--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 20, I wrote a film on spec and…" description: "\"When I was 20, I wrote a film on spec and sent it to the BBC. They wrote back, 'Usually, when we reject submissions, we like to offer some encouragemen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/jon-ronson-1772_encouragement_when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and_1119392.png" --- # When I was 20, I wrote a film on spec and sent it to the… ![“When I was 20, I wrote a film on spec and sent it to the BBC. They wrote back, 'Usually, when we reject submissions, we like to offer some encouragement, but in your case, we don't see any point in you continuing.' I took it as encouragement anyway, thinking that only people who write terrible…” quote by Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/jon-ronson-1772_encouragement_when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and_1119392.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/jon-ronson-1772_encouragement_when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and_1119392.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/jon-ronson-1772_encouragement_when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and_1119392.png) > “When I was 20, I wrote a film on spec and sent it to the BBC. They wrote back, 'Usually, when we reject submissions, we like to offer some encouragement, but in your case, we don't see any point in you continuing.' I took it as encouragement anyway, thinking that only people who write terrible things are capable of writing great things.” [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rejection can be reframed as encouragement, fueling perseverance. **In simple terms:** Criticism can motivate success. Key Takeaway Turn setbacks into motivation. Themes resilience feedback perseverance Mood inspirational reflective Type psychological creative When to use this quote - writing career - entrepreneurship - artistic pursuits Key Concepts mindset shift creative persistence Questions to Reflect On - How do you interpret negative feedback? - What strategies keep you motivated after rejection? A Different Perspective Not all criticism is constructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I would go so far as to say that I mostly write terrible things. I mean, my first drafts are so appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-would-go-so-far-as-to-say-that-i-mostly-write-terrible-things-i/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [Writing a play to get to Broadway and have a national tour is a sure way to write a terrible, terrible play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-karam/writing-a-play-to-get-to-broadway-and-have-a-national-tour-is-a-sure/) [Stephen Karam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-karam/) > [I meet people who are in movies, and the stuff that they write is terrible, but nobody tells them that because they're famous. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-meet-people-who-are-in-movies-and-the-stuff-that-they-write-is/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [“Write about a terrible experience until you find value in having gone through it. Then you will appreciate every dark hour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-marquart/write-about-a-terrible-experience-until-you-find-value-in-having-gone/) Jan Marquart > [I definitely script things out. I definitely write things down and try to write jokes. Often, they're terrible. I often write terrible, terrible jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-definitely-script-things-out-i-definitely-write-things-down-and-try/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [I first came to cinema as a passionate filmgoer, when I was a child. Then, when I was a very young man, I became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-argento/i-first-came-to-cinema-as-a-passionate-filmgoer-when-i-was-a-child/) [Dario Argento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-argento/) > [When I wrote my first film and then directed it and I looked at it for the first time on what's called an assembly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-joel-rubin/when-i-wrote-my-first-film-and-then-directed-it-and-i-looked-at-it/) [Bruce Joel Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-joel-rubin/) > [Faulkner wrote for film, and his ear is just impeccable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-milch/faulkner-wrote-for-film-and-his-ear-is-just-impeccable/) [David Milch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-milch/) > ['Scary Movie' was a different type of comedy than I'm used to. I've mostly done sitcoms, so working with David Zucker, who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-tisdale/scary-movie-was-a-different-type-of-comedy-than-i-m-used-to-i-ve/) [Ashley Tisdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-tisdale/) > [I wrote a film for Tom Hanks and I wrote two films for Paul Greengrass that didn't actually happen. The paradox is that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ol-parker/i-wrote-a-film-for-tom-hanks-and-i-wrote-two-films-for-paul/) [Ol Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ol-parker/) > [I've had three novels published, and I was working a little bit in theater in Ireland. I wrote one film script just to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-jordan/i-ve-had-three-novels-published-and-i-was-working-a-little-bit-in/) [Neil Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-jordan/) > [Right before I got 'Sons of Anarchy,' I actually quit acting for 18 months and didnt read a single script, and I wrote a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunnam/right-before-i-got-sons-of-anarchy-i-actually-quit-acting-for-18/) [Charlie Hunnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunnam/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Today if anything is trying to hold you back, give no attention to it. Get your hopes up, get your faith up, look up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-if-anything-is-trying-to-hold-you-back-give-no-attention-to-it/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Jon Ronson > [Sometimes labeling is only useful, like with OCD. Once you're labeled you can be treated. On other occasions labeling leads to tyranny, like with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/sometimes-labeling-is-only-useful-like-with-ocd-once-you-re-labeled/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“I wonder if I’ve got any of the 374 mental disorders,” I thought. I opened the manual again. And I instantly diagnosed myself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/i-wonder-if-i-ve-got-any-of-the-374-mental-disorders-i-thought-i/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [Trying to prove you’re not a psychopath is even harder than trying to prove you’re not mentally ill,’ said Tony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/trying-to-prove-you-re-not-a-psychopath-is-even-harder-than-trying-to/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“It may very well be that the frotteurist is a helpless victim in the clutches of his obsession, but it’s equally possible that he’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/it-may-very-well-be-that-the-frotteurist-is-a-helpless-victim-in-the/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“We are defining the boundaries of normality by tearing apart the people outside of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/we-are-defining-the-boundaries-of-normality-by-tearing-apart-the/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [My worryingly paradoxical thought process could be summarized thus: Thank God I don't believe in the secret rulers of the world. Imagine what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/my-worryingly-paradoxical-thought-process-could-be-summarized-thus/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [Friends are the fruitcake of life - some nutty, some soaked in alcohol, some sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/friends-are-the-fruitcake-of-life-some-nutty-some-soaked-in-alcohol/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“The consensus from the beginning was that only 1 percent of humans had it, but the chaos they caused was so far-reaching it could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/the-consensus-from-the-beginning-was-that-only-1-percent-of-humans/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“That's an incredibly depressing thought," I said "that if you're in a room and at one end lies madness and at the other end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/that-s-an-incredibly-depressing-thought-i-said-that-if-you-re-in-a/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [The world outside Twitter was great. I read books. I reconnected with people I knew from real life and met them for drinks in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/the-world-outside-twitter-was-great-i-read-books-i-reconnected-with/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“What a brilliant cover story. In a success-obsessed society like this one, what's the best rock to hide something under? It's the rock called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/what-a-brilliant-cover-story-in-a-success-obsessed-society-like-this/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [Guy Savelli's role in the War on Terror began when half-a-dozen strangers, within days of one another, contacted him via e-mail and telephone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/guy-savelli-s-role-in-the-war-on-terror-began-when-half-a-dozen/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [My paranoia never ends, but I haven't been paranoid about being spied on my shadowy forces for some time now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/my-paranoia-never-ends-but-i-haven-t-been-paranoid-about-being-spied/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“It is an awful lot harder, Tony told me, to convince people you’re sane than it is to convince them you’re crazy. “I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/it-is-an-awful-lot-harder-tony-told-me-to-convince-people-you-re-sane/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [It is slightly chilling to realize there are rational, functional people up there employed to spot, nurture, and exploit those down here among us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/it-is-slightly-chilling-to-realize-there-are-rational-functional/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) [Explore all 209 Jon Ronson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) ## More Encouragement quotes > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Today if anything is trying to hold you back, give no attention to it. Get your hopes up, get your faith up, look up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-if-anything-is-trying-to-hold-you-back-give-no-attention-to-it/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If You want to be Awesome, You have to kick all the negative and boring people out of your life and arm yourself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajdeep-sarkar/if-you-want-to-be-awesome-you-have-to-kick-all-the-negative-and/) [Rajdeep Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajdeep-sarkar/) > [It isn't bad judgment to make a man believe he is something. He is by nature inclined to it, and a little encouragement is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-langley-bosher/it-isn-t-bad-judgment-to-make-a-man-believe-he-is-something-he-is-by/) [Kate Langley Bosher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-langley-bosher/) > [God's plans are never beyond your reach, sometimes you just have to move closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/god-s-plans-are-never-beyond-your-reach-sometimes-you-just-have-to/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“What would you think if I told you that, yes, your bad choices and decisions have had a part in your ending up under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/what-would-you-think-if-i-told-you-that-yes-your-bad-choices-and/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [“I have learned that positive encouragement and positive advice is limited to the believers not the masses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-edgar-alamo/i-have-learned-that-positive-encouragement-and-positive-advice-is/) Herbert Edgar Alamo > [“Intercourse is one thing, Intimacy is everything. Be encouraged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-e-wagner/intercourse-is-one-thing-intimacy-is-everything-be-encouraged/) [Kerry E. Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-e-wagner/) > [“Don’t be afraid of your struggles, they are making you dangerously strong and wise. They are preparing you for your superpowers. Let them happen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-lee/don-t-be-afraid-of-your-struggles-they-are-making-you-dangerously/) [Melody Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-lee/) > [I really want people to know that I've worked hard, very hard, to get to where I am today.. this didn't just happen overnight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-really-want-people-to-know-that-i-ve-worked-hard-very-hard-to-get/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [If people are kicking you in the behind, at least you're in front of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/if-people-are-kicking-you-in-the-behind-at-least-you-re-in-front-of/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Our words are very powerful, always make sure that you use the right words, which encourages people instead of discouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/our-words-are-very-powerful-always-make-sure-that-you-use-the-right/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [When we start focusing on things we can do and don't think so much about the things we can't do, things really start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/when-we-start-focusing-on-things-we-can-do-and-don-t-think-so-much/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 2,407 Encouragement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was 20, I wrote a film on spec and sent it to the BBC. They wrote back, 'Usually, when we reject submissions, we like to offer some encouragement, but in your case, we don't see any point in you continuing.' I took it as encouragement anyway, thinking that only people who write terrible things are capable of writing great things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jon Ronson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and-sent-it-to-the-bbc-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Encouragement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and-sent-it-to-the-bbc-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/jon-ronson-1772_encouragement_when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and_1119392.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/jon-ronson-1772_encouragement_when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and_1119392.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/jon-ronson-1772_encouragement_when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and_1119392.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was 20, I wrote a film on spec and sent it to the BBC. They wrote back, 'Usually, when we reject…” — Jon Ronson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jon Ronson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was 20, I wrote...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and-sent-it-to-the-bbc-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/when-i-was-20-i-wrote-a-film-on-spec-and-sent-it-to-the-bbc-they/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```