Screenwriting dreams locked away by life

Believe it or not, your unaccomplished screenwriting dreams are locked away in a vault, in an undisclosed location waiting to break free. What do you do to find this vault, and then unlock it? It is no simple task to become a screenwriter. But, however, passionate writers are up for this competition. They know what needs to be done in order to deliver their screenwriting dreams to Hollywood. With that idea in play, we can focus on our screenwriting dreams that are locked away by life.

Ever wonder why so many aspiring screenwriters fail to option screenplays that are made into movies shown on the silver screen. It is hard to option a screenplay. The right ingredients must be mixed together to whip up a decent movie. When we say decent, we mean that not all movies are good. Bad movies get optioned, get made, and get produced into real movies. 

Any movie that enters the box office is a success. It doesn't matter if these movies are good or bad. Thousands of screenplays reach Hollywood each year, but only a small fraction of those are optioned. Statistically, a smaller fraction of those are actually made into movies. How do we write what we know and make this interesting to option? 

Look at all the things you've done in life. Jobs you've taken. People you know. Stupid obstacles that make you laugh. Stories told to you. What you see on the street. Listen to at work. What is reported in the news. These premise ideas are there for you to seize, to capture, to make into movies. No more waiting for the perfect screenplay, to make this script right.

Lets look at the startup industry. Why do tech companies continue to search for software engineers? You'd think these startups are represented by top talents in their field. Well, they are stocked up. It never hurts to advertise and find another talented individual to join the team. 

Screenwriting works this way. Hollywood knows there are hundreds of unsolicited scripts stored in computers. These movies can easily make Hollywood millions of dollars in the box office. The problem here is locating these commercial screenplays that have the right ingredients. Diamonds in the rough are hard to come by, so for reason alone the major players are searching long and hard. 

We know your life can be interesting, though not the simple moments where you share a beer and talking about sports. We're talking about those stupid moments where you look up to the sky and yell. These are funny events, funny obstacles that make us life.

We live those real moments. We dislike the odds that are stacked up against us. We complain about our lives. When we watch these scenes at the movies, we can relate to them. We identify with these characters. We empathize with tear-jerking moments. Humanizing characters and telling a creative story are tricks to complete a quality screenplay.

It really sucks that these dumb obstacles put in every road are what hold us back from reaching Hollywood. This material sells. People enjoy watching these events play out on the silver screen. Add an unexpected twist at the end and now you have a dynamic piece of work. Start from the ending and move the story between this beginning to that big end. Interconnect these events with an ensemble cast that have a deep connection and this shows Hollywood you are a great screenwriter. 

You see, you can do it, too. Instead of investing all your time into writing that perfect screenplay, you can search for that screenwriting safe and unlock those ideas, events, experiences, jobs, family reunion disasters, and everything else known as life. Life may hold you back, but it will give you an edge. The scariest of moments, the funnest experiences, and the tough hardships you face, are what makes screenwriting worthwhile. If these scripts are written right, using the best techniques, these screenplays will sell. Screenwriters must write often, write religiously, and write with a mission to option their scripts.  

Think about these scenarios. A coder writes decent codes to make a mediocre website that lacks a theme. However, highly skilled coders write brilliant codes to create a dynamic app like Instagram. A team of coders write basic codes to keep a simple social networking website like Facebook operable. It is because Facebook gives people that 15 minutes of fame every day, that is what keeps this social networking company running. Facebook is the heart, whereas all its companies are outlets to expand their service base. Scroll down the board to see all those people happily sharing their lives.  

People want to tell their life stories. They want attention. They believe their life makes a good book. If this story is told wrong, then it lacks interest. The screenwriters who understand basic script formatting, basic storytelling, and know which events to include, will sell their screenplays in Hollywood. Don't listen to negative people. Locate that safe filled with unique, original ideas, and unlock these scenes, these moments called life. If you can do this, you will win in Hollywood. 

Be Selfish with Your Time

Screenwriters must value their time to write great scripts. Time is of the essence. Don't allow any person to influence your time and block you from accomplishing success as a screenwriter.

Screenwriting is not an easy craft to master. It's not because a writer is not talented enough, is because you must protect yourself from family, friends, co-workers and strangers that use negativity as empowerment to disrupt you. They believe success is based on immediate results, so writing is viewed as a struggling art that lacks substance and profitability. Their first impression of you is that you're dreaming and can't compete against what they believe are highly talented professionals.

Little do these people know that your writing can earn you a good living. People are quick to judge. If you don't drive a fancy car and own a home, you are considered a failure.

Education doesn't matter to these people. Some people have said that college degrees make good toilet paper. It is the mere fact that if you're not earning money and hold a quality education, then this is frowned upon. People form an image of you as being unreliable to search for realistic jobs. They see you as dreamer who doesn't want to wake up to reality.

What if you have already developed a writing portfolio? You've probably written quality projects. While these writing samples are out there, making a name for oneself can actually be compromised. Writers must survive, which is the reason they take money rather than credit. In result, the writer is prevented from showcasing all their past writing work and this may impact their job hunt.

Family, friends, co-workers and strangers can become antagonists that make you feel insecure about your screenwriting goals. These people may represent conflict, obstacles and challenges which resemble structured scenes in screenplays.

Be selfish with your time and don't give your time away so easily. Never let this negativity, this jealousy block your success. Your dream is about your happiness. Think of all the people in the world that can benefit from your stories. Thus, your dream makes many people smile. It makes them ambiguous. It inspires and motivates them to dream like you and everyone else.

You wasting time trying to please others may hurt your chances. It really depends on the attitudes that surround you. If people look down at you, then you are fighting an impossible battle. Screenwriters need to survive in the moment until their scripts are optioned and/or if another writing project arrives that keeps the income streaming in.

For most screenwriters, consistency is never a dependable theme. It's sad to say that money and lack of support kill screenwriting dreams. Those screenwriters who can overcome these major challenges will reach the top. It is true that the odds are against you. They really are. Not for the reason you think with lacking talent, instead this setback is lacking support.

Protect your dream. Utilize time management to treat your screenwriting dream like a job. If you're not a working screenwriter, your screenwriting is primarily your future job and career. Schedule time to write. Don't let people deter you because they will instill fear and doubt in your mind. If you allow this to happen, you don't really want to become a successful screenwriter.

Be selfish with your time. Treat your screenwriting like a job. People don't usually bother others that go to work. They may bother you because they think you're just a writer and nothing is happening in your life. Don't believe this. Everything is happening.

Tell them you have to work. You have projects to complete. In time, your dream of becoming a screenwriter will gain traction and people will watch your work unfold. Just believe in yourself and never falter on fears. Screenwriting is your journey to teach people about real life, real struggles and real dreams.

We are capable of reaching dreams. Our passion and desire rely on time. We have a certain amount of time allotted to this dream before we must move on. Just like movies, we can keep the audience in the movie theater forever. Your time matters most, so don't waste it on people who want to sabotage your dreams, your success, your happiness.

***A good movie to watch about a real-life character experiencing unfortunate events and reaching a dream is The Pursuit of Happyness. Perseverance and persistence are the foundation to prosperity.   

Know your characters

Great screenwriting is building realistic characters that walk and talk like real life people. Your experience as a human is valuable to write characters that people can relate to and understand. Infusing scripts with these unique characters make watching movies refreshing and memorable. 

How can beginning screenwriters construct these genuine characters? Survey people in a library, at school and at public places. Take notes on nonverbal communication, movement, and gestures. This is a popular sociology tool to learn social interaction. Next, concentrate on writing visual scenes and withhold any dialogue to gain insight on good visual acuity. Lastly, practice writing only dialogue. 

Use the notes taken from surveying people and fill in the details with imaginative dialogue, storytelling, and movements. Nonetheless, continue writing movie scripts based on imaginary situations connected to your real life. What is unique to you that is most interesting? 

Happy screenwriting!