tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330571463336136815.post4268939531003756479..comments2023-08-19T08:14:29.912-07:00Comments on Bartlett's Screenwriting Tips: WGA Reports Plunge in EarningsBruce R Bartletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151844421205476887noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4330571463336136815.post-15519121561569240952009-09-09T21:44:16.770-07:002009-09-09T21:44:16.770-07:00Everything I'm reading lately (including the a...Everything I'm reading lately (including the apocalyptically titled "Death of a Screenwriter" from Marvin Acuna) seems like pretty bleak news for screenwriters.<br /><br />However, I believe there is a silver lining here. The current industry paradigm shift may actually be a GOOD thing for writers and the industry as a whole, creatively and financially:<br /><br />I'm an up & comer & the realization has only recently dawned on me that "screenwriters" i.e. people who make a living from writing for the screen, will be a rare breed in the coming years.<br /><br />Jobs are becoming so scarce and the thirst for pre-awareness so great, that instead of aspiring to become "screenwriters" fresh blood will have to adapt to the changing marketplace by becoming "writer" writers. <br /><br />In other words, we are being forced to DIVERSIFY in order to actually make a living, writing not just for film & t.v., but for comics, video games, interwebs content, journalism pieces and God forbid - books even!<br /><br />Working in other formats could inspire/force writers to take some creative risks, which in turn could make for some very interesting storytelling, which will then be purchased by Hollywood and duly homogenized for mass consumption (that was the goal in the first place, right?).<br /><br />This could also weed a lot of the glamour-chasers from the biz, as this new survival strategy would require much more business acumen, artistic creativity and commitment to the profession of WRITING en toto on the part of aspirants, making going pro look like real work instead of nothing more than a lucky roll of the dice.<br /><br />I've been checking your blog for a while, thanks for all the generous insights. I wrote a piece on the importance of diversification for new writers on my blog, Confessions of a Dangerous Screenwriter (monkeyversuskeyboard.blogspot; I think I called the piece something fancy and sly, like "The Importance of Diversification").The "Dangerous" Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14731228264078867218noreply@blogger.com