Next Steps for Screenwriters Event

On Tuesday night, I went to a pretty invigorating talk at Leeds Playhouse about writing TV spec scripts, pitching them, and navigating the difficult production company landscape. For someone who feels so far removed from ever having a single line of dialogue performed by an actor, it was reassuring to hear that a couple of the speakers broke into the industry through competitions and open-call schemes. What I found most encouraging was the way they described spec scripts as a “headshot” of who you are as a writer — far more valuable an introduction to an agent or whomever than walking into a room, shaking hands, and saying, “Hello, I am...”. They also spoke about the process on an artistic level: how the spec phase is the freest you'll ever be as a writer, before all sorts of other voices enter the mix (a necessity, given that this is ultimately show-business). And when the rejections inevitably pile up, you have to absorb them and carry on. Just keep writing. I also have a new dream…