Screenwriting : "No One's Gonna like This [Script]" by Maurice Vaughan 5

I’d say join a screenwriters meeting on meetup and Discord and ask my screenwriting teacher or script coach.

Every no brings you closer to the yes!

I once had a script I thought no one would like and I optioned it and it's going into production. I have another script I think is incredible, and it's been a pass all the way around! All to say, you never know for sure and just make sure your work is the best it can be

Great idea, Diana Levin!

Yes, exactly, Geoffroy Faugerolas 2! I keep reminding myself of that.

That's fantastic, Michael David! Congratulations! You're right. You never know for sure. And great advice! Make sure your work is the best it can be. I'm looking forward to seeing your movie!

When I was in high school and writing novellas I remember telling a substitute teacher that probably I won’t make it as a writer because what I write is often hard to understand (but makes sense to me). She told me that even if it doesn’t make sense to one person, it can definitely make sense to someone else and since then I’ve been running on that bit of encouragement.

Yeah, that’s definitely happened to me Maurice Vaughan 5 sometimes in subtle ways. I’ve talked myself out of a story if I didn’t get the right feedback, or if I didn’t get any at all on another site. But that’s been changing. With Stage 32, I’ve been able to get great feedback early on, which helps me build stronger story elements and get a clearer sense of how I’m doing. And having access to templates for different structures has been great.

I'm actually stopping myself right now. I'm having the 'you're a hack' argument with myself right now. I'm stopping myself from taking the next step because this arena is new.

So, I'm waiting. I'm not going to start sending yet.

l sent my copywrited script out to various people for notes. lf its not read it carnt be critiqued. Had some interesting feedback but everyone loved the story.

Hi Maurice Vaughan 5 I stopped doing this to myself when I started hearing I have good stories to tell. I just needed someone to tell me that.

Maurice Vaughan 5 I think fear is natural, and it never really goes away. If you don’t feel fear, you can easily become arrogant, and lose humility. But humility matters, because it’s through criticism that we grow.

I’m scared every single time I pitch, I’m scared when someone orders my book, and I’m scared when TikTok critics read it. But damn it, what do we really have to lose? It’s just one opinion, and there will always be others.

If we don’t even try, that’s the biggest loss — because then we let what we have slip away. What I’ve learned in the past year is this: grab every opportunity, try every idea. What’s the worst that could happen?

I've had a tendency to believe the nay-sayers. So, I'll tell a friend about a script I'm working on and they'll insult it and then I'll shelve it. I'm learning better boundaries around that now. Just because one person doesn't like my idea, doesn't mean it's a lousy idea. If I like it, then there's bound to be someone else who does. I think getting into creative communities is really helpful for that. Pretty sure if I posted here that I'm thinking of writing a script that fuses a zombie apocalypse with a Viking invasion of Britain where the main character is a woman who turns out to be the original writer of Beowulf, it wouldn't necessarily be hated on. But if I said that in my office job then I'd get a lot of raised eybrows...

That’s a good thread Maurice Vaughan 5

Yes, absolutely — I’ve definitely talked myself out of pitching or even finishing a project because I convinced myself no one would care. For me, it usually comes from overthinking and wanting everything to be “perfect.”

What’s helping me change that is shifting focus: instead of asking “will they like it?” I ask “is this the story I need to tell?” If the answer is yes, then it deserves to be shared. I’ve also started setting small deadlines for myself, so the script doesn’t just sit on my computer.

It’s encouraging to hear your perspective — a great reminder that it only takes one “yes.”

Logical, reasonable and practical advice

I recognize personality traits drive so much (perhaps all) of our individual response strategies. Of course I think we all have those moments of doubt that materialize out of thin air but when emotional responses are developed over a lifetime they do start to fall into a strategic pattern. I tend to struggle with the opposite - I KNOW this is good and people I respect and trust and will tell me the truth also think it is good - WHY ISN'T IT SOLD????

This is my most favorite quote about writing:

"How do you teach people about drama? You cannot learn how to write drama without writing plays, putting it on in front of an audience and getting humiliated."

--- David Mamet

As a writer, accept that you will be "humiliated" and jump.

How do you PAY for all those pitches, Maurice? It's not cheap.

This is such a vital chapter for any writer. You have perfectly captured that internal battle. The shift from "no one will like this" to "someone will" is the entire game. It's the difference between a story staying hidden and it finding its readers.

I see this kind of potential in manuscripts all the time. That exact fear is often what a second set of eyes can help quiet. If you would ever like insights to help you see the strengths in your work, my DMs are open. I would love to chat more about your book.

Your substitute teacher is right, @Banafsheh Esmailzadeh. And that reminds me of when some people don’t like a movie, but others do. Everything isn’t for everyone.

Glad that’s been changing, @Dwayne Williams. And glad you’re getting great feedback early on. Getting feedback early on can save you time, money, and headaches with a script.

You’re not a hack, @Elle Bolan, I can understand waiting since it’s a new arena if you’re wanting to get more experience in that arena, but if it’s just the “you're a hack” argument stopping you, I think you should go ahead and take the next step.

You’re right, @Helen Bland. If it’s not read, it can’t be critiqued. Congratulations on everyone loving the story!

That’s great, Asmaa Jamil! Glad you stopped doing this! Sometimes all it takes is someone telling us we have good stories to tell. Sometimes our stories, script ideas, pitches, etc. are good, but we make ourselves think they aren’t.

Great points, Sanna Peth! “But damn it, what do we really have to lose?” I gotta remember that when I pitch. Thanks!

Glad you’re learning better boundaries around that, Freyja Seren (she/her)! I’ve believed the nay-sayers in the past. “Say nay to nay-sayers!” I heard that somewhere.

Your zombie apocalypse with a Viking invasion of Britain script sounds interesting! I’d watch it!

Thanks, Sandra Isabel Correia! I appreciate your comments and support!

In this case, I’d recommend remembering George Lucas or J.K. Rowling. Their scripts and stories weren’t liked at first either. But they didn’t stop. And now we have Star Wars and Harry Potter — works known all over the world.

I can definitely relate to overthinking and wanting everything to be “perfect,” Asia Almerico. I like that idea! Shifting focus to “is this the story I need to tell?” I’ll try that. Thanks for sharing it! And you’re right. It only takes one “yes.”

Thanks, Vladimir Romantsev!

I think so too, Darrell Pennington. We all have those moments of doubt that materialize out of thin air. Keep networking and pitching. Like Asia Almerico said, it only takes one “yes.” And if you don’t get results from networking and pitching, try new ways of networking and pitching.

Great quote and point, Francisco Castro! Thanks!

I use Stage 32's Pitch Sessions, Jon Shallit, but I mainly pitch by sending email query letters and posting about my projects on social media.

You're right, Esther Sandra. Great points! Thanks! I'm looking forward to it! Maybe we can do a script swap in the future.

I'll do that, Aleksandr Rozhnov. Thanks! And I need to read their work too.

Maurice. My agent has sent query letters but they don't ever respond. It's getting tough out there. You have found a way, plus you have creds being a moderator.

I do have an exec producer in Thailand interested in one set there. But the same story...have to attach a big director, talent, the whole package. Luckily he handles the details. Maybe before WW3 starts something will happen.

Although it's already started, IMOP.

People have forgotten about the problems of a multipolar world.

Drones are the new tanks and aircraft carriers. All obsolete tech. Maybe soon, jets, as well.

It's tough out there, Jon Shallit. I hear back about a query letter sometimes, but a lot of times I don't. Keep querying, even if your agent is doing it for you. Congratulations on the exec producer being interested! Hope your agent can attach a big director, talent, and the whole package!

Maurice, I talked myself out of pitching anything of mine altogether last year...just got tired of the low scores I'd received from producers-agents-managers working with Stage 32 to find new writing talent.

This past August, though, I finally downloaded Sara Elizabeth Timmins' webinar on how to come up with a two-page written pitch for movie scripts.

That webinar really works! Okay...I still receive "passes," but, overall, the scores I'm getting are better than before.

And now I feel more comfortable pitching period pieces (mine have gotten better responses from readers than my contemporary stuff)...as long as I can make the pitches to people who don't mind taking plugs for stories that happened long ago.

I'll continue to vouch for my scripts about today's folks, too...as long as I'm careful enough to find Stage 32 creatives who've done projects my own stuff resembles.

Hey, Jim Boston. Sara Elizabeth knows her stuff! Glad you feel more comfortable pitching period pieces! And glad to hear you didn’t give up! You did something about it (watched the webinar and got better at writing pitches). Congratulations on your scores being better than before!

Jim -the problems with historicism is BUDGET. They may like the story you write, but then the budget guys add up all the costs.

When I made my full feature, set in 1917, 1945, 1960, etc. I got an antique dealer to lend his store and wrote around the props he had. But it was inside, in various rooms. Outside is a HUGE budget nightmare. Maybe write around existing old locations and props. That would add to the perceived value if you included that info with the pitch. I did paste on labels for 1917 wine bottles; a 1917 handwritten menu in French? Antique guy. Ever try to find 1940's tire chains?

In your pitchm you say:

"Hey, look. I have the oldy locations and props lined up." No huge budget nightmare.

You want a real looking sci fi world? Not cgi? Find an alien looking location. Nothing beats real.

Not pitchm. Fingers...

Maurice Vaughan 5 it is both, which is why I am going to wait. Build my portfolio up beyond prose and poetry and a handful of episodes. I'm going to keep coming here, learning, getting to know expectations.

Deep down I know I am not actually a hack. That's just insecurity we all deal with and it's rising because I am on unsure footing and have been out of the loop for so long. But I can deal with those. Get back in the loop and figure out the new territory.

Then? I can pitch and query. Tailor it to the new territory and I'll be ready. Baby steps.

You have to "sell" the script idea to yourself, and write it for yourself. Plenty of major book author's have said this, and plenty of script writers I've met at the studios have said this. If you believe in it, then there's a good chance someone else will. If you think people will not like it that's fear. What is FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real.

I wrote a script about an ex-convict who examines his life while running a marathon. It's a script that I never intended to pitch because the subject matter was very personal. A story that I just had to tell. Still haven't pitched it, but I consider it my turning-point script. All the scripts I wrote before this were learning scripts. This script made me a screenwriter. I've felt comfortable pitching all the ones I wrote after this, but still not this one. Maybe it's too personal, or maybe it just served its purpose as a turning point in my development as a writer.

Bite the bullet—figuratively. Lindbergh is correct (I like the "FEAR" thing, too). If you don't believe in your script, how will you convince anyone that they should?

That's a great plan, Elle Bolan! I always suggest to writers that they build a portfolio. I've pitched to producers and directors who asked me "what else you got?" And I'm glad I had other stuff to pitch.

Great points, Lindbergh E Hollingsworth! I "sell" a script idea to myself when I outline it, and I write the script for myself. I didn't used to do that.

Your script sounds interesting, Erik Gagnon. It might've served its purpose as a turning point in your development as a writer, but it might be more. Suggest pitching it. I'd watch it!

You and Lindbergh are right, Jay Gladwell. "If you don't believe in your script, how will you convince anyone that they should?" Exactly. And it'll show in a writer's pitch.

Maurice and Jon, thank you both for the shout-outs!

Speaking of budget, Jon...I DO understand that cost is what holds back lots of scripts about yesterday's people. [Hmm...with that in mind, I just might have more of a chance with "Fine Tooth Comb" (set in 1994-95) or "Thumpers," which took place in 1984-85. And that's only because quite a few locations in both scripts are still standing.]

You're welcome, Jim Boston.