You should always be able to answer the questions, “Why you and why now?” And passion can help answer both parts of that question. Every time I go into a pitch meeting, I try and convince the executive that I am the perfect - and only - person that can tell this story. I’m currently in development on 18 projects. When you pitch, the agents, managers, and executives in that meeting are buying you just as much as they are buying your screenplay. One of the most common mistakes new writers make is thinking that their pitch is all about the story of their script. It was originally published in 1999 and the film and TV rights have been optioned every year since, thus Shawna is still working on it nearly two decades later! She wrote a book, I Was a Teenage Dominatrix, about her experiences and it sold tens of thousands of copies. Shawna Kenney was tired of trying to pay for college by waitressing, so she answered an ad in the classifieds that read, “Get paid to be a bitch!” Shortly after that she became one of the most sought after dominatrices in Washington DC. But if you have a passion for the physical act of writing - and rewriting - you will be more apt to survive all of the ups-and-downs.

There are going to be days when you’re completely in love with your screenplay and days when you want a divorce. Writing a script can take weeks (if you’re lucky), months (if you’re good), and even years if you’re like a lot of talented screenwriters. You need to have a passion for writing… and rewriting! Use your life experiences to create compelling stories and people will respond to your passion. His passion and his approach paid off, and his book was made into a movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway titled, Love and Other Drugs. He was so passionate about this specific chapter in his life that he decided to write a book about his experiences in the erectile dysfunction world. Jamie Reidy, was the #1 Viagra salesman in the 1990s. That’s what will set your script apart from the rest. You don’t have to tell your entire life story to write a great screenplay, but you should always pull from your life experiences to tell stories that you’re passionate about. 4 Ways you need passion to become a screenwriter 1.

Here’s an honest look at why you need to be passionate about every aspect of screenwriting if you want to become a professional writer, and how you can keep your passion for Hollywood alive even when the going gets tough. You need passion to really make it in Hollywood, and not just passion for the silver screen. But a successful screenwriting career is about a lot more than just mastering your craft. Not only is the industry constantly changing, but Hollywood has never been more hungry for fresh voices and new and exciting stories. So you want to be a screenwriter? That’s great.

Script writing career