Q&A: How Do I Even Begin?
This is a letter from a 15-year old who wants to become a screenwriter, but who wonders how – or even if – she should begin pursuing this dream.
I receive letters like this regularly, some from teenagers, some from retirees, some from movie lovers, and some from those who want to be novelists or speakers. But they all worry – or they’ve been told – that their dream is simply too crazy or too impossible to pursue.
So in addition to my answer below, I have a request:
If you have already begun this journey as a storyteller, HOW DID YOU DO IT? How did you find the courage or the time or the tools to begin, what worked best for you, and how did you overcome the voices or critical stares of those who for whatever reason tried to discourage you from this path?
Please leave your reply below. The answers you give will be an inspiration to those starting out, and to all of those struggling to follow their passion in the face of the inner and outer obstacles writers and storytellers face.
Thanks as always –
Michael
Hello –
My name is Hailey. I’m only 15 years old, head probably still stuck in the clouds, but it should be falling quite soon. My love for cinematic art and literature has weaned me over into wanting to become a screenwriter. Time is too short to waste a passion these days. On the other hand, I have no idea where to begin or how to sugar coat it; and with it, blogs and articles only add to the puzzlement. So I am seeking for a bit of enlightenment or guidance. How should one begin?
Sincerely,
The girl with a head falling, shortly, from the clouds
Hailey –
Thanks for this heartfelt question. I will answer with some suggestions, and some unsolicited advice…
- Keep your head in the clouds. It’s where you’ll find the best ideas, and the greatest inspiration. Harsh reality, which is rarely as real as it seems, will only discourage you from your dream.
- Start by doing three things: 1) See lots of movies – and see the good ones twice or more; 2) Read at least a script a week, starting with those for movies you love, then expanding to those for movies that failed, for comparison; 3) WRITE! Write every day, even if it’s only for 15 minutes, and without judgment about what you’re creating.
- If you don’t have script ideas of your own yet, or even if you do, try a couple exercises: 1) RETYPE one of those scripts for a movie you love – word for word, exactly as it is – to give you a sense of the style and flow of a good screenplay; 2) Watch several scenes from movies you love and WRITE THEM IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Then compare your versions to those in the original scripts.
- Study the craft of screenwriting one book at a time (or one blog or one video or one lecture at a time), and try some of the things that sound worthwhile and fun to you before moving on to a second book or blogger. Begin with Writing Screenplays That Sell if you haven’t already, since it’s designed to guide you through the whole process. But after applying the principles you read there, surf around and try another resource that sounds helpful. Just don’t overwhelm yourself with a lot of information. You’ll honestly learn as much reading scripts and writing daily as you will from any book.
- As you go on this adventure, don’t talk about it a lot. Share your dream only with those you are certain will support you in pursuing it. Parents, teachers and even well meaning friends will often, out of love or jealousy, try to impinge on your dream, or discourage you from living your passion – and their arguments will always sound logical and convincing. But this is YOUR dream, so keep it your own, and let go of it only when the writing itself no longer brings you joy.
I hope that helps. I’d love to hear from you in a month or two to find out how it’s going, and to help in whatever way I can.
Stay in Your Essence!
Michael
I could hardly call myself a screenwriter, or consider myself knowledgable in that area, its more of a hobby than a career. But if there is one thing I understand, its believing a dream is too big or too crazy to conqueror. I’ve had my butt handed to me by life one too many times, and I’m guilty of thinking my ambitions are impossible as well.
But heres the thing. It isn’t true.
All the people we consider great achievers, or the pinnacle of human achievement are (at risk of being corny) just like you and me. And it was a revelation to me when I watch a 17 year old Australian swimmer win a gold medal at Rio while his school watched on back home. It completely changed my thinking.
Those people who have a achieved great things (like those oh so elusive Oscars) are people who did the one thing most people can’t do. They kept their heads in the clouds and kept dreaming.
Do you think that Australian swimmer would have got to the Olympics if he said, theres no way I can go to the Olympics at 17? Do you think he’d of won if he thought, theres no way I can win gold at 17? No, of course not.
Do you think there were people around him who said it was a crazy, unachievable dream? Definitely.
Did it stop him? Nope.
So go on! Keep dreaming!
p.s. I don’t have any ambitions with Screenwriting personally (it really is just a hobby) but I use a programme called Celtx to make my scripts look professional and neat, and it makes me love writing even more. Just remember that it isn’t an accepted format so you may want to invest in something like Final Draft before you go handing those scripts into Disney or MGM.
To paraphrase Mark Twain, “Beginning is easy, I’ve done it many thousands of times.”
For me, the key has been making a commitment to always return to my creative work, no matter how many times I am interrupted or frustrated or don’t know what to do next or have no ideas I consider good enough, and no matter how long I have been away from it (minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years).
This “reframing” of creative work into a long-term commitment helps to take the terror and uncertainty out of beginning. It makes it okay to put aside something that you aren’t making progress with (and it helps if you pick up one of your other projects to go forward with when putting one aside). It makes it okay to take a break from creative work to think about the best way to proceed or to look for new information, resources and support or to just take a break. It makes it a bit easier to experience the inevitable (temporary, of course) rejection of your work. It makes it okay to draw kittens on the page and write down silly rhymes or do a word puzzle if that’s the best you can do for the moment (and often these meaningless time-wasters will release some creative ideas.)
I came across a piece of advice many years ago that works well for either beginning or returning to creative work: If you want to get something done, put it in front of you. That means physically put it in front of you. Even if you have psychological barriers of one kind of another, or external distractions, if you put your work physically in front of you, you will find yourself working on it. You will begin (again), and then you will make progress.
Hi Hailey,
I’m a newly published author with four books out and many more on the way. I put off living my dream of becoming a published author until I was in my thirties because I thought it was an unrealistic dream. I could not have been more wrong! If being a screenwriter is your passion, your dream, then don’t be afraid to reach for it with everything you’ve got. Apply that same passion to the study of your craft and improvement of your writing skills. Hone them at every opportunity. Most important, NEVER stop asking questions, and NEVER EVER stop learning. Always be hungry for knowledge pertaining to your chosen art form.
I’ve been a writer since I was four years old and could wield a crayon – my mother saved the evidence. It was a four sentence story, mostly misspelled, but it had a beginning, a crisis, and a resolution – and it was illustrated. It took me thirty more years of being a closet writer (one who bleeds words in secret and hides them under the bed) to acknowledge my passion and give myself permission to be what I’ve always known I was meant to be – a professional teller of stories and creator of worlds. To be a professional writer and do what feeds my soul for a living is more satisfying than all of my more than twenty years of gainful employment as a non-writer. Don’t wait as long as I did. Put your mind and heart into achieving your dream, work hard and work smart, and you WILL.
My only other piece of advice is to join a professional writers association as soon as you possibly can. Talk to every successful author you meet, ask questions, find good mentors and learn from them. You’ve already taken the first step in asking Michael for advice. Most people your age would be too afraid to put themselves out there like this. You’re already ahead of the game, because it takes that kind of boldness to submit your work to an agent or industry professional. Keep being bold, Hailey! You can do it!
Best Wishes,
Liana LeFey
Hailey: I was a lonely, shy, introverted, bullied teenager, when I started writing at age 13. Through writing, I could be anyone I wanted. I could be that brave strong teen, who would fight back through my characters. I watched lots of movies, that influenced my writing later on, in college where i started writing shorts and took lots of acting classes, which not only helped me with my writing, but make me an extrovert. I’ll never forget the last thing one of my college professors told me right before graduating, He said, Jorge always keep writing.
Fast forward 20 years and I still write. I acted in lots of regional and off Broadway plays, but always came back to my first passion – screenwriting – and today more than ever I’m writing. I write everyday, if a story idea enters my head, I write 20 – 30 minutes a day. I read other screenplays. I watch on YouTube the Film Courage interviews of different screenwriting teachers, coaches, consultants. Michael Hauge, Dr, Linda Sager and Pilar Alessandra are my three favorites. I joined one of the biggest social network exclusively for Screenwriters and artist in general, called Stage32.com and the great thing is not only that its free, but I’ve met some great professional screenwriters, who have given me their valuable time and read my screenplays and given great construtive feedback and I’ve done the some with their work, to the best of my knowledge.
I find inspiration from everything, a song, a book I read, a story a friend tells me, my own painful teenage years, being bullied, (wrote a whole screenplay on that) the struggle my mother made to raise us alone back in the 70’s, even an add while riding the subway can trigger a story idea. What I do once a story enters my head, Example: about a shy, abused girl, by her stepfather. I let that idea sit in my head, until the scenes begin to pop up. I always know my beginning and my ending, although the characters many times take a life of their own and they take control and guy me. The late Jackie Collins once said: ‘I don’t control my characters, they control me.” Write about things that you know and are passionate about, things that hurt you and let your characters voice speak to you, listen to them and always write with PURPOSE, compelling STORIES. Don’t judge your characters, not even the mean ones called the antagonist and give your here (protagonist) a goal, then go on the journey with her/him as IT overcames the obstacles on her/his journey. Last if you come to Stage32.com there, you will find FREE webinars of industry insiders, like Executives of studios and you can ask questions via GoMeeting, you take classes online and you can even pitch for a small fee, once you have a polished, well written screenplay, to Agents and studio Execs. We are ALL there to support and encourage one another, when things are bad or when we feel lost about a subject related to the industry, including acting, directing and producing.
The most important advice is for you to write, write, write, everyday: Short stories, poems. Then, upload Celtx.com for free, which is a screenwriting sofware for formatting or if you have the funds you can buy the others like Final Draft or Magic Screenwriting software. Hope this helps, but you have the final word. What ever works for you, you do and soon you will develop your own technique and routine and this site is one of the best. Michael is a great coach and he KNOWS his stuff and writers needs.
Best Regards,
Jorge.
NEVER GIVE UP YOUR DREAM! It’s a long road and a wonderful challenge. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Believe in yourself. You can be successful if you are determined and dedicated. .
Screenwriting is a special technique. study, and Read screenplays. Dissect them. There are sources on the I-Net where you can download and read them for Free: http://www.simplyscripts.com, and others. Read the classical fable: “Jason and the Golden Fleece. and the hero as he engages and conquers his adversaries who are more powerful than he is, with conflict and tension. Just when you thought it was safe to go into the water, a catastrophe occurs that is resolved with the evil Vizier dead, and the ending is a happy one with Jason marrying the Sultan’s daughter. .Now, compare and trace the sequences of films as they progress through the scenes, Write a short screenplays,,, then longer.. A play for your school .
It’s a wonderful learning curve. You can do it! if if you have the need in the belly. Best of luck.
.
Hi Hailey,
Michael’s advice is excellent, as is all others that preceded me.
If I could offer some advice, I’d say don’t be afraid to fail, because you will, over and over. That’s a guarantee. Also, allow yourself to write badly. You’ll get better over time.
I got a late start. I wish I could go back in time and start writing when I was fifteen. Starting now will give you even better chance at success.
All the best,
Lee
If writing a full movie seems daunting (it is to me), try short pieces first, short film, one acts, etc. Also I always tell writers that improv class is great to loosen up the ideas and be more open as a creative person. See if your school or area has those. It’s fun and useful! Acting helps so much to improve your dialogue and overall approach to scenes, too.
Hi, Hailey.
I’ve deliberately not read what anyone has said (including Michael H). These are my thoughts.
1. Do u find u can’t go for a few days without HAVING to write? Artists even in their 80s still go to their studios everyday because they have to paint or carve and print. Matisse was 90 in a wheechair and drawing on his bedroom walls with chalk on the end of a stick! Or sitting up in bed doing colour cutouts. Why? Because he HAD to be creating. Are u like that or are u satisfied with an occasional story every now and then? If u HAVE to write then you’ve got that part of your life sorted, in my opinion: you need to write so you need to learn how.
2. A friend of mine would tell his students “you are in the world because the world wasn’t good enough without you.” I agree with him. That means you have something to say and only you can write those stories.
3. So, how do you find out what you want to write about? That’s the same as asking “who am I?” A bit difficult for a 15 year old to answer! Some writers say: wrire down the things that you absolutely love in life. Also write down what absolutely infuriates you. They are two ways of getting yourself to think of what’s important to you. You might also ask yourself what really saddens you etc
4.Then, as I’m sure many writers have advised, start getting an understanding of what needs to come first then next (structure) as soon as possible.You’ll save yourself thousands of hours if you do.
5.Remember what the guru said to anyone who wants to succeed: care and don’t care. Sound strange? I think he meant to keep you free; you need to write but you are not your writing if you think you are you will not be able to leave yourself open to make the changes needed so the story will become what it is meant to be.So care but also don’t care so much you destroy yourself.
Hope that helps.
Mike Yates
Still working on my story of 5 years
No intention of giving up.
Hi, to whoever this will speak to. I am a author, however unknown, but still one. I have three books published but only successful among family and friends in the the immediate area I live in. I have one, I really feel is going to be successful. It is in the production process now. So enough about that. I know I am supposed to encourage those who aren’t comfortable or confident. So I write every day regardless. Sometimes it may be a self editing, because I want my writing to be right and it can only be that with editing. I stay within my southern style voice, I think I have.
And yes I deal with the inner critic and it really tries to get me down and discouraged. And it is sometimes hard to get the story up and going. But my best time to write is in the morning between 4:15-5:00 am. Then I go to my employment. To all those in the department where I work, (hourly wage earner), I talk about the story I’m working on. And from the comments and experiences of verbal contact actually drives the story on. I do have a couple of extreme enemies who is determined to cut and destroy me. I listen to their comments about not having the education required for success. There are those who actually don’t think I will be successful. As I’ve learned with any writing style there will be those who will like your style and those who don’t and will attempt to destroy you. That is true and you cater to those who encourage you. Through out the day I’m thinking about the manuscript I’m writing and thinking about the characters. And what they may be doing. Also how the story is unfolding. And no matter what keep it up.
Should you get stuck or even bogged down in a scene, or conversation,(dialogue) write on through it. It may be slow going as I’ve experienced within my own self. But it will work out. Then you can go back through it later.
If it is important to you then do it and follow through, be committed to the story. That will give you the needed motivation to follow it to the end. That is where the real work begins. As compared to the hunting and fishing world, when the game is bagged or fish strung, then the real work begins. Just like these thoughts I’ll reread them and if any editing, well the work begins.
So no matter what, like the Nike commercial, just do it. I go to work every day, I’ve got to do it, So it is with my writing I’ve got to do it no matter what.
If you love the process follow it. That is great advice from Michael. I listened to the dream killers for too long. So I only wrote non-fiction, except for one 30-second commercial. I produced it with national talent. It won awards and heartfelt appreciation from a client. Now I am on the journey to replicate those magic 30 seconds into 90 minutes. What I like the most about Michael Hauge is he gives us permission and a path to follow the dream. Plus I will now guard who I share that dream with until I reach a milestone.
Write because you love to write, because it’s the thing you enjoy so much, you can’t believe people get paid to do it. Write because when you’re in your writer-head, having to take a break to go to the bathroom is deeply resented interruption.. In other words, write for joy. The craft can be learned, the stories polished, the business absorbed, but the sheer joy of writing is where you start, and what you’ll always come back to. A bad day writing is better than a lot of days doing anything else.
Write what you know- as wordy as you need it. Protect that draft and be open to your own editing in order to revise it to be precise and concise. Share that version with people you trust. Grow from the experience of getting notes. Its a process. Trust the process by entrusting your work to those that will be honest but not cruel. Best of luck to ya! You are off to a good start with getting great guidance from one of the best story gurus in the industrty -Michael Hauge!
My three suggestions for beginning this difficult and exciting journey of writing.
1. Make time to write every day–schedule it in your daily planner like an appointment with your muse.
2. Join a critique group–only those who are also writing can understand us. My local group has been a godsend to me and my writing.
3. Read the craft books but keep an open mind. Some rules make sense, some don’t and some are created to be broken. If more than three people say the same thing–you should follow that advice.
Renee Cassese
Hicksville, NY
Dear Hailey:
Just type.
That’s it.
Then go back and follow all of the other wonderful advice above. Try it all. Listen to everyone. Listen to no one. Hear your gut and soul. Live. Consume. Give back. Contribute. Structure. Make mistakes. Enjoy. Read. Think. Ponder. Absorb.
But all you have to do … is type (or write).
Most of the time, the world will tell you “No” and you will agree with it. But you got learn by yourself that these No doesn’t make you better or worse, it will make you go to the shadow. But if you hear your own voice and find your own “Yes”, you can find light in everything…even if it means less than you were expecting . It is hard for me to give advice, because I am in this journey too and sometimes I find myself on the shadow. But trust me, you need to believe in yourself so people will do it too. And plus, with 15 years old, already knowing your dreams, go fly with your clouds and don’t be afraid of it. 🙂
Bets luck for all of us.
Regards,
Louise.
Wonderful advise to you from all these writers. All I can add Is attitude. Be positive, have fun and remember when you finish a script, it doesn’t have to be perfect because it has just become a draft and you will re-write many times. Best of luck and joy in writing.
Hi Hailey — I don’t think I can express my advice better than Michael did except to perhaps add not being afraid to work from your heart. I find that’s when the work is truthful and it stands out above the rest. I admire you knowing what you want to do at such a young age! Absorb all your wonderful experiences and someday you’ll somehow consciously or sub-conciously share them with us through your writing. Look forward to seeing them!
All the best!
Robert
Hi Hailey,
It is great that you already know what you love and it is also wonderful that you know enough about it to find and contact Michael! (I am in my later years, only just starting out with writing!) You have received great advice, so I won’t elaborate on what’s already been said. What I do know is that I have worked in many areas – as a teacher, dance director, literacy consultant, and in road safety and drug education – and, almost every time, there was someone to tell me I could never do it! People would tell me I didn’t have the experience or that I would not get the job. But each time I got the job, I realized that other people’s limited beliefs were not mine. Now that I have decided to write, people told me my first screenplay would be terrible (and maybe it is!), but I still received great feedback and made it to the finals of two writing competitions! So. Don’t listen to other people. You know what you want. Go out confidently and get it! My fingers are crossed for you! Lisa 🙂
You’re getting a lot of great craft suggestions. Here’s one beyond writing and studying the art. LIVE!
Get out in the world and experience as broad a variety as you can. Volunteer in places you wouldn’t normally go. Visit art museums. Try a sport. Study a faith you don’t follow to learn the great stories and archetypes that motivate millions. Follow your other passions so you can meet the rare souls who are following theirs. This will be your tribe. People not content to simply drift through life, but able to dig down deep and make dreams happen.
Carry a notebook with you everywhere and jot down whatever strikes you from what you see and experience while you’re doing the non-writing things. Listen to dialogue in real life – what makes it snappy, moving, ridiculous. Watch people walk and talk and move, both at a distance and close up. How are they communicating? What do their stances and expressions say? How would you block the scene if you were shooting it? What would you add or leave out? What struck you about it? Take pictures if it’s appropriate.
The tools will come to you now you’ve asked and know where to look. The next years of your life will be drilling down to find your vision, your themes, and what you have to say while you keep your dream alive, feed it and tend it. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Welcome those day jobs you have to take as experience you’ll need in future for the business side, as well as a chance to observe, to watch goal, motivation and conflict in action.
One woman to another, never let anyone tell you girls can’t do something. “Women don’t do X or succeed at Y” “It’s a hard industry for women…” or any other limiting, confidence-killing language. Don’t let it happen to anyone else if you can help it. Gender, age, color, country, orientation – none of that matters. Make the art. Make the product. Write if you have to rent a storage locker when you’re older to hold all the words you pour out. When the time is right for YOU, have stacks of it ready to go. Because you will MAKE that time. And they will ask, “What else have you got?” Be ready.
Read the books, take the classes, join the groups whether local or on line if there’s nothing close to you. Some of the big national groups will want you to be 18 or come with an adult. Don’t let that scare you off or stop you. Because you’ve been given an incredible gift. You already know what your passion is. Write every single day, whether you have to get up before school or stay up late or lock yourself in the bathroom at lunch time. Once you’ve got the stories, the rest is polish and practice, learning your craft like a sculptor learning how to carve the stone to release the thing they see inside it.
MAKE the time. We all have the same hours. Carve out your writing time, mark it on your calendar every day just like you would a violin lesson and practice time. Give yourself a reward for putting in the time and word count. I’m a lot older than you and I still give myself a foil smiley sticker on my calendar when I make my word count. Find your spot where you can create. Mix a soundtrack if you prefer sound to silence when you’re working. Create a ritual – when you put on your headphones and light a scented candle or put on your soundtrack and set your phone timer for 1 hour it’s work time and no one interrupts your work. It’s your job, even if you’re not getting paid for it yet. Treat it like somebody’s paying you $50 an hour because someday it’ll be worth ten times that.
Don’t be afraid to make a vision board. The things that speak to you, the movies you want to make. Put that in front of your work and study space. Learning to focus and getting the stories down is all any of us ever do in the end. The rest is sheer practice and craft. You’ve done the scary part. You’ve determined what you want, admitted your ignorance and asked for help. Keep doing that and you’re on your way!
🙂 Where Mike says ‘read,’ take it to mean read, listen, watch, hear, touch, feel, …
🙂
🙂 Gradually, start looking for what makes you feel, especially deeply, or think, or not
🙂 … even more important, what makes you lose interest
🙂
🙂 And think why that happened, or how it was ‘written’ {take it to also mean, ‘happened’ in real life}
🙂
🙂 Watch others ‘read’ looking for the same answers. If they are nice, ask them the whats, whys, and hows.
🙂
🙂 Watch awfully-mean people, from a distance I mean. They make infinitely more interesting characters
🙂 … maybe just don’t make them heroes though.
🙂
🙂 Be a kid, you are 15 …
🙂 … and smarter, better, newer and improved-er than us… just don’t tell us that, we already know.
🙂
🙂 One rule — if there’s anything Mike has ever written, read, even go over it again some time later.
🙂 … it actually means different things after you’ve been learning for an year, or a while.
🙂
🙂 Not just Mike, read anyone that has a gem — you’ll know a gem when you see it.
🙂
🙂 When Mike says ‘until it no longer brings you joy,’ he’s being funny
🙂 … trust me it doesn’t happen, you are just ‘writing’ to your next big thing. You just don’t know it yet.
🙂
🙂 Finally, whenever you get advice, don’t just take it. Figure it for yourself, verify if it’ll fly and where.
🙂 E.g., you couldn’t tell that I haven’t written anything yet. (For real!)
I think Michael has hit the nail on the head with his advice. If you have that strange restlessness inside you that wants you to put words on a page, then do it. It is the artist inside you struggling to get out.Start writing what is in your head and let it take you where it will.
I kept having this feeling that I wanted to write a novel for years and when I was in boring meetings at work, I wrote the scenes that were bouncing around in my head. I called it doodling.
Finally, I decided to complete a story and did so at night, when my children were in bed. It took months and months. What a surprise when I finished it! Then I went to classes, discovered there was lots I needed to learn and soaked up the workshops like a sponge. Some of them were Michael’s.
Now I have over 30 novels published.
My first piece of additional (unsolicited) advice would be to always finish a project before moving on. Getting to the end is is not only a reward in itself it is a key part of the learning process. Many people start, only a few people finish. You can always go back and fix what you wrote, you can’t fix a blank page.
I would also suggest trying to find a group of like minded writers (similarly aged), at school, at the local library etc. It is wonderful to have people to talk to who “get” you. I found being with other motivated writers helped me move forward and helped me gain confidence in myself as a writer.
I wish you all the success in the world.
Ann
Hi Hailey,
It, like life, takes (A) work ethic, (B) talent and (C) trust.
Dreams are wonderful…. “if they are realistic”.
Now let’s see if writing is realistic for you.
A Hollywood phrase is “Writers write & Thinkers think”.
Thus, ask yourself “Are you a Writer or are you a Thinker”.
If the answer is “I am a Writer”…. then you must M-O-V-E your F-I-N-G-E-R-S.
Happy & Productive Life,
– Dov Simens
On dreams…I started because I dreamed. But that dream has to turn into a goal with a plan. I’m a bestselling novelist Who has always wanted to write movies. So, I’m going about it the same way I learned to write novels: taking classes, reading, joining groups that do what I want to do, networking, and watching/analyzing movies.
But, rarely did anyone else believe in me when I started writing. Like Michael said, I only shared it with those who supported me. In fact, I’ve written 9 books. I still have “those” naysayers in my life. We all do. Those who succeed are those who do it anyway.
How do you deal with a lack of confidence? It’s really confidence that you need. Confidence in your goals, self, and ability. You get that by taking planned steps. When they work, your confidence builds. Start with a few books on the craft. Then join a group (online works great If there isn’t one nearby.)
Then start testing what you’ve learned. High school and college kids who want to act and direct are excellent people to test your ideas. Tell them it’s a test. But the rule is to share what worked!! You can discern what didn’t the first few times. Why? Again to build confidence because we creatives are a bit on the sensitive side 😉
I learned that those who lack confidence have never allowed themselves to live through failure. So, let yourself both win and lose in small ways. Learning you can win builds courage and confidence. Learning you can fail builds humility and the survival gene. When you survive failure, you learn you can survive!
Angela Breidenbach, Author and host of Grace Under Pressure Radio: Becoming a woman of courage, confidence, & candor.
Hi Hailey,
Let me start by saying, you took the best first step you could have by seeking advice from a successful professional! Michael is right to say ‘Keep your head in the clouds.’ Sure a lot of writers don’t succeed, but plenty do! You can’t if you don’t try.
When I decided to pursue my passion of writing, my husband thought it was just another pipe dream. I had taken a screenwriting course at U Mass and liked it. But he didn’t believe I could do it as a profession and in order to ‘save me from myself’ he gave me one year to succeed–in other words, to get published.
Well, I told him what he could do with his year, and explained that no one could possibly do that. Meanwhile, I secretly took up the challenge and went after it like a madwoman! Hollywood passed on my screenplays, so I decided to try turning one into a novel. (After all, I lived closer to New York than Hollywood, I told myself.) I joined a writer’s organization, wrote a first draft, received a professional critique, took the advice and revised, revised, revised.
Now, this is going to sound weird, but I consulted my mother on what would have been her birthday. Yeah, she had passed a couple years before, but she was always my biggest cheerleader. Suddenly the idea of epublishing popped into my head. This was back in 2002 when it was barely heard of. I knew nothing about it and had to do some fast research. *I’m not talking about self-publishing! I’m talking about sending a query letter, then a proposal, (synopsis and first three chapters) to an online publisher who would offer you a contract with royalties, then edit, create a cover, format, and make for sale the ebook on their website and all online outlets.
I’m happy to tell you that I received my first contract offer one year to the weekend from my husband’s challenge! (Insert raspberry here.)
Not to brag, but I went on to get bigger and better contracts that included advances and mass market paperbacks. I see my books on the shelves at Barnes and Noble stores and have a few bestsellers on Amazon. I’m still shooting for one of those elite newspaper bestseller accolades. I never thought I would get this far, but my passion carried me and continues to push me onto loftier goals.
My best advice to you?
Don’t. Give. Up!
Hugs,
Ashlyn Chase http://www.ashlynchase.com
facebook.com/authorashlynchase
I am a writer of fiction and the same advice applies here. I read, read, read all the time, both in my genre and outside of the genre of romantic suspense. I belong to a couple of writer groups and being around other writers always boosts my energy. And, I do watch movies to see what is going on. The screen gives you the pictures to tell a story, and I close my eyes and try to write these pictures in my stories.
Good luck to you and keep treading the waters forward. To know what you want to do at your age, is a great way to start. Keep going forward, learn all you can, and don’t forget to take classes: at colleges, at events, online and make friends with the people you meet. Be positive. Believe. Begin now.
Especially write every day. Don’t just think about writing–actually put some words on paper. Your success will come from accumulating experience with words and how they work. And if you look at some of your favorite writers for inspiration, you’ll find that you might not have found out about their work until they’d written three books or ten screenplays…. One-hit-wonders are rare. Build your lifetime of work starting today.
Hi Hailey,
Michael mentioned keeping your head in the clouds. I agree. Your dream will stay alive. Also, keep your head in the story. That means writing something every day.
But know this is YOUR dream, Even your closest family will not fully understand, and there will be people who will not support you, unfortunately. The best advice I can give you for this is you must own your identity as a writer. Claim it now. Give it the time it needs to mature. Put it on your daily calendar as another thing that must get done today. There will be times when someone want you to do something for them or go somewhere with them, and it will cut into the time you have for your work. If you continue to put it aside for people, you are telling them you’re not serious about this, and they won’t treat it as who you are. It starts with you. Own it.
I’m sensing you might be worried that there are already so many writers out there. Do you really need to write? Will your work matter? If these are questions you are wondering about, STOP. Devote your energy instead to discovering your unique voice, then find your place/market for it. (There is always a place.) Will it be easy? No. But if you want it bad enough you will do the leg work.
I also suggest joining a professional writer’s group. Not just a critique group. Those are helpful, but you want to be ensconced with other like-minded writers pushing forward to succeed, not just dabbling. These people will be the ones who fully understand. They are your people, even if they don’t write the kind of things you do. It will be like coming home, trust me. They will also have resources in the industry to help you step up to another level. There may even be already established writers who are willing to give you some tips along the way. I have found writers to be quite generous.
And one more thing: There is always more to learn. There is no writer out there who knows it all. Even seasoned writers hone their skill and learn new things along the way to make them a better writer with each project. Keep your mind open, and always be willing to learn something new.
Clack away, Hailey!
Katy Lee
Hailey, I felt like you about 12 years ago. (Although I’m quite a lot older!) I realised I wanted to write fiction, and not only that, but I wanted to get published. Learning the craft of story-telling is hard because there’s so much to think about: characters, plot, setting, motivation, point of view… It can feel like trying to juggle ten balls at once! But the only way to do it is to jump in the deep end and have a go. Just start. Don’t worry if it’s bad – the great thing about writing is that you don’t have to show it to anyone if you don’t want to!
That’s what I did for almost two years. Just wrote in secret and didn’t tell anyone. Read stories, watched movies. Listened to Michael’s talks (obviously!). I became obsessed, really. Apart from my husband, I didn’t tell anyone in my family what I was up to in case they thought I was nutty. I mean, who was I? Just an ordinary woman, living in the suburbs of a big city, taking my kids to school, working a part-time job and doing the grocery shopping. I’m just like everyone else – but that didn’t mean it couldn’t happen.
Ten years on and I’ve had 24 books published, sold more than a million books worldwide and had a Kindle no.1. Basically, all I’m saying is someone has to dream the crazy dreams. Why not you?
Good luck!
Fiona Harper
Agree with Dawn. This is wonderful advice. But I would add another item: Devour Michael’s webpage and blogs. Read everything and try to take one of his seminars. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and a wonderful presenter.
I love that you shared this insightful young girl’s letter and I love your response. Right. On. Huge kudos to you for encouraging her (and us) and for inviting her to keep you up to date. Thank you for sharing this.
What wonderful advice. I would add to listen to the streaming videos over several times, take notes, and apply those notes to your story. I started with the Hero’s Two Journeys, then went to Grabbing the Reader in the First Ten Pages, then Writing Powerful Movie Scenes, This is six videos total and offers a great foundation. The great thing about the streaming videos is you can listen to them over and over. I listen to them whenever I can so the message sinks in and becomes knowledge that is part of the subconscious and not just “book knowledge” or boxes to be checked on a list, but something I know on a deeper level without thinking about it.. After these six, I would follow through with Writing Romantic Comedies and Love Stories because, as Michael says in this video, every story can be enhanced by adding a love story, I so appreciate Michael creating these wonderful and encouraging tools for writers.