This was inspired by a recent webinar here on Stage 32 with Janice Lee as the executive. Her words – ‘find your weirdo’s’ changed the game for me!

It’s easy to sit on the sidelines of this industry and feel like you’re falling behind.

You watch other writers land Open Writing Assignments. You see option announcements. You read about scripts being packaged, developed, and moving forward. And somewhere along the way, a quiet thought creeps in:

Maybe I’m not good enough. Maybe there’s something wrong with my story.

I’ve had that thought too. More than once.

When Success and Doubt Exist at the Same Time

Recently, one of my scripts ranked in the Top 10 of the Stage 32 Drama Screenplay Competition. That news completely blindsided me. Not because I don’t believe in my work—but because of everything that came before it.

I’ve received glowing feedback that gave me the confidence to keep submitting. I’ve also received double passes that made me question whether I should keep going at all. I’ve spent years rewriting, reworking, and second-guessing myself based on notes that often contradicted each other.

Then came a festival win, which opened the door to a media opportunity because the judges connected so strongly with the story.

And not long after that? Another round of feedback - from a different platform - that made me rethink the very same draft I’d just been celebrating.

Up. Down. Forward. Back.

Does this sound familiar?

For a long time, I thought this inconsistency meant something was wrong with my writing. That I hadn’t quite “cracked it” yet. That if I could just get the script perfect, everything would click into place.

It’s Not Just About the Script

But I’ve started to realise something else entirely.

It’s not just about the script.

It’s about the people.

One reader can see potential. Another can miss the point completely. One judge can connect deeply with your characters, while another might not engage at all. That doesn’t necessarily mean the work isn’t ‘up to scratch’ - it can simply mean it hasn’t reached the right audience yet.

And that’s where everything began to shift for me.

Finding the People Who Truly “Get” Your Work

Because beyond the craft, beyond the competitions and coverage, there’s something else that plays a huge role in moving forward in this industry:

You have to find your people.

Your tribe. The ones who get what you’re trying to do.

The ones who read your work and see what you see. The ones who don’t try to reshape your voice into something safer or more familiar, but instead help you sharpen what’s already there.

These aren’t always the obvious people, either. It’s not just about finding a producer with credits or a director with a following. Sometimes it starts much smaller and much closer to where you are right now.

It might be another writer who challenges your ideas in the best way. A director who instantly understands the tone you’re going for.An actor who reads your dialogue and brings it to life in a way you hadn’t even imagined.

Or someone working as an assistant or PA today, who will be producing projects tomorrow, and remembers the people they connected with early on.

The Relationships That Actually Move Careers Forward

The industry runs on relationships. Not surface-level networking, but genuine, creative alignment.

And that’s something I didn’t fully appreciate at the beginning.

I used to think progress was purely about getting better on the page. That if I worked hard enough, wrote well enough, and polished my scripts to a high enough standard, the right people would just appear.

But writing, as much as we love it, is only one part of the process.

Getting a script beyond the page - into development, into production - almost always involves collaboration. It involves trust. It involves people wanting to work with you, not just because your writing is strong, but because they connect with your perspective.

That doesn’t happen overnight. And it doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens by building real relationships.

Not by asking for favours, but by showing up. By offering value. By supporting other creatives, reading their work, giving thoughtful feedback, and being part of a community rather than standing outside it.

Why Your Peers Matter More Than You Think

It also means focusing on the people at your level, not just trying to reach those at the top. Your peers are the ones growing alongside you. They’re the ones you’ll collaborate with, recommend, and rise with over time.

And just as importantly, it means continuing to develop your craft. Because connection opens doors, but the work still has to hold up when those doors open.

Maybe You’re Not Off Track After All

What I’ve come to understand is this:

If your journey feels inconsistent, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re off track.

It might simply mean you haven’t found the right collaborators yet.

The ones who understand your voice.The ones who see the same potential in your work that you do.The ones who want to help bring it to life.

That’s not failure. That’s part of the process.

Finding Community in the Right Places

For me, platforms like Stage 32 have played a role in that shift, not just as a place to learn, but as a place to connect. To see other writers navigating the same highs and lows. To find conversations that feel honest, not polished. To realise that progress doesn’t always look the way you expect it to.

Because the truth is, there’s no single moment where you suddenly feel like you’ve “made it.”

There are just moments where things start to align.

A reader connects. A collaborator appears. A project gains momentum.

And slowly, piece by piece, things begin to move.

So, if you’re sitting there questioning your work, your progress, or your place in this industry - take a breath and look at it from a different angle.

Maybe the missing piece isn’t that your writing isn’t good enough.

Maybe it’s that the right people just haven’t found you yet.

And when they do, everything can change.

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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