By Chris Courtney Martin · December 27, 2023
With the new year just around the bend, it’s time to come up with some fresh ideas to keep us on track after the holidays. Here are 20 weird New Year’s Resolutions for screenwriters to pursue this year.
Let’s go!
You may find your next story idea in a thrift store bargain bin or a neighbor’s rummage sale. And that’s not just among the old books. Invent a character to go with that vintage mohair suit. See what quirky objects might inspire your next narrative.
When sorting through your old files, whether digital or analog, there’s gold in them there pages. It’s not uncommon for a writer to stumble across notes for a project that never made it to completion. Even that old Composition assignment from 10th grade could turn into something dope.
A pointed hate-watch could spur some serious innovation. Maybe there’s an opportunity to lampoon the aspects of a bad movie that you find especially ridiculous. If you can come up with a version of it that you love, that’s some serious alchemy.
Read More: Pop the Bubbly! 4 Great New Year’s Eve TV Episodes
Next time a stranger chats you up at the grocery checkout or your Uber driver overshares, don’t be in such a hurry to end the conversation. The universe just might be presenting you with your new favorite character.
Think about how much money you can save floating from free trial to free trial. And I’m not just talking about the streaming services. Nothing is stopping us from scraping IMDBpro for every contact we could need for the year before that billing cycle renews.
Everyone is checking your socials– from the exec that you’re pitching to the HR manager at your day job. It bodes better if the scrolling leads them to your very best highlights and wittiest insights, rather than your misadventures in stan wars. Besides, nothing is more industry insider than having a “finsta.”
We all drop the ball in communication. It happens to the best of us. But don’t let a temporary lapse in focus or bout of exhaustion sever the line forever. Even if it’s been a few months, respond to that email or text and catch up.
Research is a writer’s best friend, even if it has no immediate application to a specific project. If a subject interests you, become as (healthily) engrossed in it as you can. A story may be hidden in there somewhere.
Unfortunately, screenwriters need a piggy bank. From contest entries to paid coverage and film festival admission, it takes some financial planning to break in. And that Sparletts jug full of pennies might be what gets you next to Greta Gerwig.
Yes, these documents are important. And not just for fellowships and 9-to-5 work. You never know which prospective collaborators will require these in addition to a sample. So, revamp them by talking about your accomplishments the way you would if you were championing your best friend. It’s not bragging, it’s honoring.
Some of the most popular stories of all time began with a dream. If you aren’t tracking your dreams, you just might be leaving your most unique prompts on the table. Even if you’re not someone who vividly dreams, though, a private place to jot down your thoughts is a must.
The Lord of the Rings and Star Trek are just two examples of fictional universes enhanced by the creation of their own bespoke fantasy languages. This might be the nerdiest resolution you’ll hear this year, but it also might be the most lucrative.
There is no physical space more apt to help a writer achieve the greatest number of these resolutions than a library. It’s a place to find anything from new source material to free/affordable classes.
Everyone has a secondhand secret weighing on their soul that they wish they could expose. A boss who may or may not be defrauding the government. An ex who stole their coworkers’s tips. Put it in a script and purge your psyche.
There’s nothing more irritating than watching a narrative where a character gets away with a crime that authorities can systematically thwart. Instead of writing a 2020s mastermind who pulls a 1980s credit card scam, commit to getting inventive. (And bookmark this post just in case the feds have questions.)
From Don’t Look Up to Squid Game, some of the most revered works in recent years have come out of political passion. Let’s not forget that the Hollywood era of “If you got a message, send a telegram” was the same that indentured its stars.
Once you get a minimal foothold in the industry, you’ll find that your web of contacts just might intersect with the network of your favorite star. Swap K-Bay out for the A-lister of your choice and you might find yourself a few messages away from the collaborator of your dreams.
This may sound like a paradox but a hiatus could be exactly what it takes to breathe new life into your screenwriting career. Taking time off to pursue other passions can make a writer stand out from the crowd and provide new specialized skills for them to bring to the table.
When coming up with dramatic situations, we often don’t think to look at our personal worst-case scenario. Use your writing to face your biggest fears. There’s no telling how many people out there share them.
I don’t need to get into all of the ways folks are coerced to betray their ethics to have a shot at The Dream ™. If you made it this far, you already know them– or you’ll soon learn. But I will say that desperation kills the art because it kills the heart. Let’s have each others’ backs in making this industry a force for good.
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Happy New Year!
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