--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What happens is, you write a spec, people…" description: "\"What happens is, you write a spec, people get it, they see your writing, they see you're good, they bring you into their office, and they say, 'Boy, th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/robert-ben-garant-11413_film_what-happens-is-you-write-a-spec-people_2556525.jpg" --- # What happens is, you write a spec, people get it, they see… ![“What happens is, you write a spec, people get it, they see your writing, they see you're good, they bring you into their office, and they say, 'Boy, that spec was really good - we'll never make that in a million years. We have rights to the board game of Monopoly. What do you think about a…” quote by Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/robert-ben-garant-11413_film_what-happens-is-you-write-a-spec-people_2556525.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/robert-ben-garant-11413_film_what-happens-is-you-write-a-spec-people_2556525.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/robert-ben-garant-11413_film_what-happens-is-you-write-a-spec-people_2556525.jpg) > “What happens is, you write a spec, people get it, they see your writing, they see you're good, they bring you into their office, and they say, 'Boy, that spec was really good - we'll never make that in a million years. We have rights to the board game of Monopoly. What do you think about a Monopoly movie?'” [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work is often praised, yet the process can feel absurd and disconnected from reality. **In simple terms:** Specs get praised but can seem absurd. Key Takeaway Balance pride with humility. Themes creativity recognition absurdity Mood playful critical Type comedic reflective When to use this quote - pitch meetings - award ceremonies - creative brainstorming - team reviews Key Concepts celebration self‑awareness industry satire Questions to Reflect On - Do you value feedback over applause? - How does humor affect your work? A Different Perspective Excessive ego can hinder collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Monopoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monopoly/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [You write a spec, and you pour your heart and soul and life into a spec, and you think that spec is the movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/you-write-a-spec-and-you-pour-your-heart-and-soul-and-life-into-a/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [I think that when you talk to people about Monopoly, they love talking about their memories associated with it. And for me, I'm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pilon/i-think-that-when-you-talk-to-people-about-monopoly-they-love-talking/) [Mary Pilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pilon/) > [I'd like to play the voice of the Iron in the Monopoly movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-frost/i-d-like-to-play-the-voice-of-the-iron-in-the-monopoly-movie/) [Nick Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-frost/) > [“I’m at the top of my game. And that game is Monopoly. I’m standing on the board right now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-at-the-top-of-my-game-and-that-game-is-monopoly-i-m-standing-on/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Im at the top of my game. And that game is Monopoly. Im standing on the board right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/im-at-the-top-of-my-game-and-that-game-is-monopoly-im-standing-on-the/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I think it would be bad for storytellers in general if one company was able to seize a 40-50-60% share in storytelling. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landgraf/i-think-it-would-be-bad-for-storytellers-in-general-if-one-company/) [John Landgraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landgraf/) > [Even when I was a kid I wanted to win everything: a game of Monopoly, a game of cards, dominoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/even-when-i-was-a-kid-i-wanted-to-win-everything-a-game-of-monopoly-a/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [“life is like a game of Monopoly. You may own hotels on Boardwalk or you may be renting on Baltic Avenue. But in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/life-is-like-a-game-of-monopoly-you-may-own-hotels-on-boardwalk-or/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [“Time remains a mystery to Margaret. A game of Monopoly can consume an afternoon, and an hour on the treadmill seems like forever. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-remains-a-mystery-to-margaret-a-game-of-monopoly-can-consume-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think it's wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-think-it-s-wrong-that-only-one-company-makes-the-game-monopoly/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Greece is a sort of American vassal; the Netherlands is the country of American bases that grow like tulip bulbs; Cuba is the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/greece-is-a-sort-of-american-vassal-the-netherlands-is-the-country-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Seeds have the power to preserve species, to enhance cultural as well as genetic diversity, to counter economic monopoly and to check the advance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/seeds-have-the-power-to-preserve-species-to-enhance-cultural-as-well/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by Robert Ben Garant > [There were guys in 'The State' who would take one script and rewrite it and rewrite it and rewrite it and fight for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/there-were-guys-in-the-state-who-would-take-one-script-and-rewrite-it/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [You need to know that going in, and you also need to be able to write all the time. So when somebody looks at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/you-need-to-know-that-going-in-and-you-also-need-to-be-able-to-write/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [Not taking criticism of your writing personally is an enormous step towards surviving the studio system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/not-taking-criticism-of-your-writing-personally-is-an-enormous-step/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [Movies are very, very good to me; What do I need TV for?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/movies-are-very-very-good-to-me-what-do-i-need-tv-for/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [I write manically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/i-write-manically/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [Most movies were always terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/most-movies-were-always-terrible/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [I don't think people realize how many scripts you write that go nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/i-don-t-think-people-realize-how-many-scripts-you-write-that-go/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [If you have a writing partner that you don't share a work ethic with, it's doomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/if-you-have-a-writing-partner-that-you-don-t-share-a-work-ethic-with/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [We joke a lot about how, in Hollywood, the writer is one step below the doormat. 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