--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I learned that you really don't have any…" description: "\"I learned that you really don't have any control as a writer. Waah, waah, waah. Big deal. Unless you're the director on the movie, or putting up the mo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/bret-easton-ellis-1028_big-deal_i-learned-that-you-really-don-t-have-any_1777693.jpg" --- # I learned that you really don't have any control as a… ![“I learned that you really don't have any control as a writer. Waah, waah, waah. Big deal. Unless you're the director on the movie, or putting up the money for the movie, you really don't have a lot of control. As someone who's just writing scripts, you just kind of have to shrug. I have no…” quote by Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/bret-easton-ellis-1028_big-deal_i-learned-that-you-really-don-t-have-any_1777693.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/bret-easton-ellis-1028_big-deal_i-learned-that-you-really-don-t-have-any_1777693.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/bret-easton-ellis-1028_big-deal_i-learned-that-you-really-don-t-have-any_1777693.jpg) > “I learned that you really don't have any control as a writer. Waah, waah, waah. Big deal. Unless you're the director on the movie, or putting up the money for the movie, you really don't have a lot of control. As someone who's just writing scripts, you just kind of have to shrug. I have no problems or issues with screenwriting in general. It is what it is.” [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers often lack creative control unless they also finance or direct projects. **In simple terms:** Writers have limited control over final product. Key Takeaway Accept limited control and focus on craft. Themes creative control authorship industry dynamics Mood frustrated reflective Type advice realistic When to use this quote - film production - freelance writing - studio contracts - creative negotiations Key Concepts screenwriting power structures collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How can a writer increase influence over a project? - What aspects of writing can you fully control? A Different Perspective Control can be regained through producing or directing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Screenwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenwriting/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-scripts/) ## Related quotes > [I have no problems or issues with screenwriting in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-have-no-problems-or-issues-with-screenwriting-in-general/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“I was always bad at reading scripts. Back then, I’d be offered millions of dollars to do movies and barely crack the first few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/i-was-always-bad-at-reading-scripts-back-then-i-d-be-offered-millions/) [Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/) > [If you put someone in a room with no script to direct, they're just going to sit there. Writing scripts is the execution for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-patrick-shanley/if-you-put-someone-in-a-room-with-no-script-to-direct-they-re-just-2/) [John Patrick Shanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-patrick-shanley/) > [If you put someone in a room with no script to direct, they're just going to sit there. Writing scripts is the execution for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-patrick-shanley/if-you-put-someone-in-a-room-with-no-script-to-direct-they-re-just/) [John Patrick Shanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-patrick-shanley/) > [You have to be on top of it all the time, trying to get good scripts. Just be there, be there, be there, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vergara/you-have-to-be-on-top-of-it-all-the-time-trying-to-get-good-scripts/) [Sofia Vergara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vergara/) > [ \[My choice about scripts\] is just a question of what I fall in love with. You have to use some kind of instinct meter… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-sorvino/my-choice-about-scripts-is-just-a-question-of-what-i-fall-in-love/) [Mira Sorvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-sorvino/) > [I'm probably not very funny. The scripts just don't come in, or the ones that do aren't that good. I suppose I'm just an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-winstone/i-m-probably-not-very-funny-the-scripts-just-don-t-come-in-or-the/) [Ray Winstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-winstone/) > [It sucks when you read the script and you're like, "No, I liked that guy!" It's hard to read through the scripts sometimes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-bostick/it-sucks-when-you-read-the-script-and-you-re-like-no-i-liked-that-guy/) [Devon Bostick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-bostick/) > [I get sent a lot of scripts where you're just the mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-get-sent-a-lot-of-scripts-where-you-re-just-the-mom/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [There are no great scripts - just great films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-mcdowell/there-are-no-great-scripts-just-great-films/) [Malcolm McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-mcdowell/) > [A lot of times you have to dip into the independent world to find the really great projects and the really great scripts. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-cook/a-lot-of-times-you-have-to-dip-into-the-independent-world-to-find-the/) [A. J. Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-cook/) > [I'm reading scripts just like everybody else. Tin cup in hand, knocking on doors, trying to get a job. It's tough. They don't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-cotrona-2/i-m-reading-scripts-just-like-everybody-else-tin-cup-in-hand-knocking/) [D.J. Cotrona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-cotrona-2/) > [I read a lot of scripts that I just don't find very funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/i-read-a-lot-of-scripts-that-i-just-don-t-find-very-funny/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) > [I find that dialogue is bad in most scripts. I just think there are very few writers that can capture the natural way people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dorff/i-find-that-dialogue-is-bad-in-most-scripts-i-just-think-there-are/) [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) > [I don't look at scripts. I just write them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cameron/i-don-t-look-at-scripts-i-just-write-them/) [James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cameron/) ## More by Bret Easton Ellis > [“he looked at me with such vehemence that I felt like a blip, a fart, in the course of his life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/he-looked-at-me-with-such-vehemence-that-i-felt-like-a-blip-a-fart-in/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“This isn't a script," Julian says. "It's not going to add up. Not everything's going to come together in the third act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/this-isn-t-a-script-julian-says-it-s-not-going-to-add-up-not/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“I want to watch it again tonight even though I know I won't have enough time to masturbate over the scene where the woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-want-to-watch-it-again-tonight-even-though-i-know-i-won-t-have/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“On my way over to Park Avenue to find a cab I pass an ugly, homeless bum-- a member of the genetic underclass-- and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/on-my-way-over-to-park-avenue-to-find-a-cab-i-pass-an-ugly-homeless/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [I've forgotten who I had lunch with earlier, and even more important, where.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-ve-forgotten-who-i-had-lunch-with-earlier-and-even-more-important/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [Every book for me is an exorcism in some way or another, working through my feelings at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/every-book-for-me-is-an-exorcism-in-some-way-or-another-working/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [Why was I holding on to something that would never be mine? But isn't that what people do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/why-was-i-holding-on-to-something-that-would-never-be-mine-but-isn-t/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [The seeds of love have taken hold and if we won't burn together, I'll burn alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/the-seeds-of-love-have-taken-hold-and-if-we-won-t-burn-together-i-ll/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“It wasn't until the show was almost over that I figured out what it was: the crack above my David Onica that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/it-wasn-t-until-the-show-was-almost-over-that-i-figured-out-what-it/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [What do you do?' she asks, holding out the vest. 'What do you do?' 'What do you do?' she asks, her voice shaking. 'Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/what-do-you-do-she-asks-holding-out-the-vest-what-do-you-do-what-do/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“Sometimes when you’re standing in a crowd I feel those sultry dark eyes of yours stop on me. Are you too afraid to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/sometimes-when-you-re-standing-in-a-crowd-i-feel-those-sultry-dark/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“Scientists peered into data and concluded that we should all be worried. -Lunar planet”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/scientists-peered-into-data-and-concluded-that-we-should-all-be/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“You can't get dyslexia from pussy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/you-can-t-get-dyslexia-from-pussy/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [Open the hood of a car and it will tell you something about the people who designed it, is just one of many phrases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/open-the-hood-of-a-car-and-it-will-tell-you-something-about-the/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [I kept staring into the blackness of the woods, drawn into the darkness as I always had been. I suddenly realized how alone I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-kept-staring-into-the-blackness-of-the-woods-drawn-into-the/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) [Explore all 286 Bret Easton Ellis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) ## More Big deal quotes > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [“But in the parent department, he had won the lottery. So, he'd always known that when he finally told them, they'd make him feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corey-whaley/but-in-the-parent-department-he-had-won-the-lottery-so-he-d-always/) [John Corey Whaley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corey-whaley/) > [“Perspective is everything. If your “why” is big enough, you can deal with almost any “what.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-searcy/perspective-is-everything-if-your-why-is-big-enough-you-can-deal-with/) [Nelson Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-searcy/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [“You weren't out there that long, were you? I can't bear to think that no one found you right away." Noah shook his head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-weren-t-out-there-that-long-were-you-i-can-t-bear-to-think-that/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Everyone's just laughing at me. I hate it. Big breasts, big ass, big deal, Can't I be anything else ? Gee, how long can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/everyone-s-just-laughing-at-me-i-hate-it-big-breasts-big-ass-big-deal/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [“Eventually, Edgard said, “She doesn’t know anything about me. Not even that we were roping partners. Not that we were…” He looked at Trevor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorelei-james/eventually-edgard-said-she-doesn-t-know-anything-about-me-not-even/) [Lorelei James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorelei-james/) > [Humility simply means that you do a great job at everything and it isn't really a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/humility-simply-means-that-you-do-a-great-job-at-everything-and-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Being responsible for someone’s childhood is a big deal. We not only create our own memories, but we create our child’s memories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-macy-stafford/being-responsible-for-someone-s-childhood-is-a-big-deal-we-not-only/) [Rachel Macy Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-macy-stafford/) > [I've never been truly closeted on the air; it's just something I never really made a big deal out of because I never felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-duran/i-ve-never-been-truly-closeted-on-the-air-it-s-just-something-i-never/) [Elvis Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-duran/) > [Tom Stafford was an odd character, you know - a brilliant guy. He looked weird and I think he took a really defensive attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-fritts/tom-stafford-was-an-odd-character-you-know-a-brilliant-guy-he-looked/) [Donnie Fritts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-fritts/) > [When you're standing around for an hour doing stand up it's no big deal but when you're standing around watching a show for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/when-you-re-standing-around-for-an-hour-doing-stand-up-it-s-no-big/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [People make such a big deal about how people in bands look, especially if you're a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/people-make-such-a-big-deal-about-how-people-in-bands-look-especially/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [“What’s wrong with you?” John asks suspiciously. I give him a ‘what chu talkin’ ‘bout Willis?’ look and he explains. “You just woke up.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/what-s-wrong-with-you-john-asks-suspiciously-i-give-him-a-what-chu/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [I never said Kristen ruined my wedding. At the time, when a million other things had fallen apart that day, I felt like she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/i-never-said-kristen-ruined-my-wedding-at-the-time-when-a-million/) [Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/) Browse all 1,273 Big deal quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I learned that you really don't have any control as a writer. Waah, waah, waah. Big deal. Unless you're the director on the movie, or putting up the money for the movie, you really don't have a lot of control. As someone who's just writing scripts, you just kind of have to shrug. 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