Hi everyone

I'm finishing up my last year in high school and im returning next year for half a year. Screenwriting has been a recent interest of mine and i would like to know if there's any advice you guys have for me and for all the other people who want to know how to become successful in the screenwriting business.

Thanks.

Also i would be happy to read and opinionate on any screenplays.

Avoid reading MOVIE scripts. I say this becuz its give a false tense of how to write a script.
Movie scripts (most of them) are shooting scripts/cmera directions. They are how to NOT write a script, in which you want to sell.

Look around forums. read scripts with over 50 replies. These generally are scripts that have a grasp on format and have a decent story.

Look at screenwriting class thread. Ask specific questions not just one big wide range of a questions like this topic. For that,  Buy a book lol!

Its a long process, it will takes years to master writing or if you got money to hire a professional to teach you rapidly. Then you gotta just come up with a brilliant stories to match it.

Also, watch lots and lots and lots of movies from every genre known to man. Don't like chick flicks? Tough. You want this to be a profession, it helps to know what they look like. Horror is popular, but there are tons of genres. Best start is watch every movie on IMDB's top 250 list. Not every one agrees that every movie on there is awesome and you won't either, but they are all worthwhile films and a good start to seeing what a good film looks like. When you know what a good finished one looks like, you can write one just as good. It also helps to be able to tear bad films to ribbons, so MST3K is actually useful in this regard.

Never give up!  Keep pushing forward.  Read everything you can on screenwriting.  Practice, practice, and practice.  Write everyday.  I've been writing for 10 years now and I finally have one that's on it's way.  I know for some it has taken longer.  So never give up.    

thanks everybody, these are all really good responses and i will definitely keep them in mind.

Quoted from silent0saint Hi everyone I'm finishing up my last year in high school and im returning next year for half a year. Screenwriting has been a recent interest of mine and i would like to know if there's any advice you guys have for me and for all the other people who want to know how to become successful in the screenwriting business. Thanks. Also i would be happy to read and opinionate on any screenplays.

pretty much how you get to be successful in anything really...the drive to be successful at it....lots and lots of practice and study, a ton of hardwork, some natural born talent and some good luck.

If you put your mind to it you can accomplish anything.

I have like 5 movie ideas already, i just hope i can make them as interesting as some that i have  read.  When i finish my first one i'll post a link or something on here or  another thread.

If there was an easy formula to becoming a successful screenwriter, sites like this would not be needed (no offense, Don).  And if I knew the easy forumla to being a successful writer, I doubt I would share it with anyone; I don't need the competition.

You have to work at it.  Read scripts and learn how to pick them apart.  Find the mistakes in these scripts and learn to avoid them when you write.


Phil

90% persperation and 10% talent will always overcome 10% persperation and 90% talent.

Also grow some thick skin.

Learn structure and the art of telling a tight story with conflict and motivation.

And finally, read scripts. Lots and lots of scripts. Learn what makes the good ones work and the bad ones flounder.

Good luck.

3 words.

Practice, Practice, Practice.

Spencer

Story. I chased a girl to LA who went to visit her brother. Her brother's name is Tab Murphy. He had just MOVED to LA right after High School to become a writer. Now he's fairly successful. Had I known then what I know now, I would have tried harder on his sister, lol!

First, you know how to tell a good story.  Second, you know how to WRITE that story.  Third, hope that it falls into someone's hands who has faith in what you've done.

Especially for someone like me who comes from Nowhere, South Carolina.

Read screenwriting books.  Read scripts online.  Watch tons of movies.  Learn format and structure; internalize the "rules" to the point where you don't need to keep looking them up.

Then write a screenplay.  It's going to suck, but don't let that stop you.  All first-time screenwriters write horrible first scripts.  The second one will be a little better.  The third will be better than that.  And on and on and on...