Nearly everyone thinks something has happened in their life that would make a good movie or television show, and yet relatively few life stories are actually purchased by producers. Those that are typically already have demonstrated interest and popular appeal.  Many movies or television specials based on true life stories happen because the producers optioned the film rights for a biography or autobiography that was already a bestseller. For this reason, it's almost always a good bet if you want to sell your life story to a producer to get it out in print first. A bestselling book may seem out of your reach, but you may be able to hire a ghost writer and put out a self-published book for a few thousand dollars. If a book seems out of your reach, you might want to look to local or regional interest publications to start garnering media attention for your story. Build a presence on social media and attract friends and followers with tales from your life that you'd ultimately like to see made into a movie. Keep in mind that producers ultimately are fairly conservative people when it comes to buying stories and making movies. The more you can demonstrate that there's already a proven demand for you and your story, the better chance you have of selling your life story to a producer. The markets you find and the producers to whom you pitch your life story are going to vary depending on what you imagine your future role to be in the production, and what skills you bring to the table.  For example, if you want to write the screenplay, it might be a good idea to go ahead and get started. You probably will have better odds getting a producer to bite if there's already a script, even if it's one that will need a lot of work. If there are specific actors you imagine playing roles in the movie of your life story, you might want to consider getting in touch with their agents and getting them on board with the project first. It can be good to have someone "inside Hollywood" in your corner, not to mention the fact that actors often produce movies as well. Generally speaking, you'll have a better chance at selling your story if you've got something – whether that's a particular actor who's attached or a working screenplay – than if you've got nothing but an idea. If you want control over the movie or a final okay on the finished product, you probably will have to settle for less money in exchange. You also should keep in mind that producers typically will be reticent to have any significant degree of input from someone with little to no knowledge or experience in making movies. Look at your story from the point of view of a producer, and find the elements that would attract those who create films or television shows of the genre where your life story best fits.  For example, if you're a middle-aged woman who has gone through a harrowing or traumatic relationship or life crisis, you may want to try your luck with television networks such as Lifetime that frequently produce television movies based on true life stories. To find producer's names, look up films that are similar to the film you think could be made from your life story. Find out the production companies and the names of the producers, then search for ways to query them. You'll want to build a lengthy list of producers to whom you want to pitch before you start, because you have to assume that most, if not all, of them won't even respond to your initial pitch. Find producers who have open calls for scripts or who are specifically looking for true life stories to make into movies or television shows. Start with them and draft a simple cover letter to introduce yourself.  Never send a full script, or even a synopsis, to a producer or anyone else unsolicited. Thick packages containing scripts often will simply be thrown in the trash unopened, because no one wants to risk being exposed to the content and potentially ending up in a copyright infringement lawsuit because they produce an unrelated film with substantially similar elements. Introduce yourself in your cover letter, provide your logline and maybe another sentence or two about your life story – but that's it. The shorter, the better. Include a sentence or two describing the publicity you've received as a result of your story, either in the press or through a published biography. Close your letter by encouraging the person to whom you're writing to contact you if they're interested in hearing more, and then wait for them to come to you. If you have newspaper clippings, you may want to include a copy of one or two short stories to show the level of public interest in your story. Be prepared to send many of these letters out and never hear anything back from anyone. You may want to follow up by making a phone call or sending an email, but don't hound them. If you don't hear anything back, it's safe to assume they're not interested. Strike that name off your list and move on to the next one.

Summary: Get significant third-party validation. Decide what you want your role to be. Identify potential markets. Send out your pitches.


Studies have shown that our emotions are reinforced and perhaps even driven by our facial expressions: smiling can make you feel happy; frowning can make you feel sad.  If you're feeling down, try smiling for at least 30 seconds to see if it helps boost your mood a little. You might even try smiling in the mirror and making silly faces — you might even get yourself laughing. Redecorating can help you feel as though you're making a fresh start. You can do this even if you don't have any money, simply by rearranging your room, or giving it a thorough clean and getting rid of things you no longer need.  Cover your walls with things that inspire you — for example, pictures of places you'd like to visit, or people who inspire you or make you feel happy. Find your favourite photo of you and someone (or some people) you love. If it's not already printed out, print it and frame it, and put it in a prominent place in your home. Take some alone time once in a  while and treat yourself.  Buy yourself that book you've been wanting to read. Take a few hours to sit in a comfy chair and read it while sipping your favourite tea. Have a bath in epsom salts and put on a nice moisturizer on afterward. Have a spa day. If you feel uncomfortable in your body, you'll likely have trouble enjoying yourself. Try doing daily exercises like looking in the mirror and naming 5 things you love about yourself — not 5 things you hate.  If you can't name 5, name as many as you can. Each day try to increase the number until you can list 10 or 20 things about yourself that you like. Almost no one will love everything about themselves; just try to like as much as you can. You are beautiful in your own unique way. The popular saying, “to give is better than to receive,” is true for many people. Studies have shown that the same parts in our brain light up when giving gifts as when receiving them. Examples of good deeds:  Try volunteering for a cause you believe in, even if it's only for a few hours a month. Help a friend, relative, colleague, or neighbor with something you know they could use help with — for example, mowing the lawn, organizing their files, driving to the grocery store, packing up to move. Sometimes you need to get out of your head. Clean your house, doodle until you've filled a page, dance around to your favourite song, or sing at the top of your lungs to it. Allow yourself a few moments of distracted enjoyment as often as you can — no matter how bad you feel or how much you feel you may not deserve it.
Summary: Smile. Redecorate. Pamper yourself. Love the skin you're in. Do a good deed. Distract yourself.