Hi Scott,

Great post. I have to say, I’m guilty of not celebrating my successes. I didn’t celebrate when I finished the first draft of my first feature, and I didn’t celebrate a short script of mine winning a competition over at OTT recently. I’m not sure why, either. I guess it didn’t help that I couldn’t be there to pick up my award (some DVDs and a bottle of novelty vodka) in person when the win was announced at a monthly meeting. If anything, I felt kinda empty. Weird!

Anyway, with regards to your list, I hope in the future I’ll be in a position to celebrate all of them, although in the short term the one I dream of the most is kissing the day job goodbye. I’ll probably breakdown and cry on that day. Bring on the tears I say!

Nice look at the "human" side of screenwriting.
One thing that's been helpful for me in this regard is having a writing partner. My partner's a straight shooter, so if I write a scene and he compliments me on it, it's like winning a mini-award.

I've learned this is a must. If we don't celebrate the joys in life, what's the point? And who knows if we'll ever get the chance again? Happy to say I've celebrated a few things on this list, and looking forward to celebrating a few more.

Cheers, Scott!

Great screenwriting/life advice Scott! I'm just starting out and have had one minor accomplishment, quarterfinalist in Zoetrope, and I did allow myself to not hate my screenplay as much and give myself a pat on the back on the day I found out. I do feel a career in screenwriting will be a constant American Gladiator-style match between my inner critic (she's a large, hairy, barking gym teacher) and inner cheerleader (a tiny, smudged My Little Pony doll sans mane) . Ultimately though, if we don't cheer ourselves on, who will?

I pour a whiskey and play two hours of video games, whenever I finish a draft.

Then it's back to the computer.

I'm a college football fan.

Was raised in the state of Alabama so when I was hatched I was either swaddled in crimson... or the other.

My mother loved me... so I'm a 'Bama guy.

That said, I'm now a Nick Saban fan more than ever because he is NOT an end result guy. Gotta take it step by step to make it happen.

"We want a national championship."

Mr. Saban doesn't give a rip about that --

Plant your feet correctly before the snap -- in fall practice...

Catch the ball with your hands... not your arms -- in fall practice.

You're worried about the national championship?

Catch the ball in a game --

Win ONE game... then another... then another --

Worry about the season --

THEN, the conference --

THEN, a conference championship...

A national championship?

The rest will take care of itself.

Celebrate the moments that led you here -- learn from them... and the payoff is yours.

Guess what I'm trying to say is enjoy -- learn from the steps that could some day lead to what you envision -- a story on the silver screen... and celebrate!

Typing FADE IN:...

Completing that first draft...

Revising that tenth draft...

Getting the nerve to send it to an agency or manager...

Receiving a "send" request...

Hell... receiving feedback after that read... yeah it can be bad.

But enjoy the ride -- celebrate the small moments.

Because if you lose sight of the little things that got you to where you are now -- and you know how hard it is... you're missing the journey.

Don't forget why you're taking it.

Enjoy the baby-steps... and celebrate!