Screenwriting

I'm the author of over forty screenplays most of which have either been bought, optioned or produced. I have read many articles on how to start in the business, how to write screenplays, and how to find an agent for your work all seem to pander to the dreamers hopes for success and a big payday. In fact the reality is much further away than you think. Most screenwriters, and I count myself in this lot reside in the nether world of options and spec scripts. We hustle our own work. Sure I have an agent and occasionally he comes across a job for me, but until you strike some sort of amazing deal they are generally useless. If you've written one or maybe even two screenplays you may be surprised you need to write more. First you must master "Story" and second you must know the market. What I mean by market, isn't who will go to see your film, but what are the producers looking for, what is their marketing plan? I've sat in many meetings only to realize my brilliantly written love story was submitted to a producer looking for a slasher movies with Zombie surfers. However they recognized that I wrote a good script and were wondering if I could give them some ideas. Folks! Ideas and structures cost money that is what we do as screenwriters!