Tuesday Tips: A Successful Screenwriting Career NOT Living in LA??

After I posted my Tuesday Tip on advice for the undergrad who wants to move out to LA to become a writer, Matt Lintner (C’00) asked “Is it possible to have a successful screenwriting career and not live in LA??

Some of our writer alumni chimed in with their take…

From Hadley Davis Rierson:
“Yes and no. You can of course can write anywhere and writing somewhere other than Hollywood is probably good for one’s writing – or at least in maintaining an original voice and point of view. Oscar winner Diablo Cody wrote “Juno” in Minnesota where she also came to the attention of her lit manager who read her blog. But she too has of course long since moved to LA. Certainly once you have representation and a spec the meetings and opportunities are in Los Angeles. Although some extremely established screenwriters and directors do manage to live outside of Hollywood or New York it is rare and not always easy — even for the big names. David Mamet a longtime resident of Massachusetts who moved West a couple of years ago comes to mind…”

From Jaime B.:
“Learn to love your car and smog.
Learn to love that all your friends are struggling out of work actors/writers/directors
Learn to love unemployment checks
Learn to love not knowing what season it is because it is always summer.
Learn to love LA because you HAVE to move out here to make it…
Once you “make it” you can live wherever you like… ”

From Rob Pearlstein:
“Being in LA is pretty key so you can get your work to people, but until you have great work, you could be anywhere, and should, if the location will help you write better material.”