Here's my hot take on what separates beginner writers from advanced writers. And it has nothing to do with talent or experience.
The difference is simply this:
A beginner will take great pride in the idea that came out of their head. They’ll fight tooth and nail to protect it.
An advanced writer, on the other hand, takes great pride in identifying why a scene or idea doesn’t work, then figuring out how to fix it. Unlike the beginner, they’re not attached to the idea. They enjoy making something better, not defending what already is.
I know this distinction sounds odd, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it in action. I’ll be on staff of a TV show and clearly the script isn’t working. We know it’s not working because it tanked at the run-through.
Back at the writer’s room, the inexperienced writers will be scratching their heads, blaming the actors or the director. Then one hero —a writer who has been around the block — will tell you exactly why the script isn’t working and how to fix it.
When that happens, there’s no arguing. There’s no more placing blame. It’s simply, “Yes! That’s much better!”
I hosted a screenwriting challenge a few months ago. I heard a lot log lines from new writers. Very few of them worked (which is normal for new writers) so I told them what I’d do to fix it. When I did this, I could tell that the other writers on the Zoom liked my ideas. They nodded and their eyes lit up
Everyone liked my take except for the writer whose idea we were working on.
They were resistant. They wanted to do it their way and not mine… even though others thought it was better.
To be clear, I didn’t have a pony in this race. I didn’t care if they took my idea or not. I was just trying to help. Maybe they thought this was cheating somehow. But in professional settings, it doesn’t matter who comes up with a good idea. The best idea wins.
In my mind, I was thinking, “I'm giving you a gift. Just take the idea. I don't even want it. By tomorrow, I will have forgotten all about it.”
That's really the main difference. Ownership of the idea.
If you are a writer, recognize when a note improves an idea, and be willing to take it. Whatever is on page, you can make better. Put the work first, not your ego.
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