Chapter 1: The Moment of Truth

It's March 1987, and I find myself at Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset Boulevard. It's 1 PM, and I’m here for lunch with one of my agents. For dessert, I anticipate a life-changing moment: my first substantial check from the sale of my spec script, K-9.

Up until mid-February, I was still doing my stand-up comedy routine. After selling my script, I decided to abandon my comedy career entirely. My life had been a financial struggle, driving around in my well-worn 1978 Ford Fairmont, which had seen better days, and crashing at my friend Dennis's place in Thousand Oaks.

My agent arrives and hands me an envelope with a grin. "Happy payday," he says.

As we enjoy our meal and chat, I can’t help but picture what that check looks like. I know the amount from my contract, but I've never laid eyes on a six-figure check before. I still vividly remember the nerves I felt when I wrote a $2,500 check to Yale.

Yet, I hesitate to open the envelope. You’d think I’d be bursting with excitement, eager to tear it open, kiss the check, and celebrate with the staff. Instead, I keep my hand on that envelope, holding it as if it might vanish.

Maybe I just can’t believe this is real. What if I open it, and it’s empty? What if the universe is playing a cruel trick on me? "Fooled ya'!!!"

By the afternoon, I have two meetings lined up. So, I hop into my classic car (which, by the way, is rusted, has a window that won’t roll up, a nearly gone clutch, and a dent the size of Oxnard on the left side) and make my way to Paramount, then Disney.

The stares I get while pulling up to the security check-in are priceless. I’m sweating in my best outfit (did I mention the car has no air conditioning?) while sports cars worth $75K glide past me. The guards scrutinize my information while I grip that envelope tighter.

What should I do with the check during my meetings? Naturally, I take it with me, sliding it into my sport coat pocket and checking for its presence every ten seconds.

If my life were a comedy, I’d surely misplace the check. But maybe it's amusing enough that I keep rolling up to movie studios in my Ford Fairmont (which screeches like a banshee whenever I brake). Perhaps the universe is in on the joke, too!

As I drive along the 405 that night toward the 101, my hand remains on the envelope.

I make it to Thousand Oaks and stop at a Wells Fargo bank. Finally, I open the envelope. Illuminated by the moonlight, there it is: my check, complete with my name, the MCA Universal logo, and the astonishing amount of over $100,000.

Suddenly, I’m at the ATM, entering the numbers in disbelief. I hit "OK," and the familiar beep prompts me to insert my deposit envelope. In a flash, the check disappears into the machine.

I take the deposit slip and stand there in awe. At that moment, I have exactly $221.82 in my account. Now, the balance reads over a hundred grand.

It feels surreal, standing in a Wells Fargo parking lot in Thousand Oaks, California—one moment broke, and the next, flush with cash all because I had typed "FADE IN" on a spec script six months ago.

This isn’t a joke!

As a screenwriter, you eventually get used to deals worth hundreds of thousands, even millions. However, no check compares to that first significant one.

It signifies freedom from your old car.

It means you can finally buy multiple outfits for meetings.

But perhaps most importantly, it validates your worth as a writer.

I genuinely hope you get to experience this moment someday.

The Business of Screenwriting is a weekly series of posts inspired by my journey as a complete outsider in Hollywood who sold a spec script for a substantial amount, leading to a screenwriting career filled with wise choices, decent decisions, and some regrettable ones. I hope you gain valuable insights from my experiences.

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