4 Habits for Screenwriting Success that Might Surprise You

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”  — Aristotle

For better or worse, your daily habits can have a huge impact on your success as a screenwriter. Good habits can bolster your creativity, enhance your talent, and put you in the right headspace to do your best; while bad habits can slow you down, affect your self-confidence, and get in the way of your dreams.

When you think of good habits for screenwriters, chances are you think of things like, ‘having a daily writing routine’ or ‘keeping up with current films and TV shows’. Those habits are great, but there are other, maybe less obvious habits that can be a big help for you and your career.

So, here are 4 habits to practice for success that might surprise you:

1. Be Yourself

It sounds simple, but for most of us, it’s not. Being yourself, especially in a place like Hollywood, is no easy feat. It’s easy to fall into the trap of ‘people pleasing’ to try and get ahead. But, more often than not, what makes you stand out from other screenwriters is making a habit of being your unique self - your quirks, your values, your morals, your unique taste and world view - everything that makes you, you. Making a point to be authentic everyday – every day in your writing, with other people, and with yourself - can have a huge impact on your career. It can help you build genuine relationships - people will see you as more of a ‘real human being’ which means they’ll be more likely to want to work with you (trust me when I say people can smell inauthenticity a mile away, and it’s a huge turn off). Owning your own unique qualities also shows confidence. That kind of confidence and being comfortable in your own skin can help you get staffed, inspire an executive or producer to want to work with you, or help a rep believe in your potential. Take a look at how you may (or may not) be owning your FULL self in your daily life and try to find a way to embrace it all. 

2. Believe Feedback Makes You Better

Feedback. Most screenwriters feel uneasy just hearing the word. But if you want to be a successful screenwriter, feedback is part of the game, and if you don’t want to drive yourself crazy you need to find a way to embrace it (or at least accept that it’s necessary). Find a way to believe, wholeheartedly, that feedback makes you a better writer and then make a habit of operating from that belief every day. It might sound impossible, but receiving and incorporating feedback doesn’t have to be painful. Try to think of feedback as a necessary step to make your story the best it can be. The useful feedback is only going to make your script stronger, and the ‘not great’ or ‘not constructive’ feedback will teach you to trust your gut and be a more discerning and self-confident writer. Making a habit of viewing feedback as a positive thing can make a big difference in your work (and your sanity). 

3. Put Yourself Out There

Life is short. Make a habit of putting yourself out there, taking chances, and following your gut (even if the odds don’t seem to be in your favor). This might include sharing your ideas in a writers group, even though you’re afraid the other writers won’t think it’s good; or writing a story you feel you HAVE to tell, even though you don’t see how it fits in the marketplace just yet; or standing up for a career goal that might seem like an impossible dream to others: Putting yourself on the line as an artist and a person opens doors, and creates new opportunities. Even if you fall on your face, a risk will pay off (sometimes a risk pays off more if you DO fall on your face - you gain valuable experience and insight from failure). Practice the habit of being courageous. You’ll see results from being brave!

4. Be Gracious

To succeed in Hollywood it takes a village. Even though writing is a solitary thing, chances are you’ll need countless executives, producers, fellow writers, Showrunners, reps, fans, and friends on your side to reach the greatest heights of your success. Create a habit of actively appreciating the people who help you do what you love. Send them a text, an email of thanks, or when it feels appropriate, acknowledge them publicly. This doesn’t mean hounding them with praise at every turn, but making a practice of expressing your gratitude to the people who support you and contribute to your career goes a long way. People who feel appreciated for who they are, and respected for what they do, will want to keep working with you and feel invested in your success.

What are your daily habits for success? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!