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Blog 5 Steps To Grow From Amateur to Professional Screenwriter

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5 Steps To Grow From Amateur to

Professional Screenwriter
TJ Berry 20 hours ago

I became a screenwriter because of a felony. Not mine, but one

that changed my career forever. Fresh off the high of publishing
my debut sci-fi novel, Space Unicorn Blues, my publisher
requested a second book in the series. I was ecstatic to finally
realize my dream of making a living as a writer. As is customary,
my literary agency received my advance for the action-packed
sequel... except they didn't pass the money along to me. I asked. I
demanded. I threatened. No money arrived.

The literary agency quietly closed its doors, leaving many authors
unpaid. The owners accused each other of embezzlement in
separate lawsuits. The cases are winding their way through New
York Supreme Court, but myself and the other cheated authors are
unlikely to ever see a dime.

I'll admit, I marinated in anger and grief for a long time. I couldn't
even bear to read a novel, let alone write one. Eventually, I landed
on a path forward through the wisdom of modern-day
philosopher-queen Beyoncé: "Always stay gracious, best revenge
is your paper." I pivoted to screenwriting.

I arrived on the scene with extensive writing experience (and a

tougher skin) but zero knowledge of the film and television
industry. What's a logline? How do you tell a story in 20,000 words
instead of 100,000? Should slug lines be bold? I needed to educate
myself, fast. Luckily for me, the first place I found was Stage 32. I
didn't know it at the time, but I had just discovered one of the best
resources available to take a screenwriter from a newbie to a pro.
Here are the first five things I did to get myself ready to be a
screenwriter...

1. Educate yourself

Back in the 1930s, you could scrawl a movie idea onto the back of
your grocery list, send it via post to Louis B. Mayer in Hollywood
and if someone in his office liked it, a check would arrive in the
mail for $25. You didn't need much more than a synopsis and a
stamp.

Today's screenwriter needs to be a lot savvier about the business.

Gone are the days when you could sneak onto a studio lot and
drop your manuscript on the desk of a secretary and end up
making a feature film. There are gatekeepers at every step of the
way and you need to navigate the process with professionalism
and skill.

I started my education by watching Stage 32 webinars. I learned

the basics of formatting, the difference between agents and
managers, how to behave on a set, and how to structure a visual
story. I assembled a master list of every Stage 32 webinar I
wanted to watch (two years later, I'm still working my way through
the list).

2. Find your squad

People call this “networking,” but really you should find people who
are coming up with you and forge relationships that may someday
become collaborations. You’re not going to meet James Cameron
in an elevator and end up writing Titanic II. It’s much more likely
that the person you befriend on social media and meet a few times
for coffee will put your name into the mix for an assistant job they
heard about.

These days, especially post-lockdown, there are incredible

opportunities for writers outside of Los Angeles to join the
conversation online. I started with the Stage 32 Writers’ Room. I
lurk a lot, jumping in when I feel I can contribute something
meaningful, but I read the discussion every morning. Every class is
an opportunity to connect with fellow students. Several of my
writing groups began as classmates. We simply continued to check
in regularly. It’s been incredible to watch my friends’ projects
blossom from ideas to the screen!

3. Hone your discipline

Every writer stumbles upon moments of brilliance, but the trick is

knowing how to tap into that spark on demand. Especially if you
intend to work in the demanding world of television. There’s no
time to wait for a muse to appear when your episode is due.

I use co-writing as a way to train myself to write when it’s time to

write, not when I feel like it. The Writers’ Room offers several live
co-working sessions each week to get you going. My own virtual
writing group meets weekly to cheer our successes, commiserate
over failures, and write for three hours. All it takes is one other
person and an agreement to show up.

4. Level up

Once I understood the basics and I was writing regularly, the next
step was to ensure that my skills were undeniable. Screenwriting is
highly competitive. There are so many writers vying for so few
slots, people have quipped that it’s statistically easier to get into
the NBA than the Writer’s Guild of America.

The best way to stand out is to find your voice and lean into it. I
write quirky, weird stories that tend toward comedy… even my
dramas are infused with dark humor. Do I wish I could write
brooding dramas that win Oscars? Sure. But my voice is more
Everything Everywhere All at Once than Million Dollar Baby. You’re
not going to succeed by imitating other people, so find what you
do best and do it well.
11
One of the best ways to hone your skills is an in-depth, multi-week
class. I took a six-week lab with Spencer Robinson and wrote my
16 first television pilot. I got notes from industry executives and I
found a mentor. I rewrote my scripts so many times that I stopped
listening to what my ego wanted and I started hearing what the
story needed.

5. Take shots on the goal

At this point, I had stories I was proud of, in my distinct voice, that
represented my perspective as a queer, autistic woman… but no
one had seen them.

I entered my first script in as many contests as I could find. To my

surprise and delight, my script The Last Good Soraya earned top
ten finalist spot in both the Stage 32 Romantic Comedy
Screenwriting Contest and the Stage 32 Feature Comedy
Screenwriting Contest. Because of the finalist lookbook, I met with
a producer and we started developing the project and bringing it
to directors.

Now I had a new mission… I had to quickly learn how to take

meetings and how to pitch producers. I went right back to step
one and researched a whole new slate of topics. I got script
coverage, entered contests, and sent my work to open writing
assignments. Since those first contest wins, I’ve written two other
features and two pilots. My latest feature just received a Double
Recommend from a Stage 32 reader and will be in next month’s
lookbook.

Everyone’s journey to the screen takes a different path, but I’ve

found that Stage 32 is consistently the one place where I can
educate myself, meet other industry people, distill my craft, and
get my work in front of people who are looking for great stories.
This is where it all comes together. See you in the Writers’ Room!

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Got an idea for a post? Or have you collaborated with Stage 32

members to create a project? We'd love to hear about it. Email
Emily at blog@stage32.com and let's get your post published!

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and LinkedIn @stage-32 .

Get engaged

11 16

About the Author

TJ Berry TJ grew up between Repulse Bay, Hong Kong and
Screenwriter the New Jersey shore. She's been a political
blogger, bakery owner, and spent a disastrous
two weeks working in a razor blade factory. TJ
now writes science fiction, fantasy, and horror
from Los Angeles with considerably fewer on-
the-job injuries.​ ​ TJ...

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16 Comments on TJ's Article

Maurice Vaughan
Screenwriter

Love it!

0 0 8 hours ago

Maurice Vaughan
Screenwriter

Extremely helpful.

0 0 8 hours ago

Maurice Vaughan
Screenwriter

"I became a screenwriter because of a felony." Writers should always start scripts (blogs, books, etc.) with
something gripping, and you did, TJ! Great blog for Introduce Yourself Weekend! Sorry the situation with the
agency happened to you and the other authors. Hope you all get the money you deserve.

0 0 8 hours ago

Kristina Vidanec
Set Decorator, Author, Language Coach

I would also like to find someone who loves magic realism and present them with my short story that can be
rewritten. There is space for other writers' suggestions to turn it into a pilot. Where should I start first to join the
group of screenwriters on this platform? I'm also curious on how to present your story first knowing you won't get
robbed of your ideas from the story. How to pitch your story knowing you are safe from theft? Thank you, TJ.

1 4 10 hours ago

Kristina Vidanec
Set Decorator, Author, Language Coach

This is so obvious - your idea was stolen. So you didn't get any credit or being mentioned?

0 9 hours ago

TJ Berry
Screenwriter

I have a funny story along those line, Kristina. A colleague of mine in sci-fi, Chuck Wendig, used to post
writing prompts on his blog. As a joke, I wrote a short story called Detective Pikachu, in which Pikachu is
a noir crime-solver in a "True Detective" type story. This was in 2015. In 2019, the film Detective Pikachu
came out. Did someone see my idea? Or is it just the way writers' minds work? I'll never know.

0 9 hours ago

Show 2 more Replies

Brywn Philips
Screenwriter

Thank you TJ...I'm a fellow Writer's Room lurker continuing to learn so much. Your blog has inspired me to keep
going!!!

1 1 10 hours ago

TJ Berry
Screenwriter

Oh awesome, I hope to see you lurking around the Writers' Room!

0 10 hours ago

Joseph Campbell
Author, Screenwriter

Thanks for sharing, TJ. I spent the past month doing a rewrite of a TV pilot, and I finished last night. I've been
reflecting on how much my original vision changed, and your words summed it up so well: "I stopped listening to
what my ego wanted and I started hearing what the story needed." Good luck and keep writing.

1 1 10 hours ago

TJ Berry
Screenwriter

Thanks, Joseph! You have the perfect name for a storyteller!

0 10 hours ago

Guy Palace
Actor, Key Grip, Screenwriter, Story Analyst

Looks like I should look into The Writers Room. But first, perhaps I should fully say hello to Stage32 in a well
thought out bio ....

1 0 10 hours ago

Curtis Mauriel Smith

Extremely helpful.

1 0 10 hours ago

Curtis Mauriel Smith

Thank you, TJ

1 0 10 hours ago

Bria Thomas
Screenwriter

Thanks for sharing TJ, I'm glad that you mentioned how you to get into the business. I will be joining a writer's
group soon because of this post. It'll be nice to collaborate with others.

1 0 11 hours ago

Phil Stubbs

Loved every bit of your article... and the words "Distil My Craft" made for a cool echo.

1 0 11 hours ago

Yvette Karamell Jones Walters

Author, Director, Filmmaker, Screenwriter

Thank you TJ for sharing your story, its given me the inspiration need.

1 0 16 hours ago

Yvette Karamell Jones Walters

Author, Director, Filmmaker, Screenwriter

This inspired me.

2 0 16 hours ago

Yvette Karamell Jones Walters

Author, Director, Filmmaker, Screenwriter

Thank you, TJ

0 0 16 hours ago

Yvette Karamell Jones Walters

Author, Director, Filmmaker, Screenwriter

This inspired me.

1 0 16 hours ago

Yvette Karamell Jones Walters

Author, Director, Filmmaker, Screenwriter

Thank you, TJ

1 0 16 hours ago

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