Hard Truths You Probably Don’t Wanna Hear But Should (For Writers): The Return
Enjoy. Don't get too depressed.
- Unwilling to learn how your given industry works? Then a writing career is not for you.
- If you get objectively nonsensical notes multiple times from the same source, CHANGE YOUR SOURCE. Cough cough. IYKYK, screenwriters.
- If you’re pitching your script as "laugh-out-loud," you are guaranteeing to the reader that there will be no laughs out loud.
- Do NOT name your script or book the exact same title as an existing—and popular—film or book, and my God, how is this not common sense?
- Yes, if you're a screenwriter, with career aspirations as a screenwriter, you'll have to write specs (for the screen) ... I'd say 2-3 a year, even, but you should be actively developing at least one new thing always. You'll find the time and energy, I'm sure.
- Let's say you made the mistake of paying an agent to shop your work. End the relationship, try your best to get your money back, and chalk it up as a learning experience.
- You're not reading enough.
- DO: research to see there are no concepts exactly like yours that have already been produced or published.
- DO NOT: let a vaguely similar idea derail you. If that were the norm, we wouldn't have had magnif time loop movies after Groundhog Day.
- If your story isn't fun to edit, or re-read, or pitch, you might have a problem.
- You do NOT need, nor should you make, cover art for your unpublished novel (unless it's of the graphic novel variety).
- Stay real curious, not fake smart.
- A blank page. A world of creativity at your mind's fingertips. And you decided to name the futuristic metropolis in your story "Megacity." Sad.
- Less talking about your writing, more writing.
- "Never work for free" is the dumbest, most destructive advice anyone has ever given anyone in the history of human and robot civilization.
- Not everyone is out to screw you.
- Some people out there are trying to screw you.
- If you hated a movie or a book, don't post on social that you thought it was garbage, since you might be seeking representation one day from that writer's reps, or working with that publisher, studio, or production company, and also tbh it makes you look petty, and the arts has enough petty people in it.
- It's been said, but—dream big, aim high, and realize Sydney Sweeney is not doing your microbudget indie movie, stop DMing her reps.
- Ethical complexities aside, A.I. art in your pitch deck just looks bad. Really, very bad. Just steal images off the internet like a normal person.
- This one's gonna be rough, so protect that sweet little heart of yours ... Most of you aren't ready for industry reads or circulation. Stress less about that and more about making sure you're at the level where you can generally compete with others trying to break in.
