It's so hard to break in hollywood....

My Hope.

I plan to sell. All of the scripts I am working on I hope some day will sell.
This is waaaay too stressful to do just for fun, though I sure enjoy it.

I don't believe that I can write professionally as a full time career.

I would, however, like to teach.

My career is my writing. I plan on selling both my novels and my scripts. It's the best thing I can do right now with being a stay-at-home mom and I love it anyway and plan on doing it my entire life. I could not write this much every day if it was just for fun.

I have been dreaming of becoming a writer ever since I was a little girl, that might sound cheesy, but I'm not about to give up because the odds say I'm not going to make it. If anything, that gives me a reason to push myself further. I don't give up, I don't give in, and I never say won't or can't. The only odds are my odds.

Steph

For those career screenwriters, and those established tv writers, they are not making chump change.

Spec sales to studios, especially if the screenwriter has written hits before, are in the neighborhood of a million or more.

Also, there are writers who act as producers or as directors (Quentin Tarantino, Joss Whedon). It's really rather common for established screenwriters.

Zak Penn, David Hayter, Simon Kinburg, and other people (these guys write movies like Super Man and X-Men) make millions on their writing assignments.

As for $50,000 or $100,000 being chump change, I suspect that's more money than you make a year Gonna. In fact, I suspect you've yet to earn that much money in your life. When you make statements like calling that amount of money chump change and saying that anyone who disagrees is ghetto, you deservedly make people lose respect for you.

Your ability to put your foot in your mouth will likely guarantee that even if you do get in touch with a studio exec or a producer, you'll likely say something like this that will cause the person not to close any deal with you.

Zing?

I always wanted to be an English teacher. Funny how things work out when the Veteran Affairs office "loses" your service records, and thus any trace that they owed you the GI Bill and Army College Fund.

I chanced upon screenwriting when an old roommate brought home Syd Fields' book, "Screenplay." I read it, thought, "Hey, I love movies, I think I can write one." So, I did my studying, read every script I could get my hands on and every screenwriting book I could find, and once I was confident I'd memorized everything, I started writing and have been doing so for about three years.

I don't really have an interest in being a "writer for hire", though. It may sound unrealistic, but I'd rather just option or sell the random spec script for some decent bread, put myself through school and get that whole "English teacher" thing happening lol

Kevin Williamson, an at-the-time un-purchased and un-optioned screenwriter, sold his first script, SCREAM, for five million bucks after a bidding war between Miramax and Oliver Stone's production company. Along with the five mil he got a three picture deal with an option to direct one.

Sure it's not the "norm", but who says dreams never come true?

I am not personally running after the money but I enjoy writing original concepts, using my own vision. I consider it more of a hobby until it really brings me any good money. Then, I could really consider my options. I mean, Stephen King was living in trailer trash until he got his first book published. He just loved writing and started to teach first. Well, that's about the same thing for me. Professionally, I am concentrating on two things:My current job and my hobby (which I hope could become my new profession).

I would like to do things step by step, starting to sell one script or two before looking into producing or directing my own movie. Once I get the contacts and the funds, I would invest more time in doing what I enjoy most to vehiculate a new feeling, a new way of interpreting cinema, etc.

That's my view on it and I can just learn from the masters to start with and grow from there...

that is so true, gonna - good thing you recognized your lack for potential early on. now....go away! and stop buggin us serious writers with your crap and hone your skills at flipping frozen cow parts a burger king.

Warning: Semi-Rant

It's best to be realistic, sure, but being optimistic never hurt anybody. Just because it doesn't happen often doesn't mean it never happens.

Ever see the Alec Baldwin/Anthony Hopkins movie The Edge? "What one man can do, another can do." This always has been and always will be my personal philosophy. If Kevin Williamson can sell his first screenplay, a tongue-in-cheek slasher flick, for five million clams and get himself a VERY lucrative deal out of it, then who's to say Stephanie 76, or Dpaterson, icerose, scripter1 --ANYBODY here -- will never be able to do the same?

I'm not saying it's easy, I'm not even saying it's probable. I am, however, saying it's POSSIBLE.

It can be achieved.

It has been achieved.

And since it is possible, then if you work hard enough and you have what it takes, it can happen.

But if you're going to be a nay-sayer from the get-go and not even consider the possiblity, why bother doing this to begin with? Better to just keep doing what you're doing for a living now be it a garbage man, a stay-at-home parent, a bank clerk or whatever and just admit to yourself, "I never had what it took to begin with...it was just a fantasy. I never really wanted to be a screenwriter. It was a slow week and I just wanted to waste some time." If this applies to anyone in particular, it's not like there's anything wrong with it. But if you're going to come to this site and carry on about how great a writer you are and then turn around and basically call it a huge waste of time because it's not worth the fifty thousand bucks you might earn, then what the hell's the point?

I have a bit more faith in myself and my abilities than that...not to mention that for fifty grand I'd dance butt-naked in the middle of Times Square with the words "I love to do the cha-cha" stenciled on my ***.

Good philosohy Boo! Way to go...

I also believe optimism can bring you far and I would never give up on a project, ever... I have learnt to be positive in the army. If your mind goes, your body goes. It works the same way in screenwriting. If you keep positive and make the best out of it, you can just improve from your bad experience or your so-called failures, which are, in fact, a good way of being more prepared in life. Breaking bundaries is the way to go. Following etiquette works occasionally as everybody follows like sheep. Who can be dissociated from the mass by respecting the rules of Hollywood? What rules? Built by who? Screenwriting teachers? Everybody is different and I might wrong for some people but I just do things the way it sounds good to me without being too invading and never arrogant. Just to say, hey, I am there, I exist and I am a human being like you, looking for a contact. Agents, producers and directors are also looking for good prospects. So, let's not build our own cage before we feel we have to by "Law". I can just say: Good boy!

Gonna, how is it that you go from having zero actual knowledge of screenwriting, zero skill for screenwriting, zero credible knowledge of how Hollywood works (at all) to, for the past three days, posting zealously about your "knowledge" of the biz which is, obviously, just you regurgitating urban legends you've heard and advice you've been given regarding your pages?

I mean, seriously?

When the heck did you become such an "expert?"

I just gotta ask because much of what you've been babbling lately is just plain wrong and could lead some naive newb (other than yourself) down an incredibly deleterious path.

Funny thing. At the beach house we rent if I stand on the far eastern side of the porch and tilt the laptop on it side and lean over the edge, I can get wifi half the time.

You can guess it is an tough position so excuse my typing skills.

BTW. the water today was great!

Listen gonna. you know nothing about this industry (I have been in and out of it for twenty years in all areas of pre, prod and post) and if you are one of those writers who want to get rich off selling a spec fora million first time out, get the girls, the fancy car and go to all the cool parties, then you are right, it is nearly impossible-- so give up. now.

A screenwriter must pay his/her dues. Go to IMdb.com and look at the bios of all the writers with films out this week. look at their ages, look at how long they have been at it, look at the diversity of work. Spec scripts is the small end of a writer's career.

A screenwriter does work for hire, consulting, teaching, books, polishes, conferences, produce, direct, and even a day job when times are slow.

You write, write, write. You push push push.

And you write those pet spec projects in hope of selling it big, to stay on top of your personal skills and/or as a sample of your work to get work.

Yes it is hard, just as becoming a musician is hard, but they too play weddings, clubs and record their demos in hopes of geting that big contract.

As for the money. 50K is nothing to brag about but do that five times a year and you're talking money.

Most scripts sold never get made. Look at the sales on done deal from a year ago, or two.

Look at the sales. Atleast a dozen scripts per year are sold for well above 7 figs and some of those are from newbies. Look at mr. and mrs smith. Madagascar.

But for every one newbie that wins that lottery there are dozens of us who struggle and work at what we love. I am not famous and I am not succesful, but I am on vacation at the shore for a week paid for by a script sale, last year was the same but that was from two rewrite jobs. I am paying my dues and loving it.

There are so many details I could type forever, but my arm is getting tired from holding the laptopover the side.

Just have fun and get your name out there. Change your name from gonnabefamous to gonnabehappywithwhatilovedoing and you will be much better off, in this industry to life.

peace.

Here Here. Well said.
Joe the epitome of a writer, and a man.
Can I get 3 cheers here.
You gotta love this guy.

And hey Joe. dont think cause Im following you around, Im gunna want you to read my script..okay..ol buddy ol pal.

After reading Joe's post I forgot what I was going to say.

....

Oh yeah! I grew up in a family of 9 yes say it again 9 and we lived on 25,000 dollars a year. When my dad was diagnosed with MS and White Matter Disease (a brain deteriorating disease) then we were moved down to 12,000 a year. We didn't live in the ghetto, we lived in a house and even though money was tight we made it. 50,000-100,000 a year would be beyond amazing. It would be having a house paid for in a couple of years rather than 20. It wouldn't be a mansion, but it would be a home. And it would mean a change in everything.

I can't do much, I promised my kids I would stay at home and be a mommy like my mom was to me. Something I would never give up for all the money growing up in the world. So for me I write, hoping I can give them more than I recieved, but loving every moment of it because life is precious.

I am going to be a career writer, even if it is doing as Joe says, paying my dues as I go along because it gives me the special ability to be with my kids and do something pro-active towards our financial situation. This might not be good for others, but it is good for me.

I am a career writer.

Im surprised that people still pay any attention to this gunnabe person. Its encouraging to read how he brings out passion and hope in others to the surface, in a weird kinda way, but I think it just helps us all see who the genuine people are in here.

There really is a good group of people in here. Its nice to see. And I hopeeach and every one of you get to achieve your own images of success. Be it the money, the ability to go to school after serving our country(82nd Airborne Vet here--All the Way!), or just enjoying the pleasure you get from writing, and maybe even enough bucks to enjoy some time off.

Whatever it be, I hope you dont measure yourselves by what you sell, or dont sell, but by how much you enjoy the process of learning the art of Storytelling.

Talk about turning a dumb post around, huh.

Since the odds are so slim and even if you do sell you probably won't make much money in the long run.... so is everyone here mostly doing it for a hobby to kill time? Does anyone plan to actually make it and live off their screenwriting?

Click to expand...

To answer the original question - I write as a hobby.
I hope that some time in the next 15 years one of my projects will make it to the screen. Not an impossible dream, but certainly well away from something I could 'expect' would happen.

Over here (Australia) there is zero hope of making a full time living as a writer for films. TV - sure, there are quite a few good TV writers making a living doing it. But, to put it bluntly, I make more money than most of them, and I enjoy my current job. Sure, the top TV writers make a very decent income, but the average isn't particularly impressive. And, to be honest, my writing is below the average at the moment.

The amount of money I would make selling a feature film in this country would mean that I'd have to sell (and have the film get made) a feature every 2 years to make a semi-decent income.

What about moving to the USA for work? Apart for the insanity of why the US government would choose to put one of their own citizens on the unemployment queue to give a foreigner like me a job, the fact as an Aussie taxpayer I get (almost) free 100% health coverage over here wouldn't even begin to make up for any wage difference.

So it's a hobby for me - and I'm happy with it.

Mac
(PS: Icerose - what is the government support for someone with MS in the USA? I'm starting to appreciate the health system over here!)

Mac - if you have a disability you could get SSD (Social Security Disability) but it'd be based on what you paid into SS and credits earned based on your last five to fifteen years of employment. But even then, there's a seventy percent chance you'd be turned down the first time you applied and even if you were approved, they take into consideration your current resources and have a ceiling of $2,000.00 per month -- $3,000.00 if you're married and your spouse is also filing. You might still qualify for Medicaid, though, which is its own headache.

By the way, I work at a homeless shelter and run a Social Security Outreach Program, just in case anyone's wondering if I know what I'm talking about lol

To be perfectly honest, Mac, if health care is a concern -- don't come to the states. I understand you were probably joking and I don't mean to take this thread off topic, but still...US healthcare sucks rabid donkey *** unless you're loaded.