I’ve learnt the obvious. Had it smacked around my head, drilled into my brain, hammered into my atoms: you have to LOVE the stories you’re writing because you're going to spend a lot of time with them.
| My script COLLIDER has been optioned. I knew the writing only began with the 1st submission draft, but this is up to version 30 now (in fairness I tweaked a lot, learning as I went along). New production input has changed the drive of the story and the process starts again. I won't lie - I had a moment’s reflection; “But that was 2 years ago and I’m really into my other projects…” but the enthusiasm is still there. Had sterling input that makes the story even better and even after all this time, even though I’m caught up in new worlds; |  Collider can still suck me back in and I’m relishing the prospect of improving it. |
The question people ask is, when is your script ready? There’s a danger of
keeping on working it and never letting go. Hayley McKenzie pointed out another real gotcha – The danger of producers asking for changes without stumping up any money, and a hamster wheel of edits that never end.
For me, I’m new enough to take any advice I can get and if it means the script might get made, I’ll do it! It definitely helps me improve as a writer going through this cycle – all grist to the mill, right?
| The absolute necessity is to adore your story so the enthusiasm doesn’t desert you on edit 20. This process could not happen if I’d tried to write 'something commercial' that I didn’t love, so at least I’ve made 1 good career choice in my general blundering! |  |
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