Screenwriters, Take Care of Your Business… Before You Have No Business

Creatives are notorious for not attending to the business issues behind their craft, and even industry pros can be careless in that regard.

Joel Eisenberg

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Geoffrey Moffett, Unsplash

I’m one of those “industry pros.”

Regardless, I’ll begin this one with a hoped-for stab of inspiration, as opposed to anything negative (though we’ll get there too): As a writer-producer my projects have sold to FOX, CBS, TNT, Ovation Network, Amazon, Sony, Warner Brothers, etc. I have current deals as well, presently being worked. I am a former CAA client, and a former Gersh client. As I was a small fish in those large pools, 100% of my sales came from my own efforts. I became a WGA member in my 50s because I never gave up.

There is no better champion of your work than you.

Further, as bigger projects and their big checks are perhaps two or three times yearly for me, I keep money coming in producing and content writing (Medium, NewsBreak and the like). Whatever it takes. No excuses.

I’m sharing this to point out, yet again, that the only secret of a successful, full-time writing career is to actually do the work.

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Joel Eisenberg

Joel Eisenberg is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and producer. The Oscar in the profile pic isn’t his but he’s scheming. WGA and Pen America member.