Because so many, especially new writers, forget that this is a business and are unsure of so many things, I thought I'd put together some things I've experienced AND tips.
Whether you are just starting or have been in for a while, one of the most important things about this business that we call "show" is that it is, in fact, a business.
Why am I saying this?
Because people forget, as creatives, we are emotional, and when we get rejected, which is more often than not, even if you are established, it hurts, but it shouldn't.
The most important thing about this business that I can't say enough is this.
THIS IS A BUSINESS OF OPINIONS
Everyone and their dog will feel differently about movies, television shows, plays, books, etc, so why would it be any different for your screenplay? It's not, so please understand that rejections do not mean that you suck.
**I'll do a rejection blog in a bit. I'm sure I have videos on my YouTube channel or have covered this in my older blog, but I will update soon and do a new one.
Writers must understand that in a business of opinions, you can have a perfectly written script that doesn't do it for some agents, producers, directors, actors, and or audiences, and that's fine.
Last weekend, a few writers and I were talking about a new show that came out. It has super high reviews, and my hubby and I couldn't even make it through the first episode. We hated it. I mean, I could write a college-level dissertation on why this show is not good, but I wouldn't because I'm always happy when material is produced and on the air or in the theaters.
Another limited series came out last year, and everyone in the industry was going on and on about how brilliant it was. I loathed every second of it. I hated it. I still don't get it.
As a professional in this industry, it's essential to see what people are buying and what they like, but for me, it's only for peace of mind, not chasing trends.
Just know that not everyone will like your work, genre, style, etc.
NOT ALL WORKING WRITERS ARE FAMOUS or "established," but they work all the time. In this business, you will get paid when things are optioned, when they are sold, when you write on a studio's project, when they are interested in your spec but haven't bought it yet, and a million other ways that you can get paid but when people "Google you" they don't see who you are or your body of work.
Fame isn't real. And, let me ask you the last time you went to see a film or tuned into a show because of who the writer was? Sure, it happens with bigger names, but it's not often. Screenwriters are the backbone of an industry that often doesn't even notice. Get used to it because it's more common than you think.
Here are some ways you can work and get paid without growing your IMDB page or becoming famous.
~Working in a group of writers. This happens a lot in television, and no, sadly, not everyone gets credit. You are getting paid, but your name isn't on the screen when it opens.
~You sell your script, but they hire other writers to rewrite it.
~You are in the process of selling something they are interested in; you are getting paid for rewrites, outlines, etc., but it may never sell.
~You have optioned your film or show to a production company-which means, they pay you to hold onto it for a specific timeline because they don't want others to grab it.
~You are a script or story consultant, or script doctor-you are brought in to fix problems.
~You are hired by a studio or production company to write a film or series, and you get paid for it, but it never gets made for the million reasons that it might not.
There are more ways, but these are just some of them that are common.
NOTE: To receive a screenplay credit from the Writers Guild of America (WGA), a writer must contribute more than 50% to an original screenplay. For a non-original screenplay, a writer must contribute more than 33%.
Many times we are brought in but don't have that credit when it's all said and done. Trust me, it happens all the time.
EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYONE in many ways, or ASSUME they do. As many screenwriters there are, understand that you must respect each other in every situation because in a weird way this is a very small industry. I won't get into all the ways new screenwriters can hurt themselves with bad behavior, but it happens often.
Scenario, a newbie writer is rude, bullies, and gossips about another writer because they don't know what that person has done. It happens a lot—more than I even like to see. Years ago, I wrote a "HOW TO" book on how not to succeed in the industry, talking about all the ways I have seen new writers get blacklisted or just on someone's shit list.
TIP ~ BE NICE TO EVERYONE ~ everyone. You don't know who people know or what connection you may tramble on when you are childish, rude, mean, nasty, arrogant, etc.
THIS IS A BUSINESS OF CONNECTIONS
Sure, everyone wants a great script, but it's more than that. You need to network to make a living in this business. People hire who they know, it's that simple.
Learn how to network, and see the above about being nice to everyone. I can't tell you how many times newbies have been rude to me and then see my credit list or find out I worked on some show they like, and then they try to kiss my butt. I have also had new writers as clients tell me that they were rude to so in so in the industry because they didn't know who that person was. Why? Always be nice. It will take you a long way.
EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT PATH
The way I got in, or your writing partner gets in, or the way someone in a webinar got in are all going to be different, so know that you will get in the way that you do and it doesn't matter that your friend just mentioned to someone while out that they have a new rom-com finished and that person just happened to be friends with some guy who knows a producer looking for rom-coms and BOOM--magic happens.
TIP-There is no right way to break in, stay in, or sell anything.
CONTESTS AREN'T A GUARANTEE
Despite what they advertise about all the connections, most of them won't advance your career, but I still enter them on occasion because you can get notes and also see what's popular, etc.
IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S THEM
I talked about rejection a little above, but understand that there are many reasons your script doesn't sell, place, etc.
~It's not the genre they want.
~It's not the voice they are looking for.
~They have something similar in production.
~It's been done too much.
~It's not on brand for them.
~It will cost too much.
~They can't sell it.
~The script isn't ready, not well executed
As I said, I will do a new rejection blog soon to go over these in more detail.
FILM & TELEVISION DEALS MAY TAKE YEARS to get out there into the world.
This is something that newer writers don't understand yet. For example, I currently have four scripts out in the world. All have been requested by different agents, producers, managers, and studio executives in the last four months, and my new writer friends ask me on the regular, "Any news on ....when will get paid...will it be out this year...when is the premiere?". They mean well but don't understand that it takes YEARS in most cases for things to get sold, developed, shot, and distributed. I read several articles talking about It Ends With Us, and it took Justin Baldoni FIVE years to get that made. It was a worldwide bestseller.
NOTE-none of this is to discourage you, it's to help you understand the business side of this.
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO EVERYTHING
This goes back to the, there isn't one way to break in, thing. You could sell your script to Hallmark in the spring, they shoot it, and boom, in November, it's in the Countdown to Christmas. It could happen.
You could get into a fellowship on your first try.
You could sell your first script.
Know that for every long story about how long it took; someone else has a story about how quickly it happened for them. Just like everything we do as creatives, there are always exceptions to every rule.
KNOWING CRAFT & GENRE & MEDIUM EXPECTATIONS
It's important that you continue to hone your craft so you get better and write stronger scripts. I wrote a screenplay last year that has been requested a lot, but after writing others this year and working with mentors and coaches, I will revise it to make it stronger. I have been a professional writer for 28 years now. I optioned my first screenplay in the late '90s, which, since I got paid, made me a professional screenwriter. I still get notes and am constantly learning and growing as a writer.
If you submit to Hallmark for a TV holiday movie, know what they are looking for. If you write horror, understand the genre, if you write romance watch romances, etc.
For television writers specifically, you MUST learn how to format based on where it will be shown (your goal-streaming, network, cable) and how many cameras. Sitcoms are often multi-camera, which means the script is formatted differently than a single-cam show.
Understanding the length and page counts, especially for television, is important.
FOLLOW THE RULES until you can break them.
It shows that you are a professional, understand the genre & medium, and are taking the time to learn your craft.
If you are writing a rom-com, both romance and comedy must be in there—period-no exceptions.
If you are submitting to Hallmark, you shouldn't curse, or have lots of sex, etc in your script.
The rule is to follow until you have earned the right to break the rules.
THE ONLY THING CONSTANT IS CHANGE
Yup, this business moves fast, really fast, and it's all about making money so things change so fast. What was true last year may be completely different now, so it's important to stay in the know in the industry. If you want to be a professional, be a professional.
Read the trades.
Read scripts.
Take current workshops, classes, and webinars.
Watch current film & televsion.
Talk to working writers.
And since it's a business of opinions, know that you may hear five different things from the same two people; for example, in April of this year, an executive requested one of my scripts. She told me to shorten it by 10 pages, and in June, another executive at the same place asked me, "Why is this so short? Do you think you can add ten more pages?" for the same script at the same place.
You may take classes from those who are working writers and they are sharing their experiences, but hear from an executive something different. ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE EXECUTIVES who are buying scripts over anyone, including me.
TREAT IT LIKE A BUSINESS
So many writers I know treat this like a hobby and then wonder why they aren't making a living writing. Look, if you want to be a professional writer, you need to do all the things that go with it.
Things like
Write every day. You can't have writer's block when you are a professional writer. It's not a thing; you have to write, so create a schedule and write. Make it a priority.
Continue to hone your craft.
Network.
Be your own cheerleader without being arrogant.
Learn the business and call yourself a writer, not an aspiring writer or a wannabe writer; if you are writing, you are a writer.
But what do I say if I don't have a film out when people ask, "What have you written? Have I seen it? Where can I see it? Where is it streaming?" Just answer truthfully, "I'm currently working on this." Which is also a great time to plug your blog, newsletter or social media page. "Sign up for my newsletter or read my blog to get updates." And understand the nonindustry people have no idea how this business works so you don't have to explain to anyone. "I'll let you know."
MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA
Is it important? Yes and no.
It is absolutely not true that agents won't sign you if you don't have a huge social media following. This is something that people who don't know any better say, especially----and sorry to say this---boomers. I find that writers from that generation see all these younger people on social media as influencers, and they are under the misunderstanding that you must do that to make it. It's nice if you do as you have an audience but most of social media isn't real.
They look for things like how you behave on there more than how popular you are.
Of course, if you have an organically grown huge social media following, that could help you, but it takes time. I have been on all of the social media platforms, most of them since they started. I like to hover around 2000-5000 people because I can interact with them. If an agent doesn't sign me because of that, then they aren't the agent for me.
PRO TIP--back in the day-you know, when dinos roamed-we didn't have social media and still got paid.
BRANDING and IMAGE
If you are going to be on social, pay attention to what you post. If you want to be known as a Christmas writer, be excited about Christmas. If you are on social media complaining about stores putting out Christmas merchandise in October and are acting like a right Grinch about Christmas, an executive may think that you are only writing holiday scripts because you think that you can get in that way--and let's face it, that is probably true.
Just be consistent on public social media, but even on your private ones.
Never ever cut down others' work on social media. A lot of new writers will try to show how well they know about a certain genre by going on and on about how much something in said genre sucked. Please don't do that. You probably don't know who was involved.
NEWSLETTERS
Yes and no. If you have something to say, have one, but know that they are work. Understand permissions, and understand your audience.
Okay, wow, that was a lot. I hope it was helpful.
Remember what I said about OPINIONS? This is all MY OPINION based on MY EXPERIENCES. Take it or leave it. Someone else may say something else that resonates with you more. I write these to help writers grow and be successful, but again, opinions--we all have them and with so many different ones, you have to follow what works for you!
Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great writing day, week, month, year, etc.
xo
Steph
Find me on social @stephobourbon
I'm on Substack as well but it's brand new.
If there is anything you'd like me to cover, just comment or shoot me an email!
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