My debut spec screenplay was optioned by a Golden Globe-winning producer, and later Oscar-nominated actors were attached. Was it ‘undeniable’? No.

Screenwriting bros (who are like screenwriting gurus, but spend more of their time on social media) are fond of saying, well, many things. Some of which I agree with (eg ‘link your story beats through cause and effect’), others (eg ‘never put songs in your scripts, are you CRAZY you total AMATEUR’) less so.

Into the latter category falls one piece of received wisdom about spec scripts which always has my eyes rolling so far back in my head that… well, according to Google’s AI answer, I’d have to seek help for nystagmus. (Google AI isn’t very good at expressions. Or much else, to be honest. But I digress.)

Spec scripts – ie a screenplay you’ve written speculatively, as opposed to having been hired to write it – are the scripts that often launch us writers into the film/TV world. They’re the ones we’ve crafted (usually) on our own, in our own time, for free – with a hope that they will then get attention/be produced/serve as a calling card script. Or hopefully all three.

And the piece of screenwriting/industry advice about spec scripts that really gets my goat (I’m not going near Google AI with that one) is this:

‘Your spec script has to be undeniable’.

Now, I’ve been lucky enough to have two spec screenplays taken on by producers – the first one did indeed launch my career (and has served as a calling card script); the second was a movie musical I wrote a few years later.

I can tell you right now that neither was ‘undeniable’. Indeed, both of them were very much denied by various producers.

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