I Will Read Your Stuff, Maybe

I was reading an article by Academy Award nominated screenwriter Josh Olsen. He writes in it that he will not read anyone's script, and stated his reasons for this somewhat controversial stance.

Now from my view as someone who is a virtual nobody in the writing world, I say his reluctance in reading someone's screenplay, along with the reasons he gives, is because of competition. It does plays a small part.

Don't Be A Writer, Please.

A friend of mine and I were discussing our children and the funny things they say and do. The topic of what the kids wanted to be when they grew up surfaced.  The typical childhood ambitions of being a police officer, fire fighter, ballerina, doctor, lawyer, princess, etc.  Then he told be his 8 year old daughter wanted to be a writer. He asked me to be some sort of mentor for her.

"If you want a someone that is a mediocre writer that has struggled for years to get a major work published, and would most likely try everything to dissuade her to have writing as a occupation, then I'm your guy." I told him.

He didn't like my response, but that is how I feel about it. The reasons for this sentiment, as I said to him, will be explained below.