this is really the whole "secret" to everything in entertainment! I've talked about this on here before, but the BIGGEST reason I and TBS got to where we are is because of support from people/shows bigger than me shouting us out and keeping my name in mind when jobs came up https://twitter.com/heyshenee/status/1313542482785837058

that's not to say I haven't worked my ASS off for the past five years or that other successful podcasters don't work extremely hard to make their amazing content. but all that hard creative work is just a piece of it

that grind has included emailing people constantly, spending money to go to cons to meet people, going to happy hours on both coasts, and spending far too much time on this and other hellsites, just trying to get to know other people in the industry and build name recognition

because @heyshenee is so right! people get caught up in the machine of the industry + end up calling the people that are familiar to them because it's safe/easy. (and sometimes bc it's fun! y'all know I love using the same actors over and over bc they're good + good to work with)

I've *really* been trying to step back from twitter this year because it is, uh, not good for my (or anyone's really!) mental health but I'm so paralyzed with fear that I'll miss job opportunities, even though I know I *should* feel confident enough in my abilities now (lol)

so many lovely friends/colleagues have messaged me today about the Passenger List news, which has really put this at the forefront of my mind, along with Shenee's thread. Bc PL is not mine - it's John's! I'm not involved with the tv show at all but can't wait to be a viewer!

but a lot of folks in podcasting give undue credit to me for PL! the truth is that John had this brilliant idea and reached out to me to write one script and liked my ideas enough to let me collab with him on the season!

@johnscottdryden is one of the most generous collaborators/bosses I've ever had - he shares his success widely and always looks to elevate writers who are on the come-up. a LOT of ppl don't do that and I owe so much of the opportunities I've had to John taking a chance on me

getting to work on something as high profile as PL snowballed into SO many other opportunities. it was my first *actual* writing job because I was never paid or hired (obviously) for TBS. John made a point to listen to other shows + to reach out to people he thought had potential

a lot of my focus in the past two years, and the vision for @atypicalartists, is to be a force like that for other people. and I hope that I've been able to bring some folks into the medium, encourage their work, give them a paycheck. but there's always more work to be done

and it's hARD. it's hard to recognize your own position in an industry and know how to leverage it to help other people, especially when you're not sure how you're going to make rent yourself. but I've learned two things:

1) it's a losing battle to make yourself responsible for every person you like/think is talented making a living. maybe there are 7 writers that you really want to give a job to, but a 10 ep series might not need 7 writers! you, personally, cannot give everyone a job

2) an introduction costs you nothing. that doesn't mean that you HAVE to introduce every person who asks to every person you've ever met - there are toxic people who are going to ask you favors! saying no is okay! when you DO want to connect folks, being strategic helps everyone

but I think I spent a lot of timing worrying over introing another writer/director/podcaster to a place that I was currently pitching/trying to sell something because I worried that it would hurt MY chances. fuck that. if there's room for one of us, there's room for a bunch of us

I haven't sold very much in the past 1.5 years, but not being successful with a particular company won't stop me from sending someone I like into their orbit (as long as I don't think the company is shitty). my pal selling them a show won't hurt my chances and if it does?

whatever who cares. everyone and their mom is getting into fiction podcasting, I'll continue to hock my wares to anyone who looks slightly into my direction and at the same time happily listen to that rad podcast my friend made with that company that won't give me the time of day

bc, again, it costs me nothing! worst case scenario, NEITHER of us hear back from that company, best case scenario, there's a great new show in the world that I get to fan over. there's this idea there's only so many seats at the table but I'd rather focus on making more chairs