Over my many years working with and mentoring writers I’ve had just about everything said to me. But what are some of the things you should never say if a good impression is what you’re trying to make?
There is a truth that every writer must contend with: Everyone loves an L.A.-based screenwriter. Hell, some agents and managers have gone on the record saying that they won’t sign a new writer unless he or she lives in Los Angeles. I, too, have come to know that nine times out of ten, my L.A. writers will be more consistent.
It takes a village (agents, managers, executives, and endless advocates) to help a screenwriter build a screenwriting career. Staying humble and appreciative is key to making those relationships lasting and productive, and inspiring others to work hard for you.
We hear it often: As a writer, you have to grab them in the first 5, 7, 10 pages. But how do you really stand out in the first 10 pages of your screenplay or teleplay? The industry’s top experts weigh in.
Often times, agents, managers, producers and executives pass on a screenplay or TV pilot script with one simple line: “I didn’t connect with the material.” But what do they mean when they say that?
For many screenwriters either trying to break into the industry or make their way up the ranks, rejection is just part of the game. In fact, I tell new writers that come to work with me who have yet to make serious inroads in the industry that it’s their job… read more →
I don’t know what it is about the holidays, but every year, right around this time, I get an onslaught of emails, usually from writers I’ve never met, often ones living outside of Los Angeles, and all of which, in one way or another, say this: I wrote a spec… read more →
Right around this time of year my writers and I sit down and start making lists. Lots and lots of lists. With the end of the year and the holiday season just around the corner, it’s now time for writers, no matter their career stage or whether they are just… read more →
When I first conceived of my WHAT’S POSSIBLE, WHAT’S PROBABLE? series this past August, I didn’t quite anticipate that it would be as well received as it was. After all, the possible/probable distinction is one I’ve been making for years. I’ve been in this industry long enough to know that,… read more →
Every year, around this time, as the prestigious television network writing programs, labs and workshops begin to announce their crop of writers selected for participation, the rumor mill starts to bubble and stir. After all, everyone wants to know: Why was someone else selected and not me? If I submitted… read more →
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