What the....?

Dude...

That's the Hoff... Peeking in your window. What kinda Christmas is this?

Oh wait... what's that he's got in his hand?

A present? For you?!?! Let me help you with it... OH LOOK. A BOOK!

If you're a writer - go get:

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT - a history of American Screenwriting - by Marc Norman.

Do you wonder why things are the way they are?
How things got to be the way they be?

Read this book.

It starts at the very beginning and gives a perfect historical context to everything to do with movie writing. And context is only seen once you have perspective and perspective comes for distance. But the amazing thing with this book is that it really helps.

I remember going through the studio tour - two weeks of three to four meetings a day about weird projects and the way I was put to the fire now totally makes sense.

To understand why the studios deal with writers the way they do... just for that insight alone - the book is worth it.

The amazing thing - nothing has changed. Just like in Barton Fink. They want the same thing. For us to do what they want. Now. With as little voice in it as possible. Like everything - they want to take someone with a unique voice and way of doing things and see if they can fit into the studio mold.

Its amazing. And you get to see it again and again - played out across the entire history of Hollywood.

And the Guild. The strikes. How we got into the mess we're in now.

This book is genius. It really helps. You should read it.

Peace....