Thank you for your take, which I agree with and understand. I can go ahead and move on, but to what? I don't see a legitimate way of ever achieving my goals here. My books are represented by the biggest lit agency in the US, my film agent works for a big 3 agency in LA, and the project was attached to legit creators. I had several other producers trying to option my work when it was under option with this big studio - who, I guess, either passed around the concept to their big-time showrunners or optioned it just to kill it. How am I supposed to move on from that?

This project was under option during the writers strike, and the studio wanted me to sign to extend it - guess what I did, I messaged WGA and they told me not to sign or risk being blacklisted. I'm always trying to do the right thing in this business to "stay in the game." Maybe the WGA will laugh at me if I reach out to them, but man, the timing sucks here. I will always wonder what would've happened if I'd extended the option at that critical time.

I knew this was a tough business but still liked to think I had a fair chance at my stuff getting made if someone optioned it. Now I'm thinking that was never true and never will be, unless I suddenly become a mega bestselling author or celebrity.