Great articles! Something interested me though. He clearly stated how he was discussing the case for tv not for film. So as someone who has worked in film, Scott, I pose a question. Can you live outside of LA as an aspiring screenwriter and still be successful? I have no desire to move to LA, but I want to be a screenwriter. I would move there temporarily but I am east coast through and through. Is this feasible at all?

Marc, the default answer is you have to move to LA to succeed as a writer. My position is a bit more nuanced than that.

If you want to write TV, no question that is true. While you may be able to get representation with a spec, the fact is you need to be around to take meetings. And if you land a freelance assignment, you need to be around for meetings re that. Plus if you land a full-time gig on a series, at the very least you have to live in LA during the time your show is in production, even if you choose to go back home to wherever.

But with screenwriting, even though there are advantages that proximity brings by living in LA, you do not have to live there to have a successful writing career. If you need proof, there Tim McCanlies who lives on a ranch in rural Texas, Gregory Allen Howard who I believe lives in Florida, and Michael Chabon who lives in Berkeley. I'm sure there are hundreds more.

Screenwriting is significantly different than TV writing. You fly in for meetings, then you go home, and write. 8-12 weeks, whatever. Turn in a draft. Conference calls, email. You can do much of it without sitting in a room with a producer, execs, etc.

That said, you do need to be willing to jet in to LA pretty regularly, perhaps 3-4 times per year, especially if you want to go up for OWAs.

But while it may be easier to be a screenwriter while living in LA, it is not necessary.

Thanks Scott! I have no problem jetting to LA a few times a year in my G5 (hah!) But definitely need my base on the east coast.