When you were starting out, how did you deal with rejection?
Also, what advice can you give on the proper way to send out your work?
–Alan Wojcik
I dealt with rejection the same way I deal with it now: vodka.
No, but seriously. The truth is, a screenwriter is going to face rejection
over and over again, and not just at the beginning of his career. There will
always be a job you wanted and didn’t get, or a snub you didn’t see coming.
Eventually, you learn that you can’t depend on strangers for validation.
At least, one day I hope to learn that.
If it’s any consolation, there are people who have it even worse than writers:
actors. Whereas a writer might be rejected for his work, an actor can be rejected
simply for their face. Or butt. Or voice.
Which ties into the second part of your question: how to send out your work.
Think of your script as an actor going out on an audition. You want it to look
its best: properly formatted, no typos, and two good brass brads that won’t
unbend halfway through the script. Don’t give the reader any chance to ding
your work simply for its appearance.
Oh, and your script should be really, really well-written. That’s the most
important thing.
(Originally posted September 10, 2003)