RIP writer that could have been

So as writers go, we tend to have writing groups. And these days, some of those groups are online. Which means we end up being online friends with people we never meet in person. Luckily I've "met" some really great writers that way. And one of these, Sandy Corkins-Schmidt, just passed away this week. I never got to meet her. I barely knew her. But I do remember her smiling face, seeing kind words posted from her. I know she placed in several screenwriting contests this year. And of course when everyone online heard of her passing, there were only kind things to be said about her. But what does this have to do with you? Well, she was young. I would assume in her 40's. Which to me, is too young to pass away. So the reason I'm writing about her, to you, is that I hope this reminds all writers, that you need to stop waiting to get those screenplays and TV scripts written. Because we just don't know when it's our time. Life is short people. And if you aren't doing what you love,  you aren't following your passion to be a writer, then why aren't you? For me, my dad passed away when I was 23 and he was only 51. It was the most tragic thing that had happened to me. But it taught me never ever to take life for granite and to live every moment to its fullest. It's given me the passion to always keep writing and never waste my time doing anything unimportant when I could be writing instead.

So please writers, stop procrastinating. Stop watching too much TV when you could be writing your own TV scripts. Stop hanging out with friends ALL the time, when you could hole up and finish your outline or your rewrite. You're a writer. You're meant to write. You have the passion to be a successful writer. And if you waste too much time, you'll never see your dream realized. To me, writers were put on this earth to tell their stories. So tell your story. Before it's too late.

Don't be so critical

I think it's just an artist thing, but we tend to be really hard on ourselves. And truly, I think there's enough people in the world who are waiting to do that for us. So if there's one person who we should feel safe around, it's ourselves. It's what puts writers into writers block, for fear of writing crap. But if we don't get it on the page, we'll never get that moment to write something brilliant. I've definitely seen friends who have stalled at writing anything, because they've listened to that inner critic and given it too much power. I've told them all, just get it on the page!

I think for me, reading The Artist's Way has really helped. I read it years ago. But the author makes you write daily pages without reading what you write. But the good thing about that is you get in the practice to just get something on the page without being critical about it. I've taken that practice and use that with my screenplays. So I'm always writing. Always getting something on the page. I don't worry if it's any good. If it's on the page, you can at least get it to be good. If you keep it in your head, then you have nothing to work with. But once it's on the page, you've got a start. And a start can turn into a finished product.

I've even noticed with my 9-year-old son who's an artist. And he'll be so critical of his work. I try to teach him the same thing. Just get it on the page. Once it's there, you can redraw, learn knew techniques, eventually get better and better and better. I think he's listening to me. But seeing my critical self in my child definitely reminds me how harsh we artists can be. And it's such a detriment. So the next time you're hard on your writing treat yourself how I treat my child, with love and compassion and encouragement. If artists aren't creating, the world will truly suffer for it.

What's your plan to succeed?

What are you doing to move your writing career forward? Are you writing a new script? Are you working on an outline? Are you entering contests? Contacting managers? It doesn't matter what you're doing, but be doing something!

Jack Canfield in his Success Principles book talks about we should do 5 things every day that help us achieve our goal. Now, if I'm seeking a manager, contacting 5 managers every day, sure, could make it happen. But a lot of times managers don't want to hear from writers that have yet to succeed. So screenwriting doesn't always fit with that mold. But, there are ways around that. Perhaps it's taking another class to get your screenplays even stronger, so that you can enter contests, so that you can get the attention of those managers. Or maybe it's finding a new writing group, one that can really challenge you and make you a better writer. The key is to evaluate what your situation is, and ask yourself if it's propelling you towards the success you want.

Or maybe it's making a list of people you are friends with, or friends of friends with, who know people who know managers. A talented writing friend of mine queried a lot of managers and no one was interested. But then he found out a friend of his knew this manager, and that was how he got in. So even just moving forward on your goal can set the universe into action and make things happen in a way you didn't predict. So don't worry about wasting your time. You're never wasting your time if you're trying to achieve a goal and you're taking steps towards it.

Just have a plan, be clear about what you want, write it down, and go after it, every day. Eventually you will succeed.