You know the call. Your phone rings and you can't wait to answer. This is going to be the call that changes things. The call that gets you out of your day job. The one that pays off your credit cards and student loans.
The one that starts your career.
But instead, the voice on the other end of the line says... "It's a pass."
Maybe they loved the writing but don't think it fits the brand.
Maybe they hated the writing.
They didn't buy the concept.
Or maybe they don't think it's a makable concept.
There are dozens of reasons producers, agents, and managers pass on ideas. Some of them are fair, some of them are maddening, but they happen. The hardest thing about working in this industry is knowing that 99% of the time people are going to say "No."
It sucks.
At times it makes you want to cry. To curl up in the fetal position. To eat a box of Oreos and drink a gallon of whiskey.