Why am I writing this screenplay?  It's a crucial question to ask yourself before starting a new screenplay.  What is it about this story that claws at your imagination, begging to find a home on the page?  There really isn’t a point to starting a screenplay unless you know why it’s worth your time.  I write because it’s helps me manage day to day stress.  It helps me unwind.  Screenwriting is my happy place and so it’s always been deeply personal to me.

When I ask ‘why this story?’ the answer is simple.  I want to write the best screenplays possible so if an idea excites me, the curiosity takes over and I HAVE to know what happens.  But when I finish my screenplay, I hit save proudly and move on.  No one else reads them and for a time, I was okay with that.

Things have changed.  I no longer want my screenplay’s journey to end when the story does.  That’s why the question of the day is:

WHEN DOES YOUR SCREENPLAY'S JOURNEY END?

Since I first began writing articles for ScreenCraft, I've covered the anxiety you feel when you consider showing other people your work.  I've also written that (myself included) some screenwriters may not necessarily follow their own advice.  In the end, both of these issues are tied to self-confidence.  I believe the anxiety you may be feeling can be solved if you answer the titular question of this post before you write a word.

Your latest screenplay began it's journey the moment inspiration sparked a fire in your imagination.  Slowly, it grew until it was ready for the page.  At that point, you've got to ask yourself if your screenplay will be a Hollywood blockbuster, an indie darling, a competition beast, a tractor beam no agent can resist or simply a satisfying creative adventure.  Obviously, these aren't the only end games but you get the idea.  And yes, aspiring to write a Hollywood blockbuster is an acceptable goal.  Why not?  There are real life human beings out there writing big Hollywood tent pole releases right now.  If that's what you strive to achieve than why not begin visualizing it on page one?  One difference between writers that succeed and writers that don't is their ability to identify weaknesses and overcome them.

Even if this particular screenplay doesn't make it anywhere near the summer box office months, you're still improving as a writer.  Every page you write gets you closer to your goal whether you can see it or not.  Remember, this screenplay wouldn't exist without you so why shouldn't it be everything you want it to be?

I write primarily for myself.  I wrote this series of articles because I intend to change that.  I want to show people my work & follow the advice I would give aspiring writers.  Advice like...  Write movies and show them to people...

It's impossible to achieve these goals without knowing where your screenplay's journey ends.  That’s the lesson I learned.

Find that illusive line between realistic goals and relentless ambition.  I want my latest screenplay to have a life beyond The End.  My next screenplay’s journey will feature an ending I’ve never experienced before.  It’s terrifying but I’m okay with that.  I want to finally experience criticism instead of shying away from it.  True, I may be disappointed in the results but I'm already thinking differently as I write each scene.  I always knew no one would see my work.  It's easy to take shortcuts when no one sees the finished product.  I think that kind of thinking made me lazy and my writing suffered as a result.  That's a big weakness.  For me, this particular screenplay’s journey is all about discovering if I have the ability to overcome that weakness.

Will my new screenplay's journey end in the bright lights of Hollywood?  The odds are historically against me but that's okay if it doesn't.  If this screenplay gets me closer to that goal then I have no choice but to work as hard as I can to get achieve it.

You need confidence in yourself to evolve.

Every story brings with it new challenges to conquer.  That's the greatest lesson I've learned on my screenwriting journey.  I lacked the courage to set ambitious goals for myself.  Now I'm eagerly anticipating the result AND I'm enjoying the journey.  Set your sights high and work hard so your screenplay will shine no matter where it's journey ends.

So...

When does YOUR screenplay's journey end?  That's entirely up to you.  Like the creative freedom you have when you type FADE IN, there are infinite options after you type FADE OUT.  You just have to make a choice and go for it.

The possibilities are endless and that's inspiring.

Jason McKinnon is a ScreenCraft guest contributor.  He is the creator of The Screenwriting Spark.