I’ve been wanting to write this edition for a while now, especially off the back of so many hard truths in my subsequent ramblings.

It’s been really great hearing from some of you, particularly your experiences and how you feel about your career.

I made a note in my spreadsheet to talk about The Fuck It Button though I must confess, whatever passing thought I had on this subject has since escaped me. Though the feeling of it evokes the universal notion that we are always being told as screenwriters:

Don’t wait for permission.

But I also recall it was about a little bit more than this.

I speak to a lot of writers who say to themselves, “I’ll apply for that, later.” Or, “I’m going to wait until I’m a little bit more experienced.”

And I wanted to try to instil a little bit of bravery in your processes not least so you can get a head start on yourself, but also so that you can tune into more opportunities that are staring at you in the face.                                                                              

Okay, what I mean is, within reason. I don’t want spam from you guys telling me you’ve burnt out because of my advice. We’re all grown-ups here and we know how to manage our time, our bodies, and our relationships. But what I want you to try is, if your default is no, try a yes.

The saying goes you miss 100% of the targets if you don’t take the shot. And whilst I often, in the moment, hate myself for over committing, I’m always glad I did, always pleased to have the experience, and as you hopefully agree, is serving me well.

If I hadn’t said yes to doing a podcast with Falmouth Uni back in 2022, I’d never have bonded with five amazing writers who have become my peer support and close friends.

If I hadn’t attended every coffee morning my regional BFI office put on, I’d be just another faceless writer who sends in funding requests, where this year, I was interviewed for the Early Development Fund (reportedly harder to get than getting into Harvard) and half the interview was easy because they knew me already.

There are many, many, things like this that if I hadn’t said yes to, I’d be a few years behind.

This also goes for applications. Sometimes, ducks, you just have to apply, put the baby down, push the washing to one side, turn the shop sign to closed, set and alarm for 6am, sit in your car on your phone trying to tick micro-boxes on application forms with fat fingers, whatever you need to do to just get it done.

When I was submitting to Channel 4 Screenwriting Lab with Philip Shelley back in 2024, which was my 3^rd of 4 attempts (and still haven’t got in), I was getting up at 5am every day to write. No, I didn’t get in. But that script got me into a script edit and a table read at LSF and onto WFTV Kay Mellor Lab, and strengthened my relationship with The Script Factory, and people are still talking to me about that script now.

So no, I didn’t want to do it. Yes, at 5:15am my eyes were bleeding and I was wondering what on earth I was doing with my life, and yes, when the rejection came in, I wanted to email Philip himself and tell him how hard I worked. But that script has worked a lot harder for me that year than I ever could.  

You can do it!

Many of us are introverts, it's one of the reasons writing appeals. We don’t want to talk to people. Instead, we imagine it. Much safer. Much more fun too. Part of the cure is recognising the problem.

But this industry is 90% connections. Not so much nepotism, but connections. I’d sooner trust my 20 year old to drive my car than a rando off the street. No matter how impressive their driving history.

So how do we overcome this?

I broke the wall-hugging-excuse-me-do-you-know-where-the-toilet-is level of shyness by meeting people virtually, and often. Think about it, you can speak freely to one person and have their attention, in a networking event, you have to compete with Chad or Brad who has every Star Wars Lego figure ever made and mansplains to men and women the script editing equivalent of the offside rule. You also have to compete with the noise, which drives me crazy.

Why does all networking have to be in such inaccessible, noisy bars filled with music?!

The other plus side is you can have notes to read from, prepared talking points or questions, you know who you’re meeting so you can research them. And there’s no awkward goodbye or hello, because you’re both expecting the same kind of interaction.  

Don’t just aim for commissioners and producers. Speak to other writers, the CGI department, runners, editors. Speak to council funders, festival planners, event organisers. It is incredible how diverse this industry is and you never know, the person in event planning for some remote seaside film festival may just be an aspiring commissioner with a need to pay the bills.

Go forth and make friends. Build those relationships.

Ah yes, my point is and was always, don’t wait; just go for it. I waited until after I finished my degree, until after I’d written my first script, when I get back from holiday, I’ll start on Monday. But as I’ve said before: People before Projects. And if I’d done this as soon as I began my journey, I’d be two years ahead of these relationships.

Because if you wait, you still need to do this work, you’re only going to find it frustrating and ‘unfair’ when other’s make it look so effortless.

Tell me, did you have a coffee with someone this week? Let me know how it went!

Helen

P.S. Philip, if you’re reading this… are you free for a virtual coffee sometime in the next few weeks?

Next up… The Shark Tank - Build Your Own Writers’ Room