays, and I said OMG, people are getting paid to write television shows. That’s how I landed into TV writing. So far, I have written many TV pilots and have pitched to Netflix, Starz, Universal TV to name a few.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been very challenging to land my TV show. I have a whole team, actors, producers attached, and I have been blessed to pitch for streamers and networks, but it’s very hard right now, especially during the climate. People are saying the industry is dying, but I still have hope.
Some challenges include not having exactly what the networks want. My show is a crime TV drama, and streamers/network don’t want anything political….it just has to be exactly what they want, and that is very hard.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a writer, content creator.
I write for TV, although the goal is to become a staff writer on TV show and sell my show/land my show on TV.
What sets me apart is that I am bold and I speak my mind, especially when it comes to my content creation. I don’t have any brand deals, so if I don’t like a show/movie, I’m going to tell my audience that. I don’t anyone but myself, and I don’t want to be fake. People can see through fakeness (espeically the internet), and I try to be myself.
I am most proud of pitching to Netflix. I was nervous, but I owned every single word!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Don’t just aspire to be in the room, demand a seat at the table.
Also, don’t let anyone tell you you are not worthy of the opportunity in front of you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@lynnreviews_
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clondonla;
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/lynnreviews_/
