We need to talk more about what a screenwriting career realistically looks like for most, especially in those early years (or even decades of the journey). While the concept of writing specs and selling them for a sustainable income sounds wonderful, it's a position only a tiny few people find themselves in, and should in no way be considered the norm. In this blog, Ronika Merl, a writer-director who's seen a remarkable rise in a relatively short time, details how she fills in those gaps between sales and greenlights while still leaning heavily into the art form she loves - CJ
So. Most of you know that my main work is in screenwriting. But most people don't really know what that entails. What does it look like? How do I make money? Surely, I don't sell feature scripts all the live long day?
If you'd ask me my job, I'd say Screenwriter and Director. But how does that pay my bills?
The answer is simple. It doesn't always. But also, it does. Here's how.
I started out as a Screenwriter in 2019, so about 4 years ago. About a year and a half ago I moved into directing and haven't looked back.
My main work is not selling my own scripts, or even directing my own films. No. It's an honour and a pleasure when that happens (and of course it happens enough for me to sustain a nice upward trajectory), but mainly, I work on other people's projects.
This work is composed of script doctoring, treatment/outline creation, notes, feedback and career advice, and writing for hire.
Let's dive a little deeper into those.
Someone has written a script, but they're not a natural writer, or they just feel like something isn't right. Or, a producer has said that the script needs xyz. This is where I come in.
I will work to the specific needs and demands, and implement the changes.
This is not me going wild and rewriting the script in my voice or how I would write it. No. Rather, I only do what's necessary, and only what the client wants.
These edits can range from something very small like fixing the dialogue for one character to a structural rewrite (and are priced accordingly).
These people find me mainly through my website and general Web presence like Stage 32, Facebook and to a much lesser extent LinkedIn.
It's not so much a self promotion thing for this kind of work, it's having the portfolio ready. Being able to present - coherently - that I am capable of writing and rewriting a screenplay.
Reputation is everything in this business, and so it is here.
Someone has an idea. Maybe a character or two. They know where they'd like the story to go, but don't necessarily know the beats they want to hit.
I will sit down with them to create an outline or synopsis, or if they want, a whole 10 page treatment.
These are not my ideas, but I will give feedback on what will work and what might not. In the end, it's still the client's idea and plans.
They might then go and have the actual script written by someone else, try to shop the treatment for funding etc, or commission me to write the screenplay once they're satisfied with the storyline.
Again, reputation is very important. I've worked all over the world on these kinds of projects, most recently I was hired in Columbia, to do a treatment for a script that will take place in South Africa.
The huge advantage we have as writers is that we don't necessarily need to be local. Everything I do is online, and most meetings are zooms now anyway, so being far afield is no disadvantage.
Writing a treatment to someone else's specification is not easy, and maybe not the most creative thing in the world but I genuinely enjoy it. Every story deserves to be told, so why would the fact that you hire someone to write it lessen its importance or impact?
Sometimes actual writing isn't even the work I do.
My main income comes from notes and feedback as well as coaching and mentoring sessions.
Notes usually either focus on the script as a whole or - if requested - can look at certain details.
Mostly I am hired by writers who just need another set of eyes on their work or producers who need to have a few beats or storylines or characters looked at and analysed.
When it comes to career advice or coaching and mentoring, this is usually an in-depth hour long session where we look at the writer's current career, their plans and the clear actions they can take to advance their career. Oftentimes these are writers who may have just completed their first script or are beginning to get more work.
We will look at concrete ideas, goals, create a plan with a realistic timeline, and what the writer needs to do in order to get moving.
And then, occasionally, of course I get the big win, when I sell or option a script. This has happened a few times in the 3 years I've been at this properly and it has always been an honour.
But we mistakenly think that those big paychecks or big career jumps ARE the career. In my experience, they are not. The job is not just that. The job is sifting through a rough draft and making it better
The job is finding a story where there wasn't one before. The job is making films and writing screenplays. Whatever that looks like.