Photo from the upcoming film It’s Complicated by Nancy Meyers

I am putting it out there into the universe. What I want is to be the next Nancy Meyers. And before I go any further, let me just say, it takes guts to throw it out there like that. It’s equivalent to standing up on stage in middle school, Talent Show Night, and singing "All By Myself," all by myself. You’re just laying it out there, all vulnerable and raw, and it’s scary! I never realized this before, but it can actually be frightening to admit and name your dream. Because there you’ve said it, flung it open, and you worry… if it doesn’t happen, I look like an idiot. Or a failure. Or an idiot failure. But if you don’t admit it, really name it and claim it, you really are the idiot.

So then, back to admitting that I want to be the next Nancy Meyers, I should clarify that be isn’t the right sentiment. After seeing enough "wish" movies, I realize I need to be very specific when it comes to wishing. When you’re vague you end up back where you started, appreciating life before you ever made the wish. Not the worst place to be, but not exactly what I’m going for here. I just want to create a film I’m in love with, a film like Nancy’s "Something’s Gotta Give," like her "Baby Boom," like (crosses fingers) her upcoming film "It’s Complicated." I want to create something I love and FEEL as much as I feel her chick flicks. That’s what I mean when I say I want to be the next Nancy Meyers. I want to make it, to put it out there, to share it with every chick who lives for chick flicks as much as I do. Smart. Funny. Make you kinda hurt inside but feel like wearing socks and a blankie afterward. I want to share that passion and obsession of mine.

I appreciate my life now. All of it. The dinner parties, the sandbox Sundays, swim lessons, and even my routine "You’re going to get up and exercise today!" pep-talks. I love all of it, the silly songs we sing, the arguments we shouldn’t have… all of it. But what’s always been missing, what I’ve always really wanted is a mentor without the men part. Why is it so hard to find female mentors in Hollywood?

Nancy Meyers & Nora Ephron are deities as far as I’m concerned, and I’m taking it upon myself to learn everything I can about what advice they have, studying what they’ve written, to get to where I want to be as a writer. I’m at the point where I want, so much, to learn their secrets. There’s always talent at play, or course, and you can’t teach someone that. But you can teach structure and form, you can teach technique and story telling best practices (and knowing when to ignore them). There are secrets, little paths that help lead you on your way, and I think they can also come the hard way. If the mentor isn’t there to share them with you, you might be able to study their work, figure out why they made the creative choices they did, and learn from it. And that’s the path I’m on right now, learning, reading all I can, so when it’s my turn, I can be proud of my first romantic comedy.

 
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