My Screenwriting Goals (Why I Write)
I got to thinking about my “screenwriting goals” yesterday. A couple of years ago, it was easy. Write my SP and sell it! Oh, for that innocence again…
Now my goal is to have a movie made from one of my screenplays by the time I’m 85 years old. A reasonable goal, but is it attainable?
This is a tough business. It’s tough to be good at it, it’s tough to break into it.
If you don’t break into “the business” does that mean you’re not good? I don’t think so. I truly believe that the most gifted screenwriter of all time, might go through his or her life and never be recognized. Kind of scary, isn’t it? “Ain’t enough to just be good at what you do!”
I don’t have the answers. Getting an agent/manager seems next-to-impossible. Getting a production company to look at my screenplay seems next-to-impossible. Why? Could be bad timing … whoever opened my email or letter was in a crappy mood that day. Could be my letter did not grab their attention. Could be they’re just not taking on new clients. Could be any numer of things.
The thing is, if I spend a lot of time “marketing”, then I’m not writing.
I have read that we should hone our pitching skills. So, this tells me that just writing a great screenplay isn’t enough. Sure, creating a logline or synopsis or treatment is attainable…
but being able to “pitch” my story during an elevator ride? Well, you first have to be in the elevator… And then you have to be in an elevator with the “right” person. I live in a small town in Pennsylvania, and I can’t envision being in an elevator anytime soon with a director or producer!
What I have come to believe, rightly or wrongly, is that my goal has to be to write the best I can, to learn as much as I can, and to get my work in front of as many people as I can.
Until I find an agent, director, producer, or manager who is interested in my writing, I will continue to be active on screenwriting sites such as MoviePoet, Zoetrope, and TriggerStreet.
When I have the money and inclination, I will enter contests, if the contest is “right” for me. Right now I gravitate towards contests that provide feedback. Figure at least I’m getting something for my money!
I am “happy” when I’m creating. If I were to never make a nickel writing screenplays, I would probably still do this. The whole agonizing process of creating just makes me feel good.
I have an on-line friend who is a screenwriter. This screenwriter is going to “give up” if not successful within three years. In my opinion, this writer is writing for the wrong reasons.
But I’m not going to lie, when I hear about a screenwriter selling a script for six or seven figures … well, I’d sure like that to happen to me. But, for me, that’s a secondary goal. My primary goal is to write, to write the best I can, and to get my writing in front of as many people as I can.
