A couple weeks ago, I spoke to a Gig Harbor high school film class about screenwriting — the ups and downs I'd experienced. The Downs
As I went along, I realized there were a lot of downs.
• As a writer, lots of people will reject your work — quick possibly for YEARS
• You'll be rewriting countless hours, with no assurances of a sale.
• When someone does buy your script, you will loose creative control.
I left thinking, "I hope I didn't tell them too many downs. I hope I didn't turn anyone against writing. I hope they saw there's a lot of good stuff too."
The Good Stuff
Writing's a personalized journey and the good stuff for one writer is completely different for another. My good stuff? Where do I start?
Working to become a screenwriter has lead to:
• a freelance career
• meeting my husband
• traveling around the world
• wonderful friends and experiences
• and eventually a movie and some money
Class Response
I got the thank you card from the class yesterday. I was hesitant to open it, expecting something like, "Thanks for nothing!!!"
Instead I read, "You truly reminded me that you should absolutely love what you do. Thank you so much!"
It made my day. Despite the downs, I realized I really DO love what I do. How cool is that?
Everything comes with ups and downs. I guess the trick it choose the thing you're passionate about — it'll make the roller coaster ride worth while.
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