From Idea to Script to Sale
Why Another Screenwriting Book?
Great question. I’ve never been much of a fan of books that purport to unlock the magic key to writing a screenplay and, by extension, to fame and fortune and lunching with Brad Pitt. First, there is no magic key. Second, screenwriters aren’t famous—name three. See what I mean? Third, regarding fortune—are you kidding me? Even with a six-figure deal, 25% goes to agents, managers and attorneys; 40% to taxes, so that $100,000 screenplay deal you made netted you a grand total of about $35,000. And fourth, well, to put it gently, as a screenwriter you’re more likely to die in a mudslide on PCH than you are to find yourself at lunch with Brad Pitt… unless you’re his waiter.
And, I guess, that’s part of the reason I wanted to write this book—to blow up the myths surrounding screenwriting and to talk about what’s important, and that’s writing. And not just any kind of writing, but writing this thing called a screenplay. So many books on screenwriting work overtime trying to extol the academic virtues of the profession—like being a screenwriter makes you the poor relation to the novelist and the playwright, so if we infuse it with lots of heavy stuff that will legitimize what we screenwriters do. But we’re the new kid on the block—novelists have been around for over 600 years, playwrights for over 2,600 years! Screenwriters? Just a little over 100 years—so it’s understandable that we’re still finding our way. Isn’t it interesting to imagine what screenwriting will be like in 2,000 years? But in the meantime, let’s just accept the fact that this is new territory, and as such it’s evolving, and the rules that were set in stone yesterday can change before tomorrow.
In the meantime, there’s this ‘craft’ called screenwriting that is also an art. If it was chemistry you could combine the appropriate compounds to get the result you wanted. And anyone could follow your lead and be a success by combining the same compounds to get that result. But as screenwriting has an artistic component, well, all bets are off. The uniqueness that you bring to this job will make the difference between your screenplay and anyone else’s.
I hope The Screenwriter’s Path is a springboard for discussing this thing we do called screenwriting. I’ll be here every Sunday to talk about our profession, take questions, and ruminate on what it means to be a storyteller in the 21st century.
Copyright © Diane Lake
09Oct16
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Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com