No one likes New Year’s resolutions. Sure, we might be excited to set some new screenwriting goals, but ultimately, we almost always fall short of our own expectations by the end of the year.
So, let’s not talk about resolutions. Let’s talk about how screenwriters should welcome the start of a new year.
hollywood reset
Hollywood is mostly closed between late November and New Year’s Day. It’s not worth promoting anything in December for several reasons:
- People are on vacation.
- Production is working hard to wrap up before the holidays.
- The budget has been spent.
Once January rolls around, Hollywood resets. It’s a new fiscal year. The holidays are over. Everyone is returning to work.
Now is the time that screenwriters should be ready to recalibrate themselves and their writing.
With that in mind, here are some pro screenwriting tips on how to start writing in the new year.
Review the successes, setbacks and failures of the past year
If you view scripting as more of a hobby, pastime, or experiment, keep writing. have fun!
However, if you really want to give it a try Profession In screenwriting, you need to approach things in a more organized and focused way.
What successes have you had?
Looking back on the past year, you can measure varying degrees of success. Have you ever…
- Producing a script?
- Selling a script?
- Hired for a writing assignment?
- Pitching to any major studios?
- Received a reply to your cold inquiry?
- Have a lot of professionals read your script?
- Have you won any screenwriting contests, competitions, or scholarships?
- Did you put it in?
- Did you get any positive feedback?
- Any scripts completed?
It’s important to look back on your screenwriting accomplishments (both big and small) so you can follow up on any potential leads you get, reconnect with industry connections you’ve made, and, overall, study As you try to take the next step, draw inspiration from your successes.
What setbacks and failures have you encountered?
You have to fail before you can win. This is how you learn. But you won’t learn anything if you don’t look back and study your setbacks and failures and ask yourself the following questions:
Embrace failure. Embrace rejection. Use them as tools to improve your writing and scripts.
Read more: The Screenwriter’s Ultimate Guide to Rejection
How to set screenwriting goals for the year
Let’s break down four ways screenwriters can reboot or upgrade their career goals this year.
1. Set specific screenwriting goals
What do you want to achieve in this blessed new year? What is your goal?
- Do you want to complete a screenplay?
- Do you want to complete multiple scripts?
- Do you want representation?
- Do you want to have all-hands meetings with studios, production companies, talent agencies and management companies?
- Do you want to improve your writing skills?
- Do you want to tackle different genres?
If you don’t set goals at the beginning of the year, you won’t have any direction. You need something to set your compass.
Figure out what you want to do this year. Write your goals down somewhere. Be prepared to accept and take responsibility.
2. Challenge yourself with screenwriting goals
Complacency is poison in the screenwriting journey. It’s easy to stick with something you’re good at or enjoy. People from all walks of life do it every day and suffer from it.
To commit to your screenwriting journey, you need to constantly challenge yourself. You do this to A) keep yourself motivated and B) better yourself as a writer.
- Take on a new genre.
- Try to find ways to blend the two genres together to attract more interest.
- Set yourself tighter deadlines (see below).
- Try to reduce each script you write to 10 pages.
When you challenge yourself, you also open up more possibilities for your screenwriting career.
3. Set stricter script deadlines
When we talk about screenplay deadlines, the best professional advice I can give is to tell screenwriters to learn how to write within professional deadlines.
Most professional contracts are only for screenwriters one month Complete a script. Of course, if you get into a guild and start working with major studios, networks, and streamers, you might get three months Finish a script – but trust me, most real contracts give you much less time.
Don’t be intimidated. Don’t be scared away. Accept this reality and learn how to complete a screenplay in a month.
Read more: 10-Day Screenplay Solution: Learn How to Write Fast
4. Develop annual marketing plan
You’re not going to have any screenwriting career if you don’t try to get your script into the hands of decision-makers or people you can introduce to them.
You need to develop a solid marketing plan:
- How many scripts will be pitched this year?
- How many Hollywood contacts do you have in your network?
- How to establish more industry links?
- What tools and techniques can you use to get more?
Read more: 3 maps screenwriters can use to build industry networks
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You don’t have to make a bunch of New Year’s resolutions to implement them. When it comes to your screenwriting journey, you just have to take a step back, look at the big picture of things, and set realistic screenwriting goals that work to your advantage rather than against you.
Wish you good luck and have a wonderful year!
Read more: 5 Effective Professional Screenwriting Tips, Shortcuts and Tricks
Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.
As a production writer, he participated in numerous studio meetings with companies such as Sony, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, Disney, Warner Bros., and numerous production and management companies. He previously signed a development deal with Lionsgate and has taken on various writing assignments, including producing the miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Hayley Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric Larsa and Bruce Bucklina star in the thriller Hunter’s Creed, as well as many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @ken电影and Instagram @KenMovies76.
