Ann Arbor welcomed home one of its own tonight when author and "Family Guy" writer Cherry Cheva returned to discuss her path to success in the entertainment industry.

Cherry Cheva discusses writing for "Family Guy;" and her recent novels "She's So Money" and "DupliKate" at the Ann Arbor District Library on December 29, 2009.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Even though Cheva holds degrees from Yale and New York University and has authored two young adult novels, it was Cheva's job writing for hit cartoon "Family Guy" that the standing-room-only crowd came to hear about Tuesday at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library.

Cheva had always been a writer, starting with her childhood journals and short stories, but her parents never imagined she'd make a run at writing on the professional level. After graduating from Huron High, Cheva left Ann Arbor to attend Yale University, where she majored in psychology.

From New Haven, it was on to New York University, where she graduated from the NYU law school. An NYU law grad typically doesn't have trouble finding a job post-graduation, but Cheva didn't want one - at least not one in the field of law.

"Law school was such a waste of money," Cheva told the crowd.

But it was what her parents wanted, so she did it. What she couldn't do, though, was take a job at a law firm — a road it would've been tough to backtrack from.

Instead, she got her parents' blessing and decided to follow her heart, pack up the family car and make a name for herself in Hollywood.

The networking thing

To hear Cheva tell it, Hollywood's reputation as a who you know business is well-earned but misunderstood. While Cheva's connections with other Hollywood writers were what led to the "Family Guy" job, she only made those connections after moving to Los Angeles to work as an agent's assistant.

While working, Cheva began writing "spec scripts" for television shows that were airing. Writing a good spec script is one of the paths to a job as a staff writer. But the first challenge was getting someone in the business to give her work a fair reading. Powerful agents have little time to hold anyone's hand.

But before long, Cheva applied and was admitted to CBS's mentorship program for aspiring writers. This was one of her first big breaks because it came with the chance to observe writers' rooms and television sets and get a sense of how the business worked. Another break came when she landed a manager, who helped her find an agent who would shop her spec scripts around town.

The connections she built as an assistant paid off when Cheva found herself in a meeting with "Family Guy" creater Seth McFarlane. The two quickly hit it off, and with that a career was born. Cheva is one of about 18 staff writers, and is also a producer.

Once Cheva was settled in, her agent shopped another idea, this time to Cheva: why not write a novel?

That's how "She's So Money," a young adult novel about a fictitious high school cheating ring, was born. And earlier this year, Cheva released "DupliKate," the story of one girl's efforts to apply to Yale University while juggling a computer-generated twin personality.

Cheva said that while networking is important to getting ahead in Hollywood, writers still need to produce good work.

"I've known some people who've been assistants for years and years," Cheva said. "Knowing the right people isn't everything; that's a misconception."

In a follow-up interview, Cheva added that sometimes, despite the connections and the well-written work, people need luck to find their big break.

Writers can't control that, but they can put themselves in a position to be lucky. The first step is moving to Los Angeles; it's tough to infiltrate Hollywood when you don't live there. Moving to Los Angeles was the start of Cheva's career in show business; writers who approached Cheva for advice were told to do the same. Even New York, Cheva warned one writer, is no substitute.

"You've got to go where the work is."

A drive of faith

Cherry Cheva's parents wanted her to pursue an advanced degree, seeing it as a road to stability. Imagine their surprise when Cheva told them, NYU law degree in hand, that she'd be putting that career on indefinite hold to pursue her dreams in Hollywood.

"I learned much later that she hadn't even applied for any jobs," Cheva's father told AnnArbor.com. "This was what she wanted to do. But we were very nervous."

History has validated Cheva's choice. Not only does she make more money and have more free time than the average lawyer, she loves her job. And the masses appreciate it as well.

The crowd at the district library, about as diverse as Ann Arbor itself in terms of race and age, jumped on every punchline of the clips Cheva brought along (one clip Cheva brought for the hometown crowd included material that will air this Sunday for the first time).

"My parents weren't sure what to make of my choice at first," Cheva said. "But they gave me the car anyway."

James David Dickson can be reached at JamesDickson@AnnArbor.com, or you can follow him on Twitter.