--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wrote lots of scripts that never got…" description: "\"I wrote lots of scripts that never got made and they were terrible. I thought they were good at the time. You can't write two scripts and expect your c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/nicole-holofcener-9867_backgrounds_i-wrote-lots-of-scripts-that-never-got-m_159697.jpg" --- # I wrote lots of scripts that never got made and they were… ![“I wrote lots of scripts that never got made and they were terrible. I thought they were good at the time. You can't write two scripts and expect your career to take off. Keep writing. Be you. Be original. A lot of people go for a genre, which is fine if you can do that really well, but we all have…” quote by Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/nicole-holofcener-9867_backgrounds_i-wrote-lots-of-scripts-that-never-got-m_159697.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/nicole-holofcener-9867_backgrounds_i-wrote-lots-of-scripts-that-never-got-m_159697.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/nicole-holofcener-9867_backgrounds_i-wrote-lots-of-scripts-that-never-got-m_159697.jpg) > “I wrote lots of scripts that never got made and they were terrible. I thought they were good at the time. You can't write two scripts and expect your career to take off. Keep writing. Be you. Be original. A lot of people go for a genre, which is fine if you can do that really well, but we all have such layered histories. We all come from a unique background. Write about your past, write about you. Or make stuff up, but make it about something that really matters.” [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author reflects on past script failures, emphasizing persistence, authenticity, and drawing from personal history to create meaningful work. **In simple terms:** I wrote bad scripts, but I keep writing and stay true to myself. Key Takeaway Write authentically, learn from each draft, and stay original. Themes persistence authenticity creative growth Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - screenwriting - career development - creative workshops Key Concepts self‑reflection genre exploration storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance personal voice with audience expectations? - What steps will you take to improve your scripts? A Different Perspective Originality alone may not guarantee success without market fit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backgrounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backgrounds/) [Be you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-you/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Career Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-writing-848295/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Originals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originals/) [Our past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-past/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-write-714086/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripts/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Unique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unique/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Write Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-scripts-442405/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-original-1358731/) [Your past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-past/) ## Related quotes > [“There's the life you live and the life you leave behind. But what you share with someone else - especially someone you love -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/there-s-the-life-you-live-and-the-life-you-leave-behind-but-what-you/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [I never considered I might make a career out of writing as I was going to school, so when I did turn my attentions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-never-considered-i-might-make-a-career-out-of-writing-as-i-was/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I would not recommend poetry as a career. In the first place, it's impossible in this time and place - in this culture -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-kumin/i-would-not-recommend-poetry-as-a-career-in-the-first-place-it-s/) [Maxine Kumin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-kumin/) > [“How many people make a career out of writing anyway?' Cath snapped. She felt like everything inside her was snapping. Her nerves. Her temper.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/how-many-people-make-a-career-out-of-writing-anyway-cath-snapped-she/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [I want a career writing these novels that I can be proud of. And then I want one as a screenwriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-pastis/i-want-a-career-writing-these-novels-that-i-can-be-proud-of-and-then/) [Stephan Pastis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-pastis/) > [“You're smiling. But you must know yourself, since you are a literary person, that the work of fiction is always a form of recovery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-federman/you-re-smiling-but-you-must-know-yourself-since-you-are-a-literary/) [Raymond Federman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-federman/) > [But I don't really write to honor the past. I write to investigate, to try to figure out what happened and why it happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horton-foote/but-i-don-t-really-write-to-honor-the-past-i-write-to-investigate-to/) [Horton Foote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horton-foote/) > [Live too short, let the past behind and write the future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiwisetyawan/live-too-short-let-the-past-behind-and-write-the-future/) [Tiwisetyawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiwisetyawan/) > [“ London The Institute Year of Our Lord 1878 “Mother, Father, my chwaer fach, It’s my seventeenth birthday today. I know that to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/london-the-institute-year-of-our-lord-1878-mother-father-my-chwaer/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Why dwell on the past, when we have yet to write the future”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-a-henley/why-dwell-on-the-past-when-we-have-yet-to-write-the-future/) [P.A. Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-a-henley/) > [I keep recycling and repackaging music that I've done in the past, as though I can't write anymore. Like, okay, I'm done with that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-keep-recycling-and-repackaging-music-that-i-ve-done-in-the-past-as/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [“Read the stories of the past to write your story for the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeeb-akande/read-the-stories-of-the-past-to-write-your-story-for-the-future/) [Habeeb Akande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeeb-akande/) > [While we can remember the past, we cannot write the future. Only our children, the future of our community, can do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/while-we-can-remember-the-past-we-cannot-write-the-future-only-our/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [Quit putting yourself in a little box by trying to live consistently with your past and explaining every little action you take. BE YOU.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-johnson/quit-putting-yourself-in-a-little-box-by-trying-to-live-consistently/) [Brian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-johnson/) > [As a director you already have a script, you have actors... you have collaborators when you're a director. When you're writing there's no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-younger/as-a-director-you-already-have-a-script-you-have-actors-you-have/) [Ben Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-younger/) ## More by Nicole Holofcener > [I want the look of a movie to be secondary. I really want people to be engaged in the story and the characters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/i-want-the-look-of-a-movie-to-be-secondary-i-really-want-people-to-be/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [My grandma has said many of the things her character says. But she was much nicer! I made her meaner for dramatic purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/my-grandma-has-said-many-of-the-things-her-character-says-but-she-was/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [When I hear that a project takes place out of town, the material better be terrific, and it has to come at the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/when-i-hear-that-a-project-takes-place-out-of-town-the-material/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [I'm not crazy about having my picture taken. I'd rather talk my head off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/i-m-not-crazy-about-having-my-picture-taken-i-d-rather-talk-my-head/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [I think that sometimes, romantic comedies have to be really broad, and that the plot of people falling in and out of love or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/i-think-that-sometimes-romantic-comedies-have-to-be-really-broad-and/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [I'm still shooting on low budgets, though none of my movies has lost money, and I rarely get sent anything that stars a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/i-m-still-shooting-on-low-budgets-though-none-of-my-movies-has-lost/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [I'm sure it's more difficult for women to make movies, especially because, in general, the kind of movies women want to make aren't necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/i-m-sure-it-s-more-difficult-for-women-to-make-movies-especially/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [I think I'm a good writer. I think I have my own voice, which is unique to everyone - everyone has their own voice;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/i-think-i-m-a-good-writer-i-think-i-have-my-own-voice-which-is-unique/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [Hollywood always likes to create a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/hollywood-always-likes-to-create-a-star/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [I don't think of myself in a political way, though I am definitely a feminist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/i-don-t-think-of-myself-in-a-political-way-though-i-am-definitely-a/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [The pieces of "Please Give" just did fit together. I'm very comfortable with the ensemble. I thought this was just going to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/the-pieces-of-please-give-just-did-fit-together-i-m-very-comfortable/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [ I never get tired of looking at her \[Catherine Keener\] and it always surprises me, despite how many hours of film I've shot on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/i-never-get-tired-of-looking-at-her-catherine-keener-and-it-always/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [To say you want to be a director is to risk sounding obnoxious, pretentious, arrogant, and I think women are more fearful of sounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/to-say-you-want-to-be-a-director-is-to-risk-sounding-obnoxious/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [Filming is a funny combination of having a good time and not being able to wait until its over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/filming-is-a-funny-combination-of-having-a-good-time-and-not-being/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [Well, I tried being in front of the camera as a student and that was terrifying. But the press stuff about me growing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/well-i-tried-being-in-front-of-the-camera-as-a-student-and-that-was/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) [Explore all 69 Nicole Holofcener quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) ## More Backgrounds quotes > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [I bring my classical training - some of it, but not all of it - and also my background and culture, to spirituals. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [The acting background helped a lot when I started writing. I was training for it. In acting class they teach you about the stakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-higgins-clark/the-acting-background-helped-a-lot-when-i-started-writing-i-was/) [Carol Higgins Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-higgins-clark/) > [In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing: getting up, dressing ourselves, answering the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/in-the-dim-background-of-our-mind-we-know-meanwhile-what-we-ought-to/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I think it is a sin to look at another person as inferior to yourself because of race or because of ethnic background and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/i-think-it-is-a-sin-to-look-at-another-person-as-inferior-to-yourself/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [The thing that is making jazz healthy today is that people are coming out of other backgrounds - from rock, folk, from ethnic music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-taylor/the-thing-that-is-making-jazz-healthy-today-is-that-people-are-coming/) [Billy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-taylor/) > [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [People from my sort of background needed grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-from-my-sort-of-background-needed-grammar-schools-to-compete/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with homosexual inclinations and put them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/persons-who-have-cleansed-themselves-of-any-transgression-and-who/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [I come from a theater background, so I always like to dissect the scene and try to get some hint about what the author…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adina-porter/i-come-from-a-theater-background-so-i-always-like-to-dissect-the/) [Adina Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adina-porter/) > [And, of course, some SF is set close enough to here and now that Anglo and European do apply. Since many of the writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/and-of-course-some-sf-is-set-close-enough-to-here-and-now-that-anglo/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [For me, I try to look at a person's swagger and a little background on them if I already haven't liked them as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bivins/for-me-i-try-to-look-at-a-person-s-swagger-and-a-little-background-on/) [Michael Bivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bivins/) [Browse all 1,648 Backgrounds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backgrounds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wrote lots of scripts that never got made and they were terrible. I thought they were good at the time. You can't write two scripts and expect your career to take off. Keep writing. Be you. Be original. 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