The 6 Things Writers Need To Go From Dreaming To Doing

Having an idea for a story is exciting! Having a vision for turning that idea into a movie, TV show, web series, novel, comic book or game that can entertain and inspire other people the way those things have inspired you is downright exhilarating.

The challenge for most people, however, is, how exactly do you do that?

Add to this the fact that thousands of script, book, or game ideas get submitted to studios, contests, and streaming platforms every year, and it can start to get discouraging - in some cases, just enough for some people to stop before they've even started.

But perhaps that’s not you at all. If you’re a part of that tenacious few who aren’t willing to give up quite so easily, you’ve probably gone out and bought some books, watched some videos, joined a writing group, possibly taken a class or two, maybe even sat down and actually written something, hoping that in so doing the dream will finally come true.

Or maybe you’ve done all that only to discover that all the books, workshops, and videos in the world are not, in the words of BTO, taking care of business. That idea is still sitting up in your head or on some shelf waiting for inspiration to hit. Hey, maybe you have even finished writing that script or book, but you sense something is still missing or you're not sure what to do when it comes to the inevitable rewrite.

In my experience as a writer, producer, and coach, I’ve found the answer almost always comes down to six things. Six things that keep people from hitting the level of success they know they’re capable of; that spell the critical difference between dreaming and doing, between thinking about writing and actually getting it done.

Great thing is, the "big six" are not rocket science. In fact, they are not even limited to writers. In way or another, they apply to anyone with a dream or a goal.

What are they?

1. Training. Specifically in the fundamentals of story and script development. With the number of writers out there who know what they're doing, there is no way around it. You have to know how to write a story at an industry level, how to format your script properly, how to network and pitch, and more. You can totally do this, but you need to get trained.

2. Specific goals and targets. What exactly is this that thing you’re writing exactly? A feature film? A TV show? A novel? When do you want to complete it? And what do you plan on doing with it once it is complete? As author Antoine St-Exupery (The Little Prince) once wrote, "a dream without a plan is just a wish."

3. A schedule. I mean a realistic schedule you can actually follow given what else is going on in your life, with weekly milestones written down on a calendar that will take you all the way to the finish line.

4. Accountability, ideally with another human being. Someone who will make sure you hit your goals each week and get it done, while giving you honest feedback and the support you need.

5. Industry level support and coaching, ideally from a skilled mentor who works in the industry, who knows what producers are looking for, and how to speak to them.

6. A pitch and business strategy, including the four major tools that 99% of producers, studios, streaming platforms, and contests ask for. And knowing how, when, and where to deliver them.

Let me know if I can help. I work with writers every day to assess their goals, build a plan, design a schedule, train, build their pitch package, and workshop weekly to help them take their big idea all the way to their big break. You can reach me at paul@writerjump.com

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But whether you work with me or someone else, do it. You deserve it. And so do your dreams!

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