Meet Heidi Hornbacher | Co-founder, Lead Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heidi Hornbacher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heidi, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Community.

One of the most important pieces of feedback we get from our workshops is that writers feel they’re part of a community of like-minded creatives. That is gold. We based our company on the UCLA Screenwriting community we started from. We’ve grown it through word of mouth in the communities of the writers who joined us first in Italy and then online. Then we expanded it through screenwriting twitter and instagram communities. Unlike any other art, writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Peer feedback, input, and support are essential to the process. Networking is so key to success in film. We are honored to create a space where writers feel welcome to be and grow – a space where they can expand their community and be part of ours.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Despite having a concept that sells itself – “Oh, you do writing retreats in Italy? Who wouldn’t want to go?” – it’s been a steady, uphill battle to get here. Building trust in the screenwriting community has been the biggest challenge and the most rewarding aspect. When we started, I had no name recognition. Who was going to pay for a class taught by a nobody? Who was going to listen to notes from someone who hadn’t sold a script? There are so many charlatans out there, it’s understandable that writers are wary, and rightly so. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been chatting with a group of writers when someone goes on a rant about script consultants only to then have to say, “um, I’m a script consultant. I promise we’re not all like what you just described.” Over the years, our alumni success rate started to speak for itself so we had results I could point to. So I’m most proud of that trust and the word of mouth it generates. Just yesterday I spoke to a writer about one of our scholarships. She’d been referred by an alum who has gone on to win the Nicholl. She said “I heard you can really help with my writing,” and that was the biggest reward.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite part of town is the East Side and it doesn’t get the love it deserves. I would tell them to hit Pocha on York for amazing Mexican food, shop Mi Vida for one-of-a-kind handmade crafts, and Cafe De Leche for a great coffee. On Sunday, folks gather just to watch food trucks set up and grill an inordinate amount of chicken. It’s the slower pace and family first vibes that are a fabulous respite from the rest of LA.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Alumni Liz Hara. She’s an incredible writer and a valued member of our community. She was part of our 2013 Italy retreat and has gone on to be a double Emmy winner who now writes for Marvel. She’s turned right around and teaches a Demystifying The Writers Room workshop for us that helps new writers understand how that side of the industry works. That’s a perfect example of how our community grows. Plus, she’s just an amazing human.

Website: https://pagecraftwriting.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pagecraftwriting/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pagecraft/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PageCraftwrite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PageCraftwriting

Image Credits
Heidi Hornbacher/Carlo Cavagna/PageCraft