Hey writers/producers - a thread about our mental health as it relates specifically to our career. First, i want to be clear that we are by no means the only industry that deals with loss and rejection. (I would assure that a doctor losing a patient is significantly worse)

So this is not about sympathy. It’s about awareness.

If you aspire to be, or currently are, a writer/producer - you live in a state of perpetual uncertainty. It’s a choice you make to live your dream.

Not one part of our business is a “sure” thing.

Many people say “wait until the ink is dry” to celebrate anything but those of use who have been doing this a while know that 90% of projects fall apart shortly after or long after that Fkn ink is dry.

There is never ever one part of our chosen profession that feels secure. That takes a significant toll on our mental health.
Not to mention the never ending cycle of reads, pitches, notes, passes, cancellations, actor replacements, show runners fired, scandals & fatigue.

Then there’s the 24 hour new project “announcement” cycle that we followed to once keep us inspired, but now digs deep into our insecurities. The “why them and when me” voice gets LOUD in the quiet times and when you’re a writer, there is a lot of quiet time.

And success? I’m glad you asked. You finally get one of those announcements and live off the high for 2 days only to return to the reality of that 90% of announcements that never become anything.
You can have an ENTIRE VARIETY ANNOUNCEMENT THAT BECOMES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

And it is soul crushing and ego destroying. I’m not talking about a slight “God humble”... I’m talking about nights that become early mornings spent debating wether or not this is even for you. If you’re good enough.
This is so dangerous to our mental health.

But let’s say the announcement becomes something... did you know you can be fired off your own movie? Replaced with a different writer on your own movie? Removed as show runner from your own show? Sure, you get paid, but most of the pain comes from the rejection.

The constant Fkn rejection. As human beings we are meant to be nurtured. Poured in to. We earn and give trust. We rely on friendships. These are the foods for our souls.
In this business - we rely on who not what we know, but even The Who’s are unreliable. That eats at our mental

Everyone’s hands are tied. It’s a business. It’s not personal. So hold up... a business built on not what you know, but who... is not personal? Read that again. Now again.
This eats away at our mental health.

And when you have a hit... outside of the top 1% - you’re only as good as that last hit. Period.
I’ve discussed names of writers for projects who have 6-10 seasons of a HIT show 10 years ago and they can’t get even get a meeting now.
Knowing this eats away at our mental health

We so badly want “success” but we work in a chosen industry where success has zero guarantee.
A movie can be announced. Green lit. Cast. Shot. Move to post. Trailers can run. And still be pulled the fk out of theaters never to see the light of day.
Zero stability.

Not to mention most don’t get paid out unless the movie goes. So years of work left with heartache and little money. This eats away at our mental health.
Tv shows announced. Cast. Pilots shot. Whole families relocated. Crews hired. Etc. Only to be canceled before they ever air.

How are we taking care of our mental health? I am genuinely asking. For you. But also for me.
I had a young writer say, “you’ve accomplished so much. Your own tv show. A best selling book. A podcast. Countless movies. Agents. Managers. I want that.” And when we hung up, i cried.

Not because I’m not grateful. I am. Glory truly to God.

I cried because i have lost the ability to see or determine what the wins are. Where the success line is. What is enough.

What is admired about me from others feels so inconsequential to me because my gage is broken.

So how are we taking care of our mental health?

To my fellow #writers in our beautiful #WritingCommunity with all our #writerslift - how do you care for your mental health? How do we collectively do so?

I love us. I pray for us. I want us to be well more than anything.