Ideas, Ideas, Ideas [Music, Music, Music]

It's a good day to wake up and feel like I have too many ideas and not enough time.

I've had the reverse and trust me, it's a living hell.  Because then you're just scrapping the bottom of the barrel.  I remember years ago when I was in this cycle of trying to write TV spec scripts.  It was awful. The sheer anxiety of not having a good enough idea for an episode of 30 Rock or Two and a Half Men.  And those scripts exist somewhere.  They're serviceable, but not special.

Liz pretends to have cancer to get in with Don Geist's wife, who runs a cancer survivor's foundation, to help Jack keep his job.

I had a Bernie Mac spec where Jordan has a wet dream.

A great spec of The Office where everyone switches jobs for the day.  That script was brilliant, actually.  Great idea, great execution.  And still it did nothing.

A Modern Family about a school talent show involving all of the kids that was funny and heartfelt.

Then other specs of various success: Two and a Half Men, Glee, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Entourage and  True Blood.

Some of those scripts were like pulling teeth.  Oy.  Because the ideas were created to service a show, to try and get a job.  They weren't written from any genuine place of care or concern.  They were job applications.  Listen, that's a skill that many working writers have.  So I would never disrespect that.  I come from a different place when I write.  Even though I tried to put myself into those characters and say something with those specs, it was never a true representation of me.  And that doesn't look good on me.  Some people can wear speedos and some can't.  Not everyone looks good in high waisted jeans, pleated pants or a halter top.  It's not a good fit.

I'm not trying to have an art versus commerce argument.  I'm not trying to place a value on one versus another.  But it just feels good to have ideas about scripts I'm excited about.  Some of them might seem more commercial than others.  But I'm not writing towards that.  I'm choosing a subject, a character, a setting that sounds interesting to me.  Then I'm executing it in the best way possible given the subject and the structure I've chosen.  That's really all I can do.  And care about it.  I have to care about it.

For me.

That's not a rule for anyone else.  Or even a prescription for the best plays or TV pilots.  It is what fits the best on me.

I'm grateful that I know the difference between what works for me and what's a serious judgment.
I'm grateful that I know it's none of my business.
I'm grateful to have so many ideas and the time and energy to write.