If indie writers and filmmakers and show them

If you’re reading this then youprobably want to become an indie writer or filmmaker. If you have already startedthe writing process, you would agree that it is not an easy task. It requires ahuge amount of inspiration, discipline, consistency and commitment to mention afew.

However, the benefits that come with being an independent writer orfilmmaker are immense as it will put you right in the career you are passionateabout, get you massive media attention and give you an avenue to impact thelives of a lot of people with your words. With the benefits associated with beingan indie writer, there is no surprise in the large amount of people who want toventure into the field. The roadblock however, is the fact that many talentedwriters and filmmakers have no good idea of where to start and how to go aboutthe entire process.

Therefore, this post will serve as a complete guide toaspiring indie writers and filmmakers and show them the ropes on how to succeedin the field. First, the TruthDue to the large number of authors bothsuccessful and unsuccessful in this field, it is easy for rookie writers tofeel discouraged or unnecessarily affected by the levels of success otherwriters seem to have attained. However, new writers and filmmakers need to notethat there will always be someone doing worse and another doing better than youare. Therefore, comparative analysis is not a way to judge success in writing asit can be grossly misleading. This is because the apparent success or failureof a writer or filmmaker is never constant.

Instead, it is an ever-dynamicentity that tends to be affected by so many different factors. Hence, in orderto be a successful writer, all you need do is focus on yourself, your craft andaudience. Also, in the independent world of writingand filmmaking, success is highly relative and largely depends on the uniquedefinition of success a writer has. Is your writing an outlet for your endlessstream of creativity? Is it just a hobby you can’t seem to get enough of? Or isit something you do professionally with the hope of generating a steady streamof income. Many authors have different reasons for writing, therefore there isno standard scale to measure and differentiate a successful writer from anunsuccessful one as every author’s definition of success is different anddepends on a vast array of factors; both personal and professional. 5Steps to Becoming an Indie Writer/FilmmakerOnce you have understood the factorsdescribed above, the following steps should guide you to create sustainable andgood income as an indie writer or filmmaker.·     What’s your story? Many aspiring writers often think theyneed to have a high quality book as their first release.

It would be shockingto realise that high quality books do not meet certain expectations most timesand end up languishing. Hence, as a rookie writer, in order to give yourself agreat shot at success, you should create and focus on a brilliant story thatcuts across popular genres while still managing to bring something fresh andunique to the table. Settings and characters are crucial parts of every bookbut it is the uncertainty, danger, conflict that keeps readers glued to thepages while asking for more.

A relatable, consistent and thrilling story willdefinitely keep you on the shelves for a long time.·     You cannot do it aloneOkay, you have a brilliant story and afunctioning personal computer so you think you have everything you need tostart out as an independent writer or filmmaker. Although admirable, the highlevels of enthusiasm rookie writers have tend to make them feel they can doeverything on their own. This usually leads to a badly produced book or scriptwith bad reviews.  Succeeding inthis field goes beyond having a great story; it also involves hiringprofessionals to handle other aspects of the process while you focus onwriting. Most “ successful” writers have editors, proof-readers, cover artists, formatters and even re-writers at their beck and call who work tirelessly toensure their books look great. As a new writer, you will definitely have toexperiment with a few of these professionals before you find the ones whoperfectly understand your vision and are talented enough to help you bring itto life.

·     Study and assess the successfulbooks/scripts in your chosen genreIn this field, we definitely learn fromthe best. Regardless of what your chosen niche or genre might be; you willdefinitely have a lot of successful, veteran writers and filmmakers that youcan learn a thing or two from. When we say “ study and assess” we don’t meantaking a mere glance at an old book; we mean breaking down and analysing thedifferent elements of the book that makes it so great. From the cover art tothe style of writing, and figuring out the kinds of images or styles readerstend to be more drawn to. Once you effectively analyse these aspects, you canthen incorporate the necessary information into your own book and you willdefinitely see great results.

·     If your story sticks, a series isinevitableMany new writers are actual hubs offresh, exciting ideas and most of them immediately dive into writing a series. Although, this is not an entirely bad idea, writers and filmmakers also have toensure their story sticks to an extent where readers ask for continuity as youwouldn’t want to create a series with no fans, would you? If your first story doesexceedingly well to the level where your fans start asking what happens next, then you will need to develop a series to meet the high demand. However, thetrick is starting with one, seeing how well it does and deciding on the nextstep to take. ·     Keep writingAs a writer or filmmaker, there isreally no actual retirement age.

Once your story or brand sticks and yourreaders begin to create different fan communities, then you have a duty to givethem more. Many expert writers find it somewhat hard to continue after acertain period of time and this is acceptable to a certain extent as they havesuccessfully infringed their brand and stories in the hearts of their fans, hence, they can afford to take their time. But, as a rookie writer, it isadvised that you write as much as you can for as long as you can. Whatever youdo, just keep writing. Becoming and independent writer orfilmmaker is not always as glamorous as it seems. It requires a high level ofcommitment, late nights, the occasional writer’s blocks and sometimes, isolation.

However, once youunderstand the demands and the various tricks of the trade, you will definitelydo a great job as an independent writer or filmmaker and I hope to read yourwork very soon!