So, you think you’ve nailed the screenplay game after your first draft, huh? Spoiler alert: you haven’t. Writing screenplays is like peeling back layers of an onion; the deeper you go, the more you cry. But here’s the kicker—only through writing three scripts will you truly begin to grasp the intricate art of storytelling and character development. This isn’t just some arbitrary number; it’s a rite of passage in the screenwriting world. Whether you’re struggling with dialogue or figuring out how to structure that perfect plot twist, the journey of crafting multiple scripts is where the real magic happens! Prepare yourself for a wild ride through the ups and downs of becoming a screenwriter—because every setback is another step forward in your creative evolution. Ready to dive in? LEARN MORE.
You write, you learn. And three scripts is a good target as a baseline for studying the craft. Then keeping writing … keep learning …
This is advice for the front end of your life as a screenwriter. Advice you may not want to hear… but advice you need to hear.
Three scripts. Don’t even contemplate working in Hollywood as a writer until you’ve completed at least three scripts.
You may think you know your way around a screenplay after you’ve written your first one.
Trust me, you don’t.
After finishing your second script, you are amazed at how much further along you have come in your understanding of the craft.
You’re still not where you need to be yet.
In my experience working with writers, It’s not until at least your third script that you can distinguish between your metaphorical ass and metaphorical hole-in-the-ground.
You can study the craft, you can read books, you can take classes, you can watch movies, and all that you should be doing. But there is a kind of knowledge you can only get by writing and completing scripts, a conscious and intuitive understanding of the craft you must have to succeed as a working writer.
