Break down your goals

So when we become screenwriters, I think it's safe to say that most of us think we'll write that one magic script, it will be our first of course, and then wham, we'll go on to being rich and famous, lunching with Brad and Angie of course, right? Yeah, doesn't work like that. Even when we read the trades that "Screenwriter sells first script!", I'm guaranteeing you that it was their first script they sold, not the first script they wrote. See, being a screenwriter whether in TV or film is not for the faint of heart. There is no overnight success. Even these young prodigies that might have some amazing writing career at lets say, 23, have probably been writing since they were five years old. I for one, did not hone my craft at five. And you most likely haven't either. So what's my point? That this journey might take a while and you have to be prepared for that. So instead of getting overwhelmed by it taking awhile, maybe you need to set many kinds of goals instead of: "become hugely successful screenwriter in 2015". Because if that's your only goal for this year, or any year, you might be disappointed and give up. So, instead, why not set up smaller goals, ones you can achieve.

For instance, if you're just starting out as a writer, perhaps your goals are like:
1. Take a screenwriting class.
2. Get an outline written
3. Write a first draft.

Maybe that's all you'll accomplish your first year.

If you've been writing a few years and have a few scripts written maybe it's goals like:
1. Enter the Nicholl's and other important contests
2. Find screenwriting producers I can query
3. Reach out to managers and get a script read

Because even those might not end up the successes you'd hope for. You might enter a contest, but not do well, query producers and managers and not hear back. So then you have to alter your goals again. Such as:

1. Take another screenwriting class to place higher in Nicholl's and other contests
2. Get yeses from producers to read scripts
3. Get managers to actually say yes they'll read a script

See the difference on setting goals? Instead of it being an all or nothing in your writing, make them smaller goals and adjust them every year. Every month if that helps. Because I've seen many talented writers drop out of this journey only because I think they thought it would be a quicker one than it was. But if you break down those goals, keep moving that finish line, eventually you're going to reach success. Doors are going to open. And before long, you'll have to tell Brad and Angie to stop bothering you to go to lunch, you're busy! :)

My favorite writing trick

Every so often writers get "stuck". Whether it's on a new idea, in the middle of a first draft, a huge rewrite or writing a bit of dialogue. And if a writer is stuck, how is that writer to become unstuck? Well one of my favorite techniques, always seems to be the perfect trick. What I do is I write down all my thoughts as if I'm speaking to a friend.

For instance, let's say you're writing a script about a Clown that wants to tell his parents he's not going to finish clown school. His parents are clowns too of course, so this is a big tragic moment in the clown family. So what if you're not sure how to begin the clown scene? So what I do is write down every possibility I could possibly think of. "So child clown tells his parents in a letter, because he's too afraid. But maybe that's not cinematic enough, so what if child clown brings in all his clown friends and they do a clown act, and they crack the parents up and at the end, child clown says, yeah, not going to clown school. Or what if he crashes his clown car on purpose and now tells his parents he has no way to get to clown school." 

But as you see I literally throw out every idea that's in my head. By getting out my thoughts, I actually keep myself from being stuck. It's a great technique that I use over and over and always seems to help me out of a jam. I think the hardest part of being a writer is that we live in our head. So if we can just put our thoughts on the page, we can keep our story moving forward.  

The scene you get on the page doesn't have to be perfect. But at least if it's on the page then it gives you a place to start and somewhere to go. So try it next time you find yourself stuck. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. And if you write a clown script based on my idea, please put me in the "special thanks to" at the end of your movie. :)