A lot of writers who are just starting out bring up IP theft. “I’m worried if people read me, they’ll steal my idea.” Or “Should I copyright/make readers sign an NDA?” Or “If someone asks for my logline at a mixer, I’m usually deliberately vague...” I have some thoughts (1/?)

First: by all means, register your script with the writers’ guild. It can’t hurt and it’ll give you peace of mind. But in my decade of experience as a TV writer, I’ve only heard of ONE legitimate case in which an idea was stolen and it was an incredibly-specific sci-fi concept.

Thing is, ideas pop up in the zeitgeist at the same time. Just as I got my pilot picked up, another network greenlit a nearly-identical premise. A friend sent me a script about a group of misfits who accidentally secede from the US; a week later, CBS announced Republic of Sarah.

Why isn’t this more worrisome? Because ideas are a dime a dozen. Say, “I’m a writer” at a party and 8/10 people will go: “I have the BEST idea for a TV show/book/movie.” There’s a fallacy that what it takes to be a writer is one great idea. But in my experience, execution...

...is what really matters. Give five writers the same premise and you’ll get five wildly different scripts. Networks look for an ability to craft character, build tension, land jokes, etc. And THAT is why writing is so hard. Because you can have the best idea in the world...

...but if you can’t execute it in a compelling and nuanced way, it doesn’t matter. And the people buying scripts know that. The number of times networks have bought what basically amounts to the same pitch? A zillion. They’re looking for character/dialogue that jumps off the page

True story: I once pitched a pilot to a network. They bought it and then immediately threw it out: “We didn’t actually want this pilot, but we love your voice and wanted to lock you in to write something for us.” So I came up with a new idea and wrote that instead. My point?

Ideas are not as valuable a commodity as people think at the beginning of their writing journey. So don’t lose sleep over the worry that someone might steal your idea. Chances are, someone is already writing something similar anyway. Focus on honing your craft/developing...

...your voice. If you have captivating characters, a strong writing style, well-paced plot, and a story arc that lands the emotion, it won’t really matter if it’s a premise that’s been seen a thousand times. People will respond to your writing, which (in my opinion) is the goal.