I was speaking with an aspiring screenwriter the other day, who was reading one of my favorite books on screenwriting.

She said, “Why should I pay attention to anything he says? He doesn’t have any credits on IMDb.”

Oy.

Credits are tricky. Many writers and/or directors also use ghostwriters. Ghost writers are uncredited. As are rewriters. There are hundreds of them; they’ve written on some of the biggest films of each year. They earn a decent living at their craft. They are highly respected.

And you won’t find them on IMDb.

Nor do you find writers who have sold a script – or thirty – that end up living in turnaround.

Note: IMDb starmeters are easily manipulated. Click here, once a day, for the next five days, and watch the starmeter rise.

Let’s track the journey of a spec from script to screen:

You labor over your story for 2, 4 or 6 years. Eventually, you are fairly certain that it now is a script. You seek feedback from an industry professional. The industry professional agrees. It is, indeed a script. It is salable and will make a marketable film.

You release it to market.

If you are lucky, you will get a nice option.

If you are luckier, your script will sell.

If you are even luckier, the film will secure financing.

If you are really lucky, the film will go into pre-production.

If you are really, really lucky, production will commence.

If you are really, really, really lucky, the film will go through post and completion.

If you are even luckier, the film will find distribution and be released.

If you are even more lucky, the film will receive critical and box office acclaim.

And if you are the most #winning mofo with #tigerblood running through your veins – you will have received screenwriting credit. Without having to go through arbitration.

That, my dear ladies and lords of the court, is How it Works.

Now, go write.

HRH, Princess Scribe

What I am reading: My own work for a rewrite.

What I am watching: EASY A. Loved it. No. Lurved it.

A Royal Shout Out: Well, a little self-love here. First, news forthcoming. Second, HRH will be sitting on a screenwriter’s panel at the International Family Film Festival, May 20, 12 to 2 p.m. at Raleigh Studios in good old Hollywood. Drop by if you can. There may even be #foodtrucks.