You don’t have to travel the world to have a smorgasbord of life experiences. You can have an infinitely rich life—full of fascinating characters, conversations, interactions, adventures, relationships—without ever leaving your hometown.
Why do people hate thinking of screenwriting as a profession like any other? It may be a “creative” field, but so what? Designing airplanes requires creativity… yet no one expects Boeing to accept designs from amateurs over a website.
Don’t blame writers for a dearth of originality. They’re busy writing, developing, and pitching the most creative, engaging stories they can… but they don’t get to decide whether those stories get made.
A TV writer’s job is NOT to dream up the best stories possible. It’s to dream up the best stories possible within the creative and practical confines of the show.
I’m not saying every screenwriter must live in Los Angeles. I’m saying every TELEVISION writer must live in Los Angeles. Until you bite the bullet and move, you WILL NOT BREAK INTO TV.
If you want to get your pilot to producers, agents, or executives, the only thing you can do is move to Los Angeles. I know you can find script consultants, books, seminars, or agents who tell you otherwise, but THOSE PEOPLE ARE LYING.
