If you're like me, you're kind of depressed that Game of Thrones and Avengers: Endgame are ending soon. It's sort of the way I felt when I saw the final Lord of the Rings movie in theaters. The journey was over. and while I felt like the story was fulfilling, it sucked to not have something to look forward to in the pipeline. 

One thing I that gets me through those doldrums is something Patton Oswalt mentioned on his most recent Conan appearance. Right now, somewhere in the world, someone is writing something that's going to change all our lives. It might be you. So just keep going. Watch Patton talk about it in-depth on Conan.  

I'm not sure about you but that was the exact motivation I needed to get back to writing. It can be hard to identify with the people who have already made it, but when I go to a coffee shop and see everyone with their screenwriting software open or chatting about their ideas, it's invigorating. Maybe I'm next to a breakout star, or maybe I'm the one who's going to be the next breakout star. 

So much of this industry is a constant failure, so I recommend celebrating every success. And believing in every dream. 

It's easy to detract from yourself or others, but the hope that something good is going to come out of your hard work can be an excellent guiding light. 

You have to practice, you have to grind, and there's a lot of patience involved. Hollywood is not a meritocracy; lots of great people don't make it, but great things do come out. That cycle is endless. So rejoice when you find it, and work as hard as you can to be a part of it.

I can't wait to read what you write next. 

What's next? Are you happy? 

A working screenwriter in Los Angeles... who is happy? Sounds improbable even by Hollywood standards...click the link and examine how your happiness, or unhappiness, can help fuel your stories. 

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