Diary of a TV writer on strike: "I can't stop fixating on the toll this is taking on my life and career."

More from ew.com: Diary of a TV Writer on Strike. Says the anonymous writer:

I am a television writer and I am on strike… I find work season to season, and for the last couple of years I've been on the staff of a mid-tier basic cable drama. In short, I'm one of the WGA's rank-and-file. Which means that according to the union's rhetoric, I am the person for whom we're all striking.

Does that fill me with happiness/pride/lofty feelings of working-class fervor? Not really. Don't get me wrong: I know the issues we're fighting for and I support the union and my fellow writers and I'll stand with them until the bitter end. Theoretically. On a personal level, I can't stop fixating on the toll this is taking on my life and career.

There are also the more mundane dilemmas... The union wants us to turn in all of our unproduced work so they can make sure no one is doing any unapproved writing during the strike. However, the studio that produces the show has said — via a firmly worded letter to my agent — that my script belongs to them, so don't even think about sending it to the Guild.... Keep in mind, both sides wield significant power. It's like being a child caught between feuding parents during a divorce.

First Person: Diary of a TV Writer on Strike [ew.com]

Comments

[cc]

really? You can't stop fixating on the toll this (the strike) is taking on your life and career? Well try. Try to stop fixating and realize that something is going on that's bigger than you. If you can even imagine that there might be something bigger than you.

[Bubbi]

Nice job CC--rather cold take on this anonymous writers reasonable fears of what this strike may do to him.
There is good cause for his/her concern--the 88' strike ended careers for mid range and hardly working writers.

Big name showrunner writers may weather the storm but the rest of the 1000's of writers are caught between a rock and dueling Guild and Network.

Being threatened by the network and by the guild (who is suppose to be helping) wouldnt cause any warm fuzzy feelings for me either.
The WGA does not seem to trust its members much. Sad......

But that is the way of Unions--they themselves suffer from a feeling of being superior. As does the other side but the fact is--it is writers like this poster who will loose.

So lay off him/her for simply being honest and perhaps not wanting to fall on his sword for something "bigger". He/she has crossed no picket line.

[VesperalMonk]

To all writers striking. No offense, but get your gold thumbs out of your ass, you pretentious f***s. This "writers strike" is nothing more than a "pre-pubescent" battle against the "grown-ups". If i was a network exec, I would have fired all you all, and hired a bunch of interns from college, and making sure I hit your fat-asses on the way out, twice. Dont forget to take your pencils with you.
Your writers, get over it. To put it boldly, I compare you to the guy who makes my pizza's at dominos. You may get a tip from me, other than dont eat yellow-snow. But when it comes down to it, you get paid for the work you've done, and your hours. Not a percentage off the top, unless your one of the few writers that had a part in the creation of the show in the first place, or one of the few that are worth giving that little extra to keep you for good. To all others: maybe its just me, but if I'm not happy with what I get paid, I look for another job. Oh yea..... Your writers, go write a book or something and hope for a best-seller. Or you could just go make me a pizza.