So, you’ve written a script—or five. Now what?

Are you seeking representation? Hoping to land funding from a production company? Trying to convince a director or agent to take a chance on your story?

Navigating the next steps can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re competing with tens of thousands of other scripts. According to the Writers Guild of America (WGA), around 50,000 scripts are registered every year.

Out of those, only a fraction—estimated at .004%—actually sell.

If you’ve ever been confused about the term “spec script,” you’re not alone. The writing world uses the same phrase to describe two very different concepts. Let’s break them down and talk about why each is essential for screenwriters—whether you’re chasing a career in film or TV.

Crafting great dialogue is one of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of screenwriting. Dialogue isn't just about words on a page—it's about revealing character, advancing the story, and keeping the audience hooked.

Here are some essential tips to help you write better dialogue that stands out and serves your script:

Crafting a strong logline is one of the most important (and difficult!) steps for any screenwriter pitching their script. Your logline is often your story’s first impression, and a weak one can leave your project lost in a sea of submissions.

First Things First: What Is a Logline?

I consider myself a reformed Jumper-Inner, and now that I read scripts all the time and have written professionally for eight years and read my client’s scripts, I can spot script mistakes almost instantly (you will too, I promise!). In my experience, these are the top five I STILL SEE ALL THE TIME.

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Years ago, I got a call. I was going to write for TV. Like real TV, not a webseries, not a script that I’ll show four people then let get lost in my iCloud: I had actually booked a TV writing job. (This is after I booked My Very First Writing Job.)

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Yes, I’ve said this before, and yes, it’s controversial. And I have the social media threads to prove that this usually elicits a, let’s say… passionate response in people. But hear me out. What most people call writer’s block is just a lack of preparation. It’s the moment where your story doesn’t hold together, your characters lose their drive, or you realize you’ve written yourself into a corner.

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Writing a screenplay is one of the most rewarding things a storyteller can do—but let’s be honest, it can also be hard. The hardest part? Getting unstuck when the words won’t come, or the story just isn’t working.

I’ve been there. I’ve abandoned more scripts than I care to admit, frustrated and convinced the problem was me. But here’s the truth: It wasn’t me, and it’s not you, either. The problem is trying to write without the right tools or roadmap.

Becoming a professional writer isn’t about having endless inspiration or a knack for dialogue. It’s about learning how to combine creativity with technique, structure, and a touch of resilience. In this guide, I’ll show you the five things you need to get serious about if you want to make a living from your words and see your projects move from a dream to reality.

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As someone who’s lived through the heartbreak of endless rewrites and computer-crying sessions: writing without a plan is a one-way ticket to frustration. My first novel took three years and countless revisions. It was only because by a miracle I was able to land a script writing job and learn a whole new set of skills that I was like WAIT A SECOND! I did the book writing thing all wrong.

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So… fun important fact about me: I wrote a 327-page novel, poured three years of my life into it, only to find myself with a manuscript that didn’t go anywhere. I had a lot happening—cool scenes, shocking twists and a story. I knew it wasn’t working but didn’t know why until I read this ONE BOOK.

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As writers, we often get trapped in the idea that we must constantly be typing words on a page to make progress. But what if the best way to keep going creatively is by letting go of that pressure? The truth is, creativity is a journey, not a race to the finish. Austin Kleon captures this beautifully in Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad. Kleon’s book provides an inspiring look at ways to stay focused, motivated, and resilient as a writer, reminding us that even the simplest daily rituals can fuel our creative fire.

As a professional writer for over seven years and an amateur writer since I wrote my school play in fifth grade, I may hold the record for most writing-related gifts ever received. I completely understand how shopping for the writer in your life can be frustrating and confusing. We are weird, emotional, reclusive people. So I wanted to help ya’ll out and make a writer’s gift list that the writer in your life will ACTUALLY want.

And look, this post may or may not be a subtle note to my friends and family: very few writers want a framed "WORD NERD" canvas with a sketchy picture of a typewriter or a mug that says, "Don’t piss off the writer or I’ll name a character after you and kill them."

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