Nobody Owes You A Writing Career
- Sammie Eastwood
- Jan 24, 2024
- 3 min read
Showing up isn’t enough, you have to make your own opportunities...
A while back, I got into a minor debate in the comments of a motivational post on a screenwriting group. The post quoted Jordan Peele talking about how it took over a decade for Get Out (2017) to be taken seriously, and how hard work and determination finally got him noticed.
Beneath it, someone commented: “also helps when you’re famous”.
It’s a small remark, but it stuck with me because it captures a mindset I see all too often among writers: the belief that breaking into the industry is impossible unless you’re lucky, connected or someone hands you a golden ticket.
Here’s the truth: it isn’t impossible. You just have to earn it.
Yes, Peele’s eventual fame helped him, but it wasn’t what got him started. He spent years honing his craft, paying his dues and fighting for opportunities. He didn’t wake up famous; he became formidable because he did the work when no one was watching.
The harsh reality is this: nobody owes you a writing career.
Showing up, writing something brilliant and hitting “send” doesn’t automatically make the world notice. That’s not a slight, it’s just how the industry works. This is a job like any other, you can’t demand to be the CEO of a company you’ve never worked at, and you can’t demand success if you haven’t put in the hours.
For a long time, I bought into the “the system is rigged” mindset.
I felt powerless, frustrated by gatekeepers and unsure how to break in. That frustration was part of why I started my own studio. I was tired of outsourcing my luck. I realised that if I wanted to create opportunities instead of waiting for them, I wanted to carve my own path.
I had a home studio, a voice, and a stack of IP sitting on my hard-drive. It was a no-brainer.
Here’s what I want every emerging writer and creator to take away:
Talent is important, but tenacity is everything. If one door closes, find another way in. Work on your craft, push your projects forward and persist even when recognition feels slow in coming.
Criticism is a gift. Use feedback to get better, not to argue about gatekeepers. Every rejection is an opportunity to refine your storytelling and strengthen your voice.
You can control your opportunities. Don’t wait for someone else to validate your work. Build your own studio, launch your own projects, create your own network – DO SOMETHING. The more you act, the more doors open.
The most consistent pattern in stories of successful creators isn’t talent or connections, it’s refusing to take “no” for an answer. They go around closed doors, build their own ladders and make their luck happen for themselves.
Starting my studio was my way of doing exactly that. I wanted a space where creators could tell ambitious, serialised audio stories without waiting for someone else to give them permission.
That same principle applies to anyone trying to break into the creative industry: don’t rely on luck, don’t rely on gatekeepers; create your own opportunities and show up relentlessly.
So, stop complaining. Start learning. Start creating. And remember: the only person responsible for your writing career… is you.
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