Psych 101

I live in Los Angeles and have become a frequenter of your website.  Tonight I had an early dinner at the CPK within the Beverly Center and I thought I recognized you there.  I wanted to come over, say hello and let you know how much I appreciated your work both on screen and on this website.  However, I also wanted to respect your privacy.

I am a newly-working screenwriter.  Mostly indie stuff, a couple of writer-for-hire and low-budg re-write jobs; and I’m proud to say I just sold my first script to an indie company.  I just wanted to a) thank you for your site; and b) ask if you could give any advice for writers in my situation.  Guys who pay the bills with writing, but are not yet repped, or working on any huuuge deals.  What a realistic next step could be….

–Joe Wehinger
Los Angeles

Right now, you’re exactly where a lot of readers wish they could be: working in Hollywood. Based on what I could [glean from IMDb](http://imdb.com/name/nm1143055/), you’ve made a short that won awards, and you’re working on one or two low-budget movies. It’s a very good beginning.

There’s no one perfect next step, but over the next year I’d recommend you do the following:

1. Decide who you want to be. An indie filmmaker like [Sofia Coppola](http://imdb.com/name/nm0001068/)? A top-shelf screenwriter like [Scott Frank](http://imdb.com/name/nm0291082/)? Or a multi-media industry like [Kevin Smith](http://imdb.com/name/nm0003620/)? No, you’re not allowed to say “all of the above,” because none of these people would have gotten where they are if they had tried to be someone else. It’s fine to pick anyone as an aspirational figure, as long as it helps you focus on how you should be spending your time.

2. Make sure you’re doing your absolute best work. This sounds obvious, but when you’re on your fifth rewrite for producers you don’t respect, it’s hard to put forth 100%. Do it anyway. Trust that the universe will in some way reward you for that brilliant scene, even if the movie never gets made, and the check bounces.

3. Work on getting an agent and/or manager. No, it’s not crucial, especially if you’re trying the indie route. But regardless of your path, they can take your short and your scripts and hopefully set up meetings with more studios, producers and production companies. I don’t often recommend query letters, but in your case they might be a good idea. Basically, the letter would say that (a) you won these awards; (b) you’re working for these producers; and (c) you’re looking for an agent to represent you because you have just written such-and-such project.

4. Continue to write, obviously. Seek a golden balance between art and commerce: write the most commercial story that you care very passionately about.

And yes, that probably was me at CPK. Thank you for trusting your instincts and letting me gorge myself in peace.

I obviously enjoy talking with other writers — that’s why I set up the site, and why I speak at lots of different events and conferences. But it’s always weird when a stranger comes up to me in a non-film environment. After witnessing first-hand all the crap that actual celebrities have to deal with, I’ve come to cherish my anonymity. I’ll do publicity when it’s appropriate, but I hope to always be able to fade into the background. So, thanks for letting me.

In an earlier question about finding confidence as a writer, you stated: “Most good writers weren’t popular growing up.” While this is true in my case (that I wasn’t popular growing up), do you think also being an unpopular adult (which I am as well) could make a GREAT writer? Or just a whiny, self-obsessed loser who writes nothing but whiny, self-obsessed drivel (which I’m starting to suspect I do)?

–Dave
Albany, NY

Just to be clear, I don’t think childhood unpopularity is a golden ticket to success as a screenwriter. I would never give my child a bad haircut, or rub him with cat litter, just in the hope that he’ll win the Oscar when he’s 40. There are many, many unpopular children who grow up to be terrible writers. Maybe, Dave, you’re one of them.

Or maybe not. The simple fact is, one can’t judge a writer’s talent based on how many Friendsters he has. But I would posit that at least in terms of screenwriting, being extremely unpopular is a detriment. Unlike, say, a novelist, the screenwriter has to put on a clean shirt and meet with executives, humoring them when they offer insipid notes and feigning interest in their personal lives. These delicate social skills are hard to pick up if you frighten small children and annoy the elderly.

It’s this social component of screenwriting that explains why some less-talented writers (the proper term is “hacks”) seem to have undeserved success. They’re good at being screenwriters, if not particularly good at screenwriting.

My advice to you, Dave, is contrary to what I’d tell most writers. Don’t write about what you know, since that seems to be limited to whiny self-obsession. Instead, write like the kind of writer you wish you were: bold, courageous, unafraid to piss people off. Think Hemmingway, but with marketable good-looks.

In summary: Pretend you’re confident. Eventually, you will be.

All my life I’ve been fascinated with the process of movie making.
Throughout my twenties I focused on acting (workshops, plays, student films,
local commercials, etc) but never found much enjoyment or satisfaction. I’m
now 32 and just starting my college education and wondering what road to go
down (writing, producing, etc). I guess my question to you is have you seen
many 30-somethings start later in life and manage to be taken seriously in
our unfortunately youth obsessed culture?

–Dave

You read so many stories about young people storming the film world that it’s
easy to think that no one successful was born before 1970. The truth is, most
of the movies you see were written, directed and produced by people in their
30’s, 40’s, and 50’s. The reason why 19-year old wunderkinds are so fascinating
is because they are so rare.

I started working in Hollywood when I was 22, ten years ago. I’m a better
writer now than I was then, partly through experience in the industry, and
partly through the simple passage of time. As you experience more of life,
you simply have more to write about, and a better understanding of the subtleties
of the world.

Will you have a tougher time starting out in your 30’s, rather than your 20’s?
Maybe. But starting a career in film is difficult at any age, so if it’s 15%
more difficult, I can’t imagine that would deter you. Yes, Hollywood can be
youth-obsessed, but it’s also a meritocracy at a certain point. People don’t
care where you come from as long as you can do the job well.

Looking back, I think the only real advantage I had with youth is that I was
willing to be poor. Since I came straight out of college, it didn’t really
bother me to eat spaghetti five nights a week, to sleep on the floor rather
than a bed, or drive a rusted-out Honda. If I had been better established in
life, with a comfortable job and a distaste for ramen noodles, it might have
been hard to give those things up.

As a fledgling screenwriter/English major in college I
often feel insecure about my work. How did you get over this as a writer
and any advice for the
rest of us?

–Jeff

Alas, the flip side of Insecurity tends to be Arrogance. I highly recommend
the former over the latter.

Ideally of course, you’d find a middle ground called Confidence. Maybe you’ll
be lucky, and that will come early in your career. Until then, here are a few
pointers in no particular order of importance:

• Remember that you’ll never please everyone with your work.
• Seek out the opinions of people you trust and respect.
• Don’t make changes based on opinions of those you neither trust nor respect.
• Remember that first drafts are never perfect.
• Strive to make every sentence as good as it can be, even if it’s just a
  character walking through a door.
• Just because someone is more successful than you, doesn’t mean they’re
  more talented.
• Role models are fine, but remember you’re only seeing their successes and
  not their failures.
• Patience is a virtue, but impatience might make you work harder.
• Most good writers weren’t popular growing up.
• You will fail and succeed at various times for various reasons you can’t
  predict. Know this going in, and you’ll roll with it when it happens.