For screenwriters, the start of a new year feels like you’re standing at the base of a mountain, surrounded by intimidating peaks. To get over the mountain, you’re going to have to figure out which peak you’re going to climb first.
Screenwriters see:
- New Concepts
- New Feature Scripts
- New TV Pilots
- Rewrites
- Half-Finished Drafts
- Lingering Outlines
Which screenwriting peak are you going to climb? It’s like a blank screen and a blinking cursor staring back at you - both intimidating and exhilarating.
What to write next remains one of the most misunderstood decisions a screenwriter faces. Many screenwriters settle on whatever idea seems to be the loudest in their minds that week. Others chase trends they think Hollywood wants. Some revisit old scripts for the wrong reasons, while others freeze like a deer in front of headlights because they don’t know which direction will get them closer to their screenwriting goals and dreams.
A new year is the perfect moment to step back and assess not just what you want to write, but what you should be writing. It also showcases who you are as a writer right now - your strengths, your weaknesses, your voice, your ambitions, your wants, and your needs. You’ll also be able to look at the year ahead to see opportunities in your regular work and family schedule to find the necessary time to write what you choose to write.
The script you choose next shouldn’t be a random selection from available options. It should be a deliberate strategic move that aligns your motivation with your screenwriting career goals.
Don’t let that take away from the excitement though. Remember, motivation also comes from the joy of doing something you love.
Here are some ways to help you choose the perfect screenwriting project to launch your year with purpose, clarity, and momentum. You can also use this guide during any time of the year that finds you in need of choosing the next script path you venture down.
1. Start By Asking Yourself, “Where Am I in My Screenwriting Journey Now?”
Most writers skip this step because self-evaluation isn’t always fun. It’s also a bit abstract too when you’re first starting out. Here’s the truth: the stage you’re at as a writer determines the type of project that will keep you motivated, committed, and propel you forward.
- Beginners (writing their first screenplay) need scripts that will teach them the fundamentals of structure, pacing, character arcs, and voice.
- Intermediates (writing their second or third screenplay) need scripts that refine their storytelling instincts while matching them with desirable genres and concepts in Hollywood’s eyes.
- Advanced Screenwriters (writing fourth, fifth, and sixth scripts) need scripts that will elevate their brand based on analyzed strengths and proven successes (placement in contests, queries that led to successful reads, possible options or deals).
- Pro Screenwriters (those who have had paid contracts via assignments or spec sales) continue on with available assignments or choose to write specs that could position them for the next stage of their career.
You can’t choose your next project until you acknowledge your current trajectory.
- Are you ready to tackle something bigger?
- Have you done the epic thing and now want to try something more contained?
- Do you want to challenge yourself by taking on a new genre?
- Is there a script you’ve been too scared to write, but one you may be ready to take on?
- Is there something more personal that you need to get out?
Try to spend some time self-evaluating. It’s not always about what script hit, what failed, and your mistakes or triumphs. Sometimes it’s evaluating where you are inside - mentally and emotionally. And then, sometimes, it’s about where you are after looking at where you want or need to be on your screenwriting journey.
Maybe you’re starting to see that you need to write something that Hollywood wants, while finding a way to create a hybrid of that and what you want to write.
- A story about a character dealing with personal loss… while on a spaceship headed to Mars.
- A father and son story of forgiveness… while battling terrorists on a cruise ship.
- A coming of age story… amidst a time when a dark wish has made parents in a town vanish.
It’s all about taking a break, looking into a mirror, and giving this important decision some due focus and attention to detail.
Screenwriting isn’t always a linear ladder. Some years push you forward aggressively while others force you to slow down to deepen your craft. You’ll also have some years that break you down enough to force you to build yourself back up anew.
The peak you choose will decide the journey you take, so choose one that matches your current strengths, passion, and stamina.
2. Clarify Your Screenwriting Goals for the Year
Not every screenplay serves the same purpose.
- Some scripts build your portfolio for a future querying push.
- Other scripts are written to open Hollywood doors now.
- Some help you reset after being burned out by chasing Hollywood trends.
- Some work as stepping stones to even better scripts.
Don’t expect every script to do all of these for you. Instead, focus on trying to clarify your goals for the year ahead. What do you want this next script to accomplish for you?
Maybe you want:
- A script that will place in specific genre screenwriting contests or film festival competitions.
- A script that could attract representation.
- A script that’s more commercial for major studios, networks, and streamers.
- A script that re-energizes your passion for writing.
- A script that is something familiar (which Hollywood and audiences love), but with a new angle or twist.
- A clever genre blend.
- A script that takes chances and offers Hollywood what they didn’t know they needed.
Any and all of these types of scripts are great to have in your stack.
Here’s something to remember - there’s no wrong answer. If your goal is to sell a script, that’s not selling out. If your goal is to rediscover your joy of screenwriting, that’s not avoiding the industry. These are elements of clarity and survival you need in your screenwriting mindset.
The key thing is to have a plan. One thing that has worked for many screenwriters, including working pros? Write one script for them, and one for you.
3. Should You Chase Trends or Avoid Them?
In the end, unless you’re writing scripts as a hobby, you are trying to write something that sells - or something that at least gets you noticed for potential assignments.
The easiest way to do that is to look at the previous year and see what Hollywood trends are amiss. Chasing trends is a slippery slope though.
If you chase trends too late, you’re already too far behind. Hollywood knows the trends before the movies even come out. They’ve already acquired trend chasing scripts, or they’ve already produced them. If you’re not a known pro screenwriter yet, you’re already well behind the pack when it comes to chasing trends.
The solution to this problem is two-fold.
First, you can write what seems to be a trend chaser, but put a unique spin or twist on it that stands out.
- Blend genres
- Inject more unique characters into otherwise familiar tropes
- Find ways to subvert expectations
This all starts with the logline though. That special element has to be present in the logline from the get-go, otherwise it will be mistaken as a trend chaser amongst dozens of others.
Second, don’t chase a trend. Instead, give Hollywood something they didn’t know they wanted or needed.
- Look back at old trends long forgotten or dismissed - and reinvent them.
- Analyze current trends and see why they turned on audiences so much, and then find ways to create a new potential want or need in the market with similar elements.
If you’ve spent years writing scripts Hollywood might want, maybe this is the year to recalibrate and try something different. If you’ve spent years trying to be different and unique, maybe it’s time to play in the Hollywood sandbox and take those strengths and inject them into hot trends and genres.
4. Is This the Year to Tackle the Passion Script That’s Been Haunting You?
Every writer has that one idea. The one that lives in the background. The one you keep jotting mental or physical notes for but never touch because it feels too big, or too personal, or too difficult. The one you’re afraid you’re not ready for.
Is it time to say, “What am I waiting for?”
If the idea keeps haunting your thoughts each year, if you keep seeing or creating additional scenes in your head for it while working on other projects, or if you feel a tug towards it every time you start deciding what to write next, it may be time to finally listen to those whispers.
Passion projects get undervalued because they may not always fit with Hollywood’s perceived wants and needs.
However, your passion project might be the script that defines your voice and gives Hollywood what they didn’t know they wanted or needed.
Even if it doesn’t sell, isn’t a contest darling, or is too unconventional for most, it could be the script that makes someone say, “I don’t know if I can produce this, but I want to read whatever you write next.”
Scripts like these can build careers because they introduce you. When people connect with that - be it agents, managers, development execs, or producers - they will want to see what else you have, and what you write next. And they may stumble upon projects where they need someone like you to take it on.
But always remember - there still needs to be cinematic structure in these scripts. There needs to be ongoing conflict, a narrative engine to pull readers through the script, and something that fits comfortably into general guidelines and expectations of a feature film.
5. But Remember, You Need Those Commercial Options
Commercial isn’t about writing something hollow and lifeless. It’s about writing something intentional with a proven large audience in mind. Concepts that get butts in seats and remotes clicking, because that’s what studios, networks, and streamers want and need most.
A commercial script usually involves:
- A clear and compelling concept (logline) that Hollywood and audiences get within a sentence or two.
- A popular genre (horror, thriller, action, rom-coms, high concept comedy)
- A protagonist with a specific hook (flaw, profession, motive)
- A story engine that drives tension, thrills, or comedy throughout
- A budget-friendly script
But the biggest piece of advice for commercial scripts is key - write something that only you could write within that commercial framework.
What that entails is not just writing a basic commercial concept that we’ve all seen before. It’s about writing new angles and twists on otherwise familiar commercial genres.
If you want to write a contained thriller, don’t just write a contained thriller. Write something special. Give it an emotional edge.
When you decide to write a commercial or high concept script, it isn’t about fitting a mold. It’s about bringing your voice to a familiar playground.
These kinds of scripts are great because they force you to pay attention to discipline, clarity, and market awareness.
- Study the genre
- Read scripts within that genre
- Watch movies to see what’s been done and what you could do differently
It’s always great to have at least a couple solid commercial or high concept scripts in your pocket. Preferably more.
Choose Your Next Script with Some Strategic Thought
If there’s one take away point from all of the above, it’s that you should always be making these decisions with some strategic thought. Writing a script is a commitment. You put a lot of time and effort into each screenplay you write, so you need to choose, but choose wisely.