Screenwriting Success Screenwriting Success 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner Take your screenwriting to where you want it to be with this easy-to-follow fill-in-the-blanks planner “Successful screenwriters write every day. When they’re not writing script pages they’re planning story or developing characters. And they get scripts written, rewritten and finished.” - Hayley McKenzie, Founder, Script Angel 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner Summary Introduction How To Use The Planner The most successful screenwriters I know get results by being Planning productive. At the beginning of each month take some time to schedule and To achieve this, they are committed to writing every day, no plan your writing work. Your goal is to be writing for at least thirty matter what. minutes every day but that might be something you need to build up to. Be ambitious but realistic. Successful screenwriters set goals and deadlines. Writers breaking-in, turning from hobbyist to professional screenwriter, Set deadlines for completing your main project. You might also are typically producing one polished spec script every six months. want to make a note of screenwriting contests whose deadlines you might aim for. And they invest time in developing characters and outlining story, as well as writing script pages. You will also want to take time to plan what learning you’ll complete to help you improve your screenwriting craft; reading Even if you’re fitting your screenwriting around a day-job and scripts and screenwriting books, watching videos or attending family commitments, you can achieve screenwriting success. By events or classes. writing for just thirty minutes every day you can create a portfolio of scripts in a year or two. Evaluating This planner has been designed to help you achieve that. Use this At the end of the month use the calendar to note what writing easy ‘fill in the blanks’ planner regularly to help you get more work days you achieved. A writing work day is any day you did writing done and ultimately achieve screenwriting success. thirty minutes or more of writing work. Fill out the sections at the end of each month to help you evaluate your progress and what lessons you learned. Please see below for definitions and clarification on each of the types of writing work days. www.scriptangel.com Nurturing Screenwriting Talent 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner Summary What Each Writing Work Day Means The Screenwriting Habit Screenwriting is much more than just writing script pages. Successful screenwriters don’t just dream about success, they Screenwriters also spend time planning the script and preparing take consistent action to make it happen. for future projects. The way to get better at anything is daily practise, so start making This planner allows you to plan and keep track of all your writing writing a part of your daily routine right now. Find a time of day, a work by dividing your writing days into three types. place and a process that works for you and stick to it. One writer I know found an hour a day by spending his work lunch break Pages sitting in his car to write! Writing or rewriting script pages of your priority film or tv project. Treating your writing like a job is the best way to make progress, Planning but it’s hard when there’s no pay-check and no-one waiting for All planning and pre-script development on your priority project; you to deliver your script. To overcome this, you need to make plotting story, developing characters, working out your theme. yourself accountable to yourself. Prep Planning what writing you’ll do each month and then honestly All writing work not directly on your prioritised project. Noting assessing what writing you’ve really done will help you create ideas for other projects you might develop in the future. some accountability. If you decide you need an accountability Developing your screenwriting skills through learning and writing buddy to answer to, try joining a screenwriting group or hiring a exercises. screenwriting coach. Getting in the screenwriting habit is the best way to achieve success so jump into the planner to help you make that commitment. www.scriptangel.com Nurturing Screenwriting Talent 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner January “If you want to be a writer you must read a lot and write a lot.” – Stephen King Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday www.scriptangel.com Nurturing Screenwriting Talent 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner January “If you want to be a writer you must read a lot and write a lot.” – Stephen King Plan Evaluate Action Steps Writing Goals For This Month: Did I Achieve My Writing Goals?: Things that went well: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ ______________________________________ Target Writing Days By Type: Actual Writing Days By Type: ______________________________________ Page Days: _____________________________ Page Days: _____________________________ ______________________________________ Planning Days: _________________________ Planning Days: _________________________ Things that didn’t go so well: Prep Days: _____________________________ Prep Days: _____________________________ ______________________________________ Target Writing Days Total: Actual Writing Days Total: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ______________________________________ Changes to make for next month: Skills To Learn: Longest Run of Consecutive Writing Days: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Screenwriting Book To Read: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ Other Learning Goals: ____________________________________ www.scriptangel.com Nurturing Screenwriting Talent 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner February “If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.” – Ryan Blair Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday www.scriptangel.com Nurturing Screenwriting Talent 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner February “If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.” – Ryan Blair Plan Evaluate Action Steps Writing Goals For This Month: Did I Achieve My Writing Goals?: Things that went well: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ ______________________________________ Target Writing Days By Type: Actual Writing Days By Type: ______________________________________ Page Days: _____________________________ Page Days: _____________________________ ______________________________________ Planning Days: _________________________ Planning Days: _________________________ Things that didn’t go so well: Prep Days: _____________________________ Prep Days: _____________________________ ______________________________________ Target Writing Days Total: Actual Writing Days Total: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ______________________________________ Changes to make for next month: Skills To Learn: Longest Run of Consecutive Writing Days: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Screenwriting Book To Read: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ Other Learning Goals: ____________________________________ www.scriptangel.com Nurturing Screenwriting Talent 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner March “Be ruthless about protecting your writing time.” – J K Rowling Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday www.scriptangel.com Nurturing Screenwriting Talent 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner March “Be ruthless about protecting your writing time.” – J K Rowling Plan Evaluate Action Steps Writing Goals For This Month: Did I Achieve My Writing Goals?: Things that went well: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ ______________________________________ Target Writing Days By Type: Actual Writing Days By Type: ______________________________________ Page Days: _____________________________ Page Days: _____________________________ ______________________________________ Planning Days: _________________________ Planning Days: _________________________ Things that didn’t go so well: Prep Days: _____________________________ Prep Days: _____________________________ ______________________________________ Target Writing Days Total: Actual Writing Days Total: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ______________________________________ Changes to make for next month: Skills To Learn: Longest Run of Consecutive Writing Days: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Screenwriting Book To Read: ______________________________________ _____________________________________ Other Learning Goals: ____________________________________ www.scriptangel.com Nurturing Screenwriting Talent 12-Month Screenwriting Success Planner April “Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.” – Napoleon Hill Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday www.scriptangel.com Nurturing Screenwriting Talent