This is one of the most common questions I hear from the writers I work with. And it’s no wonder. We all know having an agent – especially at one of the big names – is a sign you’ve made it. It lends legitimacy to our writerly dreams. It tells friends, family and colleagues at the day job ‘I’ve arrived’. Entering the world of screenwriting is a leap of faith. Somewhere deep inside we all know most of us won’t make it. So we need these victories – signing with an agent, optioning a script, getting a poorly paid writing assignment – to keep us buoyed.

But there’s more to it, right? Having an agent means work, actual, real writing work where you put words on a page and someone hands you a check for it. Doesn’t having an agent means you’ll be the rarest of all things: a working writer? Well, doesn’t it?

Here’s the kicker. If you’re asking this question, you’re not ready for an agent. A manager maybe. But an agent? No.

Yes, Hollywood itself has fueled this agent fever, films and TV shows lead all of us to assume that having an agent is the path – the one and only – to being a working screenwriter. But the real truth is, you have to be your own agent. By that I mean, create your own opportunities, find your own gigs and make your own connections. And you can never stop. Not even when you’ve had some real success.

At my favorite nonprofit, CineStory (www.cinestory.org), many of our mentors are working screenwriters whose movies you’d know. They’ve penned everything from indie gems to Hollywood blockbusters. But they’re never in a position to rest on their laurels.

This business is always shifting and changing and right now, the word on the L.A. street is that the days of the big quotes (fees) are over. Even writers whose movies have smashed box office records are being nickel and dimed, being offered paychecks that even newbie writers would baulk at.

So what’s the solution? Having an agent? No, my friend. It’s having a strategy.

Yes, your agent can help with that. But every one of us must also take responsibility for our own careers. Write something super low budget and direct it yourself. Get into web production. Team up with a hot young director or producer. Go to film festivals and make connections. Do staged readings with local actors. Get yourself – and your work – out there. And most important of all, concentrate on becoming a better writer. Win some reputable competitions. Lots of agents follow the big ones and they will come to you if you win.

For now, don’t worry about having an agent. When you have that amazing script or exciting deal, agents will sniff you out. If you have a contract that needs looking over, use this as a lure to hook an agent. Or just find yourself an entertainment attorney.

Because even if you land a hot agent at CAA, ICM or William Morris, you’re going to be on the bottom of their client list. Agents make money on commission. They’re just like the rest of us, mouths to feed, bills to pay. So their time and energy has to go to their A-List clients – the one making whatever real money is still to be had. You, baby writer, you’ll be the lowest priority. You won’t be put up for the next Spiderman gig or introduced to George Clooney. Like picking teams in gym class, unless you make your own luck, you’ll be last on a very long list.

A newbie writer with a busy, big-shot agent doesn’t really have a greater advantage than a newbie writer without any representation. But a newbie writer with an awesome script… Now there’s someone who’s going places.

I see a lot of aspiring writers get caught up in chasing an agent. It’s a lot of hard work and a lot of rejection. And quite honestly, it’s a distraction from what’s really important: your writing.

So, how do I get an agent? It’s so simple - write a script that blows everybody away.