Finishing a Draft Is More Important Than Telling People Your Idea

This past week, I got to do one of my favorite things, which was Zoom with a class of people in film school who had a lot of questions about screenwriting and Hollywood. One of the main things they wanted to talk to me about was their ideas. And it was impressive, they had a ton of ideas for stories that reinvigorated me for the future of our industry. But then I had to play buzzkill. See, ideas are great. But if I had a nickel for every time I heard someone's idea or every time I had an idea...I wouldn't be writing for No Film School. I'd be on my private island. The way to have a long career as a writer in Hollywood is not endless ideas. It's the ability to take those ideas and turn them into finished drafts of screenplays. Let me explain. 'John Wick' CREDIT: Lionsgate Bad Finished Scripts > Great Ideas You've heard the adage many times before, but all writing is rewriting. And even if you have a bad first draft done, that's way better than just having a great idea. Great ideas can get you a meeting or start a conversation. But at some point, someone is going to ask for the finished screenplay to read. I've sold pitches in the room; it feels great, but it was also so long ago. Right now, it feels like most writers are taking their great ideas and producing spec screenplays and selling those, because the audience for their pitches is getting smaller and smaller. People want to invest money in products they can shoot and package right away, not ideas that may only come to fruition way down the line. And if you're a new writer trying to break in, an idea is not going to knock down doors, but a spec will. Even if you have a bad first draft, you can spend time fixing it and making it better so you can sell it to someone. A great idea has a really limited audience, who may hear it, love it, and go tell you to write it anyway. I often find it takes me as long to craft a truly great pitch as it would for me to just sit and write a spec and then rewrite it. So if you come here for my advice, I'll say what I told those kids: write your spec. Just sit down, make an outline madn then get to work. The best way to knock down doors and break into Hollywood is with a piece of material that people can send around the town to make them excited. And finished screenplays are worth way more in the long run than just a great idea, because they can go to more people, and they prove you can execute on the page. 'Breaking Bad' AMC Summing It All Up I was in the middle of writing this article when I saw that a pitch sold for $1.5 million, and it made me excited. Selling ideas in Hollywood is a great sign for a healthy industry. But if you're the writer who's in that room, in order to cash in, you still have to write and finish a feature screenplay. There are exceptions to every rule. I want writers to be paid and to succeed, but if you had to ask me the number one way to do that, I'd tell you to get writing. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Apr 25, 2025 - 20:10

Finishing a Draft Is More Important Than Telling People Your Idea

This past week, I got to do one of my favorite things, which was Zoom with a class of people in film school who had a lot of questions about screenwriting and Hollywood. One of the main things they wanted to talk to me about was their ideas.

And it was impressive, they had a ton of ideas for stories that reinvigorated me for the future of our industry.

But then I had to play buzzkill.

See, ideas are great. But if I had a nickel for every time I heard someone's idea or every time I had an idea...I wouldn't be writing for No Film School. I'd be on my private island.

The way to have a long career as a writer in Hollywood is not endless ideas. It's the ability to take those ideas and turn them into finished drafts of screenplays.

Let me explain.

John Wick, Keanu Reeves, holding a puppy in 'John Wick' 'John Wick' CREDIT: Lionsgate

Bad Finished Scripts > Great Ideas

You've heard the adage many times before, but all writing is rewriting. And even if you have a bad first draft done, that's way better than just having a great idea. Great ideas can get you a meeting or start a conversation.

But at some point, someone is going to ask for the finished screenplay to read. I've sold pitches in the room; it feels great, but it was also so long ago.

Right now, it feels like most writers are taking their great ideas and producing spec screenplays and selling those, because the audience for their pitches is getting smaller and smaller. People want to invest money in products they can shoot and package right away, not ideas that may only come to fruition way down the line.

And if you're a new writer trying to break in, an idea is not going to knock down doors, but a spec will.

Even if you have a bad first draft, you can spend time fixing it and making it better so you can sell it to someone. A great idea has a really limited audience, who may hear it, love it, and go tell you to write it anyway.

I often find it takes me as long to craft a truly great pitch as it would for me to just sit and write a spec and then rewrite it.

So if you come here for my advice, I'll say what I told those kids: write your spec.

Just sit down, make an outline madn then get to work. The best way to knock down doors and break into Hollywood is with a piece of material that people can send around the town to make them excited.

And finished screenplays are worth way more in the long run than just a great idea, because they can go to more people, and they prove you can execute on the page.

How is Anaphora a Writer's Secret Weapon? 'Breaking Bad' AMC

Summing It All Up

I was in the middle of writing this article when I saw that a pitch sold for $1.5 million, and it made me excited.

Selling ideas in Hollywood is a great sign for a healthy industry. But if you're the writer who's in that room, in order to cash in, you still have to write and finish a feature screenplay.

There are exceptions to every rule. I want writers to be paid and to succeed, but if you had to ask me the number one way to do that, I'd tell you to get writing.

Let me know what you think in the comments.