SHOULD YOU HIRE A WRITING COACH?
I truly believe no writer should work in a vacuum.
No pro athlete trains without the help of coaches and trainers, and no writer gets anywhere by writing alone, without professional-level input from truly experienced readers.
Are you concerned about the quality of your screenplay, your ability to navigate a competitive industry, and how to successfully pitch your story and yourself?
I’m guessing that you are frustrated and exhausted from the trials of being a modern aspiring screenwriter. Contests, coverage, networking sites, pay to pitch sessions… I bet all of these things are taking your money but you’re still not getting anywhere.
Do one or more of those statements sound like you?
- You began a promising script but you’ve stalled out and you’re no longer making progress.
- You need hard deadlines and accountability to finish pages!
- You’d love some support as you practice this lonely pursuit.
- You’ve written a bunch of scripts and submitted them to contests and nothing’s happened. You feel like you’re going nowhere.
- You got cheap or free AI Coverage but you’re not sure which notes to take seriously or how to implement them. You also question the app’s ability to assess the commercial prospects of your project and yourself.
- You really want to write a GREAT screenplay or pilot that will open doors.
- You’ve always wanted a mentor to guide you to make the right decisions now so you don’t spend years wasting time.
- You get notes from friends and fellow writers that are either too positive or just not insightful enough to put into practice.
- You’re sick of screenwriters’ sites that love to take your money, free YouTube tutorials and video courses that give you no actual feedback on your work.
- You took a top-rated screenwriting course and didn’t enjoy getting notes from amateurs and didn’t learn much from the rarely-available teacher.
- You’re a seasoned professional from another side of the industry and now you want to learn screenwriting.
- You have a great idea for a movie or television show but you don’t know how to begin.
- You’re having trouble pushing through and finishing your first script.
- You always had the dream of writing a great screenplay but never truly committed the time and effort.
- You retired from another profession and now you want to pursue your creative dreams. You’ve wasted enough time, now is the time to kick it into high gear!
- You are a development professional or producer who wants to learn how to analyze and break down great writing to improve your producing skills and ability to recognize great material.
- You are an actor looking to develop great material to showcase your talent.
- You’ve watched as other writers have gained success and you know you’re just as good as them, if not better.
- You just like the idea of having a weekly check-in with someone who knows you, your writing, your goals and who cares about your success.
- You read one of my books and would love to get help from the source.
- You want a coach with years of experience as a professional reader for major production companies and studios, a teacher of screenwriting, a script doctor paid to fix screenplays that aren’t working, and a consultant who routinely works with top professionals and amateurs alike to guide them to meet and exceed their writing goals.
If so, let’s talk in a free phone or Zoom call. You can email me via the form below or from my CONTACT page and I’ll get right back to you.
Dan Calvisi
My coaching is simple: Every week, you get my notes (usually written, but sometimes verbal) on up to 30 pages plus a one hour conference call. Every conference call will be recorded for your download. And I am always available via email. I will read ANYTHING and give you my feedback on ANYTHING, be it screenplay, pilot, outline, treatment, pitch, query letter, fellowship application, pitch deck, series bible, whatever you got. If you just want to run an idea by me or talk about the latest box-office receipts, I’ll be available. If you want to show me the coverage you got from a recent contest submission or an email response from a producer, I’ll give you my two cents.
I coach beginners, experienced writers and film and television industry professionals who take time out of their busy schedules to work with me on their passion projects. My clients have included working professionals like Jessica Everleth, showrunner, executive producer and director (Surviving R. Kelly, Betrayed, Joe Exotic, Man with a Van), Matthew Cherry, Oscar-winning writer/director of TV and film (Hair Love, Young Love, Abbott Elementary, Bel-Air, Black-ish), Owen Smith, showrunner, writer, stand-up comic (The Last O.G., Black-ish, Run the World), Thomas Meadmore, director of The Night Caller, The Spy Who Fell to Earth, The Cancer Conflict (Netflix, Sundance Now, Sky), Billy Rovzar, executive producer of shows on Netflix, Max and Apple TV+, Katie Cassidy, actress and writer (Arrow, A Royal Christmas Crush, Gossip Girl), Nadine Velazquez, actress (My Name Is Earl, Queens) and creator of La’Tina for Showtime, Rick Bosner, producer (Fruitvale Station, Paint, The Manor, Black Bear, Other People ), Elizabeth Reichelt, writers assistant (Bridgerton, Physical, Inventing Anna), Charmaine Bingwa, actress and writer (The Good Fight, Emancipation), Fritz Manger, producer of Deadly Adoption with Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig, Binky Mendez, Mumbai-based writer/director whose credits include the CBC, Discovery Channel and Fox Star Studios India, and Victor Perez, award-winning director (Echo) and VFX Supervisor (The Dark Knight Rises, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story).
“Thanks Dan for your help on my pilot, KANDLESTICK MEN, which got 4 8’s and a 9 on the Black List site and quickly became their #1 Crime Thriller pilot of ALL TIME. I have a producer attached and our most recent pitch meeting was at HBO Max.”
-Frank Monteleone, screenwriter
“Dan Calvisi is second to none when it comes to structuring screenplays and coaching writers. His Story Maps is the only and most important thing on my desk when I’m writing. Whether it’s writing for a TV series for Blumhouse or on projects with The Sopranos alums, I know the ins-and-outs of structure because of Dan. In addition, I use his books when prepping for pitch meetings with production companies including Bad Robot, Appian Way, and the streamers. I highly recommend Dan as his method is succinct and powerful, his books are informative, his Story Maps templates are better than anyone else out there, and he’s an overall talented and great guy.”
-Tony M., screenwriter
“Dan’s coaching sessions are worth every penny. He is supportive, patient and extremely knowledgeable about story structure. He helped me correct flaws in my script that I was unable to see on my own. He made numerous suggestions that helped me improve my script. Highly recommended.”
-Nick Saglimbeni, celebrity photographer and filmmaker, currently developing a one-hour action drama pilot
“It’s time to tell my own stories and I can safely say I’m a better writer, thanks to you, Dan.”
– Victor Perez, Visual Effects Supervisor (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Dark Knight Rises), currently developing a cyberpunk Sci-Fi feature
I believe that anyone can write a decent screenplay with the proper training. Not everyone can write something GREAT, but if you can, we’ll find that out. It will take a lot of work, so make sure you have the time in your schedule to truly commit to this endeavor.
I’ll be honest with you. I can’t write the darn thing for you (well, actually, I can, but that costs more). I’m here as a guide, a friend, a helping hand, a sounding board, a voice of reason and a tough critic (all wrapped up into one positive package that doesn’t take himself too seriously!) … but I’m going to demand that you work hard. I’m going to keep you accountable to your assignments and your deadlines. I’m going to enjoy watching your craft and commercial potential rise with each passing week.
WHAT YOU GET:
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My written notes on up to 30 pages of content per week (script pages, story maps, outlines, pitch decks, series bibles, cover letters, anything you want).
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Weekly 1-hour video conference call via Zoom where we review my notes in detail and discuss your work, career and the best way to get noticed by decision makers in the industry like managers, producers, executives and agents.
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Recording of each conference call.
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Priority E-mail response.
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Every one of my e-books, worksheets, story maps, recorded interviews with industry pros, and your choice of two of my popular webinars.
PRICE:
$700 per month
or
$1200 if you book two months to start (first-time clients only, $700 per month after).
Prestige Client option: $2000/month. 24 hour turnaround of notes on up to 30 pages and up to 3 calls per week.
CONTACT ME ASAP if you are interested and I will check my schedule for an open slot for you.
I look forward to working with you!
Sincerely,
Dan Calvisi
Los Angeles, California, United States