5 Steps To Grow From Amateur to Professional Screenwriter

I became a screenwriter because of a felony. Not mine, but one that changed my career forever. Fresh off the high of publishing my debut sci-fi novel, Space Unicorn Blues, my publisher requested a second book in the series. I was ecstatic to finally realize my dream of making a living as a writer. As is customary, my literary agency received my advance for the action-packed sequel... except they didn't pass the money along to me. I asked. I demanded. I threatened. No money arrived.

The literary agency quietly closed its doors, leaving many authors unpaid. The owners accused each other of embezzlement in separate lawsuits. The cases are winding their way through New York Supreme Court, but myself and the other cheated authors are unlikely to ever see a dime.

I'll admit, I marinated in anger and grief for a long time. I couldn't even bear to read a novel, let alone write one. Eventually, I landed on a path forward through the wisdom of modern-day philosopher-queen Beyoncé: "Always stay gracious, best revenge is your paper." I pivoted to screenwriting.

I arrived on the scene with extensive writing experience (and a tougher skin) but zero knowledge of the film and television industry. What's a logline? How do you tell a story in 20,000 words instead of 100,000? Should slug lines be bold? I needed to educate myself, fast. Luckily for me, the first place I found was Stage 32. I didn't know it at the time, but I had just discovered one of the best resources available to take a screenwriter from a newbie to a pro. Here are the first five things I did to get myself ready to be a screenwriter...

1. Educate yourself

Back in the 1930s, you could scrawl a movie idea onto the back of your grocery list, send it via post to Louis B. Mayer in Hollywood and if someone in his office liked it, a check would arrive in the mail for $25. You didn't need much more than a synopsis and a stamp.

Today's screenwriter needs to be a lot savvier about the business. Gone are the days when you could sneak onto a studio lot and drop your manuscript on the desk of a secretary and end up making a feature film. There are gatekeepers at every step of the way and you need to navigate the process with professionalism and skill.

I started my education by watching Stage 32 webinars. I learned the basics of formatting, the difference between agents and managers, how to behave on a set, and how to structure a visual story. I assembled a master list of every Stage 32 webinar I wanted to watch (two years later, I'm still working my way through the list).

2. Find your squad

People call this “networking,” but really you should find people who are coming up with you and forge relationships that may someday become collaborations. You’re not going to meet James Cameron in an elevator and end up writing Titanic II. It’s much more likely that the person you befriend on social media and meet a few times for coffee will put your name into the mix for an assistant job they heard about.

These days, especially post-lockdown, there are incredible opportunities for writers outside of Los Angeles to join the conversation online. I started with the Stage 32 Writers’ Room. I lurk a lot, jumping in when I feel I can contribute something meaningful, but I read the discussion every morning. Every class is an opportunity to connect with fellow students. Several of my writing groups began as classmates. We simply continued to check in regularly. It’s been incredible to watch my friends’ projects blossom from ideas to the screen!

3. Hone your discipline

Every writer stumbles upon moments of brilliance, but the trick is knowing how to tap into that spark on demand. Especially if you intend to work in the demanding world of television. There’s no time to wait for a muse to appear when your episode is due.

I use co-writing as a way to train myself to write when it’s time to write, not when I feel like it. The Writers’ Room offers several live co-working sessions each week to get you going. My own virtual writing group meets weekly to cheer our successes, commiserate over failures, and write for three hours. All it takes is one other person and an agreement to show up.

4. Level up

Once I understood the basics and I was writing regularly, the next step was to ensure that my skills were undeniable. Screenwriting is highly competitive. There are so many writers vying for so few slots, people have quipped that it’s statistically easier to get into the NBA than the Writer’s Guild of America.

The best way to stand out is to find your voice and lean into it. I write quirky, weird stories that tend toward comedy… even my dramas are infused with dark humor. Do I wish I could write brooding dramas that win Oscars? Sure. But my voice is more Everything Everywhere All at Once than Million Dollar Baby. You’re not going to succeed by imitating other people, so find what you do best and do it well.

One of the best ways to hone your skills is an in-depth, multi-week class. I took a six-week lab with Spencer Robinson and wrote my first television pilot. I got notes from industry executives and I found a mentor. I rewrote my scripts so many times that I stopped listening to what my ego wanted and I started hearing what the story needed.

5. Take shots on the goal

At this point, I had stories I was proud of, in my distinct voice, that represented my perspective as a queer, autistic woman… but no one had seen them.

I entered my first script in as many contests as I could find. To my surprise and delight, my script The Last Good Soraya earned top ten finalist spot in both the Stage 32 Romantic Comedy Screenwriting Contest and the Stage 32 Feature Comedy Screenwriting Contest. Because of the finalist lookbook, I met with a producer and we started developing the project and bringing it to directors.

Now I had a new mission… I had to quickly learn how to take meetings and how to pitch producers. I went right back to step one and researched a whole new slate of topics. I got script coverage, entered contests, and sent my work to open writing assignments. Since those first contest wins, I’ve written two other features and two pilots. My latest feature just received a Double Recommend from a Stage 32 reader and will be in next month’s lookbook.

Everyone’s journey to the screen takes a different path, but I’ve found that Stage 32 is consistently the one place where I can educate myself, meet other industry people, distill my craft, and get my work in front of people who are looking for great stories. This is where it all comes together. See you in the Writers’ Room!

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Got an idea for a post? Or have you collaborated with Stage 32 members to create a project? We'd love to hear about it. Email Emily at blog@stage32.com and let's get your post published!

Please help support your fellow Stage 32ers by sharing this on social. Check out the social media buttons at the top to share on Instagram @stage32 , Twitter @stage32 , Facebook @stage32 , and LinkedIn @stage-32 .