Michelle, Michelle.

We discussed your screenplay, remember?  I spent quite some time listening intently, pacing in my kitchen, and offered my honest assessment.  You were excited, and then pledged to dive back into it.  You know me well enough to know that I would never have encouraged you to continue with it if I felt that it sucked.  It just needs a lot of work.  You needed help with structure, and you got it.

I've been a writer for 26 years.  TV and film.  Most of my friends are writers.  In fact, most of my enemies are writers, too.  If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that creative people are very susceptible to procrastination and fear.  It's too scary to finish a script, because as soon as you do, you will have to face the reality of whether or not it's any good.  Your parents will love it, your friends will love it, but that's because they love you, honey.  I have an advantage over them in that I don't have to see you all the time, which means I can be a dick and get away with it.

Unless your family or BFFs are going to give you millions of dollars to produce your script, disregard their input.  I wouldn't let a family member do open heart surgery on me, because they don't know a damn thing about it.  Similarly, I can pretty much guarantee your grandmother doesn't know how to structure a three act screenplay.

Anyway, all I did was to warn you not to give in to the voice in your head that was hoping to dissuade you from completing your script.  That was insecurity talking.  Nothing more, nothing less.  Hmm.  Why not put a screenplay project that you know is good on the shelf, so that you can devote your time and energy into a totally new idea that may or may not be worth anything?

Reality TV isn't going anywhere.  If you have a kick ass concept today, on July 18th, it will most likely still be awesome on December 18th.  If so, work on it then.  If not, f*ck it.  At least your screenplay will be done, no?

I'm just looking out for your best interests, kid.

Jeff