Okay, I'll kick things off. Five words: I want to write movies. I know I don't want to direct, or particularly to produce; I enjoy TV, so I can see myself bouncing between British TV and Hollywood. But I want that whole Hollywood movie thing!

I believed every word of it. It's very easy to be selfish in this field --- being selfless is going against the grain and I believe that reaps the ultimate rewards. I have a lot of high hopes for 2013 and beyond. I intend to write more than ever before. Be intentional with my work, my time, and how I study the craft. Actually BE self-disciplined, holy crap. Your questions above are great. For 5 years, I have been employed as a producer/director of TV commercials (teeny, tiny, local ones), and the job has taught me that I DON'T want to direct. My talent is in writing, first and foremost. Producing, a very distant second. I'm glad I know that, and know where to focus my efforts. Here we go!

My goals are almost always about process, not outcome. Where do I want to be with writing in 5, 10, 20 years? In a life where I'm doing more writing. (I realize that's not the spirit of the question but it's the way it works for me.)

In the future I want to be a staff writer/producer for television and work my way up to being a showrunner. I want to write original screenplays and work on rewriting assignments. I want to write novels. I want to continue my blog.

Scott - You may already know about this, but Stanford does online writing classes and I believe in the past they've had trouble filling the instructor role for the screenwriting class. May be something to think about. Thanks for your creative juju yesterday!

Just a little nit, sorry: S = Specific M = Measurable . . T = Timely/Time-Bound I plan on completing one SciFi/Fantasy (because I love that genre) script next year (which will be my first) and submitting it for sale. I plan on ending 2013 with 335 different concepts (giving my self a month off for mental rest) with a minimum of 100 loglines so that I can write two more scripts in 2014 and three scripts in 2015. I hope to sell my first script by 2016. My only fear is that by then, I will be 46 years old. Hopefully I'm not seen as too old.

Question: What is writing commercials considered? Is that writing copy of some sort of scriptwriting-esque writing?

Where do I see myself as a writer? I want to write stories--primarily screenplays, that reveal and uplift the human condition, and that allow us to see how connected we are. I want to write comedy and drama or a mashup of the two that, for me, feels authentic to life. These are generally indie films--but who knows? And most of all, WHY do I want this? To feel that I'm contributing my gifts and making the lives of others just a little juicier. Which would make my own life pretty damn juicy.

In 10 years I'd like to have multiple credits to my name in film. I'd like to continue to write features, particularly studio "prestige" films and period pieces. I would consider larger studio fare as well. I also have a strong interest in TV and would like to have my own show and be on track to become a show-runner. I realize this may unrealistic, we're dreaming here. I'd also love to go back and forth between NYC and LA or maybe even NYC primarily (if the show were there).

There are so many things I would like to see happen in 10 years. I would like to see the stories I am working on now come to life and made. Have the flexibility not only to work full time as a feature writer in the industry, but also adapt some of my favorite books into screenplays. Also write for animation, ala Pixar, disney, dream works. Directing too. Drama, fantasy, animation. Dabble with novel writing if the right idea came along, but my first idea choice is always the 'feature screenplay.'

I believe you. I left a 'real' and 'well paying' job two years ago so I can go back to college and study creative writing. I could no longer live Plan B of my life and although I sometimes feel like I'm walking through fog, I believe in the plan. I needed my passion to become my profession, so if I have to narrow it down to what I want in the future it would be to make a living out of my chosen profession- storytelling and particularly screenwriting. Having grown up in Beirut, I can honestly say storytelling - its ability to simply take me away saved my sanity. I want to be the writer who does that for other people - take them on a journey, touch them, change them, anger them, bring the joy or tears...make them feel, help them escape. I want to write for both, film and TV although TV has my heart :) And I want to write well...I want to be good at it, perhaps less terrified...then again, does that ever happen? If there is a chance that I would wake up in 5 or 10 years and be less terrified of finding out that I may not be 'good at it' then I want that!

Six years ago, my acting teacher told me I should be writing. I took it seriously, and since then I've been writing scripts with parts for myself. My goal had always been to be an actress, but after seeing Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig and Lena Dunham, I realized I could combine both writing and acting, and that is where I hope to be in 5-10 years. I want to do both TV and movies. I can't imagine my world being complete without doing (or trying to do) both.

"...its ability to simply take me away saved my sanity. I want to be the writer who does that for other people – take them on a journey, touch them, change them, anger them, bring the joy or tears…make them feel, help them escape." Amen.

I see myself as a writer bouncing between TV and movies. I want to have a decent gig writing on a TV (preferably one that doesn't get cancelled after one season). I also want to continue to write movies. I think I specifically want to stick with telling genre stories (sci-fi, adventure, fantasy, horror, etc.). I see myself on a show like The Walking Dead or Once Upon a Time working as a staff writer, creating the stories being told rather than consuming them.

This question filled me with fear at first. Because of the disappointment that comes with unmet goals. But then I invited in peace instead. Where do I want to be in 20 years? 46 years old hopefully. Writing passionately. Many produced credits under my belt. I don’t honestly know if I’ll continue to write screenplays, TV, novels, which genre, commercial or indie, etc. I just know that I want to write stories that blow my mind and hopefully other people’s too. That requires being mind-blowingly honest with myself about whether my characters are interesting, my concept is interesting, my themes are interesting etc. I commit myself God willing to that honesty every single day. As of now, mind-blowing means for me sci fi and black comedy screenplays and novels. TV is something that I’ve not explored yet, but God willing, I will in the future. I would like to be at peace with my life and since writing is a big part of my life, I would like to be at peace with the creative process and the many unforeseen circumstances it might throw up. I would like to be comfortable with my Tribe. My Creative Family. People I am in the process of looking for now. I’ll admit my motive for looking for them is quite selfish at the moment – I want someone to ‘get’ what I’m trying to say with my work and be as passionate about it as I am. But I know those relationships are synergistic. That magic I have only felt once and I am keen to feel again. I don’t know where I’ll be – Hollywood? Or indie film? I don’t where I will belong. But I would have found my Home and hopefully settled in quite nicely. I might teach what I know. But I don’t know about that yet. My Creative Self is a mite too selfish just yet. My biggest enemies are Fear and Complacency. I hope God willing they would become my friends and allies and I know how to usher them out the door when they are not needed.

My writing goals for 2013 are TV pilot script, feature film script (political thriller), family feature film script (holidays) and do research for historical fiction novel. All of above are new for me. As a writer I want to develop myself in multiple ways. I want to write screenplays, essays, plays and novels. Within ten years I hope to have accomplished at least one of them successfully.