Wellllllllll........won a small contest last month with a script and the same script has been called "underdeveloped" by another contest. This year has been tough to write through. I'm probably harder on myself than anyone else, but the degree of feeling like a failure I've fought against has been large this year. I'm working on a script which won't see production because of IP but its in a genre I don't usually write so I thought I would challenge myself to see if I can get out of the rut. Plus, it's for a franchise I follow extensively so this script is for me; although my friends know I'm working on it and want to read it when it's done. I think it's easy to list my failures and very hard to list what is good, at least when I'm feeling down.
Introduce Yourself : Introduce Your FAIL Weekend. by Debra Montague
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Regarding your first sentence, I definitely wouldn't consider that a "fail." I've had coverage from an entity that gave a script of mine a "Recommend," but the same script didn't even place in the quarterfinals of their contest. It didn't bother me because the person providing the coverage likely wasn't a contest judge, and this is a SUPER subjective industry. Heck, even my own daughters have a completely different sense of humor than I do! Celebrate both the small contest win AND the fact that you challenged yourself with a different genre. You wrote something just for the joy of it; writing ANYTHING, especially when you're in a rut, is fantastic! :)
Debra, just remember that this business is so subjective! What one reader might love, others might just not get or connect with, and that's okay. Take notes with a grain of salt and ultimately put on the page what YOU love and think makes the story robust. Good luck!
I agree with Andrea and Aimee about the business being subjective. My script got a PASS by a couple of readers, but it wound up being a Stage 32 contest winner. Celebrate the wins and learn from the setbacks. This business is a marathon, not a sprint. The famous singer Al Jarreau once said "It took me 20 years to be an overnight sensation" Keep pushing. Keep creating. Never give up. Write and write some more.