If I, seasoned screenwriting career coach, was to write a want-ad for the ideal screenwriting client, one who has what it takes to go from emerging to professional, what would it include?
If you want to become a working screenwriter, or sustain a screenwriting career, not writing is just not an option. Learn how to create meaningful writing routines and build up those all important hours that will lead to the mastery of craft.
Most new writers come to the industry seeking an agent who will help introduce them and their work to film and television professionals. But today, are agents still on the forefront of talent discovery? And, if so, how do you get their attention?
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.
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 →
Mistakes. We all make them. Once some perspective is gained, we tend to look back and shake our heads. If only we knew better. If only someone made us aware. Perhaps the most common mistake you hear about writers making is including typos and spelling errors in what is supposed… read more →
If there is one thing I’ve learned over my many years working with screenwriters, it is this: When it comes to making or breaking your screenwriting career, your body of work can make all the difference. Before we go into the “why,” let’s address the “what”: What should a screenwriter’s… read more →
Part 1: Contests & Representation Let’s agree on one thing: When it comes to the film and television industry, everything is possible. Over my many years working with screenwriters in the industry, I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen an older gentleman become a staff writer for the very first time,… read more →
Recent Comments