Your First Screenplay Will Most Likely Blow
Writers, by nature, are an optimistic folk; don’t let the hard-drinking, depressive reputation fool you. Writers aren’t depressed, why would they be? They have one of the few occupations that are pants-optional. The drinking part, yeah, that’s true. But we’re happy, pantsless drunks… the best kind.
So one day – optimistic, pantsless, drink firmly in hand – I asked a group of screenwriters on Twitter if it mattered what I wrote about in my first feature-length screenplay. Should I focus on a genre that sold well in the spec market, such as comedy? Should I ensure my main character was a white male, which would make the script easier to sell than a non-white male or a female lead? In essence, should I listen to the chatter about what sells and what doesn’t?
And that’s when this nugget of advice came my way from screenwriter Geoff LaTulippe. Geoff said, it doesn’t matter what you write about because your first screenplay will most likely blow.
Excuse me?
Dear God, I almost spilled my drink.
Did he just say, my screenplay, which I hadn’t even written yet, was going to blow?
Well, that didn’t sound optimistic.
I took a long swig from my martini and thought about all the screenwriting books I’d read, the full semester of Script Analysis I’d taken and the countless conversations I’d had about structure and character and story. I then realized two things: 1) I still had no idea how to write a screenplay and; 2) the goal for my first screenplay should be to learn how to write a screenplay.
That was it, so simple. Geoff had set me free.
Not free from putting in the time and the sweat to write the screenplay. Not free from gathering feedback on my work and rewriting and rewriting and rewriting. Not even free from caring so much my heart will break if I can’t make this script sing. But free from giving a damn about what anyone else believes is a worthy topic or a worthy person to write about.
The beauty of being a novice is I don’t have to worry about making money from this script or where it will fit into the market. This is my time to take pleasure in the process of writing and creating and learning. It would be a shame to miss out on the freedom of being a student by being overly concerned with how I’m going to go pro.
Geoff has since told me I should never write to market trends and should always write about the people and the stories that drive me to create my best work. This seems like solid advice and I’ll chew on it… but right now, I have a screenplay to write. And to finish.
One final point, lest you think I’m setting off now to write a really shitty screenplay and love it, don’t forget I said writers are eternal optimists. As much as I truly believe Geoff’s words, as much as I’m going to use his advice to spur me on to working harder and with more determination, I can’t help but keep in mind that he said my first screenplay will “most likely” blow. Because the flipside is, there’s still a tiny chance that my screenplay will totally fucking rock.
March 19th, 2010 at 2:58 PM
First of all, WOOOOOT and congrats on the launching of your blog! So proud of you!
OK, now the virgin post. DEAD ON! My first screenplay blows chow so hard it hit the house next door…. and in the country, that’s a half-mile away. But, I learned so many valuable lessons writing it that improved the second, and the third and beyond. Every time we put our fingers to the keys and write, it’s one more lesson learned to make us better. Every scene teaches us something, and quite often, we learn more from the sucky scenes than from the great ones.
One day I’m going to go back and read that first screenplay and laugh my ass off, kiss it, thank it, and maybe even build a shrine for it out of gratitude for the lessons it taught me.
Having said all that, Kim, if anyone’s virgin voyage can rock it out of the house, yours will. I will be here to piss on it and give you feedback, should you want it ;)
Congrats on both the blog and on taking the screenwriting plunge!
xo
March 19th, 2010 at 3:02 PM
One more comment to all those new screenwriters reading this… if you come to #scriptchat Sunday nights 8pm EST, your screenplay WON’T blow because you’ll be smarter than the average drunkard with no pants. Just sayin’ http://www.scriptchat.com #worlddomination heehee
March 19th, 2010 at 3:05 PM
Nice job, Kim!
Truer words never spoken.
AND it’s the reason why I’m still scratching my head about that kid from Glee getting her first spec optioned.
Keep writing!
March 19th, 2010 at 4:20 PM
That’s the healthy way to look at doing anything ….consider the options, get some feedback, go with your gut, and what makes you uniquely you! Enjoying the whole process of being a novice, being a student, enjoy it all….every head scratching minute!
I have been saying for 10 years that I want to go to school, but I dont see how I can work and do that at the same time. I do not have the support system that would allow me the time from “stuff”
One day soon when Logan gets to school I’ll get to school….let’s hope!
Can’t wait to come to your first showing of your first production….don’t forget my invite ok? :)
March 19th, 2010 at 7:26 PM
I look at it this way, everybody has to work on a few stinkers before they find their groove. And we all write bad work, it’s what allows us to know what good work is!
Even if your first screenplay may blow (and I agree the collective first screenplay DOES, in fact, blow) file it away as work done to revisit when your prowess and technical ability align with your creative vision. (i.e. take another crack at infamous “first script” down later down the line after you’ve further cultivated your craft.)
I find first scripts are often the big, overwrought, extravaganza’s, writer’s think they need to be. I groan every time I hear about “an amazing new three-part science fiction trilogy” that’s the very first script from a writer.
Oh, and congrats on launching your new site. Looks great :-)
March 20th, 2010 at 4:08 PM
Congrats on your blog Kim! I agree that is freeing in a way to assume that your first script will blow, but just because someone tells you that your script blows, it doesn’t mean it does! I was about to give examples of writers that had brilliant first scripts and hit the big time and started writing shit… but I prob should save that for my own blog :)
March 20th, 2010 at 4:24 PM
I’m still laughing about my first attempt at a screenplay.
It looked like one.
It smelled like one.
But it read like a baby got hold of my keyboard and used her toes to mangle letters into words.
Even after two rewrites there are sections in there still making me cringe. The pacing is atrocious. Dialogue stiff with arthritis. And scenes that need to be remolded another way. But honestly I expected it and thankfully the story was not my best movie idea.
I enjoyed the five months of working on it and finally getting it all down on the page. The best part is no matter how terrible or amateurish the script appears to other professionals I can stand on a chair and tell the world I wrote a screenplay.
Kim enjoy the first one. The elation of completing it will give you energy to tackle rewrites and possibly inspire you to start another full length script.
March 20th, 2010 at 8:18 PM
aww, kim, it’s all totally true. what a terrific post!
i wrote my first script while i was graduating from NYU. it was a week of tequila and all nighters (mostly because i procrastinated right before my final project was due senior year) and wrote the most atrocious 101 pages Tisch had ever seen! ever since, every time i write something, i always thank god that it’s not as bad as “the rain forest” and that i finally learned not to take it all so seriously.
great advice, and the site looks fab!! well done!
March 20th, 2010 at 11:25 PM
Thanks everyone for the great stories about your sucky first scripts! What’s awesome is you all wrote those little stinkers and then went on to write much more – you were not deterred. It’s great having such a dynamic group of writers watching my back, thank you. I’ll keep you updated on the progress of this script… and the next one and the next one.
@Elaine – I would so read your blog. Make it so.
@Berin, you know I know how hard it can be to pursue any dream but if I can do it, I swear, you can too. You’re a Scot from Hell’s Kitchen and that’s got to be the most badass combination ever!
March 22nd, 2010 at 10:50 AM
Great post! Trust me, your first script will blow in the unique way that only you can make it do so … which means I’m sure it will be better than most.
Good luck,
Bill
March 23rd, 2010 at 3:08 PM
Great first blog post. Sorry it took me so long to get to it. This is great, and I love the advice. I’m hoping to get to my third screenplay without them all “blowing.” lol
I’m tweeting this link because I think this is great for all writers to know.
March 23rd, 2010 at 4:40 PM
Great post.
TRUE!
You will not sign that 250K contract your first time out. You might be a screenwriting phenom, but you’re not hitting it out of the park your first at bat. So just swing away, enjoy just being in the ballpark then go home and be honest with yourself on how well or how badly you played the game. Things don’t click right away. Light bulbs don’t turn on automatically, but unless you try and actual write the sucker those switches are always going to be in the off position.
March 23rd, 2010 at 8:39 PM
This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeannevb: WOOOOT!!!!!!! @KageyNYC HITS IT out of the park w the PREMIERE of her BLOG! Your 1st Screenplay Will Most Likely BLOW…