54 days in LA (6): A guide to selling your script.

“This is the end. My only friend, the end.”
Things have gotten, difficult.
Something I was intentionally leaving out of these journal entries was the minor difficulties Luciano and I were having living in a 16 x 16 space.
As many people know, no matter how much you grow to love somebody and find a workflow with them, small spaces tend to…exasterbate the nuances of personality and will.
We had some differences in opinion on the use of space in the room, on top of a few other things. I lament the whole situation looking back as the hostel stay will now be canceled as of Monday and Luciano is heading back to Brazil.
I felt they were minor differences, ultimately able to work through, but I was incorrect. I don’t want to spend too much time on this because it’s sensitive and personal for more than just myself. So out of respect for our relationship, and Luciano, I’ll just detail what I’ve learned about myself.
I learned that I need to be a better communicator, and find a better way of delivering difficult feelings and ideas. I’m mostly internal when I work through conflict, but when I do externalize it, I’m blunt. I like when people are blunt with me, but I realize that is not true with everyone.
I am also terrible at taking on stress. The new dynamic we were in, on top of all the other stress I don’t process correctly, gave me second thoughts about even being down here. I expressed those feelings in a way that probably made Luciano unsure about the situation we were in.
For that. I am sorry. And I hope that after writing this I will also choose to live a new way, which betters myself and the people around me.
Because, if I have learned one thing while being down here, it’s that
I
Love
LA.
I love the people, the opportunities, the realness, the toughness and the beauty of the people and places. The dynamic culture, the diverse ideas that is the intellectual and artistic giant upon which all the brick and mortar rests.
And at the moment I realized it, staring out the window into the courtyard filled with deep green, leafy vines and violet flowers, I was also coming to terms with this significant fork in the road. I have two days to figure out a living situation down here and consider new channels of income, or take a step back for a few weeks in NorCal to recharge and formulate the next strategy.
Because I can feel it. The electricity flows through everything. It’s here.
Daily Networking: Ok, everything I have told you so far, put that on the back burner. I went to an awesome networking event by the Scriptwriter's Network (https://scriptwritersnetwork.com/).
This one in particular puts on great networking events that connect you with fellow writers, producers, script consultants, directors, etc, etc. I made more connections and learned more valuable things about the industry in three hours then I did in a week. So FIRST things first. GO TO EVENTS. Even if you’re nervous, it doesn’t matter. No one is there to pick on you because you’re not good in crowds. They want you to succeed.
It’s like there is this knowing that so few of us are actually going to make it. Which might make you assume that it would be more cut throat. But it isn’t. At least not from the outside looking in. If you're worth your salt, you know that the only way you WILL make it is if you do the work and are genuine and kind to people. So that is what people project and bestow. There is no time to be an ass and there is no place to hide for serial screwer-overs.
So get out there! Take a chance, get better at socializing in groups. There really is no way around it. It’s a skill you NEED down here. And practice makes perfect.
SECOND: Submit to GOOD contest. I am currently working on getting a quality list from a script consultant that is premiere in the area. Its open knowledge so I’m not breaking any rules, but, like I said, you have to network to find it. So hopefully the next post will have it.
The reason you submit to these contests is because, on top of the potential cash prices, the more valuable reward (and I’m not just saying that), is the opportunity to meet with producers, managers, agents and others to potentially get representation, get notes on your work and quality time to have coffee and direct questions to those who know what needs to be done to make a career out of screenwriting.
THIRD and most importantly for the serious grind of becoming a great (and paid) writer is to get a script consultant. It’s gonna cost you money and a decent amount of it. But it’s gonna tell you where you ACTUALLY are in your writing.
Because how good is your writing? As good as your non-writer friends tell you it is? As good as your writer friends also not in the business tell you it is? Don’t get me wrong, this advice is often priceless for the growth of your skill and quality of your story, but is it enough to truly know where you stand in Hollywood? The unequivocal answer is NO.
But a script consultant with merit CAN tell you, and they are often connected to a serious circle of managers, agents, showrunners, producers and more. They will know when it’s time to start calling them. Because if you send work too early, you can ruin some of your chances long term to eventually be picked up.
So that is the best route for a screenwriter that I can tell you after a week. I think it’s a hell of a start and hopefully clears up some mystery about the process.
Pro Survival Tip: Up(st)art Creative Living (https://www.liveatupstart.com) is a low-cost creative living space where artists of all kinds work, live and collaborate in the Hollywood area. It’s very low cost ($700-$750 a month) and comes with more amenities than a rented house usually comes with. (Wi-fi, utilities, studio, equipment, sauna, hot tubs, what?!)
Too good to be true? Wrong. It's all real. I put in a request for an application and it is most likely how I will be staying here for the indefinite future, once I arrange dates. It’s half the price of what we were paying at the place where we are now and easily twice the quality.
Pro Writing Tip: Register your script and start sharing it with fellow writers. Now, sharing a TV pilot is much easier than a script for obvious reasons. I’m not worried someone is gonna run off with my script and try to write the other 59 episodes. There is some protection there. With a feature, I can understand why one might be reluctant. But word on the street is the fear of getting your work stolen is an amateur fear and there is little evidence to suggest it’s actually a relevant concern. All the same, get it registered with the WGA or Library of Congress and screen some credible writers that you meet down there.
Also, look for writer’s groups that do table reads and critiques. Beyond Baroque (http://www.beyondbaroque.org) is allegedly a great one to go to. I haven’t been yet, so I can’t vet it, but I will key you in when I do.
People: Are who we study. People are our characters.
People in LA: The ones that count, seek out those who are honest and genuine, which is so refreshing to hear. I really met some great people who changed my perspective last night and told me, be thoughtful, be kind, be friendly and be REAL. That is what is respected down here.
I Am: Ready.
Thanks: To Luciano for inspiring the decision to come down here. I am grateful for that. I am sorry it didn’t work out between us. I see you as a friend, wish it could have gone better and hope that we can find resolution in the future. Safe trip back to Brazil and good luck with everything.