...you are making strides in the business of screenwriting.
You may be thinking, "I am making strides. I'm writing a goddamn screenplay!" Well, that's one part of it. But there is so much more.
After 12 years working in the TV industry in Los Angeles, there's one thing I know for sure. People will only take you seriously if you're actively pursuing this industry.
There are thousands and thousands of screenwriters out there writing in all different parts of the country, and most of them have no intention of moving to New York or LA and actively seeking representation, or getting a job on a production and starting to meet people.
And that's fine.
But it's not really pursuing the path, is it?
Maybe that person even enters a few screenwriting competitions. That's at least something. But it's still just throwing your screenplay into large piles and praying for the best.
Think of it like this...
Picture a job hunter in a different field, a more traditional field.
This job hunter knows everything they can about the job they're pursuing. They are prepared for the job they want and they know they can do it.
BUT they're not applying to any jobs. They're not talking to recruiters, they're not attending networking events. They're not in the mix.
All of a sudden, it doesn't matter whether they are the perfect candidate for the job, because they'll never be able to prove that to anybody.
Now, entertainment doesn't make it as easy as "applying" for a writing job on a job site. That doesn't really exist. But the equivalent is moving to where the jobs are (LA and to a lesser extent New York), taking jobs to meet people, organizing writers' groups, going to mixers, making a play for the route you want to take.
That is a job seeker.
The screenwriter not doing this is a hobbyist.
