KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Stephen Woodward of Kingsport is pursuing his dream of selling his screenplay in California this summer, thanks to winning a contest and his nearly lifelong interest in writing and music.
Woodward, an adjunct college instructor, recently won the WriteMovies International Screenwriting Competition No. 31 with his screenplay “Crush,” which he adapted from a novel he wrote for his master’s degree.
The competition, sponsored by WriteMovies.com, received 1,000 entries worldwide. On top of a cash prize and guaranteed agency representation, WriteMovies will help Woodward development his script further and see that it is pitched for him to the appropriate studios.
“It’s quite an honor,” said Woodward, who began writing screenplays in graduate school. Woodward teaches composition at Northeast State Community College and in the Jumpstart program, a dual enrollment program, this school year at Sullivan Central High School in Blountville.
He teaches composition I and II to Central students, who – if they successfully complete the course – get high school and college credit. Some Central students helped him by reading over his scripts.