Some of us formed tight little units that met and made plans for the future, working on film projects and even entering some of them into festivals and competitions. Others preferred to work on projects by themselves, presumably due to personality or the remoteness of their home base. And some of us got a job or two to feed our kids while continuing to write in our "spare time".
And so it is with writers. Some form partnerships. Others work solo. Some have the freedom to write all day. Others get a half-hour at the end of a grueling double shift. Some get to work from their bedroom/home office. Others are stuck in a rig camp up in northern Alberta. Some are single, others married with children. Everyone is different. Our opportunities to sit down undisturbed and knock off a few pages vary widely.
Our excuses, however, are unnvervingly similar. (And trust me, I've used each and every one of them.)
"If only I had more time to write like [insert name here]."
"If only I had connections to the industry like [insert name here] has."
"If only I was rich. Or single. Or not so damn tired all the time. If only I had a mentor, or went to that seminar I keep hearing about, or was part of a workshop group. If only I was more "diverse", a different gender, an ethnic minority, or gay. Or if I just had a more compelling story idea. Gaaa!"
Stop. Here's a basic fact: barring any heroic changes on your part, the vexing set of circumstances in which you find yourself probably won't change that much in the foreseeable future. If you have bills to pay that aren't being covered by mom and dad, you've got to work. If you're in a relationship, your free time and mental energy are at a premium. If you have kids, double (or triple) that. If you live in the middle of nowhere, mentors and fellow writers are rare as rainbows. This is your life. If you lack the ability to change it, accept it.
As nearly as I can see, we have two basic choices in life, with writing or any other dream we're chasing: We can shake a fist at an "unfair" universe and sing our sad songs to an unhappy grave. Or take a breath, assess our real opportunities, be grateful for our first-world problems, and start writing.
No I mean it, start writing.
Why are you still reading this when you could be writing?!
Between the internet, the night club, endless self-imposed to-do lists and the irreparable harm we're sure fate is doing to us, we can find enough "good" excuses to fill a book. (There, I just gave you story idea. You're welcome.) But the fact is, the only thing stopping us from writing is us.
I want to be a screenwriter, that's my dream. But before I get that big contract, I've got to actually write something. Hollywood isn't knocking (yet), nor will they, probably ever. My success, my connection with industry professionals, my opportunities to write are totally up to me. Which means a lot of hard work and humble pie in the meantime.
Writing is a discipline, a head game, a deep exercise in emotional self-management as story ideas and real life compete for attention. Except in rare situations, no one walks out of film school into a professional writers room or six-figure deal. It takes time to to find your voice, develop the craft, and amass a portfolio of gig-getting work. And that only happens by continuing to write - no matter what it is, no matter how you feel.
My first writing job after film school had nothing to do with film. I was invited to write a script for a graphic novel, so I did. I even got paid for it! My next opportunity was to blog for a social media company, so I did that. Later, I was invited to do script coverage for a production company, so I did that, too. Eventually, I was hired to co-write a script for an Indo-Canadian romantic comedy. That lasted four months before the producer was sidetracked by business matters and put the whole thing on pause, but since I was getting paid for it and gaining invaluable experience in the process, I didn't care.
Meanwhile, I continued to blog here at Reel-Focused. (And then there's that screenplay I started three months ago still sitting on the shelf. Note to self: Make time for your own damned work!) The point is, while only half of the writing I've done since graduation has pertained to the big screen, the important thing is that I haven`t stopped writing. I've kept the sword sharp, the wheels greased, the cheesy metaphors at play. It's important to remember that we're not only writers when we become rich and famous. We're writers right now, developing our skills, getting better, and having fun! It's what we love, it's what we do, it's who we are. At least I hope it is, or why the heck are we doing this to ourselves?
Have I allowed excuses to cause or justify inactivity? Yes. Have I occasionally descended into the basement of self-pity with nothing but a glass of Pinot Gris to comfort me? Of course. (I am a writer, after all.) I'm guessing you have, too. The key is to catch ourselves when that happens, get happy, clear our schedules, and start writing. Immediately.
Geez Louise, are you STILL reading?!