New Book Offers New Hope for Aspiring Screenwriters
by Cynthia Cree

It's a familiar story for screenwriters everywhere-sitting alone in a room writing spec scripts that don't sell. Maybe it's because the writer doesn't have an agent and doesn't know how to play "the Hollywood game" to get one. Maybe it's because the scripts aren't commercial enough. Or that the characters aren't strong enough. It's often impossible to say. But whatever the reason, it can leave even the most talented writers feeling hopelessly out of the loop and out of ideas for forwarding their screenwriting careers.

It's a familiar story for screenwriters everywhere-sitting alone in a room writing spec scripts that don't sell. Maybe it's because the writer doesn't have an agent and doesn't know how to play "the Hollywood game" to get one. Maybe it's because the scripts aren't commercial enough. Or that the characters aren't strong enough. It's often impossible to say. But whatever the reason, it can leave even the most talented writers feeling hopelessly out of the loop and out of ideas for forwarding their screenwriting careers.

Now a new book by industry veteran and ScriptwriterCentral.com founder Derek Rydall shows a way for aspiring screenwriters to start using their screenwriting skills to earn money, grow their screenwriting skills, and gain Hollywood insider expertise, while still having time to write. Even those who don't have a background in screenwriting can use the expertise they have. I Could've Written a Better Movie Than That!: How to Make Six Figures as a Script Consultant Even If You're Not a Screenwriter, is an easy to follow blueprint for obtaining work as a script consultant, a line of work that Rydall shows can be done by almost anyone with an interest in movies, regardless of geographical location.

Script consulting is a relatively new but increasingly respected industry practice. Screenwriters, producer, directors, studio executives, book authors, and other industry players use script consultants to evaluate a script or script idea, get story and structure advice, receive input on how to fix known script problems, obtain validation of technical story details from subject matter experts, get help writing loglines, outlines or treatments, or just to get another set of eyes on a work in progress. Basically, a script consultant is anyone with a skill or expertise to help make scripts better.

Why should screenwriters work as script consultants rather than focusing exclusively on their own writing? "For one thing," says Rydall, "learning how to read scripts better teaches you how to write scripts better. It also provides a way for you to continue to develop your skills as a writer while you're waiting for your big break, and making money at some level doing what you love. Also, script consulting can lead to script doctoring. Recently one of my script consulting jobs turning into a script doctoring job that paid over $50,000 for three weeks of work. Script consulting, in addition to one's own screenwriting work, gives screenwriters the opportunity to raise credibility, raise their level of authority in the industry, and get screenwriting jobs."

Cynthia Cree is the founder and creator of the Hollywood Nexus and the Hollywood Nexus Screenwriting Contest. Prior to creating the Hollywood Nexus, Ms. Cree worked as a web technology consultant and technical writer. She has received training in Screenwriting through UCLA Extension's Screenwriting program, has a degree in English, has written award-winning short stories, and is working on a novel.