5 Things Professional Screenwriters Would Say to Up and Comers

Most writers who’ve “made it” won’t sugarcoat the facts: earning a living as a screenwriter is hard. It takes talent. It takes work. And maybe most importantly, it takes standing up when you’ve been knocked down … over, and over, and over again. But the reward? It’s oh-so-worth it to be able to do what you love for a living. Today, we’re dishing up some screenwriting advice from a pro.

We had the pleasure of meeting screenwriter, playwright, producer and director Dale Griffiths Stamos at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. She’s also a dramatic writing teacher, so she sees students aspiring to live their passion every day. She has some sound screenwriting advice for them, and for you, writer.

Her Best Screenwriting Advice:

Proceed with Caution, but Proceed if You Must

Writers who choose to pursue screenwriting would often describe it as their calling, not necessarily their career choice. There are more writers who want to be paid than there are paid writers, so don’t do it for the money. Do it because it’s your unique gift, and you can’t imagine doing anything else. Write from your heart. Write what you know. Write because you have something to say.

Learn the Craft

A traditional screenplay follows a very stringent format. Learn it. Then learn what makes a story move, what makes it stick, and what makes it impactful to an audience. One of the best ways to learn, of course, is by reading screenplays. Pick some of your favorite films or TV shows, and study those scripts.

Griffiths Stamos also recommends some books that helped her early in her writing career, including Story by Robert McKee, Save the Cat by Blake Snyder, and Screenplay by Syd Field.

Grow Thick Skin

You will get tough feedback. You will probably meet people who aren’t all that nice to you. And people who are more powerful than you may try to take your art and turn it into something that is so not you. Be ready for the tough days, so you can celebrate the great days. There may be fewer of the latter but learn to celebrate the small stuff. To even enter this business is brave, and you should pat yourself on the back every day for pursuing your passion. No one will do this for you, so learn to prop yourself up.

Network

In this internet era, it is easier than ever to connect with like-minded people. Find your tribe of writers, whether virtual or in-person. Share your scripts with friends and family. Attend festivals and enter contests. A strong social media presence could also help, as we’ve seen with the recent #wgastaffingboost campaign.

Write, Write, Write

Maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones, and your first couple of scripts will be fantastic and flow easily. But even if they’re terrible, you WILL learn a lot about your style, your needs, your strengths, your weaknesses, and your process by failing over and over again. These are lessons that only come with practice, so write as often as you can.

Approach writing a few different ways until it clicks. There’s no better feeling than looking at the clock and realizing hours have passed and pages are piling up. If the opposite it true for you, and time is passing with no progress, do your best to keep writing, one word at a time. Finish! And avoid letting your editor in until you’re ready to revise.

And don’t forget to check out our other screenwriting advice from the pros!

Writers make the world go ‘round,