Whether you’re a seasoned or beginner screenwriter, some years are going to be better than others. On a whole the film business has been experiencing a lot of growing pains in recent years due to various factors: a pandemic, a writer’s strike, changing technology and viewing habits, etc. However, the industry is thriving in other areas, and a new year can offer new opportunities.
As one year shifts into the next, it’s a perfect time for a screenwriter to take stock of their career or career aspirations and plot a course for the future.
Below are 5 tips to help you launch into the new year with renewed focus and productivity:
Think about the past year and what you’ve accomplished. Did you accomplish what you wanted to? If not, ask yourself why not and if there are certain things you haven’t done yet that can help you achieve your screenwriting goals.
Are there any challenges or obstacles in your life that are keeping you from writing? If so, maybe you should consider changing your job or lifestyle if possible. Or perhaps you simply need to reorganize your schedule. How much leisure time do you indulge in on a regular basis? If it’s a considerable amount, then this year make it a point to spend that time more productively.
Sometimes, our biggest obstacle is ourselves, and a reluctance to shake up the status quo. Once you do so, you’ll find yourself mentally and emotionally liberated and this is exactly the state you should be in, especially if you haven’t made that leap yet from an aspiring screenwriter to a professional.
You’ve reflected and reassessed your approach, and hopefully now you’re ready to set new goals for yourself. If you don’t have representation (i.e. an agent or manager), then getting repped this year should definitely be a goal. But how does one go about getting representation? Work the internet and do your research; it’s not just about getting any agent or manager, but the right one suited to you and your writing. Maybe you should start entering screenwriting contests if you never have before (Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Contest offers meetings with top managers as a prize).
Also, don’t be afraid to change what you’ve been doing creatively. Have the type of scripts you’ve been writing gotten you to where you want to be? If the answer is “No,” then consider changing the genre you’ve been working in. Look at the current marketplace: what are people watching and what is the industry buying? Is there a popular genre you think you can apply your voice to as a writer? The more open-minded you are, the more opportunities you’ll create.
Think of several ideas that might be a cool movie: something you’d like to watch or, at very least, you think other people might want to watch. Perhaps a new spin on a time-tested formula or something radically different that breaks all the rules, but is also so engaging or entertaining it can’t be denied.
Throw out these new ideas to a group of people you trust: people in the industry or simply friends and family who are good at giving feedback and will be honest with you. If there’s a general consensus, definitely give this idea strong consideration. However, if you think you’d be able to write one of these ideas better or you see the movie more clearly in your head than the other ideas, go with that one. Generally as a rule, it’s best to take the path of least resistance. Not only will you find it easier to write a script if you’re already imagining it as a film, but there’s a chance others will also think it’s a movie.
You chose your idea, now go and write it, and make it a point to finish it before the year is out. Read my articles “5 Tips To Starting a Screenplay” and “5 Tips To Finishing a Screenplay,” if you’re finding it difficult to write your script. Just remember: your script doesn’t have to be perfect. Think “rough draft” and know you can always rewrite it afterwards. The most important thing is to stop procrastinating and get to work. Every new script you write is a chance for you to grow as a writer and to reintroduce yourself to the industry.
Perhaps this year you should also create a new personal work routine if you haven’t been as productive as you’d like to be. Everything from your work environment to daily page quotas can help you stay in “screenwriting shape” and finish your new spec script. Always remember: writers write, and do just that!
After you’ve finished your new script, it’s time to get it out there and start circulating it. Although writing should be your priority, you need a network of supportive people and champions if you hope to sell your script and start working as a professional screenwriter. In addition to networking via screenwriting contests, you should be querying management companies and doing your best to connect with people working in the film industry. If each year you expand your network and gain some fans of your writing, it’s an accomplishment.
They’ll be times you’ll feel like the odds are stacked against you. Not every new script is going to be “the one,” but if it kept you writing and sharpening your talent, it served a purpose. Every action leads to a result and it creates a chain of events that can one day lead you to becoming a professional screenwriter.
There are many reasons to be a screenwriter these days and it’s definitely an achievable dream. The key is to stay motivated and to stay productive and keep moving forward.
A new year is a new page and it’s time for you to turn it.