The true story of how I became a screenwriter
The long, twisty, totally non-linear path
How did you become a screenwriter?
It’s the #1 question I get asked, almost daily!
Unsurprisingly, I don’t have a simple, one-size-fits-all answer for you, certainly not one that fits a single newsletter.
And it’s also important to note that when it comes to “breaking in” as a screenwriter, no two paths are the same. It’s impossible to copy/paste what someone else has done onto your life and get the exact same results. But I’m happy to share my story and what worked for me. Hopefully, you’ll find a little bit of inspiration or a few useful tips in this post.
It’s never too late to start your screenwriting career
Prior to writing my first script, the only fiction I wrote was a soap opera about my 5th-grade classmates. This soap opera was—ahem—a bit too edgy for fifth grade, and a teacher caught me and canceled my “show.” LOL.
Besides my short-lived soap opera, I spent several years as a part-time actress, mostly in regional commercials. Acting was fun, but I was far more intrigued by the scripts, the casting, the cinematography—everything behind the camera. I stopped acting shortly after moving from the East Coast to Napa, CA, and never looked back.
I didn’t even get the itch to try screenwriting until my mid-30s. I started my PR business when I was 26 years old, which means I had about a decade to build that business before adding something else to my plate.
When I began pursuing screenwriting, I had a handful of private consulting clients and some online courses that I would teach throughout the year. This gave me a very comfortable income, freedom, and security, so I didn’t “need” to make money from screenwriting. This made my life and business soooo much easier to run—financially, emotionally, and psychologically.
An idea came to me one day, and I knew that it could be turned into something amazing. I tend to picture a scene in my mind, and if that scene multiplies into more scenes … I know I’ve got A Good Idea. That’s exactly what happened with this particular scene, and I just couldn’t shake it.
I was in Los Angeles for a month for business and picked up a book called The Coffee Break Screenwriter that promised I could write a first draft of a script in 10 minutes per day. Sold!
How I wrote my first, very bad script
So I sat in the breakfast nook of my little Airbnb during that month I was in L.A. and cobbled together a very messy first draft. Once I was done, I had no idea what to do next to fix it.
I reached out to the author of the book, Pilar Alessandra, and asked if she did any script consulting. She did! I spent the next two years working with her privately, learning to write and rewrite (and then rewrite some more). I also took several other classes from Pilar and Script Anatomy, and watched tons of movies and TV shows, getting my hands on any script I could, and breaking them down so I could better understand story structure.
Once I felt confident in one of the scripts I wrote (which was NOT the first one, by the way)—I started networking. I approached this very organically, asking anyone I knew if they knew anyone in the industry. Through this, I was connected to some great people and bought them coffee/lunch/dinner and listened to their experiences in the industry. I never asked anyone for anything (Can you read something? Can you connect me to someone? Nope! Didn’t ask for a thing.) Instead, I truly just wanted to listen to their experiences.
Through this, I was able to learn a lot about how to navigate the industry. I learned what was okay and what wasn’t, how to advocate for myself, how to not get taken advantage of, how to take meetings, how to work with executives, how to handle notes, and how to handle rejection ← that’s a big one. I’m incredibly grateful for everything I learned from these generous people!
Getting someone to read your screenplay
Eventually, organically, some of these folks offered to read something of mine. A few people loved my writing and offered to pass it along to their reps, producer friends, etc. This got me my first set of real meetings.
From there, things started to pick up, so I picked up my family, and we moved to Los Angeles to give things a real, honest shot. I continued to run my PR business. I continued to improve my writing. I continued to network. This was not always easy! By any stretch of the imagination! As I’m sure you can imagine, there were many ups and downs.
But through it all, there was one thing I was sure of: I wanted to write a Lifetime Movie.
I loooooove those movies. I have so many memories of bundling up on the sofa with my friends and screaming at the TV as we watched those fun thrillers. Was that cute neighbor actually a secret stalker? Did the new stepmom have a secret identity? What was the deal with those identical triplets?!!! I loved every second.
Since I had such a specific goal, I set out to make that goal happen.
Meaning: I started learning specifically how those movies are written.
How I learned to write Lifetime movies
Watched a ton of them
Broke them down to learn the beats
Wrote a sample script
Looked up people involved with the films I loved and asked if they’d let me treat them to coffee or a meal to hear about their experience (You can find this info on the IMDb page of any movie!)
That focused, determined, hard work, over time, led to my first gig. There was no “single email” or “one connection” or “five-step list” or “single script” that led me there.
Even after my first movie aired in 2017, I still had a loooooong way to go to prove myself. There were a lot of ups and downs, and plenty of moments where I wondered if I’d ever sell another script.
Since then, I haven’t just written thrillers for Lifetime. I’ve sold drama, dramedy, romantic comedy, and even an animated feature—both in film and TV.
Here’s something people don’t always realize about screenwriting: a lot of writers sell and develop projects, get paid, work their butts off... and the project never gets produced. Or it gets produced but never airs. It’s a weird and kind of wonderful industry that way.
An early mentor once told me, “You’ll be successful as long as you take your ego out of it. Lots of screenwriters work constantly, but you’d never know it because nothing gets made. But they’re still making a great living.”
I took that advice to heart. Yes, I’ve had projects made, and that’s always the goal, but I’m not attached when they don’t get made. I just keep writing.
There are still challenges. Filmmaking is no joke and definitely not for the faint of heart.
But I’d still say, if screenwriting is a dream of yours: go for it.
I don’t have an answer for “how to break into screenwriting”—but here are some of my best tips for aspiring screenwriters:
Remember that you are the CEO
Writing is a business. Oftentimes, screenwriters will become obsessed with “getting repped” or “getting produced” and ignore clear warning signs. (I was one of these writers once, so I get it!)
Keep in mind that your reps—whether it’s an agent, a manager, or both—work with you. They earn a living through commission, which means they’re looking for talent they believe they can develop and sell. They want scripts they can pitch, and writers they see long-term potential in. Ideally, they’re excited about both your current project and your overall voice as a creator.
But just because they’re excited doesn’t mean they’re always the strongest negotiators. Some reps are absolutely amazing at it, but for others, it’s not their strongest skill. That’s why I always recommend hiring an entertainment attorney to review and negotiate your deals. Unlike your reps, who only get paid when the deal closes, your attorney is someone you pay directly—so their job is to advocate for you.
I’ll never forget one early deal I was negotiating. My manager thought the offer was fine and encouraged me to take it. “You’re still a baby writer,” they said. “Do this one, and we can ask for more next time.” But my attorney? He took one look at the deal points and said, “This is offensive.” He caught several problematic clauses in the contract AND negotiated my fee up to three times what was originally offered.
Remember: this is your business. You need people in your corner who are looking out for you, and that includes having a team with a variety of skill sets to support and protect your work.
Screenwriters can also join a union—the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—but there are eligibility requirements, which you can find directly on the union’s site. That means earlier in your career, you’ll likely be advocating for yourself without union guidelines in place. And even after you join, you’ll still need to stand up for yourself. There are all sorts of questionable things people in the industry will try. Whether you’re union or non-union, you have to advocate for yourself. Always.
Not every producer is the right one
When you’re starting out, keep in mind that not all producers have the ability to get your project made.
It might feel exciting—thrilling, even—to get an option deal on a script. For those unfamiliar, an “option” means a producer gains exclusive rights to develop your script for a set period of time, typically 6–12 months. During that time, you can’t shop it elsewhere. You're essentially tying up your project and crossing your fingers they can make something happen.
And here’s the tricky part: some option deals come with little or no money. So unless that producer has a strong track record, connections, or a clear plan for getting your script made, you could be waiting around for nothing.
Do your research. Ask around. Look at what they’ve actually produced, not just what’s “in development.” It’s okay to pass on a deal if something doesn’t sit right with you.
Don’t compromise your values or desires just to check a box in your career. Take a pause and make an informed decision.
Produce your own work
Don’t rely on someone else to say “yes.” Make your own damn bestseller or blockbuster!
We have so many tools at our disposal today to create our own IP (intellectual property), whether that’s self-publishing a book, producing a short film or web series, or launching a scripted podcast. We also have tools to grow that IP, build an audience around it, and show proof of concept. That makes your work even more attractive to film and TV producers. Successful writers are extremely resourceful and great problem solvers, and producing your own work is one of the best ways to strengthen those muscles.
Not convinced? Fifty Shades of Grey, Legally Blonde, and The Martian were all originally self-published books before they became blockbuster movies. Issa Rae, Justin Bieber, and Dua Lipa all got their start on YouTube. Choose yourself! Don’t wait for someone else to tell you that what you’re creating is “good enough.”
Lower the stakes
Lots of writers get into screenwriting to “make a lot of money” or “leave behind the job they hate.” That’s totally valid! You can make money from any type of writing, but this is a marathon, not a sprint.
Even when you sell something, production cycles are looooong. There’s no guarantee they’ll even move forward beyond an initial option. As a screenwriter, you’re paid in “steps”—so even if the total number looks big, it can take a few years to receive all that money.
You’ll be way less stressed (and put a lot less pressure on your creativity) if you diversify your income streams. This could be a day job, a business, or you might write in other capacities, like working as a copywriter, content writer, or grant writer. Or you might do something completely outside of writing! You can read about how I make money as a writer here.
Do things other than writing
I don’t know about you, but I rarely get inspired by staring at Final Draft and a blinking cursor.
The best writing happens off the page. Experiencing life, building connections, and trying new things are all great fodder for stories. There’s even a joke that writers often end up writing about writing because they’re not out there living.
Tons of writers burn out because they’re worried about writing every day or hitting a certain number of words or pages per week. If that’s your process, great! But if it’s not? Get out and live life.
My best ideas always happen when I’m walking the dogs, taking a random community education class, or eavesdropping on conversations at the local coffee shop.
Also—dictating counts as writing! So does brainstorming. I get most of my creative sparks on my daily 5-mile walks, so I talk into my phone a lot. Sometimes it’s a whole scene. Sometimes it’s just a single line. But it all adds up. Movement clears my head, and speaking ideas aloud keeps the creative momentum going even when I’m nowhere near a keyboard.
There’s No One Way to Break In
Ultimately, the path you take to become a screenwriter will be completely your own, shaped by your strengths and weaknesses, your network, your personal story, etc.
No two journeys look alike, and that’s the beauty of it.
But if you can get really clear on the sort of work you want to create, develop your skill set, network your booty off, and be willing to view your writing career as a business that YOU are running, I believe that you can make it happen.
xo.
Melissa
This newsletter is brought to you by Melissa Cassera, a Publicity Strategist, Professional Screenwriter, and Author. If you're interested in working together on a writing project or a publicity strategy for your book, product, or service, check out the options here.
Great article. I am currently turning my pilot into a novel. So an attempt at the IP route.