You need more than one script!

I don't know how many times I need to tell new writers this. But for some reason new writers think that they're going to get rich and famous off of one script. Even the writers that you hear come out of nowhere, I guarantee you they've been writing for years and years and have a bible of work ready to sell. But new writers think, ah, I have this one amazing idea, let me write this one only and get famous!

Yeah, doesn't work that way. Even in one of my early screenwriting classes, one of my writer friends actually came first in a really decent screenwriting contest. Production companies and agents contacted her and guess what? They all asked, "What else do you have?" She didn't! She admitted to me that those contacts went away. She blew that opportunity. Don't do that!

Not long ago a newbie writer contacted me about his one script that was ready and he was going to get it out and he was waiting to hear from producers. I told him, "Great! While you're waiting, get started on the next project." He ignored me and recently wrote me how a management company passed on his script, so he's fixing it and making it stronger. Great, always a good thing to do. But again, I told him, "Work on something new. People want to see other projects!" I think he ignored me again. But people, it's not about having one perfect script. It's about growing as a writer, having as many great projects as you can because you never know who will want to read everything you have.

I read recently that when Judd Apatow was discovered everything he had was bought up, all the scripts he'd been writing for years and years. Heck, who wouldn't want that? Would't you rather have a lot of great things bought up than one script that people pass on because that's all you have? I know I would.

And the more projects you have the more doors you can open. Even now I have a script at Nickelodeon, another with a latino executive producer, a feature comedy somewhere huge, another with a Hallmark producer, a spec with an HBO show, getting ready to pitch a reality show, and on and on. My gosh,  I have so many different types of projects. I'm not saying you have to get into every type of genre or medium like me. I just do that because I can't stop creating. But every door could lead to another door and another opportunity. You just never know where opportunity is going to knock next. And if you've only got one script to knock with, guess what, you just might miss out.

So finish that first script, start the second, and start getting ideas for 3, 4 and 5. You're a writer gosh darn it. Of course you have more ideas. And if you don't then start reading more newspapers or going to museums to find more. There's plenty of things to write about. Just figure them out. And then, write them.