but please also always be nice.
You saw Barbie right? That speech that America Ferrera speech that she gave in Barbie about what it's like to be a woman?
Well, it's like that for us writers too.
Here's my experience as a female writer in Hollywood.
Be good but not too good.
Write well but not so well that you threaten the men. Be proud of your work but not arrogant. Always write in your voice, but don't be too voicy, or have opinions, or make statements.
Be part of the sisterhood but be careful because you will piss others off if you are successful. Be successful, but not too much.
Enter everything, but win nothing. Score high in coverage but not too high. Submit but don't talk about submitting. Encourage others but not yourself. Always be your own cheerleader any everyone else's. Learn the business side, but don't be a know-it-all. Have experience but not too much. Be a working writer even if you aren't famous but if you aren't famous no one respects you. Never ever complain or say anything when you are treated badly, but also always stand up for yourself. Be pretty, be thin, be young, have a fake birthday that always stays under forty, but never lie. Play the game, but don't be too good at it. You have to never show off, never get old, never ever be anything but what is wanted at that time. And always continue to believe you are worth it, even when they tell you that you aren't.
Where is the "Screenwriting Barbie" who is perfect and also feels this way?
She doesn't exist but we do and we MUST always champion ourselves and tune out all the other noise. It's impossible and yet it is possible and we have to do it. Our writing friends are often only there temporarily and the ones who stay, they are golden but hard to find.
You can do it!
You can sell your scripts. Don't listen to stats telling you otherwise.
Believing is more than half the battle.
You have to start by believing in yourself and your writing. This is the best advice that I can give anyone in this industry, even those who have been here for a while and may be losing faith that things will work out.
Also, know that this industry changes more than any other one. Every rule you learn today will change by tomorrow, so keep up with everything that you can.
Find your community and of course keep writing!!!
xoxo
Steph
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