We were lucky to catch up with Kayla Covert recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kayla, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

For both screenwriting and social media management, I didn’t realize either of these were career opportunities until it very suddenly popped up on my radar! I went to school for English and for Ministry, so while both of these have added some valuable skills to enable me to do what I currently do, I was never properly trained for either of these aspects of my life. For screenwriting, I learned through reading profusely. I think I devoured every blog and “must-read” piece of literature I could get my hands on in that first year to get the ropes of what screenwriting is. After that, I had to spend a great deal of time parsing through all of that information to figure out what was ACTUALLY worth learning and what was outdated or otherwise unimportant. From there, there was a lot of trial and error. I wrote some very fun garbage drafts (like a 27-page drama pilot that, at the time, I didn’t realize was far too short) and then drafts that slowly got better and better thanks to coverage and mentorship. For social media, I was fortunate to be in a position where I was able to learn and grow with supportive leaders who let me explore training opportunities and expand my knowledge so that I could be the best SMM I could be for our clients.

While a lot of this learning happened for me after turning 25, I honestly wouldn’t change anything. I’m a pretty big believer in things happening when they’re meant to and how they’re meant to. I needed all of those trial-and-error opportunities to get where I am today. As far as most essential skills are concerned, I think opening myself up to receiving feedback and acknowledging that I am always going to be learning and growing is a crucial skill to have. There is no exact way to break into screenwriting or to break into social media management as a career.

For a while, I was definitely my worst enemy when it came to rejection. I applied to 117 jobs before finally getting my current agency role. Couple that with the constant onslaught of Screenwriting Fellowship season being notoriously rejection heavy. having a thick skin is so important. The right opportunity will come along though. Being patient with yourself and remembering that rejection is just another step closer to acceptance makes all the difference.

Kayla, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a Hispanic-American neurodivergent storyteller residing in Los Angeles, CA with my 8-year-old Italian Greyhound mix, Frosty. During the day, I spend my time crafting brand identities and concepts on social media for some of your favorite tv shows, movies, and podcasts. I’ve been fortunate to be a panelist for Sprout Social as a social media expert a few times to talk about reporting strategies and market trends. I love crafting unique brand voices and identifying opportunities to help brands stand out on social and create those highly sought-after trending moments. I’m really passionate about using data to tell a story and enjoy finding the story behind the number when creating reports weekly and monthly.

In the evenings, most of my time is spent working on my fantasy and science fiction pilots. I’m currently part of the Read Latinx Writers Initiative Year 3 cohort and have been fortunate to be a selection for Breakthrough Reading Series, a Semifinalist in the Screencraft Sci-Fi and Fantasy Competition, and a Quarterfinalist in the Script Labs’ Free Screenplay Competition with my medieval fantasy pilot, The Unchosen Ones. I am also part of Roadmap Writers’ Career Writer Program to enhance my writing abilities. Despite being a bit of a chicken when it comes to the supernatural and all things spooky, my favorite genres to write are sci-fi, supernatural, and realistic fantasy through a dramatic comedy lens. As a neurodivergent writer, I often look for ways to incorporate the struggles I encounter with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder into the stories I create to help others embrace those unseen hurdles they may be facing every day. I’m a firm believer in looking for the color and shine in this world so that often can be found woven throughout my stories as well.

Other key things to know about me is that I can absolutely talk your ear off about all things Nancy Drew and Taylor Swift.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Representation is one of my biggest driving forces when I write. Growing up, I didn’t really get to see a lot of characters who looked like me represented on screen. Growing up, I felt connected to the concepts of culture and family that I experienced in my life to the depictions of that in Disney’s Pocahontas because I understood it and it felt close enough to my mixed cultural upbringing. I didn’t really have that true grasp of “Oh hey, that’s me” on the screen until much later in life. Because a lot of my writing focuses on teen and coming-of-age stories, I want to be sure I can make something that lets someone have that experience of seeing themselves accurately on screen much younger than when I first did. In addition to physical representation, I really want to accurately showcase OCD and neurodivergence in my writing. It’s been so important to me and my own experience with this to see this represented correctly in media. Too often, we see the presumed depiction of what this looks like, but the accuracies are often far from true. If I can be part of that minority that works to change the way neurodivergence is represented on the screen, I’m using my voice and writing skills for good in my book.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Amplification is everything. With a long career in social media, I can tell you firsthand that word-of-mouth recommendations from people in your sphere of influence matter so much more than ads, commercials, etc. If there is work that you believe in, tell people about it! If there’s a book that you couldn’t put down, absolutely call your local library and request that it get added to their shelves. If you binged a tv show in one weekend, share the poster to your stories or make a post about it with your recommendation. The best way to get information about something out there is to talk about it. We as consumers hold a lot of power, so don’t be afraid to use that voice to talk about the things you’re passionate about. Even one post, text, or passing conversation can make a difference in the lifespan of a show on a streaming platform, the success of a podcast in the charts, where a book gets sold, and so much more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kaylaannecovert.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylaannecovert/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylaannecovert/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaylaAnneCovert

Image Credits
Spets Photography Digital Media Management VSSL Agency