Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

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  • Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

    I'm in NY and could only move to LA for a boatload of money (which a staff writer doesn't get); are there any rooms in NY? Do amateurs ever sell scripts or work remotely? Suppose I could live in LA only during writing season but that forces me to hold a mortgage here, and rent out there.

    My alternative is to switch gears to more NY friendly genres such as theatre and fiction, and as much as I love tv, I am willing to accept the cold hard truth that its just not in the cards for me. Thanks all for any input.

  • #2
    Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

    95% (maybe more?) of the TV writing rooms are in LA. at least for TV, there really is no substitute for being here.

    even staff writer-level gets paid well under the MBA, although it's generally a crap shoot whether any given show will make it past the first season. i'd be more worried about long-term stability than the actual pay if i were rolling the dice on a move from NY.

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    • #3
      Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

      Originally posted by jeanpaul View Post
      I'm in NY and could only move to LA for a boatload of money (which a staff writer doesn't get); are there any rooms in NY? Do amateurs ever sell scripts or work remotely? Suppose I could live in LA only during writing season but that forces me to hold a mortgage here, and rent out there.

      My alternative is to switch gears to more NY friendly genres such as theatre and fiction, and as much as I love tv, I am willing to accept the cold hard truth that its just not in the cards for me. Thanks all for any input.
      It's possible to not live in LA and write features, Indy films, and TV films. Not easy, a lot longer process, and you do miss out on a lot of opportunities by not being there, but it's possible. But TV? You have to live there. But with 6 - 10 episode seasons and more of those kinds of shows written by less people, who knows what the future will bring. But for now, TV.... LA.

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      • #4
        Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

        In theory, do you think if someone actually was able to finagle a TV job from outside LA, would it be possible to rent or sublet for 6 months or so during the season== live like a Florida snowbird or something? Obviously you'd miss out on year-long networking, but you'd also be there in person for all the writing? Too pipe-dreamy?

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        • #5
          Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

          Originally posted by cvolante View Post
          In theory, do you think if someone actually was able to finagle a TV job from outside LA, would it be possible to rent or sublet for 6 months or so during the season== live like a Florida snowbird or something? Obviously you'd miss out on year-long networking, but you'd also be there in person for all the writing? Too pipe-dreamy?
          It's certainly possible, but it's stupid.

          There are a variety of companies which exist primarily to rent furnished apartments to people here medium-term for entertainment work.

          The problem is, the way episodic TV is going (shorter seasons, more shows) you basically want to be able to shift as quickly as possible from one show to the next. It's no longer "well, okay, I'll work for 30 weeks and then take 20 weeks off, come back for next season."

          A friend of mine was staffed on an Amazon show. Great! But they wrote the show 7+ months ago, recently wrapped, haven't aired, and nobody knows if/when season two will happen. So she's already on another job. It makes no sense to wait.

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          • #6
            Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

            what is the typical yearly earnings for a first or second year staff writer?

            Is it realistic to get an agent and then sell specs, pilots, etc... from outside LA? Or does that only happen for experienced writers in LA?

            Lastly, since I may be switching gears to fiction does anyone know the "Done Deal" equivalent website for novelists?

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            • #7
              Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

              Originally posted by jeanpaul View Post
              Lastly, since I may be switching gears to fiction does anyone know the "Done Deal" equivalent website for novelists?
              I'm pretty sure there is no one quite like us in the book space; and I don't say that in any kind of grandiose way. I just don't think anyone runs a site that lays things out like we do, etc for books/novels. Also, there is generally not the same (perceived) glamour with books deals as there is with movies/Hollywood and TV.

              But that said, I'm pretty sure a leader in the book deals announcement department is Publishers Weekly. See if this page/these lists helps some:

              https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/...als/index.html

              W
              Will
              Done Deal Pro
              www.donedealpro.com

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              • #8
                Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

                Originally posted by Done Deal Pro View Post
                I'm pretty sure there is no one quite like us in the book space; and I don't say that in any kind of grandiose way. I just don't think anyone runs a site that lays things out like we do, etc for books/novels.
                I agree that DD is amazing and unlike any other site in its orbit...

                But THERE IS an equal site for novels (and other kinds of fiction/non-fiction writing): Absolute Write Forums here:
                https://absolutewrite.com/forums/forum.php

                And I will add that over there, they sing DD's praises all the time.

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                • #9
                  Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

                  Originally posted by Cooper View Post
                  I agree that DD is amazing and unlike any other site in its orbit...

                  But THERE IS an equal site for novels (and other kinds of fiction/non-fiction writing): Absolute Write Forums here:
                  https://absolutewrite.com/forums/forum.php

                  And I will add that over there, they sing DD's praises all the time.
                  I meant our main site, where we list deals and for what I linked to an example of, which I thought JeanPaul was referring to. These are our forums, not our website. Heck there are other sites out there that track deals. He just referenced us and again noted "website" which always makes me think of our main site and what is does & covers.

                  There are plenty of forums for book writers that I'm sure are infinitely better and bigger than our forums. Absolute Write is an amazing forum for book writers and writers of all type. I suggest people visit there fairly regularly who are looking to focus on writing books, articles, poetry or whatever.

                  (There is a lot of humility from me in just about everything I post, as always.)
                  Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 04-05-2018, 12:02 PM.
                  Will
                  Done Deal Pro
                  www.donedealpro.com

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

                    Originally posted by Done Deal Pro View Post
                    I meant our main site, where we list deals and for what I linked to an example of, which I thought JeanPaul was referring to. These are our forums, not our website. Heck there are other sites out there that track deals. He just referenced us and again noted "website" which always makes me think of our main site and what is does & covers.
                    Ah, sorry about that -- but you're right, of course. And I agree: Publishers Weekly is the best deal tracker, which is somewhat comparable to DDP in that regard. So, yeah, Will, good suggestion.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

                      Originally posted by Ronaldinho View Post
                      It's certainly possible, but it's stupid.

                      There are a variety of companies which exist primarily to rent furnished apartments to people here medium-term for entertainment work.

                      The problem is, the way episodic TV is going (shorter seasons, more shows) you basically want to be able to shift as quickly as possible from one show to the next. It's no longer "well, okay, I'll work for 30 weeks and then take 20 weeks off, come back for next season."

                      A friend of mine was staffed on an Amazon show. Great! But they wrote the show 7+ months ago, recently wrapped, haven't aired, and nobody knows if/when season two will happen. So she's already on another job. It makes no sense to wait.
                      "Stupid" is kind of a strong word.
                      I see nothing wrong with traveling back and forth...

                      Isn't that why they invented airbnb?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

                        Yeah, I guess "stupid" is perhaps slightly stronger than I intended, but I think you're underestimating the challenges.

                        The thing is: sometimes getting a job in this business is about being able to take a meeting tomorrow. If a showrunner decides he can afford to add a story editor and the other three candidates can meet tomorrow or the day after and you can't meet until next week, there's a non-trivial chance that by next week he'll have already decided and moved on from the story-editor-hiring mind space. He's already made his decision because he's already seen three good candidates and isn't inclined to wait for you. He's got 1000 other things to do.

                        The people I know who are working regularly in television are basically shifting into full-on job-hunt mode the instant their writing room closes. They're prepared to take a meeting at the drop of a hat and they're prepared to start work on Monday. I

                        Also, staff writer and story editor jobs pay well on a weekly basis, but not particularly on an annual one unless you're working all the time. One of the challenges facing TV writers with short seasons is that you have to stretch those good weekly checks over more non-working weeks.

                        In TV, the decision-making happens fast. In features an OWA might hear pitches over the span of 2-3 weeks (or longer!), and then spend another 2-3 weeks (or longer!). TV shows often staff up (particularly the lower-level stuff) MUCH faster.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

                          Originally posted by Ronaldinho View Post
                          Yeah, I guess "stupid" is perhaps slightly stronger than I intended, but I think you're underestimating the challenges.

                          The thing is: sometimes getting a job in this business is about being able to take a meeting tomorrow. If a showrunner decides he can afford to add a story editor and the other three candidates can meet tomorrow or the day after and you can't meet until next week, there's a non-trivial chance that by next week he'll have already decided and moved on from the story-editor-hiring mind space. He's already made his decision because he's already seen three good candidates and isn't inclined to wait for you. He's got 1000 other things to do.

                          The people I know who are working regularly in television are basically shifting into full-on job-hunt mode the instant their writing room closes. They're prepared to take a meeting at the drop of a hat and they're prepared to start work on Monday. I

                          Also, staff writer and story editor jobs pay well on a weekly basis, but not particularly on an annual one unless you're working all the time. One of the challenges facing TV writers with short seasons is that you have to stretch those good weekly checks over more non-working weeks.

                          In TV, the decision-making happens fast. In features an OWA might hear pitches over the span of 2-3 weeks (or longer!), and then spend another 2-3 weeks (or longer!). TV shows often staff up (particularly the lower-level stuff) MUCH faster.
                          is it realistic to work a whole year, or most of it? In my situation for example, the pay isnt enough for a year. Definately not enough to move out there for. The weekly is fine though so if I could get say 40 weeks worth of those checks I'd be good. Is it likely that a new writer gets staffed that much?

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                          • #14
                            Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

                            Originally posted by jeanpaul View Post
                            is it realistic to work a whole year, or most of it? In my situation for example, the pay isnt enough for a year. Definately not enough to move out there for. The weekly is fine though so if I could get say 40 weeks worth of those checks I'd be good. Is it likely that a new writer gets staffed that much?
                            depends on the show. if the writer is under contract with a show that has wrapped its current season, the gap between that time and the time that the show gets picked up for another season (and, ideally, the writer's own option for another season) can be shorter or longer -- often several months longer.

                            under the new MBA, if the writer is in limbo too long, waiting for the option to be picked up but not able to take another job in the interim, the network/studio has to pay them:

                            "Limitation on Span of Work for Writer-Producers Employed on Short Season Series and Additional Compensation for Work in Excess of Span
                            Writers at the producer level on TV staffs who are paid on an episodic fee basis will have a cap of 2.4 weeks of work per episode. For example, ten episodic fees pay for up to 24 weeks of work. Weeks in excess of that cap are paid at the writer’s individual weekly rate, computed by dividing the episodic fee by 2.4. These limits will apply to contracts entered into on or after May 2, 2018 and will apply to series with episode orders of 12 or fewer episodes on broadcast networks, and 14 or fewer episodes on cable and digital platforms. Additionally, these rules will apply only to writers guaranteed less than $350,000 in a year, excluding script fees."

                            but again, this just all speaks to Ron's original point that all of these waiting games and opportunities are best dealt with by being in LA and available to make the best of situations as they come at you.

                            and if a writer can't live in LA on even a staff writer's entry-level salary (which is more than subsistence based on my own time out here), perhaps the TV writing game is not for them

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                            • #15
                              Re: Any way for an amateur writer to do this not in LA?

                              Originally posted by Ronaldinho View Post
                              ... but I think you're underestimating the challenges.

                              Also, staff writer and story editor jobs pay well on a weekly basis, but not particularly on an annual one unless you're working all the time. One of the challenges facing TV writers with short seasons is that you have to stretch those good weekly checks over more non-working weeks.
                              .
                              Right. I think we have different life goals, but thanks for the insight.
                              Last edited by cvolante; 04-06-2018, 05:23 PM. Reason: It sounded sarcastic. Didn’t mean it to...

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