That Sense Of Accomplishment

Why do we write? The question plagues every screenwriter who has yet to successfully market a project. And yet, we continue to plug away.

I have a dozen finished scripts. Most of them are not the best, early efforts. But I take pride in every one of them. Because I did it. I took an idea and turned it into a completed work.

How many people think about, talk about, dream about writing a screenplay? But they never do. They go to the movies and leave feeling as if they have been cheated by the poor quality crap they just watched. And paid good money to do so. Many think they could do better but never try.

Those of us who have sat down at the keyboard know how really difficult it is to turn out a good story. Forget writing a great story, just pounding out a story worthy of consideration is hard enough. The idea sounds so good inside your brain. You walk it though and work it out. Make notes and develop the characters. You pin the cards to the storyboard. Then you sit at the computer and begin to type away and junk flows. What happened!? It sounded so great inside your head. However, finally, after weeks or months or even years you have the completed product in front of you. You print it out, punch the holes and insert the brads. It is done!

Perhaps no one in the industry will ever read it. Perhaps the only people you will convince to give it a look are friends and that special mate. They will patiently read every word and try their best to be positive. Or you will take it to your screen writing association and they will pick it apart or give you the big thumbs up. Regardless, you did it. You did the work, put in the time, sweat out the details. You have a completed piece of work you can hold in your hands.

And at that job you need to pay the bills, you will listen to people complain about how much their lives suck while they do nothing to change it. But you, you did something to try to change your life. And you can hold it in your hands with pride.

Congratulations.