Frustration 1

Sometimes it may seem like breaking into the business is the ultimate long shot and you wonder why you even bother to try. Let’s face it, if you’d become an accountant like your dad advised, you’d probably have a nice condo by now and be able to afford dinner in Beverly Hills instead of tacos in Silverlake. So why not just throw in the towel and go for a better life instead of pursuing this pipe dream?

If you’re a struggling writer, I’m sure you’ve felt this way. And logic says you’re right! Getting a screenplay sold is about as easy as winning the lottery. Have you SEEN how many screenplays are submitted to studios and production companies each month? Thousands. And thousands. And those are all from writers with agents! So what chance do you have?

Well, there are two ways to look at this.

First, admit that logic dictates that your fears are NOT just unreasonable fears but they’re the reality of the situation. You probably won’t make it. You probably won’t break in. I have a friend who came to LA from New York after winning a big competition. She met agents and had meetings at studios and felt confident enough that she moved to LA. She spent the next 14 years doing temp work [work way beneath her, needless to say] while she wrote specs and tried to break in. And she never sold anything. Eventually she gave up and went back to New York. I remember her saying to me once that if she had it to do over again, she’d have become a lawyer and would have written in her spare time. At least then she’d have been paid well, could have had a better lifestyle, and surely that would have made not achieving her goal of becoming a writer easier to deal with. And in a way, she’s right. If you have to work to support yourself as you pursue writing, why not do so at a job that pays well?

Second, admit that people DO break into the business and they have to come from somewhere, so why can’t you be one of those people if you work hard at it? And you know that, for you, you need to throw yourself body and soul into this. You need to risk failure to push yourself to work your hardest. So that means taking a job-a job that you don’t have to take home with you at night, thus being able to devote your soul to writing.

In many ways, how you look at this is just a part of who you are. In both scenarios, you’re going to be frustrated about not making it… until you do. Or, if you don’t, you’ll be frustrated forever.

Huh? Wait a sec… is that true? WILL you be frustrated forever if you don’t become a writer?

Let’s explore this a little more next week. And during the week, think about which kind of struggling writer YOU are.

Copyright © Diane Lake

03Jun18

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com