NETWORKING TO SCREENWRITING SUCCESS

Script Magazine's Editor, Jeanne Veillette Bowerman, shares a collection of her Script Magazine Balls of Steel columns, highlighting her experiences and advice on networking online and offline from outside of Los Angeles.

Being an Outsider

Have you ever been the new kid at school, standing alone on the sidelines of the playground, staring at children who have known each other for years? You’d give anything for someone to welcome you in. I am that new kid. I am the outsider, and the tight circle of friends is Hollywood. The top dogs. The bad asses. Time to put my big- girl panties on, roll up my sleeves, and go introduce myself. The number one question people ask me is how do I accomplish all I have while living on 45 country acres in New York State, thousands of miles from the Hollywood sign. My answer -- I hustle. When you're distance-challenged, you have to be smarter, quicker, savvier, and more resourceful than a writer who can just walk into a Hollywood bar and serendipitously meet a producer. In short, you have to want it more. Despite there being an entire country between the Hollywood executives and me, I have found ways to narrow the divide. 1. Twitter: Yep, that fat bird a lot of writers use to procrastinate has become my #1 line of attack for breaking in. But new Twitter writers will have it easier than I did two years ago. Now there’s Scriptchat, a group of screenwriters who chat every week. I previously wrote about them for this column, but in short, it’s one hell of an incredible community of screenwriters. Check out my old post, “Get Your Community On,” for more details. Scriptchat is like a free film school … with tequila. 2. Get on a plane. I go to L.A. at least once or twice a year, plus attend industry events anytime I can in NYC. Luckily for me, the city is just a two-hour train ride away and offers plenty of networking opportunities with a strong film community. I make some sort of face-to-face connection with people in the industry at least every two months. Whatever city I’m traveling to, I set up meetings with as many people as I humanly can -- mostly with industry people I’ve either met on Twitter or at previous pitch meetings or festivals. And by "meetings," I don't mean all business. Many times I just meet people for a drink or coffee. You gotta have some fun, and what better way to do that than with friends who share your passion for writing. 3. Get a writing partner. Writing partners aren’t for everyone, but one reason to try working with one is it instantly doubles your networking circle. And don’t be afraid to pursue a partnership with someone who has more writing experience than you do. Douglas A. Blackmon, my writing partner for Slavery by Another Name (SBAN), may not have started off as a screenwriter, but he is one very connected and talented guy. Winning a Pulitzer Prize and being the senior national correspondent of The Wall Street Journal does that. While SBAN hadn’t won the Pulitzer when I first pursued Doug, he had already been a professional journalist for over 20 years. We each had something to bring to the table the other needed: He needed a screenwriter, and I needed someone to believe in me and give me a shot. I may not have had as many writing years under my belt, but I knew screenwriting, and I was hungry. What writing with someone of his caliber did was raise my bar. But I’ll talk all about that in detail another day. For the purposes of this discussion, having two of us hoofing it in L.A., sometimes together, sometimes apart, doubles our odds of getting our script produced or at least read. But trust in a partnership is key. We are fortunate to have that. 4. Work every PR angle. I have forged wonderful friendships and connections with industry people I’ve met via Scriptchat. With those connections, come PR opportunities. I am becoming damn good at podcast and radio interviews. On this last trip to L.A., I lined up appearances on Film Courage L.A. Talk Radio show and also Pilar Alessandra’s On The Page podcast. The other day Julie Gray tweeted out asking if I’d be available for a quick phone interview, and I dropped everything to do it. There is no rest for the determined screenwriter... and no guaranteed hot dinners for her children. Check my website for a full list of my appearances. 5. Stay in touch with your network. You can’t ignore people for a year and then e-mail saying, “Hey, I’m coming to town!” They’ll be scratching their head wondering who the hell you are. Networking is work. Don’t be lazy. Relationships take time to build, but let them build naturally. Be real. If you force it, you’ll scare people away. Just be normal. That’s all people really want. 6. Writers write. One important note about reconnecting: You’d better have a new project to talk about. If you go back to L.A. time and time again with that same old script and nothing new, you won’t be taken seriously as a writer. 7. Don’t just network with the established industry people. Sure, they appear to be the ones in the know, but the reality is, there are many of us who are on the rise and eager to reach back and take someone with us. Don’t discount the little guys. We’re ankle-biters and doers. 8. Pay it forward. I’ll do a whole post on this tip soon, because I feel that strongly about its power. When I meet someone at a networking event, I don’t spend time chatting his or her ear off about my projects. Instead, I listen. I listen to what they need, what they’re craving in their own careers, and any sign of what I could possibly do for them. That’s especially important when you’re pitching a producer or when you’re talking with an actor. Shut up and listen. Recently, I met an amazing woman in L.A. We only spoke for five minutes at the Script Magazine Meetup, but when I got back East, I sent her an e-mail simply saying how wonderful it was to meet, and that I’d love to talk more about her work. Notice I didn’t shove my script in her e-mail inbox, instead I asked about her. By week’s end, we had a two-hour phone call, where we each found many ways we could help one another. 9. You are worthy. Don’t underestimate your ability to be of assistance, even if you perceive yourself as a “nobody.” Actually, that’s the first thing I want you to do -- stop thinking of yourself as a “nobody outsider." Be daring. Be brave. If you write well, then get your voice out there. Start a blog so people have some place to find your projects. Dig through any business cards you have collected over the years and reach out. It can’t hurt, even if they’re years old. It’s either that or toss them away without trying. Which do you think will help your odds more? 10. Work your tail off. You need to work 10 times harder than a writer who lives in L.A. You also need to be prepared to get on a plane for face-to-face meetings. But if you’ve got the balls, in today’s world, you can start your career from anywhere -- but it ain’t easy. As for the all-important question, “Do you need to live in L.A. to be a screenwriter?” a lot of industry people who do live in L.A. would say “absolutely, yes!” But in my personal experience, you can live anywhere and write, unless it's TV, but that's even changing. Currently, I’m writing for a new TV series that’s in development in the UK and doing it right from my country home office. The showrunner and I have Skype meetings and bounce documents back and forth via the Internet. How did I get this gig not living in the either the UK or L.A.? I met the show creator on Twitter and commented on his blog every week, forging a true friendship and respect. It’s amazing what you can accomplish while in your jammies. I'm hoping the model we're using is one other shows will adopt to give writers around the world more opportunities. My bumpersticker no longer says, “L.A. or bust.” I am busting this career wide open right from my country office. If I can do it, so can you. ONLINE NETWORKING

Tweet to Success

Twitter is a big, fat timesuck. An evil black hole of procrastination. Nothing decent could possibly come from it. How many of you feel that way? Go ahead, raise your hands. I admit, I shared that thought… until Twitter totally changed my perspective as a writer. In 2009, while we crafted our outline for Slavery by Another Name, I kept wondering what our strategy would be for selling it, or at least getting exposure for our work. I lurked on social media sites to see what filmmakers were doing. I was intimidated. No doubt about that. Maybe sending out an initial tweet was just another step to having balls of steel. I couldn’t let a little bird intimidate me. I set up a Twitter account, and before long, I was meeting writers without even changing out of my pajamas. Sure, there’s a timesuck element, and a learning curve, but I was talking to people in the industry – writers, agents, and producers, oh my! I quickly earned the title “Twitter Pimp Angel” from writers I supported and “pimped” by tweeting links to their blogs, novels, or film projects. When our 31-page outline was complete, the race for submission to the Sundance Screenwriters Lab was on. I had no idea if we had a shot, but at the very least, it gave us a deadline to strive for. My writing partner, Doug, and I both work best under pressure. Go figure. Pressure was one thing, but I needed to find support. Twitter was my answer. While I wrote 12-hour days, I tweeted my progress using the hashtag #slaverybyanothername. In Twitter, using the # symbol allows a tweet to be searchable. People were following my progress with gusto. Perhaps when they saw the hashtag, they thought I was declaring that writing itself was “slavery by another name." But it worked. I had more support than a push up bra. Screenwriter support isn’t the only Twitter prize I found. I earned freelance writing gigs with both Script Magazine and Writer’s Digest Magazine, as well as speaking engagements at conferences. Two literary agents found my blog, read about my novel in progress and requested submissions. Putting your voice out there is how to get noticed. You have to be your own marketing team, and you have to be creative. Writing a spec script isn't the only way into the industry. There’s also a vast amount of education that happens on Twitter, from articles to classes on craft. I found screenwriting classes, which elevated my screenwriting, as well as supplied me with an even broader network. With taking classes and opening my mind to learning, I increased my understanding and access to the industry tenfold. But success comes by being prepared for the opportunity when it knocks. I have no doubt the connections and education I gained from Twitter prepared me for my greatest Twitter success yet – my first official TV writing gig. Yes, those are trumpets you hear blaring, but I'm stuffing a rag in the horn. In this crazy industry, anything can happen. Until then, I'm writing my fingers to the bone and hoping for the best. I’ll share more details when I'm able, but for now, all I can say is a fellow writer I met on Twitter bestowed upon me a dream opportunity to prove myself. He asked me to join his writing team on a new TV series with incredible talent attached. The writing team stretches from London to L.A., with me sandwiched in the middle in New York. There’s no amount of handshaking at a pitchfest that could have brought this deal to my country door. It took a blue bird and the ability to promote myself. This pimp is on her way to being a produced writer. Hot damn. Maybe now I can get an agent to do my pimping. One thing that’s a given: You have to put yourself out there on Twitter, just like in real life: • Don’t be shy. Say hello. • Don’t stalk. Diablo Cody and Ashton Kutcher are not going to become your friends. • Don’t pitch your work in a tweet, that's just tacky. • Connect with people in a genuine way, not in desperation. The stench of desperation permeates even the Internet. • Be selfless and give! If you just use it as a marketing tool, you’ll be seen as a pariah. • Be real. Don’t be afraid to show who you are, not just what you write. I don’t want to mislead you into thinking you’ll join Twitter and jobs will fall in your lap. It’s work. A lot of work. Most importantly, you need to keep writing while you’re tweeting. Build your arsenal of projects and challenge yourself every chance you get. For me, that was the lesson. Write every day and take on projects that give you exposure, even if you have to write some articles for free. As one of my favorite writers says, “Twitter is a writer’s water cooler.” Sometimes I just slip a little tequila in it for fun. Now get your tweet on and say hi when you get there. I’m @jeannevb, and I’m a Tweetaholic. For more Twitter tips, check out the article I wrote for Writer's Digest, Confessions of a Tweetaholic.

Get Your Community On After last week’s Tweet to Success post, I assume you immediately clicked on Twitter and set up an account. You didn’t? Tsk, tsk. Time to bring out the big guns. Enter the land of Scriptchat, where unicorns frolic, writing deals are made, and tequila pours from fountains. Okay, maybe there aren’t any unicorns. Scriptchat is a Twitter screenwriting chat I co-founded with Zac Sanford, Jamie Livingston, Kim Garland and Mina Zaher. Simply put, it’s the most generous screenwriting community available. We founders call ourselves the “treefort,” and yes, we have a secret handshake. Our goal is to create a community where new and seasoned screenwriters can learn and grow in our craft, with only one rule: Bring your tequila and leave your ego behind. Our tagline brings the feel of a party, hoping to avoid the chest-pumping, know-it- all attitudes. After all, Scriptchat isn’t a competition; it’s a community. No matter what your experience, everyone has something to learn. Before you start questioning if there’s an economic gain for us, let me assure you, there is none. Not one penny. This is an entirely free community. We host the weekly chat simply for the love of it, and to help other writers network and learn. Our website has incredible resource links, ranging from advice on craft to the business of screenwriting as well chat transcripts. The only payment ever asked is to pay it forward. But we don’t only deliver education; we also bring special guests to the party. Some of our chat guests include screenwriters Bob DeRosa (Killers), Geoff LaTulippe (Going the Distance), Josh Heald (Hot Tub Time Machine), Peter Hanson (Tales from the Script), and Alvaro Rodriguez (Machete) as well as TV writers Jane Espenson (Buffy, Caprica) and Karen Walton (Gingersnaps, Flashpoint IV). The guest list expands beyond writers to agents and gurus. We work tirelessly to bring screenwriters free access to industry professionals. Dana Brunetti, president of Trigger Street, even surprised us by popping into a chat from 30,000 feet in the air. He spent an hour of the flight sharing his experiences as we all debated what the new Amazon Studios launch would mean to writers. You can’t buy this kind of access to expertise anywhere. I should mention Amazon Studios even chimed in on that one. We immediately knew we were onto something when at our virgin chat in October of 2009, John August sent us a tweet of support. By the way, if you’re reading this, Mr. August, we’d love to have you on as a guest, just sayin’. Ping me: @jeannevb. Hey, I have a balls-of-steel reputation to uphold. I had to ask. But the true sweet spot is the writers who participate. We support each other with an intensity and selflessness unmatched in Hollywood. The chats are fueled by passion and a hunger to learn, though some insist it's tequila. Well, maybe José helps a little. Mark my words, one of us will be on that Oscar stage someday, and the tweets will be heard round the world. Scriptchat is where fearless writers come to play, form writing partnerships, and even fall in love. Two of our writers met at a chat and were engaged the following year. Be prepared for anything to happen. I could spend 10,000 more words gushing about our baby, but I’d rather see you there on Sunday nights to find out for yourself. Instructions for participating in the chat are on our website. Get your fearless self on Twitter and set up an account. First stop, follow @scriptchat and @scriptmag and get your community on!

Set the Social Media Stage with Stage 32 What happens when two men enter a bar full of frustrated filmmakers? Don’t get your hopes up. This isn’t one of those jokes. Meet Richard Botto, co-founder and CEO of Stage 32, a new online network of filmmaking, television and theater creatives, ranging from make-up artists, to screenwriters, to editors. Let’s rewind to that bar… Richard and his then Fair Warning Productions partner, Curt Blakeney, attended American Film Market (AFM), trying to put together a project. In between networking, they sat at the bar listening to people from all over the globe lamenting about the same thing – the difficulties of selling films. Botto shares, “Listening to their stories of woe, we realized, absent of living in L.A., there’s no way to make connections unless you travel to conferences or festivals. But once there, if nothing happens, you’re back to square one. Just like these other filmmakers, we wanted to find a way to connect 24/7/365.” With that idea, the stage was set. Blakeney and Botto co-founded Stage 32. Before you yell at your computer screen, “Oh no, not another social media site,” I assure you, Stage 32 is no ordinary time-suck beast where people post what they had for breakfast. It’s packed with valuable information for a price that’s right – free.

It’s no secret, I’m a Twitter girl, but using multiple social media platforms is Curt Blakeney and Richard "RB" Botto essential to gaining exposure and expanding your network, especially if you’re trying to break in outside of L.A. A common analogy I hear is LinkedIn is your mother, Facebook is your spouse, and Twitter is your lover. If that’s true, Stage 32 is your manager. In only five short months, the site has attracted over 43,000 members and connected people from around the world, launching new projects every day. Botto even spoke of one project consisting entirely of people who met on Stage 32. Beyond group results, one screenwriter, struggling to break in for the past 10 years, earned three paid writing gigs to keep her busy for the next 18 months. Imagine networking like that from your living room, without spending a dime or even needing to shower. That’s my kind of community. Beyond connecting with like minds, the site has amazing guest bloggers, including Doug Richardson (Die Hard 2, Hostage, Bad Boys), Rex Pickett (author of the novel Sideways), and most recently Danny Rubin (Groundhog Day). Reading other writers’ experiences is a fantastic learning tool. When you need industry information, there’s a “Buzz” section where the latest news is posted. It’s one-stop shopping. But best of all is the ability to post current projects, resumes, scripts, photos, videos, and loglines. Once you have your profile set, skip over to the “Find Work” section to see if you match anyone’s needs. Because I’m a skeptical, hands-on person, I tested the site’s power by posting my own short film, Impasse, and within the hour had several actors reaching out wanting to audition. Filmmaking is a collaborative medium. Community is what we need, and Stage 32 has it in abundance. It’s not a site with people killing time at their day jobs. It’s full of talented artists eager to connect. Climb on the stage and let the curtain rise on your career. For more information on Breaking in Outside of Hollywood, check out my On Demand webinar available at The Writers Store and find me on Stage 32.

Taking Your Online Network Offline "Collecting" people online is easy, but turning that list of social media usernames into a real-life network takes hard work. How does one cross over the virtual barrier? Simple – open your mouth and ask for what you want. Think about how many people you run across on a given day while on Stage 32, Twitter, Google+, or any one social website. For me, it’s thousands upon thousands. How I turn those relationships into real friendships and partnerships is by tweeting or messaging people, asking for an in-person meeting. Whether it’s NYC, L.A., or an airport bar on my way through a city, if I know I’m traveling somewhere, I ask my online network who’s game to meet. Why not just keep chatting online? Because once you’ve shaken someone’s hand, you instantly become "real". Becoming "real" isn’t simply an excuse to belly up to a bar in a strange city and sling back a few tequila shots. If I’m considering working with someone, or pulling them closer into my world, I need to see the whites of their eyes. Nothing beats looking someone in the eye and seeing if your Spidey senses tingle. I may miss a bull slinger who hides behind a profile picture, but there’s no way she’ll hide any jerkitude while I’m staring into her pupils. You have to know if someone is worthy of your trust if you’re going to collaborate together. Don’t just jump into bed with them because they presented a beautiful online package of themselves. Trust me, anyone can do that. Even Jabba the Hutt can make it appear he’s a twenty-something Fabio if he thought it would serve his purposes. If I meet someone who doesn’t look anything like their profile picture, I instantly think "what else are they lying about?" It’s not that I care if they are twenty pounds heavier and ten years older, I simply don’t respect the bait and switch approach. Own who you are, what you look like, and how you present yourself. Being real is far more attractive and trustworthy than being beautiful. Beyond asking if people want to meet me, I also ask myself, "What can I do in return for them?" When I'm in L.A., I have several group meetings with online friends. They aren't random happenings. I carefully consider who would enjoy meeting whom, and how can I accomplish getting those people together in a room. Every person is deliberately chosen, not for my benefit, but for theirs. I want each friend to walk away feeling their life is a bit richer because they said yes to that meetup. Warm and fuzzy feelings about an event will lead to warm and fuzzy feelings about you. That’s also applies to online sites. Introduce people to each other who you think would benefit from the new connection. Ultimately, the goal of any social network site is to help each other. Put the selfishness aside, and bring your generosity to the table. As I often say, paying it forward will pay you back tenfold. Bottom-line: It’s easy to trust people when you’re chatting and being polite in the safety of your home with thousands of miles between you. But when you’re contemplating creating a project with a virtual stranger, and take a risk that could affect your career, you really need to know who you’re dealing with. Now I probably scared you into thinking Hannibal Lecter is on Stage 32. I assure you, he’s not… he’s on Facebook.

IN-PERSON NETWORKING

First Impressions Butterflies swirl in your stomach. Your palms sweat. Despite an overwhelming sense of anxiety, the emotion churning is hope. Hope they like you. Hope they want to build a relationship with you. Hope you’ll hit a home run. First date? Nope. I’m referring to pitching. But whether a date or a pitch meeting, a first impression will make or break you. Don’t blow it. I’ve not only seen my share of writer roadkill on the sidelines of pitchfests, I’ve also listened to countless disillusioned friends after horrid first dates. I’ve learned a thing or two about first impressions. Here are some tips to help you make yours great: 1. Give off the aroma of success: Shower. Brush your teeth. Use mouthwash. Better yet, floss. Deodorant’s a must. But what gives off a stronger stench than halitosis is desperation. They’ll smell it before you even enter the room. Don’t be one of “those” people. You’ve worked hard on your script (at least you should have). Own it. Own the moment. 2. Show your personality. That executive, manager or agent has to not only love your concept but also fall in love with you as a person. Projects can take years to develop. Would you want to work with a boring deadbeat for that long? I think not. Just like in relationships, you’ll get dumped, erased and rewritten by the next smoother, more beautiful collaborator to come along. 3. Be real. Don’t present yourself to be someone you aren’t or imply you have bigger connections than you do. You’ll ultimately be discovered as a fake. Being honest and humble will always trump being a poser. 4. Shut your mouth and listen. It is scientifically proven that if you ask questions and allow a person to talk about themselves, they’ll think you are fabulous, even though they did most of the talking. Pay careful attention to what they’re saying. Learn what their needs are, then adjust your expectations and conversation accordingly. 5. Do not offer sex. That may be one pitch you get an immediate “yes” to, but your career will be doing the walk of shame right along with you. 6. The pitch has to match the execution. If you have a killer concept, but the execution falls flat, the producer is less likely to ask for another project of yours again. A red mark will go next to your name in their files. I cannot stress this one enough. Think about it this way: you set up a Match.com date, and they shows up looking twenty years older and twenty pounds heavier than their profile picture. I highly doubt you’d ask them out again. Your writing has one shot at a first impression too. If you learn nothing else from this post, that better be it. 7. Like in love, timing is everything. If you venture out before you’re work or your heart is ready, you’ll fall flat on your face. The right connection is worth the wait. But to make that connection happen, you need to be ready for it when it arrives. Don’t pitch an agent when you only have one script. Build your arsenal. Do the hard work. The number one question people ask is, “What else have you got?” Be able to answer it. 8. Research. Know what you can about the company’s background. If you wrote a period piece, and they only produce romantic comedies, you’re wasting everyone’s time. Also consider investing in IMDb Pro to learn about the financial successes or failures of films. If a company just had a flop, they won’t be able to afford your big- budget picture. At the very least, use Google. I’d venture to bet it’s often used for researching dates. Speaking of which, you should Google yourself every now and then and see what comes up. Don’t assume the executive isn’t researching you too. 9. Believe in yourself. If you don’t resonate self-respect, no one else will respect you either. Make direct eye contact. Smile. Give a firm handshake. Those simple gestures show self confidence. 10. Manage expectations. This tip is one I’ll write an entire future post on, because it’s that important. I see so many people go to pitchfests expecting to be discovered, or upset when two months later, they still haven’t heard from the producers who requested their script. While your script is the most important thing in your professional world, it is not to those who requested it. They have a stack of other scripts to read and bosses to answer to. Be realistic. This is about building long-lasting relationships. Don’t be an impatient jerk while you’re waiting for them to get around to you. If you wrote a kick-ass script, believe me, your phone will ring. Think back to your first meetings. Whether you succeeded or not, as long as you learned something, you’re one step closer to success. I assure you, some of these tips made this list because they are my own failures turned into lessons. And no, it wasn’t tip #5. Just sayin’. Don’t forget to share your advice below. Often the comments you leave are the best tips of all!

Shifting Network to Relationships Next week I’m heading to L.A. for meetings, ranging from major executives to fellow screenwriters. In my world, there are no “small” meetings. Every single one is important to my networking and career goals. Meetings are about building relationships. That advice was given to me by a generous top executive I pitched with my Slavery by Another Name writing partner last year. I don’t kiss and tell, so I won’t say whom Mr. Top Secret Exec was, but trust me, he’s been around this industry for a long time. I’ll never forget his advice, “Look, we’re building a relationship here and getting to know each other. We’ll read your script, and even if we pass on it, we have a writing sample from you. If it’s good writing, we’ll eventually find the right project to work on together.” In a business full of insanity, it was the most sane moment and best advice I had received to date. Relationships rule. When you’re preparing to walk into the meeting room, take a deep breath and remember that. The meeting isn’t just about your script; it’s about the impression you make on the person across the table. Let’s take the executive meetings first: I plot out everything I can control, from what to wear, to polishing the scripts and show bibles, to delivering the perfect pitch. But the reality is, there is one thing I cannot control once I’m in that room: I can’t control what the executives are looking for. Sure, I can do research, make educated guesses as to what the company wants, and have an amazing script written, but if it’s not what the individuals in the room need on that given day, what good is it? What do you do if you’re in the room and you realize your idea is dead in the water? Breathe. You’re not selling a script, you’re selling yourself. Meetings aren’t only for pitching, they’re for learning. Every single meeting I attend, I learn something new about both the executives I’m speaking with and the company they represent. A script they were hunting down last month, may not be what they’re looking for today. Let’s say I wrote a rom com with the mother of a bride as the protagonist, but a similar concept, just released, flopped. Now they want only 20-year-old bride protagonists, not their monster-in-laws. If I were to sit in that room with my bridezilla-mommy script printed in my lap, I’m screwed. BUT… if after hearing they want a new spin on a wedding with a 20-something pawn shop-owning bride who has a PhD in dog grooming, I smile and say, “I’m doing a polish of a script with a similar protagonist … let me send it to you next week.” I learn what they want, and they learn I’m flexible and a fast-thinker. Since that concept is similar but with a different protagonist, I simply go home, rewrite my fingers to the bones, and deliver the product they are looking for, directly to the executives who want it. If I had the old script printed on my lap and ready to hand over, the opportunity would be lost. Speaking of opportunities, when I do have one, I make the most of it. Therefore, whenever I come into L.A. for meetings, I always set up as many social ones as I can, both with people I’ve pitched to in the past as well as Twitter screenwriting friends I want to connect with “in real life.” No amount of tweeting can match an in-person meeting. Those margaritas at the bar always lead to a new level of understanding. Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m talking about friendships, not drinking buddies or screenwriter orgies. If only I had the time to meet with everyone I want to. My wish list is getting bigger than even I can handle. Sadly, on this trip I will not get to see everyone I want, but I will absolutely be able to introduce some of my connections to each other and grow my “family” of writers. Over the last couple of years, my network has easily tripled. As part of my L.A. planning, I make a list of the people I hope to be able to meet, analyze the list to see how many of these people would enjoy each other’s company, then try to find a way to not only connect with them myself, but to also leave friendships behind after I’m back in New York. Some of the people I have introduced have gone on to create projects and further their own careers because of it. Nothing makes me happier. No matter what happens in each meeting, the trip is always worth my money and time for one very important reason – I turn my network into my friends. By the way, the biggest meeting I’m having next week is a direct result of last year's meeting with Mr. Secret Top Exec. Seems he did mean what he said. Our continuing relationship is proof of that. Timing is everything.

The Secrets to Finding a Screenwriting Mentor I have been blessed to have amazing mentors, guiding me on my writing career. Often, people ask how I found them. For a screenwriter trying to break in, finding a screenwriting mentor is akin to finding the Holy Grail. They’re out there… but where do they hide? Is there a secret handshake? How do you find their tree house? More importantly, how do you get past their bodyguards? Despite being a black belt, I’m thinkin’ a chokehold isn’t the friendliest of approaches. So, how did I get the amazing mentors I have without using brute force? I’m going to give you the secret… How do you get a screenwriting mentor to want to help you? Since this post is somewhat of an extension of last week’s (Balls of Steel: Script Consultants – Are They Worth It?), I’m going to quote writer/producer of HBO's Band of Brothers, Erik Bork, yet one more time: When I started out, I don’t know that I had any innate “talent” (if such a thing exists) — but I had the three qualities that I think are most important — passion, openness to feedback, and persistence. I believe if one applies those continuously, they have the best chance of arriving at a point where people will later say they have “talent.”

Talent attracts attention from those farther up the food chain than you are. But sheer talent alone won’t get you a mentor. It’s all in how you behave as a human being.

Do: •Have passion for your work. •Be open to honest and constructive feedback. •Be persistent in pursuing a career. •Have a desire to improve your skill as a writer. •Have a positive attitude about the marathon journey. •Just like your protagonist, you have to be likeable. •Work hard. Show you have tenacity to get the job done. •Pay it forward. Don’t underestimate the power and karma of generosity. Along with the “Dos” are always “Don'ts”

Don’t: •Upon immediately meeting someone, online or in person, don’t shove your script in their face asking for a read. I call this the first date boob grab. You’re gonna get blocked. •Don’t be disrespectful if they read your script and give you harsh feedback. •Don’t immediately unfollow them in social networks if they aren’t connecting with you right away. •Don’t waste their time with questions you could easily research yourself (see #PIMPtipoftheday below). •Don’t be the equivalent of a buzzing mosquito and send a zillion emails, and tweets, interrupting their day. You will get squashed. •Don’t allow them to take time out of their lives to help you, only to give up on yourself and quit. •Don’t keep going back to them after each rewrite, wanting more and more and more. •Don’t keep bugging them about feedback like Bart Simpson waiting for his spy camera, “Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet?” Bottom-line, don’t suck. Not in your craft or in your personality. Since Erik Bork is far more accomplished than I, let’s explore his list more thoroughly, and we’ll use my experience as a case study.

Passion I’m a big believer in the power of passion. I’m not talking about the casting couch here. I’m referring to having a project that consumes you, making you the only writer possible to bring that story to life. In fact, my passion for writing Slavery by Another Name (SBAN) was what got me the adaptation gig. I spent six months stalking wooing the author, and later Pulitzer Prize-winner, Douglas A. Blackmon, ultimately winning him over, specifically because of the passion and determination I had for his work. He quickly became my first serious writing mentor. I’ll never forget the day he finally agreed to work with me, saying he really wanted to say no, but I just wouldn't go away. It was the first time in my life I didn’t make it easy for someone to say no to me. (Read the full story of how I got the gig in Balls of Steel: Pursuit of the Project.) Passion project. Check. Persistence. Check. A bit of insanity. Check. Come on, every writer needs that.

Openness Now I needed a platform and a social media presence. Not having an agent, I have to be my own pimp. Self- promotion is critical. Get comfortable with it as quickly as you can. It’s said if you build it, they will come. Kevin Costner better be right. My career was counting on it. I tossed my passion project out into the Twitterverse and created a blog to see who would bite. I received a lot of little nibbles, mostly from up-and-coming writers like myself. While they aren’t “professionals,” many of them are outstanding writers with more experience than I had at the time. NEVER underestimate the value of your peers. Sidenote: When I speak at conferences on Breaking in Outside of Hollywood, I always tell writers to look to their left and then to their right. One of them might be the next Paul Haggis. Introduce yourself and grow your network from the ground up. By all means, stay in touch after the conference is over! One day, Unknown Screenwriter stumbled upon my rather active Twitter feed and noticed not only that I was a screenwriter but also made note of my personality. Rewind. If you’re going to pursue a mentor via Twitter, you must, and I repeat MUST, have a genuine presence there. Be yourself. Be humble. Help other people. Promote their work, not just your own. There’s no way anyone will reach out to help you if you are a selfish jerk (see “don’t suck” above). #PIMPtipoftheday: Do NOT bug people with questions you could simply Google to find the answer to! Apologies for the Twitter rant, but that’s one of my pet peeves. Be respectful of people’s time. Back to mentors… So, Unknown Screenwriter finds me, and through a series of events, offers to read my script. Notice I did not say I asked. He offered. The same with Doug Richardson (Die Hard 2, Bad Boys, Hostage). We met on Twitter, had fun banter, and about six months into our friendship, he asked to read my script. I can hear some of you wondering why a balls-of-steel girl like me didn’t approach them directly to read SBAN. Honestly, I don’t think I would have ever outwardly asked either of them to read it. I was building a relationship with them… a friendship. I wasn’t even thinking about SBAN. I was making friends with other writers and learning from them. I learned an incredible amount from both Unk and Doug. In addition, I wanted to earn their trust, and a huge part of them trusting me included me not being a drain on their time. I can’t even imagine how many people must ask them to read their scripts. I had no intention of being “one of those people.” (Doug explains why he won’t read scripts in Enter the Gauntlet.) My philosophy on Twitter was, and continues to be, to pay it forward. I rarely ask for anything from those in my network. I won’t make any apologies for that. I believe in karma. Both Unk and Doug gave me thoughtful notes. Notes that I digested and then decided which I would implement. I also got notes from other friends. After a few more rewrites, they asked to read it again, curious what I had chosen to change. #PIMPtipoftheday: Learn how to take notes in a humble, nondefensive way. It is critical to your success as a writer. More on that later. After Doug read the rewrite, he called me almost immediately to tell me how much he enjoyed the choices I made. All of a sudden, I wasn't just some wannabe writer. I had earned his respect. He welcomed me into his home, introduced me to his friends, and put me under his wing as a trusted friend. In return, I will honor that trust and work as hard as I can to prove he was right to believe in me. As for Unk, I asked him the other day why he reached out to help me. At first, it was because it was a great story that needed to be told. That caused me to ask, ‘Here’s someone who hasn't made it yet, but instead of writing some spec, she went after someone and something huge and nothing stopped her.’ You beat him up until you got him to say yes. Anyone like that is worth helping. Someone who really wants to get somewhere is a person you want to help. Seeing someone in the zone makes you appreciate that. I felt that zone of you going after the author, meeting him and everything you did… all good stuff. That is a hell of a story right there.

Then after reading what you wrote. All the elements were there. Maybe needing rearranging or a tweak, but they were all there. You can’t help but get excited because it’s a great story.

When I asked him what was in it for him to help me, he simply said… I don't want credit. I want the story to get out there. It’s like helping someone to push their broken down car so they can get some gas. I get out and help push. Especially when you see everyone else passing them up.

Just so you know, they’re my mentors… so back off! Just sayin’.

Persistence No one wants to put a lot of work into helping someone, only to have them quit when the going gets tough. Show everyone how hard you’re willing to work to bust the doors open. Even after you have an agent, you’ll still be constantly promoting yourself and knocking on doors. The hustle never ends. If you ask any pro writer, they’ll tell you the same thing. To prove I have what it takes, I gave myself the same deadline a studio would have given me for a rewrite to not only challenge myself, but also to prove to my mentors, that despite having a full-time job, I could still deliver on time. Trust me. They noticed.

Mentee Turns Mentor: My Biggest Pet Peeve When I think about the times I’ve helped people, it’s always been because I like them. I genuinely like them. But you have to give people a chance to get to know you in order for that organic relationship to happen. For the most part, when I make the choice to read someone’s script for the first time, I don’t regret it. Reading scripts, good and bad, is part of becoming a better writer. What makes me regret reading someone’s script is if I feel they simply defend their work and dismiss my notes. Ummm… why ask me what I think if your response is, “I’ll see what The Black List says,” or “If a producer wants to change it, then I’ll change it”? Clearly my opinion isn’t as important as The Black List or a producer to them, so why ask me to spend a few hours of my already busy life to read the script? When I read defensive responses from writers, I’m immediately irritated because I took time out from my own writing and deadlines only to have my insights tossed before the writer even digested them. If you don’t truly respect and appreciate the time and advice someone offers you, you’ll end up burning a bridge. If a writer can’t take notes with professionalism, I’m certainly not passing their name along to a producer I might know, even if that producer is specifically looking for that type of material. Being a successful screenwriter is ALL about taking notes, making changes and being willing to collaborate with no ego. #PIMPtipoftheday: Be someone people want to work with. Learning how to accept notes is also a lesson in what it’s like to work with a producer. You’re going to get an endless stream of notes in this career. Learn how to politely smile while someone is bitchslapping your baby and say, “Thank you, Sir, may I have another?” I have no problem with writers disagreeing with my notes. None at all. I receive plenty of notes I don’t agree with. But don’t tell the note giver someone else’s opinion is more valid than theirs. That’s a red flag to me, and the writer ends up down a notch on my “will read” list. Rant over. Pssst… the secret Beyond Erik’s advice of being passionate, open to feedback and persistent, I’d also add three more qualities to help increase your odds of getting a mentor: work hard to continually improve your writing, have a positive attitude, and pay it forward. I hope one day to be able to help another writer the way Douglas A. Blackmon, Unknown Screenwriter and Doug Richardson have helped me. So, what’s this big secret of getting someone to want to help you? I’m sure you’ve noticed one common element in all I shared – find the right project and write it well. The project really does come first, above everything. Find something other people can get excited about and want to put their necks out by bringing it to their own agents. This industry is next to impossible to penetrate. You’ll need all the help you can get. But you need to earn that help by working hard, being humble, and never giving up. Be willing to stand in the battlefield, holding your bloody sword of victory while surrounded by bodies of writers who weren’t willing to give it their all. Above all, be the kind of person others will pick up swords to defend. If you make them want to be on your team, they’ll always have your back. Having a mentor doesn't guarantee you’ll get produced, but it certainly makes the ride a hell of a lot more rewarding.

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