How do you measure your success as a scriptwriter? I know what I would answer. What's your answer?
Screenwriting : As a SCREENWRITER, how do you measure your success? by Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal"
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Competitions won? Awards? Must mean you're doing something right, no?
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"writer" on the occupation line of income tax forms as a full time job.
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I measure my success when the audience watching my movies is entertained. If they have a good time, then I have a good time and my job is done.
Don't get me wrong, money is nice too ;)
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At this early point in my career, I measure my success by what I see as improvement in my writing. There are many forms of success, depending on where you are as a writer, and each success spurs you forward, so if I can regularly see that I'm progressing and getting better at my craft, then I feel successful in what I'm trying to do and it inspires me to do better.
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Imho... screenplays are not really written to be read, they are written to be filmed, so having my scripts filmed is my definition of success.
Don't get me wrong, getting paid for said scripts is great, an award or two is awesome and getting hired to write is nice too...
But seeing a script you've written be adapted well is the most rewarding,
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Love this thread.... I like where Dan Guardino is coming from. It's only a piece of the whole. I always try to remember that. Huge for me 'cause I''m obsessed. But I measure my level of screenwriting success, or any endeavor for that matter, specifically by the company I'm keeping in the business. I went from a lonely bedroom screenwriter for 8 years in VA, to an 11 year screenwriter in Denver with a company who just pitched pros in Hollywood, shot it's first short in Jan, shooting it's first feature in the fall. Already have backers, producers, writers, actors lining up for MAD MOUNTAIN.The company I keep today - all champs! I'm doin' alright. When we shot our short, I looked around at the team and broke down like a baby. My first script was being shot. I had to step outside so nobody would see me crying. I guess you could say, I'm happy. Didn't get paid - but - slowly but surely - I'm changing that too. I'm okay with Shawn the Screenwriter, and I'm rolling with Playas today! "Didn't even have to use the AK!' ... Thanks for lettin' me share, Master P and thread :) Life is good.
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Success as a screenwriter? In my mind, that smacks of competition - I've written more than you, I sold more than you, mine sold for more than yours - that sort of thing; not healthy. Success is in my lifestyle - the contentment and happiness that long hard work has bestowed on me. The best revenge is to live life well. Storytelling as in screenwriting comes from the heart and soul and it cannot be measured in any sort of units.
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I have to disagree with Doug. It may be cultural, but success and victory are different. In Aus success is meeting an expectation. I measure of success is gaining the desired emotion from the people that read my work. That may not convert to commercial outcomes. But I can divorce those two concepts in my minds. I am beginning to feel I need to tell my stories in a more commercial way so I can reach I wider audience. But that is just an exercise in ego.
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One step, one scene, once script, one rewrite, one criticism at a time. Each step is a success if it moves you forward.
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There are so many types of success besides "making it big." To answer Phillip's question "how do you measure success as a script writer?"
1. Finishing a well-written screenplay.. Congrats!
2. Having industry people tell you they loved your script. Congrats!
3. Having other writers tell you that your script helped them understand one or more elements of writing better. Congrats!
4. Having a producer/director/writer/actor/exec like your writing. Congrats!
5. Winning or placing in the finals in a contest. Congrats!
6. Having someone option/buy your spec script. Congrats!
7. Having someone pay you to write a script. Congrats!
8. Understanding there is a journey to writing, and knowing where your weak points are, and consciously getting better at them. Congrats!
9. Knowing how to develop relationships with the Powers-That-Be. Congrats!
10. Persuading a room full of Powers-That-Be People to go with your scene ideas over their scene ideas....and character development ideas...and plot ideas. Congrats!
11. Being able to become a member of the WGA. Congrats!
12. Being an A-List Writer/B--List Writer/On Anyone's List Writer in Hollywood. Congrats!
13. Having groupies. Congrats!
14. Having your scripts produced, or being hired to write studio films or TV shows. Congrats!
15. Winning the big awards. Congrats!
16. Getting a table at the top Hollywood restaurants. Congrats!
17. Having agents/producers/directors/actors/execs say "I want a script like (Insert Your Name Here) writes." Congrats!
18. Being able to balance being a script writer with the rest of your enjoyable life. Congrats!
19. Helping others, and being kind to others less fortunate than me, and to animals. Congrats!
20. Still loving what you do because it's who you are and in your DNA, even if you know only a small percentage of writes find monetary success form their writing. Congrats!
Great thread! Happy Sunday, Sexy People!
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John, I thought it was a confession "like porno".
Success is 25,813 words, 67 scenes, 5 main characters, 3 twists, 4.8 minutes writing time.for AI, human writer.
What is a droid, what has it got, if not itself, than it has not. AI wishes it could pet dogs.