Read on Twitter
I moved to LA to become a screenwriter and filmmaker in 2008. When I started dating my now-wife, who was a producer at the time, she casually told me it would take me 10 years to get anywhere.
I scoffed. Surely it wouldn't take ME 10 years.
Well, here I am. 13 years later. 1/ https://twitter.com/JDJames23/status/1360081172517294081
I scoffed. Surely it wouldn't take ME 10 years.
Well, here I am. 13 years later. 1/ https://twitter.com/JDJames23/status/1360081172517294081
There are some very good reasons it's taken this long. At first, I wasn't good enough. Then, I had kids.
And I've had successes along the way. Sold and published books, won awards. Even had a stint being paid well to write video games that never came out. 2/
And I've had successes along the way. Sold and published books, won awards. Even had a stint being paid well to write video games that never came out. 2/
But there have also been a lot of nos. A lot of non-writing jobs. A lot of time spent kicking myself for not writing quickly enough or well enough. A LOT of email followups. 3/
When things weren't coming together, the little tastes of success became torture. When I won the Austin Film Festival Pitch Competition, or was told by my UCLA professor, "You were born to write," how could I do anything else but keep going? 4/
The good news is, I feel I'm finally at the precipice. I have confidence in my writing. Several irons in several fires, all waiting to be smithed into the shape of a career.
And if they all go out? Eh, I'll probably keep writing. I know by now this is how long it takes. /fin
And if they all go out? Eh, I'll probably keep writing. I know by now this is how long it takes. /fin
Important addendums:
Quick successes are the exception (and do not correlate to successful careers). Make friends going through it. You might know you're not alone, but being able to feel it is maybe the most important thing as the years and rejections pile up.
Quick successes are the exception (and do not correlate to successful careers). Make friends going through it. You might know you're not alone, but being able to feel it is maybe the most important thing as the years and rejections pile up.
