Screenwriting : The ´What if´ Monster by Mark Deuce

I battle with the 'What if' Monster sometimes, Mark Deuce. I ignore the thought and focus on the project I'm working on. It's hard to ignore 'what if' sometimes, but I eventually end up ignoring it.

It's just a hobby, it's not life or death, and if Im not having fun, I do other hobbies. Anyways, I did postproduction for over a decade. Everyone, from newbies to Oscar & Emmy winners, have imposter syndrome.

Hey Mark Deuce - I think this is something that every creative battles. I think the answer lies in shifting our focus and realigning our value in who we are. If we never "make it" will it destroy us? If the answer is yes then our priorities are a bit off. After realizing this, we have to train our minds to focus on the things of greater value that don't define us like family and friends. And sometimes pie.

Having this kind of anxious thinking is normal, for everyone, especially in an area as competitive as screenwriting, which has a saturated market. But the secret is to have confidence in your potential and know that your projects are unique, with a different vision from others. And the fear of having your projects stolen is real, but if everything is properly legalized and someone appears to want to take what is yours, then we're going to have a good legal fight.

Mark Deuce I think you kind of acknowledge the existence of the "What If Monster", then dropkick him in the nethers and trudge on right past him. "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!"

I love "Battle: Los Angeles" Mike Childress. Great movie.

I think the "what if" monster lurks in different ways for all of us... I try to push it down the alley of "what if I don't try"... and that's always been the scariest of all to me.

Leonardo Ramirez I had forgotten they dropped that quote in there! Attributed to a WWI Marine officer it's one of those great military quotes like, "They're murdering us here. Let's move inland and get murdered."

Even better Mike Childress. I didn't know that this was where it came from. Makes me like the movie even more.

Mark Deuce hello! I have a much smaller monster these days who on occasion rears its ugly head, especially when I feel aches and pains. Mine is "what if I die before I don't birth all the stories?" Ridiculous, I realize.I battle it by stretching. LOL

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR AMAZING COMMENTS!!! Let us kill that What if monster right here and right now!!! LET´S GOOOOOOOO!!!

You're welcome, Mark Deuce.

That sounds interesting Mark Deuce very meta in its concept!

Yes, it's important to separate the "what if" from the "what is." You have no power over "what is." A saturated market is "what is." You only have power over the "what ifs," and the best weapon against a "what if" is a "what if" with a positive slant: "What if I take a course?" "What if" I write down all my crazy concepts? "What if" I enter another contest, strictly for fun? "What if" I focus on the market that is the least saturated? "What if" I drag out my 2nd novel and adapt it for film? "What if" I change the genre of my unsold script? "What if" I spend 20 minutes a day brainstorming concepts? "What if" I set a goal for myself?

Love it Jeff Guenther and spot-on!!

Thank you Maurice Vaughan

LET´S GOOOO!!! Susan Kelejian

You're welcome, Mark Deuce.

LET´S GOOOO Mike Childress and being an Army Vet, this really resonates with me. Cheers!

Totally agree Leonardo Ramirez and really needed to hear your read your comment today!

Thanks for sharing Mariana Carvalho ands you are spot-on!!

Same here Sam Sokolow and all we can do it keep GRINDING!! Cheers!

For many it is life or death Dan MaxXx

My friend, it’s always good to see you here Mark Deuce!

Thank you so much Leonardo Ramirez so glad to be a part of this amazing community. Cheers!

What if is a valid question but sometimes it turns into a totally different opportunity - What if I don't get that show? The phone rings for another better show. My mom used to belong to a business group called "Score" - The leader asked people to tell them their ideas - some didn't want to thinking their grand idea would be stolen - the leader said literally it was a rare thing that someone else followed through with another's idea. Not all of us follow through with our own! That wasn't writing but I've always remembered that. I've also been working in this business since 1986 and many years later I think "what if I never get a call again?" But always do eventually. So What if you sell your screenplay and it's an original story and it is a success? That'd be so cool!

Interesting. I published a Dark Fantasy novel called What If? in 2022. That has monsters in it, and its all about, What If?....

What if, I never make a screenplay sale? Just what was the reason it didn't sell?

What if, no one likes my story? ask around and show people your story here to see what was wrong and write a better story!

What if, someone steals my idea or screenplay? You first send it to the copyright office and get a form to prove it is your story! and take screenshots of the emails of the person you get in contact with to prove it was your idea, always have a paper trail!

doing stuff like this is always a hit or miss, I'm more of a trial and error type myself, and if something I made doesn't work all I do is ask why, NASA had rockets go boom on the lunch pad and they ask themselves why did it fail! and they build a better rocket! I have stories posted here that could be better its just that no one ever tells me why it could be! (have a read by all means!) I found that scientist make a paper of their ideas or experiments, they have an idea of how it could go right and how it could go wrong. Let me tell you that I failed more times at things that I'm not surprised it did, only when it succeeds is when it surprises me and I ask myself just how it did. As for "WHAT IF?" have you read the story of Stan Lee and Spiderman? The what-if monster should be the driving force for you to win at life.

I believe "what if" is a great chance to read your script from different angles, check out what's already out there and then take risks, find ways to improve, let others read it, be your worst critic, hit delete a lot and then you ask yourself what is the one thing that's different about my script? The one thing that will separate me from the herd? And then, write to that. I don't know if this idea is good, but it's a fun exercise.

Well said Xochi Blymyer

That is really funny Carol M. Salter and hope it was a great seller.

SPOT-ON Gregory Barone

"what if" monster is a constant battle for me. just learn to ignore and keep moving forward. i don't have much advice or thoughts for this because we all handle things differently.

Same here Jamie Isolini we all battle that evil, especially if we don´t see things happening when it comes to all of our hard work in writing. But, like ya said, Keep writing forward. Have a great weekend and see ya out there!

What if you died tomorrow? Then what?

thanks Mark Deuce

Certainly something we all deal with in our lives. As I'm about to turn 40 at the end of this year, I can be thankful that I finally vanquished this monster about five years ago when I really started sharing my work with people and getting so many amazing responses, opportunities and friendships because of my writing.

I remind myself that AMAZON exists. IF I don't sell the screenplay, I'll turn it into a novel. And if I can't sell the MS, I'll publish it myself on AMAZON. They can't stop us anymore.

John Clive Carter EXACTLY my plan.

The End Douglas Peters

LET´S GOOOOO Nathan Smith

SPOT-ON!!! John Clive Carter

well i just try to remember it is in the hand of a higher power and it will happen when it is meant to.