Get out there!
For many writers, there's nothing like the solitude of the writer's cave. It's creative and it's safe - but making it in the business of film means leaving of the cave and facing the world out there.
My cave is my castle. It’s home, it's where I create, where I percolate and procrastinate, where I can write whatever the hell I want and NO ONE is able to mess with a single word I’ve put to paper. I love the solitary element, I love being on my own, in my cave, the hermit in charge... but all of that glory doesn't get movies made. If you want to be successful, you need to get out there and you need to get good at being out there.
Outside your cave there’ll be sabretooth tigers just waiting to tear you to shreds. So yeah, it’s scary out there... but you’ll be able to handle all the dangers once you develop strategies, sharpen your weapons and summon up the necessary guts. Some say that a hefty 50% of your writer self should be out there living the life of a salesman. We can argue percentages, but the simple fact is that you won’t make it until you learn to sell.
Screenwriters are in a tough business. The odds are stacked against us. Any sane person will tell us to move on. But we are NOT sane, are we? We are a dreamers, we are weavers of tales - we don’t think the way the pragmatic world outside the cave does. But we do need to make those two worlds meet. Done well, this will actually be fun, productive and creative. Here are just a few things that’ll help you learn to make the most of the world outside your cave:
Learn to pitch: Attend pitching workshops, and screenwriter conferences - learn the basics, then use your friends, family, colleagues and the guy on the bus sitting next to you. Pitch your stories, all the time. Learn about loglines and learn about extended pitches. Over time you'll develop the necessary confidence and clarity.
Learn about the business: Get to know the world out there. Research the people you plan to engage with. Who are they, what have they done, what do they love and hate? Where’s their “in”? Prepare for meetings by anticipating questions and having your answers ready. Especially prepare for curve balls.
Learn about yourself: If you’re introverted like me - get over it. This is as much a people business as it is a story business. Find ways to change, to cope. Ask others how they perceive you, how you come across. Make changes, smile more if you need to. Producers may be interested in your story, but you’ll sink that interest by being a total stiff.
Get off your horse: You’re not an artist, you're a craftsman and you don’t know everything. Be humble. Your story, your pitch, is just the beginning of the conversation - never the end. Listen to what your collaborators say and weave it into your sale (if not your story).
Promote yourself: Get yourself a website, write your own blog, crowdfund, connect with other writers, with directors’ circles, with production companies - float your name, your passion, your expertise.
Never sit back: Devote a bit of every single one of your writer’s days to selling. Even if it’s only to connect with people via Facebook, Threads, Reddit, etc.
If you do all of the above, you’re off to a good start. You’re on your way to becoming a prime promoter for yourself and your stories… and that paid gig just may happen. Heck, you may even learn to love the scary sabretooth world out there.
Remember, it’s all very much about collaboration - and that means it is about people. Treat the people you meet along the way as you would want to be treated yourself. My basic mantra of mine is simply this: “Be kind to yourself and those around you.” Try and apply it in every aspect of your life - it only takes a bit of time and genuine care. Learn to take that time, learn to listen, learn to care - and don’t be manipulative about it. I’ve found that the side-effects of simply trying to be a decent human being make a massive difference in business.
So much for the importance of networking and collaborating … but please do remember that they are useless unless you have the written word. So, remember to mind your time - turn off all forms of ‘social’ once in a while (again, ball park 50/50) and focus on your story. Now’s a good time - sign off and then write, write, write!
