Screenwriting : I Finished My First Screenplay Today and I'm DAMN PROUD! by Ryan Wilford

Hey, Ryan Wilford. Congratulations on finishing your very first screenplay! Some days I only get a few lines down, but it adds up. The main things I suggest doing is keep building your portfolio, learn more about screenwriting, keep learning about the industry, and networking.

Hi Ryan Wilford , Congratulations, this is fantastic news!

It's inspiring to hear about your dedication to your first screenplay rewrite. The journey you described – learning patience, trust, and the importance of showing up – resonates deeply with me as a composer. There are definitely those quiet days where it's just a few notes at a time, but seeing a project through is incredibly rewarding.

Wishing you all the best as you take these next steps with your portfolio and reaching out to the industry. If you're ever looking for a composer to collaborate with down the line, feel free to connect! Cheers to your success!

Congratulations on completing your first screenplay rewrite! You deserve to soak in the satisfaction of this moment. Have fun viewing all the possible contests. I was advised to go for only those that have been around for 20+ years, but if you find a younger one that resonates with you and has festival or a gathering where you can network in person it's great exercise.

My (minority opinion) advice is to skip the contests and go the writer/director route while you write your next dozen screenplays.

You wouldn’t expect to sell your first painting for $10k or the first wooden bowl you carved or first ceramic cup for a princely sum.

Yet somehow we (myself included) think our short story - which is what a script is - deserves that consideration. and even for that sum, if we are being honest, the time we put into our story works out to a fraction of what we would have earned slinging packets for Amazon, yet here we are…

for today, celebrate your victory. you have earned it!

for tomorrow, start your next script, or expand your story into a novel.

it is easier to sell 1000 copies of a book for $10 than it is to option a script for $10k

And selling 1000 copies of a book is no small thing.

best of luck to you in all you do.

Congrats to you. I hope to see you on the big screen (and/or small screen).

James, sound advice, but hard to swallow after "raising the baby" for the past many months!

way to go. congrats

Congratulations and I still remember the feeling of finishing my first screenplay.

I learned screenwriting through no-budget filming. One alternative is that you spend some time on filming. For example, helping your nearest group with no-budget filmmakers. That will learn you what happens when a screenplay is filmed. Learning that will help you.

Congrats on finishing your first script Ryan Wilford ! That’s a huge milestone and you should be proud. My advice — let it breathe a little, then come back with fresh eyes. It always feels different after a short break.

I didn’t really get the chance to enjoy my first script properly — I was too caught up in deadlines and competitions. But next time, I’ll make sure to slow down and enjoy that feeling… because honestly, every time we finish a script should feel like the first time, right?

Completing a screenplay (and not considering it complete until you've polished and rewritten it) is a huge milestone. There are many many who dream of that and never find or make the time to do it. So congratulations!

What is next? I recommend learning all you can about the industry (you're in the right place for that), consider where your budget (if any) will go and what to prioritize. Contests/festivals/fellowships are valuable if they are valuable, meaning if they are ones you've already heard of without much research, ones that introduce you to real execs and industry people and where a win or even a quarterfinalist brings with it some real validation of your work.

Determining where to go next is important. For me, I completed one screenplay just over a year ago, entered it into some contests, and then wrote another one, then another one as the first one starting bringing in wins. Now that I have the makings of a slate to pitch, I've started pitching here on Stage32. Eventually I plan to branch out. OWAs, Writer's Room membership, plus things like Writing Gigs (ISA), VPF, etc. The Blacklist is an option if you can afford it, but it's much steeper in price than most of the other options out there.

I think the main thing is to continue to learn and grow, continue to write, and continue to polish your slate, your brand, and your purpose. Once again congrats! It's a huge milestone that already sets you apart from millions before you that had a dream and never followed through.

Keep us posted on your progress!

Great to hear! Anyone that has completed a screenplay has achieved something huge. When seeking representation, it’s good to see it as a two way street and think about how you bring value to them.

Ryan Wilford, congratulations! May your screenplay soon be on screens everywhere.

Congratulations! That is a true milestone.

That is great to hear. Keep rocking