Balls of Steel™: The Waiting Game
Writing is not only about the rewriting … it’s also about the endless waiting. The most torturous wait of all is the wait for feedback after you’ve submitted your work.
Writing is not only about the rewriting … it’s also about the endless waiting.
Waiting for new story ideas to pop in your head, waiting for a writing partner to return your emails, or waiting for the writer’s block to lift. But the most torturous wait of all is the wait for feedback after you’ve submitted your work.
I’m convinced this is why Hemingway started drinking.
I was in L.A. early this month pitching to the big boys – actually, it was a lovely young woman, but you know what I mean. As we joyously watched her nod with excitement about the TV premises we presented, we knew her nodding didn’t mean jack when it came to adding our pitches to her development slate.
We submitted the requested material and let the waiting begin.
At first, the wait time was a relief because we worked our tails off getting ready to pitch. It’s week two of the wait that the nerves hit.
I get antsy. Toes tapping, constantly checking email and voicemail, and my BlackBerry® glued to my pocket like a silicone-filled needle stuffed into the Real Housewives.
However, I understand the industry well enough to know, even with a great script, the odds of a “yes” are slim. I get that. But I’m a cup-is-half-full kind of girl. So, for me, waiting equals hope. Hope for a “let’s talk about this premise some more.” Or hope for a “this project isn’t quite right for us, but we love your writing.”
The hope of them actually saying “Hell, yes!” probably isn’t even on my radar anymore. After years of hearing “it’s a pass,” I’m a bit guarded.
As I wait, I prepare for how to best use the opportunity. Which means only one thing: I keep writing and fleshing out the idea, ready to address any notes they want to discuss.
While I have their attention, I keep it for as long as I can. That is the goal. The longer I can keep their focus, the more they learn about my work and me.
So let’s play devil’s advocate here. Your email inbox pings, and it’s a “pass.” Now what?
- I always ask if they have notes to share. That keeps a dialogue going; plus, they’ll see I take feedback well. In fact, I’m a bit of critique-loving junkie.
- If they say they love my writing, I ask to be considered for future in-house writing assignments.
- Since everyone knows everyone in L.A., I inquire if they’re aware of another company looking for a premise like mine. You’d be surprised how many referrals I’ve gotten that way.
- Pitch a new idea you came up with while you were waiting to hear from them.
- Make sure you leave that door open by asking if you can submit future work directly to them, bypassing the gatekeepers. If your writing is good, the answer almost always is “yes.”
- Above all, thank them for their time. Can you imagine how many passes they give out every day? Those can’t be fun. Set yourself apart from the pack by showing you have class.
- Go for a long run, or pour yourself a stiff drink. Do whatever is necessary in order to climb back on the horse the next day and get back to writing.
No one wants to hear "It's a pass," but if you have a game plan for how to handle the news, it makes the sting less severe. Writing as much as you can while you wait will busy your mind, help you develop a plan B, improve your work, and give you new ideas to discuss with the executives once you do hear back. Those new ideas might be exactly what your career needs to get you to the next level.
Every day you wait, is a day of hope. Let go of the stress, soak in the moment, and appreciate the value of getting an executive to read your work. Congratulate yourself for that open door and forward motion. You worked hard for it. I’m not suggesting you be all kumbaya here. It’s important to keep your expectations in check – the crash of a “pass” will kill you if you don’t. (Read my "Managing Expectations" post as a reminder.)
But while you wait, dare to reward yourself a little. For me, that means toasting Hemingway as I sit down and keep writing.
How do you handle the waiting process? The passes? Please share your experiences in the comments to help us all learn.
Jeanne Veillette Bowerman is a Senior Executive at Pipeline Media Group and Book Pipeline, Editor-in-Chief of Pipeline Artists, Director of Symposium—a year-round conference in the arts, co-host "Reckless Creatives" podcast, partner at Fringe Press, former Editor-in-Chief of Script magazine and a former Senior Editor at Writer's Digest. Recognized as one of the "Top 10 Most Influential Screenwriting Bloggers," her "Balls of Steel" column was selected as recommended reading by Universal Writers Program. A compilation of her articles is now available at The Writers Store—Balls of Steel: The Screenwriter's Mindset. She is also Co-Founder and moderator of X's weekly screenwriters’ chat, #Scriptchat, and wrote the narrative adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Slavery by Another Name, with its author, Douglas A. Blackmon, former senior national correspondent of The Wall Street Journal. More information can be found on her website. X: @jeannevb | IG/Threads: @jeannevb_ | BlueSky: @jeannevb.bsky.social
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