Screenwriting : My article for SCRIPT magazine - Staying In The Game by Richard "RB" Botto

Appreciate that, Karen. Thanks for reading!

Very nice article RB. I always appreciate your encouragement in your blogs and things like this article. The site has been a blessing even as I have yet to make that particular "contact", I am a believer in how this process works. Coming out of my grad program for screenwriting and film school simultaneously I thought it would just "happen" but then reality hits and you see it takes a lot from "you" doing what no one else will do for you, push your product. I'm glad we have this place to vent and connect with fellow writers and filmmakers. As Al Pacino says, "Every time I think that I'm out, they pull me back in!" I'm sticking with networking and pushing my way into this business. Thanks again for this site. Kev

It hurts to realize, but you're right when you say: you have to put as much time into marketing and networking as you do creating. I hope I can get sucess here like the women you talked about here, when the time comes.

A good read!

Richard that article of yours just got me back on here, I appreciate that.

Good article.

Richard, Very inspiring article and I'm glad this site is helping your career a lot. You deserve to succeed higher and higher.

Congrats on the article RB! :-)

Terrific article, Richard, well done. Congrats, friend.

Great piece, matey. Speak soon.

Great arrticle, Richard. I think I should read this at least once a week. And, I have a question, how do I submit articles to Stage 32? I write monthly articles on directing (www.markwtravis.com) and would like to share some of them with the crowd at Stage 32. Cheers, Mark

Congratulations, RB

Kev...I loved your post. Your spirit shines through. One of the biggest disappointments when I graduated was the realization that I knew no one who could make a difference. It made it tough to stay the course. With a healthy dose of perseverance, talent usually wins the day. But with access to people of influence easier than ever thanks to social media, it's more important than ever to have a plan to rise above the noise. To me, that plan must include smart, productive networking. Thanks for the note, my friend...Keep driving forward. RB

Vonnie...I think when the idea of being a successful creative crosses from hobby to career, one has to embrace the notion of talent and person as a brand. Personality, perseverance, drive, and desire when combined with talent is a deadly mix. One that commands attention. Wishing you the best of luck. RB

Great to have you back, Paul.

Thank you, Diane. But, let me just say, yes, the site has helped me...But only because I work the site. That's the common denominator. I only outlined two success stories. There have been thousands on this site...The paths to success have been varied, but the methods have been the same - Work hard, never stop honing your craft, and treat your networking as a means to an end. Thanks for reading and for posting. I'm truly appreciative.

Hello, Mark...First off, thank you. I'm thrilled you found the article inspiring. As for the blog...Drop me a DM with your thoughts and we'll go from there. Thanks again!

My thanks to everyone else who read/posted...I appreciate you all more than words can say. Thank you.

And a thank you for all the great information and networking you've brought together on this site.

Always appreciate your support and your contributions to the community, Kamran. Thank you.

These are the things that motivate me. Reading this article was reassuring that I am moving in the direction I need to be moving in. Since making the choice to see a long time dream come into reality, many people keep asking "how will you make money? or are you getting paid". Sweat equity will come first then real equity once the ball continues to move and build momentum. I am not looking to be Hollywood, I am looking to be great at building something people can benefit from, and I can show case my skills and talents. Use it or Loss it I say. Thanks for Stage 32 Richard. I appreciate it and I know many others, do too. Peace.

You are an inspiration Mr. Botto. I thank you. Rock on!

Jewell, that's one terrific post. Thank you. Most people who place money as the top goal of being a creative fail in spectacular fashion. The riches earned from being a creative should be personal first, monetary second.

Thank you, Yvonne...You are on that certainly gets it...Always active, always networking. But, please, call me Rich or RB...Mr. Botto is my dad!

Love it, Brian. Welles was a tremendous collaborator beginning with his radio days. I'd like to believe he would have respected what we're trying to do here.

RB Welles would have done what you did or hired you to do it.

Hey, it was mark of respect my friend, and I said 'rock on' that indicated youth and virility, but I'll call you Rich, just because I need to use the word more often, as it doesn't really fall into the vocabulary of the arts I practice. I feel your words Jewel, my mother asks me that question every time I mention my work,and I am unable to answer in the monetary terms she requires to validate my existence, but the people who participate in an arts project and say things like 'it changed my life for the better' well that is just priceless, so to all the people who may question your choices, I would say give them a hug and tell them that no bank account has the capacity for the richness that your soul is earning.

I'd like to believe that, Mike!

Very well said, Yvonne...The rewards of being a creative are vast.

I have a Movie & TV Trivia Game Show that I've created called "HOLLYWOOD FLASHBACKS"......I've secured the copyright/trademark and have a treatment, with a prelim budget. I now need help getting it pitched to some L.A. agents/network executives for future development. Perhaps you can help me in this regard. I'm new to Stage 32 and seeking to network with someone that is "a bonafide industry insider". Checkout me IMDb Link: www.imdb.me/kennhinton

RB, I just listened to your interview (podcast) with IndieHustle and want to thank you for such an insightful, passionate and informative conversation. You have inspired me. I was recently asked by IndieHustel to do an interview on my work and now I'm going to go ahead ... but, you have set the bar so high that it's going to be a challenge. Bless you and thank you for all that you do.

So very kind of you, Mark. Truly. I've probably done 50 podcasts since we launched Stage 32 back in 2011 and that was certainly one of my favorites. Alex does a terrific job. I'd highly recommend taking him up on his offer.

I appreciate the comments and the blessings, my friend. All I can ask in return is that you spread the word of Stage 32 wherever and whenever possible, send those invites where you can and simply contribute to the cause. Thanks again for taking the time and for all the support. Means more than you know, Mark.

Richard "RB" Botto Big congrats on the article and you are an inspiration to me!12 years ago WOW!!

Lovely post, brother. You reignited me.

Love seeing this article getting kicked back up after all this time!

Richard "RB" Botto Perfect blog and inspiration !

Brilliant post. Truly. I started nearly thirty years ago, writing late at night while working whatever “normal” job kept a roof over my head, supermarkets, video stores, teaching challenging kids in South London (which eventually became the basis for my first novel), and now the probation service, which has become its own form of research. Like so many here, I’ve had my share of highs, being attached to high-profile franchises, doing rewrites for some big names, producing low-budget films, winning a few awards for shorts, and the usual lows: broken promises, near-misses, the odd betrayal or scam. I even went through a major copyright theft when I was nineteen that still stings, considering the billions eventually made from it. But I kept going. Because writing costs nothing. And because every job I ever had gave me something — a character, a detail, a truth — that fed the next story. And you’re right: talent and ideas matter, but without contacts, community, or peers who understand this bizarre industry, the climb becomes twice as steep. Some of the best people I’ve met, producers, writers, creatives who’ve gone through hell themselves — have become genuine friends. We’re all just trying to get something made, trying to keep the flame alive. Posts like this remind me why we don’t stop. Why we shouldn’t. One never knows what’s waiting just around the corner… or who’s watching… or which script from decades ago might suddenly find a home. Thanks for the reminder to keep going.

Love that this one is still resonating all these years later.