We’re in a time of change in the entertainment industry. It might feel slow and challenging right now, but things are opening up. Projects are being sold. Rooms are being filled. So what can writers do to grab onto that momentum?
Remember these three words, “Why not you?” It’s empowering advice from Carole Kirschner, Director of the WGA Showrunner Training Program, creator of the Paramount Writers Mentoring Program and author of Hollywood Game Plan, a strategy-filled guide to starting out in Hollywood. Carole is also an integral part of the Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest, and has been mentoring Big Break winners for years to help them create a personalized game plan for leveraging their contest win.
Having worked with writers from those just getting started to seasoned pros, Kirschner shared her tips for what works to keep motivated and encouraged as a creative.
Concentrate On What You Can Control
When it comes to a career in entertainment, so much is out of your control. Putting your focus on the things you can is how you can keep moving forward. According to Kirschner:
“There’s only two things over which you have control. One is improving your craft. You became a writer because you love writing, so do the thing you love and keep getting better at it. The other is meeting new people and growing your community of mutually beneficial relationships… if you bring your energy and enthusiasm to that, you greatly improve your chances of ‘running into’ luck and timing, which are such a big part of success.”
As far as craft, Kirschner encouraged:
“You have to swing for the fences, that’s the only thing that’s going to get noticed. If you can write something that somebody else could write, don’t write that because it just won’t stand out. Write something only you can write, that’s from your life experience, that is from your perspective, because that’s the thing that’ll set you apart and you need to set yourself apart.”
Read More: Inserting Your Personal Life Into Your Screenplay
Create Opportunity
Take the initiative to look for new opportunities and outlets. Kirschner detailed:
“There’s something called themed entertainment, which is a big growing business. It encompasses theme park rides, but also immersive events. They’re taking IP and making it a live immersive event. It’s a new field and they’re looking for writers.”
In addition to exploring new avenues, Kirschner recommended writers make something of their own. Be inventive. Be creative. Use your phone. You never know where that can go. Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl started as a web series and turned into Insecure, a huge hit for HBO.
“Give yourself your own big break and it should get you enthusiastic. It should keep up your energy. Get your friends and make new friends to help you shoot it and get it out there.”
Set Goals
An excellent way to keep rolling is to set goals and then do the work to accomplish them. An accountability partner, a friend or family member to support you as you set a plan and then take action, can be instrumental for achieving goals.
“Do something that I call ‘bookending,’ which is when you have a task that you don’t want to do because it’s hard or scary, and you reach out to that person and say, ‘I have to make this scary phone call. Even though I don’t want to, I’m going to make this scary phone call.’ Then you do the task, make the phone call. As soon as you do, you contact your accountability partner again and you say, ‘I did it.’ And they say, ‘Yay! Congrats.’ So you’re not really doing that hard thing alone. Or it can be, ‘I’m starting my 3 hour writing block.’ You write for 3 hours and then let your accountability partner know you finished.”
The support you surround yourself with also makes a difference. Kirschner reminded:
“It’s the people you know who will support you on your career journey. Do your best to hang with people who have good attitudes, because people do break in every day. It can be you if you do the things over which you have control and spend time with people who believe that and believe in you.”
Identify What Motivates You
Motivations can vary depending where writers are in their careers. It’s important to identify and embrace what works best for you. For example, for established writers, there’s nothing more motivating than a paycheck. Kirschner elaborated:
“When you’re on deadline, that’ll motivate you. Now the upside is money and getting your project out there, but the downside is people are giving you notes and the thing you started with may not be the thing you end up with.”
A huge motivator in setting a goal to write and finish a project as an up-and-coming writer is the freedom to write what you want and tell stories you love. Kirschner explained:
“If you’re an emerging writer and writing something on spec, you get to do the exact movie, the exact pilot, the exact show you want to do. So revel in that and enjoy that and know that there will come a time, probably sooner rather than later, where you’re going to have notes, but right now it’s going to be the thing you love.”
Read More: Writing Motivation: Tips From Pro Screenwriters
Turn Negatives Into Positives
Rejection is a normal part of pursuing a career as a writer. Coping with a pass or tough notes can be difficult. Kirschner offered advice from her own life and her belief in the wallowing rule.
“I was working at a very cool company and my contract didn’t get picked up. I was devastated. So I spent a week lying on the couch watching reality shows, eating ice cream, buying shoes and driving around town crying to my favorite sad song and my husband said, ‘This is great. You’re feeling your feelings. Wallow in it. Then tomorrow, stop wallowing and get up and get your next opportunity.’ Which I did. So, I believe you need to feel those feelings. It’s really important to feel that hurt, that rejection and then pick yourself up and move on.”
A no isn’t the end of your journey. It’s a step. A stop along the way. Kirschner noted:
“If something doesn’t happen, if you don’t get that job, then maybe you weren’t meant to. There just might be something better ahead for you. I’ve seen that happen plenty of times.”
When things are going well, build on that momentum. Use that opportunity to reach out to every person you know and that you’ve met with and use the subject line of “Good News!” Kirschner advocated:
“It’s a way to stay on those people’s radar. And then just a sentence about the good thing that happened. If the person to whom you’re reaching out to had even the slightest thing to do with your success, thank them enthusiastically.”
How does this spark momentum? Somebody might like you and you’ve had a great meeting with them, but it’s been months. Your good news is a refresher and brings you back to top of mind. They might happen to be looking to hire someone for a project and now your name is front and center for them.
Read More: Embracing Failure Is A Screenwriter’s Greatest Tool
Have Self-Compassion
Staying focused on goals is important, but writers can sometimes get blinders and forget about having a life outside of writing. Kirschner related:
“In order to write you have to have a life. There has to be something beyond watching television and writing scripts. You need that to have fresh input and creativity and you also need that to have a balanced life.”
Taking care of yourself can be as simple as stepping away from your computer to go for a walk, take a yoga class, grab coffee, get a massage, meditation, anything to change things up and experience life. Eating right and exercise also bring benefits to your creativity and effectiveness.
Additionally, rewards for accomplishments are vital for having longevity in this business.
“When you finish anything, whether it gets recognized or not, you should give yourself a treat. Maybe it’s getting that sweater that you saw or an inexpensive massage or a cupcake, or go for a hike on your favorite trail. Something that says you did it! Congratulations. And mark it because it’s so easy to go, great, great, yeah, okay, on to the next thing.”
Create A Community
Writing can be isolating. Much like the momentum-building benefits self-compassion can bring, having a positive, and supportive, community of writers can help so much.
“It’s important to do something social like getting out of your apartment at least once a week. Find people you can take a walk with. Find people you can do yoga with. Find people you could do happy hour with. I know people that go to the same coffee shop so they can write together. They don’t even talk that much. Their laptops just are touching each other and they’re writing. It just is for a sense that you’re not in it by yourself.”
Equally essential is to have a support group that isn’t part of the business. Kirschner emphasized:
“They may not know exactly what you’re going through, but they know who you are. And as you get more successful, it’s important to keep those people in your life.”
Part of being in a community means mutual support. It’s not a one-way effort. Approach your writing pursuits with kindness, compassion, thoughtfulness and generosity. As Kirschner put it:
“Being of service to other people, giving, will help you stay motivated because it’ll get you out of yourself and into helping other people. Encourage somebody else and that will help you stay encouraged.”
For ongoing strategies for navigating entertainment, follow Carole Kirschner on Instagram or visit carolekirschner.com.
You can also hear Carole on the Final Draft Write On podcast.