Networking the town

As a writer, I'm happy sitting behind my computer at my desk for hours, days, weeks on end. As a person, I'm happy when I get to have long, rich conversations, laugh with friends, and meet new people who might be interesting and have the potential to become friends. Luckily for me, I get to combine the two sides...right? Right.

Well, sorta of right. I've been realizing this year (with the help of a screenwriting consultant and my writers' group) that I have a pretty great portfolio of scripts. I have pilots and specs and a novel and a screenplay or two. I have a lot of stuff and a lot of stuff that I want others to read (which wasn't always the case). But I've also been realizing that the next step in the career I want is networking. And so I've been working on getting out there more, trying to figure where "out there" is and talking to people who might have connections or know of people who might have connections. Because as in most industries, it's mostly about who you know.

So last week I went to an event called Friday Night Drinks. I got all dolled up in my writerly clothes (jacket, new green scarf I got for my birthday, new black glasses) and I headed off to the bar at The Grove. My writer friend and I were early so we browsed the candy shop below (yeah, interesting combination for the building) and then headed upstairs for two hours of talking loudly (the music was deafening) and exchanging business cards and paying too much for a so-so glass of wine. But here's the exciting thing...

Networking helped! I'm finally seeing some of the fruits of the labor I've been putting in over the past four years! Within twenty minutes of being there I was offered the chance to pitch a sitcom spec to a comedy writer. And not just any comedy writer. A comedy writer on a hit TV show: Modern Family. Yep, on Monday I'll be on a conference call where I'll pitch an original 5-minute idea to Dan O'Shannon. I'm freaking excited. (And maybe just freaking out too because I don't feel ready...yet...but I will be!)

How'd it happen? Well the woman arranging the call (the consultant I've been working with, Jen Grisanti, who is awesome - love her!) was looking for comedy writers and a friend mentioned me and since she knows my work and I was literally in her line of site, 5 feet away from her, she pulled me over and immediately asked me if I'd do it. And I truly believe that had I not been standing there in front of her, it wouldn't have happened. So, networking might not be so horrible after all!

What does this pitch mean? Who knows. Maybe Dan will like what I say and ask to read something. Maybe it'll just be a chance to practice my pitch with a real audience of people who really matter in this business. Maybe something I can't even dream up. But mostly? I'm glad I went out last Friday night and I'm glad I said yes the second she asked even though my instinct was to back away out of fear.

So, will my pitch be funny? We'll find out Monday night at 7!