The days when a (white, male) writer could rely on talent and perseverance to create a writing career are long gone. While a lucky few still break through to mainstream financial success, more and more writers are taking control of their destiny. Whether you publish your own work or seek to collaborate with other creatives or publishers, it’s not easy to make it rain. In a post on the Stage 32 blog, Eun Rockwell suggests ways to make your own opportunities.
“No one is responsible for creating opportunities for you more than you are,” Rockwell writes. “Being new and unestablished in this industry means that you have to spread your net as much as possible.” Rockwell’s advice centers screenwriters and the film industry, but there’s much for prose writers as well.
- Carry out extensive research. “You should be actively seeking opportunities,” Rockwell writes. “So, even if you are making several submissions, don’t wait for their response after submitting. Instead, get yourself busy trying to find ways to access industry insiders and companies to cold query.” Contests are another way to get noticed.
- Hire a manager. Unlike an agent, a manager can help a screenwriter improve their craft. In the prose world, this translates to book coach or editor, or someone else you can offer you advice on writing and your career so that you’re ready when opportunities come your way. For some of us, this means trusted friends, writing groups, conferences, and advice blogs.
- Focus on entry-level markets. “One mistake you will be making at this stage of your career is targeting the big-name producers, studios, and production companies,” Rockwell says. Prose writers often make this mistake as well, pitching to Asimov’s or the New Yorker without considering whether you’re ready. Don’t ignore the small press!
- Network. “Networking…is a skill that you must imbibe and learn quickly, even if it appears unappealing to you from the start,” Rockwell notes. “Your manager may be skilled enough to help you out and open a few doors for you, but ultimately, you’re the one who creates your opportunities. So you have to go out and network with people.” Networking in small press or self-publishing is different than hobnobbing in Hollywood, but the principle applies. Instead of looking for opportunities to pitch your screenplay, you might be looking for speaking or reading engagements, book signings, or interviews where you can discuss your work.
- Write excellent scripts. Well, yes, that’s a big help! “The higher the number of excellent scripts you have, the higher your chances of excelling,” Rockwell explains. “It’s not enough to have one good script. Most producers (and agents/managers) in Hollywood will be looking to work with screenwriters that can provide them with a body of work rather than a single piece.” Speaking as a former small press publisher, we developed relationships with a lot of writers who had a strong follow-up to a story or poem we accepted, and they were ready to send it soon after we accepted their earlier submission. (But not too soon. Don’t be grabby.) In Hollywood, if someone likes one script, they are very likely to ask for another.
