Do you ever feel that when you finish your screenplay or novel, how have you worked on it for months, weeks, days, or years? You were so proud of it and wondering what your life might look like in the future, or it might happen right now where you want to send it to people who will read it, and then it turns out that you couldn't get to the next level. So you send hundreds of letters, and then they have been rejected or have no responses? It's like they are putting you at the end of the line. That's how I feel, and everybody. Did you hear a voice saying, "forget it and let's move on?" Then your heart is saying, "don't let go?" I always get it, telling me to forget it, and my heart tells me to keep writing.
Screenwriting : Question to Everyone by Paulo Tullie
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same here
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I don't know. I spent time deep into writing the first script. Then I submitted it and am now waiting. I was so glad when I finished it that I haven't thought about much else other than working on the next one after taking a few weeks of break time from writing.
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Paulo, think of who is in that line in front of you. Every person in this forum to start with. There is one way to move forward. Quality. It isn’t the weeks, months or years. It is a quality product that people want to buy.
Good news. That is completely within your control. Improve your craft is something you can do.
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It is heartbreaking and sometimes frustrating. Screenwriting is hard as it is then we still have to go through setbacks.
I wish we can all just come together and figure something out.
I am definitely not giving up on screenwriting.
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It's like that for me sometimes, Paulo Tullie. I don't know what your query letters look like -- or your pitching -- but if you work on those, you might get more script requests.
Here's a post about query letters: www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Query-Letters-10
Here's a great webinar about pitching: www.stage32.com/webinars/Pitching-Tips-from-the-Pros-Your-Blueprint-to-a...
When I switched up my query letters and pitching, I got more script requests. Hope this helps.
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I concur. I just keeping doing what I do because I enjoy it. I just accept it as part of the business you'll get a lot nos and sometimes you don't hear back. I just move on.
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Paulo Tullie There are writers who should probably reconsider the time and effort involved in it because they can't write that well and likely won't improve over time. Steven Soderbergh is a great example. Amazing filmmaker but doesn't write scripts that much anymore because as he put it, he's not that great of a writer.
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This is all part of the process. You can hear a million nos before a yes. You just never know when that yes is coming. Stay positive!
Because everyone will speak of personal experience around this stuff, I'll just throw some metrics (I read about other say how much it took to "make it")...so it's approx. 10 years in writing and approx. 2-3 specs a year...If you have trouble getting around this discipline, I recommend mountain climbing...you'll see the commons...
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I always feel guilty, depressed, obsessed and totally empty inside. No room for pride, no happiness, nothing. I feel like I've been mashed down and I need to run away for a while
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I've been at it since 2006 and no cigar and no glass of champagne. I am my worst enemy when it comes to marketing my screenplays. I haven't counted them all. Some are in hard copy stacked into my filling cabinet. In sixteen years I must have improved some. I continue anyways. What do I have to lose? At least If someone comes along and asks me what do you have, I'll say what do you want, but it hasn't happened yet. Last year I had a party, my wife and I in the back yard and burnt all my rejection papers in a small firepit. It felt good and the beer helped.
Last week, I said to myself, self you need to try and get someone to read them. My wife said, no one reads in Hollywood. That's right, I better find someone that can, so I went online to find an agent or manager. They don't want no emails. You need to phone and talk to a secretary that takes your information. You phone and the girl shakes you off. She's good at it. She has a list of excuses and rambles on until she says we are no longer accepting submissions. DUH! You are saddled to pay a long distance phone call.
Here I am commenting on your posting and still at square one. Back to my screenplay and writing with the intentions of amusing myself and listening to my oldies on Spotify. Too bad for the audiences waiting in the wings to see your creation, if it ever happens. Is it their loss or yours. After this epidemic, you'd think there would be a high demand to produce movies. It must be the war and high inflation causing a ripple effect in the entertainment business. Until a feeling of freedom and things are going to improve in the Americas will the drive to produce great, expensive movies be on the rise will things change to the better. I hope this will help everyone to keep on writing. All the best everyone.