How To Respect Your Rep

One of the most important thing that each and every writer should know about their careers. Is that you should spend more time writing material than sitting on the phone with your agent or manager. The bottom line is, if no one is responding to your material, and your rep did not fire you, then you have someone that truly believes in you. That person is standing by your side when no one else will. So, do not call your salesperson and bitch at them. They are not your punching bag and they are certainly not your therapist. The only thing that could make your champion happy is to hear the words, "I'll get started on something new." Not, "I should get paid to write the next one." Or, "I won't make the changes that every single executive in town suggested." It is HARD to sell scripts and it is HARDER to get staffed on a TV show. I promise you one thing - if EVERYONE is saying the same thing, it is so! If you want to work as a writer, listen to what the only people in town who truly have your back (your agent or manager) are telling you. They only make money when you do, so it is not about getting you to do work, it is about selling your material. If you do not get a job, no one on your team wins.

Secondly, don't keep your rep on the phone for extended periods of time each and every time you call. Be respectful of the fact that you are not the only client and that, the longer you keep them on the phone, the more likely it will be that you will be rushed off the phone next time when you need that extra few minutes. Trust me, I know how lonely it is to sit at your house writing alone. Or how heartbreaking it is to sit on your couch with no one to talk to when you hear that the dream job you have been secreting for the last month just passed on you. But the reality is that, the longer you bitch and complain to your rep, the less time they actually have to try to get you another job.