Once upon a time back in 2005, I believed choosing an MA in Feature Film Scriptwriting to be a good idea. Fast forward to 2007 and a wobbly start to the year culminating with a very demoralising workshop of my work has shaken this belief. Friends and fellow writers alike have advised me to take these knocks and í¢â‚¬Ëœjust dealí’ meaning, stop being a victim of a script that just isní’t going anywhere. Although no one said it in those words exactly, the beauty of fellow writers is that they never do. And therein lies the catch; though few writers perfect subtext, they know exactly when theyí’re supposed to be hearing between the lines.

So how do you come back from í¢â‚¬Ëœconstructive criticismí’? Youí’re told the idea you poured your heart and soul into sucks and another idea that you just whipped up in a matter of minutes rocks, is that poetic justice or dramatic irony? No matter how much you love the idea that everyone didní’t, do you write what you really want or what they (the big wigs) want to read? As in life, one of the hardest lessons for a writer is knowing when to let go.

But if you caní’t write what you really want then why bother at all? In the beginning there is only the writer, the laptop and the hope that this will be the killer script. If commerical and external concerns are just as present as these other elements then youí’re writing for the wrong reasons. Lets not be naíƒ ¯ve, every writer considers whether what theyí’re writing has any commercial prospects, but it is crucial to stick to the integrity of your original idea. Make the character the person that you want, write the story that you want to be readí¢â‚¬“ if youí’re good then the good in it will shine through. Competition is high, and well written commercially focused scripts just arení’t enough. There must be a tangible passionate expression radiating from the script, straight from the heart of the writer, in order to make it stand out.

Even if we do come up with the best script of out careers, what happens if nothing happens? At what point do we say ití’s time to let go, not just of an idea but a dream, completely? Sometimes it feels like the more lessons we learn as writers, the more cynical we become. Most writersí’ aim, mine included, is to write a script that some day stands a chance at getting made. Popular belief is that the likelihood of this happening are akin to winning the lottery: the statistics are looking grim.

I once heard a Hollywood agent say í¢â‚¬Å“The people who make it in this industry are ones who stick around the longest, the ones who learn and doní’t give up.í¢â‚¬  He may well have a point. So to all those hopefuls like myself who are waiting for their big chance, my advice is this; if you caní’t hack it, find something else, and if you still believe, write. If you are told that one idea sucks and the other idea rocks, take it as pretty good odds. Even though I doní’t play the lottery, I will certainly continue to take my chances by writing scripts.