Career Vision Part 1

Think you can write? Got a great idea for a script? Want to know what you do next?

Getting Started:

Being a writer isn't a hobby, it's a job, and a full-time job at that. Anybody can have a great idea for a script (usually they aren't that great in reality), it's putting it down on paper that's the hard part. Writing for a living is a long, hard slog, where you have to be prepared to learn, and accept that when you do there is always more you can learn. Then you'll have to learn some more.

First you have to decide if writing is the job for you; ask yourself if you're prepared to give up your social life, your friends and all of your spare time. That's what it's going to take when you first get started. Many hours of writing will be followed by many hours of rewriting, and just for good measure many, many hours of still more rewriting. If you can't stand that isolation or spare the time then writing isn't for you. Dedication is the key word here. Dedication and rewriting. Did I mention the rewriting?

Reading is important! Read anything and everything. Read scripts; of blockbusters, early drafts, your fellow writers' work. Read books, not just your favorite sci-fi, but all genres, and news papers, lots and lots of news papers. Increase your knowledge base; the more you know the more you can write about. Read books on writing, on film making, on production (It helps to know all aspects of the business. The more familiar you are with the industry and the way it works the more you'll be able to navigate your way through it.), industry tabloids like - Radio Times, Broadcast and Screen International.

Get a blog. Meet other blogging writers. Swap tips, ideas and bodily fluids if you have to. Ask them questions. Ask them lots of questions. Pester them for advice. Be a sponge, soak up their collective knowledge.

Then you want to look at courses. Ask around; who's been on what, and what do they have to say about it. You don't want to waste your time so research is important here. Choose the wrong course/s and you might as well throw your money down the toilet. Listen to what other bloggers say about courses they've been on, would recommend, etc.

Now look at your great idea again. Is it such a great idea after all? No? Never mind, there will be other ideas... better ideas... one that someone might even be prepared to give you some money for.