Rapper to screenwriter Saeed Crumpler—he’s a staff writer on Showtime’s Flatbush Misdemeanors and co-wrote Hip Hop Family Christmas, on which Jamie Foxx was a producer—has climbed the Hollywood ladder through sheer hard work. The San Francisco State and UCLA Television/Screenwriting program grad is also a Nickelodeon Writing Program Fellow, and what’s best about Crumpler besides his talent and work ethic, is his openness to the writing community in giving back by sharing everything he’s learned…like writing this article on how he landed management by writing a good, old-fashioned query letter.

His search for a manager/management company included looking “for someone that understood my voice and wasn't trying to change my voice. Also,” he continues, “your manager should be someone that gives good notes. And someone that lives in L.A.! I queried managers that managed other writers that wrote on shows I liked.”

“After signing with my manager, Zack Zucker, I begin polishing my best TV pilot sample and started applying to TV writing fellowships! The first year I applied to TV writing fellowships, I got rejected from them all,” he admits. “I went back, rewrote all of my personal statements, wrote another spec/pilot and I applied again.”

Crumpler’s persistence saw him through to the WB Fellowship finals before making it into the Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship in January 2021.

“Be persistent. Hard work does pay off!” he encourages. “Three years ago, I was working a dead-end job, writing every weekend, consuming every screenwriting podcast there was, and watching hours of YouTube screenwriter interviews. I heard Steven Canals in an interview mention UCLA’s TV writing class extension. I took the money my grandmother left for me (R.I.P.) and enrolled in the online course. The pilot I came out of that class with is the one that got me staffed!”

While his transition from rapper to screenwriter “wasn’t difficult, but it sure wasn't easy!” he laughs. “It took a lot of hard work, but it was all worth it. I had a three-year plan and followed it!”

Inspired by what he feels is “missing”, Crumpler writes “what I want to see.” He also finds that his experience writing lyrics has infused his screenwriting ability.

“There are a lot of similarities between music and screenwriting. Music has three verses and film has three acts.”

Before sharing his top advice for upcoming screenwriters, he lists his five favorite books on the subject:

1. Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott
   2. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
   3. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
   4. Stephen King’s On Writing
   5. Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman

And those final words of advice from Coach Crump:

“Always follow your passion,” he says. “Write what you want to see, something that you’re really excited about! Then every day make sure you do at least one thing that gets you closer to your screenwriting dreams. Once you finish the script, get eyes on it, ASAP! Once you get feedback, take the notes and begin your rewrite, then send that script to five more people! Rewrite again and enter that script in contests/fellowships. In the meantime, meet with other writers. Once you place in a contest or two, it’s time to query managers!”

Sounds doable, Coach. 2022 is all about moving forwards…

Read the full story on how Crumpler rose through the ranks, find him on Twitter as @Balance510, and hear all about his experience on Hip Hop Family Christmas in Final Draft’s Write On special two-part podcast.