1) Fear of getting your idea stolen – Fear of getting your idea stolen is so synonomous with being a beginner that it’s a dead giveaway to your newbie-ness (the second I see a copyright number on the title page I know FOR A FACT that the script will not just be bad, but one of the most terrible scripts I read all year). You have to realize that in Hollywood, people are exchanging thousands of ideas all day long without worrying about those ideas getting stolen. Why? Because what’s the alternative? Keeping your ideas to yourself? Is the goal to have your idea die with you so you can brag in your will, “Haha! No one got their hands on my great movie idea!” The only way that anything is going to happen with your idea is if you get it out there, someone hears it and says, “Ooh, that sounds good, I want to take a look at that.” Otherwise, you’re hoarding an idea that probably isn’t as amazing as you think it is in the first place for no other reason than you’re irrationally petrified.
2) Dialogue – We talked about this the other day. Dialogue isn’t nearly as important as THE SITUATION that dictates the dialogue. Set up a good scene and good dialogue will flow. The exceptions are genres that celebrate dialogue, such as rom-coms, teen movies, and quirky character pieces.
3) Getting an agent – An agent cannot do ANYTHING for you if you’re not ready. In fact, an agent will even have trouble helping you if the last project you sold was a year ago. The only time an agent is good for you is when you’re desired by production companies that are coming to them with offers for your services. Once you are making an agent money, they will help you find the best project, send your scripts out with confidence, even get you onto projects you weren’t initially considered for. But let me stress that you first must MAKE THEM MONEY on a consistent basis for this to happen. If I had a dime for every time I heard a repped writer tell me their agent won’t return their calls, I could buy my own agency. Always be your own content generator and marketer first. When the buzz on your writing gets big enough, the agent will find you.
4) An emotional obsession with others’ success – There is this obsession by a large swath of screenwriters with any project that has been purchased, developed, produced or done well at the box office that they think “sucks.” I want to say this as gently as possible: WHO THE FUCK CARES!!?? If you’re so concerned with what everybody else is doing, you’re not putting your energy into what really matters, which is your own content. Listen, I hate that Transformers is a major franchise too. But how does that help me become a better writer? It doesn’t. It’s wasted energy is what it is. So stop worrying about it. Yes, you want to be aware of what’s doing well from a strategic point of view. But don’t let it emotionally encroach upon your screenwriting.
5) “Good writing” – Who the freck cares if your script is well-written? I don’t. And neither does Hollywood. All anybody cares about is IF YOU’VE WRITTEN AN ENGAGING STORY. I always ask writers, what story would you rather hear? A homeless person give you a rundown of how he just witnessed the president get assassinated? Or Stephen King tell you how he spilled his coffee on his new pants this morning? It doesn’t matter who the writer is if the story is weak. Whoever has the best story stands the best chance at engaging the reader.
6) The Nicholl – This antiquated contest is way past its prime. It celebrates non-marketable winners in an industry that’s obsessed with marketability. And while a few winners have gone on to have successful careers, not nearly enough do for a contest that has the highest number of submissions. What the Nicholl IS good for is seeing where you rank amongst your peers. It tells you what percentile you ranked in, which is typically accurate, and therefore allows you to gauge your progress as a writer. But as far as what the contest can do for you if you win, so many other contests have risen up over the years that give you much better industry access if you come out on top.
7) Talent – Talent is important. Don’t get me wrong. But it is NOT the most important factor for success. I’ve read lots of writers with talent who never went anywhere because they overestimated the importance of their talent and didn’t do the other things necessary to find success. I specifically remember a conversation a year ago with a recent Ivy League grad who was a talented writer. He shared with me his struggles. “I just don’t understand it,” he said. “I’ve succeeded in every aspect of my life. Why is this so hard?” Hmm, I thought. Well, for starters, you’ve been at this for all of SEVEN FUCKING MONTHS. Maybe that has something to do with it. But I didn’t say that out loud. What I did say was that the important components to screenwriting success are hard work and perseverance. This is the most technical of all the writing formats, which means it’s the least dependent on raw talent. You have to learn how to navigate the limited and awkward format that is screenwriting before you even have a chance at telling a good story. Work hard. Keep learning.
8) Features – I love features. I will continue to pimp them from now until the day I die. But if you’re not aware of a changing industry dictated by a young generation seeking entertainment on more platforms than ever before, you’re limiting yourself. Specifically, TV offers writers an amazing opportunity. You can still tell big stories, but now actually have the TIME to do them justice. Westworld, The Night Before, Stranger Things, Fargo. These writers are telling 6-12 hour movies here, not lame procedural TV shows like they used to make 15 years ago. Take advantage of this, guys. Did you know that the TV industry FREAKED OUT this pilot season because there wasn’t enough content being pitched to them? Keep writing features but don’t rule out television.
I hope these were helpful and feel free to add your own “overrated” observations in the comments section!
