Feel-good rejection

Screenwriting is a business in which you experience 90% rejection -- if you are talented enough. But now and again rejection is done in such a way that you feel good. This happened this morning. A producer wrote, saying she loved my pitch but has a full plate -- then recommended someone who she thought was looking for something just like my story. I faxed them, and we'll see what happens.

I was beginning to wonder about my pitch, my returns percentage is so low (but my agent says it's the times), so it was nice to get an enthusiastic response to it, even if the producer is too busy to do anything about it. It was great she took the trouble to recommend someone.

This kind of networking is really what it's all about, which is why anyone seriously trying to establish a career in the biz belongs down there where the action is. Move to L.A., I tell my best students. Even an average student, in my estimation, and homeless to boot, and too "old" to break in, went down there, lived in her car for months -- and got a job with a prodco! Staying power is everything.