When you say no to a project
is almost as important
as how you say no.
If I want a healthy relationship
with the person pitching to me,
I always listen to her entire pitch.
I don’t cut her off
mid pitch
even if I know the project isn’t for me.
(That smacks of arrogance)
If the request/project is big/important
to her,
I’ll, at least, think about the offer
over night.
When I contact her
with my no,
I’ll drop some facts about the industry/project
that she didn’t include in the pitch.
This communicates that
I was seriously thinking about it.
I never say yes
when I really mean no.
In a documentary about Monty Python,
there was some bitterness
because,
after Graham Chapman’s death,
Michael Palin said yes
to another project
‘to be nice’
when really he had no intention
of ever reviving Monty Python.
This initial yes
wasted the others’ time and money.
So say no quickly
but not TOO quickly.