REJECTION CAN BE GOOD FOR THE CREATIVE SOUL

by Joanna D'Angelo

I was recently rejected for a TV show pitch by A&E.

My reaction to this was - WOW! You know you've really made it when the big boys reject you.

As many of you know I make my living as a writer.  Well, in addition to being a Super Nanny to my two darling Spiderman Jr. nephews whose current goal in life is to share their love of superheroes, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Scooby Doo. But very recently my role has been relegated to Super Auntie status as they have a new nanny who is with them most of the time. That now gives me more time to devote to my writing.  I have never, ever found it easy to write fiction but factual is another matter - of the TV variety that is.  Factual programming is a very broad term that covers everything from Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs to National Geographic's Dog Whisperer to MTV's Jersey Shore.  Although Jersey Shore has also been called a "reality show" - and I use the term loosely.

TV is a very fickle business and very, very tough to work in.  One thing I've learned is that you absolutely cannot rely on one idea. Remember the line in Glengarry Glen Ross "A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing. Well, in TV it's Always Be Pitching.

When my exec. producer told me she pitched one of my show ideas to A and E at a recent conference -  I was excited. A and E has become a big network for factual programming (Dog the Bounty Hunter and Hoarders - which is the top-rated show on A and E) in addition to the fact that it gets healthy audience numbers for its continuous loop of CSI and The Sopranos.

The acquisitions executive who took the pitch liked the idea and promised to get back to us soon with an answer.  As an aside - one thing I love about pitching to American nets is that they're very quick with a turn-around response to a pitch - either they'll tell you right then and there if it's going to work for them or not - or they get back to you soon after.  Canadian broadcasters on the other hand don't always do that - maybe it's the nicey nice thing we have up here.  To be honest - I prefer bluntness - because then I can move on and spend my time doing something more productive rather than waiting in limbo.

Back to my story - the A and E guy got in touch with my producer about a week later and said - that a colleague of his had just pitched an idea in the same field and was turned down flat by the head honchos so it would be a no-go for my idea.  He said it had to do with branding more than anything else - that my idea didn't quite fit their brand.  Funny how that works.  He told my producer a story about A and E turning down Ice Road Truckers when it was first pitched to them - because it didn't fit their brand.  Evidently - History Channel - which was in the process of re-branding - thought it was a good fit and bought it and it became a big hit for them.

You might think I'm a bit loopy for not being devastated by this rejection - well - I'm not insane - I was upset but I don't allow myself to wallow any more (well no more than a very brief, tiny window ;)  I've been rejected more times than I can count - from every major and specialty Canadian broadcaster and from several specialty American nets and a few international ones.  It's very true that rejection is part of being a writer.  I believe it makes you stronger and more determined.  It also keeps you humble and more appreciative when something does click.

I also believe that broadcasters and producers take you more seriously if you've pitched and been rejected at least a few times.  I've heard stories from many published writers who went from getting form rejection letters to very detailed notes with their rejection letters the closer they got to being published.  If I were to obsesses about it too much - then my creativity button would switch off and I wouldn't be able to come up with anything for a while. So, that's another reason why I don't waste energy on rejections - because it triggers a kind of creative paralysis in me. Besides - being the Pollyanna that I am - I prefer to look on the bright side - I now have a contact at A and E who liked one of my ideas.

I greatly admire writers and creative people in general who really try to make a go of it in their field because we are always "out there" being judged and critiqued.  That's not easy on anyone's self-esteem. I know successful, multi-published writers who still feel that terrible sting - when one of their proposals is turned down.  Okay, maybe we are kinda crazy.  But I will leave you with this - I know a lovely husband and wife writing team who took 12 years to get published - and now they make their living at it.  That takes a certain kind of strength and perseverance. I hope I have that in me as well.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.