Alright, Natalie here.
When I first moved to New York, I was lost.
Like, literally, totally lost on every street corner in Manhattan.
I have the worst sense of direction. No, wait. I have no sense of direction.
I felt like a moron. Finally, someone told me that when you want to go uptown (north), the numbers go up, when you want to go downtown (south), the numbers go down.
Duh.
So, for months I stood on street corners covertly peeking at signs around me to decide which way was West. But, once I figured it out, I started to look like a New Yorker.
And then came the day when people started asking me for directions. Woah. I had done it! I hit the mother lode.
(I also took the train going the wrong direction. Many, many times. But that's another story for another time...)
Now, why was I running around (lost) all over the city?
Audition after audition after audition after audition.
Now, as you can surmise, I spent A LOT of my time on auditioning. Prepping, planning, running. (And then running the other way...)
But, I wasn't taking the time to do anything about them after I left the room.
So, off to another open call, EPA or ECC I would go. And I was starting to feel frazzled and like all this effort just wasn't worth the headache. Sure, I booked sometimes, but HOW did that happen?
It all came together when I started using my audition journal.
What's the big deal? Well, it's kind of like a map of Audition Town.
It's the perfect spot to track the companies you've auditioned for, who was there, what you did, what went well and what went terribly, terribly wrong.
These are just a few GAME CHANGING benefits of audition journaling!
1. You'll notice patterns. Let's say that you've used the same song at multiple auditions. Did you get a callback or even book the gig after using it? If you did, then it's a solid choice. However, if you're getting passed over, then that song isn't doing anything for you. Kick it to the curb!
2. It helps track how you found the audition. Was it on BroadwayWorld.com, a local social media posting or did you learn about it from a friend? If you repeatedly find notices in a group on Facebook where every audition turns out to be sketchy, then it's time to find a more reliable source. Try looking at the five standards: Backstage.com, Playbill.com, BroadwayWorld.com, ActorsAccess.com and ActorsEquity.org.
3. You'll stop obsessing after every audition. Are you making yourself crazy by checking your phone every five minutes for ANY sign of contact? Are you thinking things like, "They hated me!" or, "I'm not talented enough!" or that you should just give up? Instead of endlessly going over every audition in your mind, use an audition journal to help you release it to the universe. Then, move forward and prepare for the NEXT audition.
4. It's your journal to success. Once you get the hang of setting up an audition journal, take your new-found habit of journaling a step further! It's always good to have one journal per goal. Think about creating a rehearsal journal, a practice journal or even a workout journal. Whatever your goal is, having it in front of you really helps you play the long game and track your progress.
Getting started is much more important than the materials you use. Some people choose a nicely bound book to give the act of journaling a sense of ritual, but you can use a composition book or simple notebook.
Need help getting started? You can print our FREE Audition Journal Template HERE!
Be creative! The point is to build this new habit of journaling after every audition you attend. Then USE that information to change the game.
Always remember, if you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it.
We'd love to hear how your journaling is going in the comments below.