My favorite screenwriting teacher in college gave me some very good advice one time. He said that when life gets hard and shitty and it seems like there is no good outcome anywhere on the horizon…real writers, true writers, just keep writing.
Blowhard producer hated you last draft? Keep writing. Studio exec passed on your spec? Write another one. Writing partner who you thought you knew after working together for ten-plus years totally screw you over? Fuck em, and get to work on something else.
Not only is this is a totally simple solution to the age old problem of writer’s angst — in case you haven’t noticed, we’re a pretty obsessive, neurotic lot — but, it actually works. Stewing over slights perceived and otherwise is greatly overrated, my friends. The best way to feel better after getting screwed or rejected or whatever is to write something new. Even if it’s only an angry “fuck-you-letter” that you’ll never send, the simple act of putting words on a page is healing.
And you don’t have to be a screenwriter either, real writers (even real bad writers) just feel better somehow when they write. So, let your pens flow, amigos. And if you’re not ready to make lemonade out all the lemony bullshit that’s been flowing your way lately (sorry, back to myself again) then at the very least, you can write about it. Or not. Hell, write about something completely different.
The important thing is to just keep writing. Ever. Single. Day.
Amen…
Stay-at-home-Yeti 