Workshops

Dream Writing Careers

By David Morgan, WIW Intern

WIW's May Workshop offered members a glimpse at the careers of their dreams.

Panelists Desson Thomson, Adam Meyer and Whitney Matheson discussed the roads they traveled to land their jobs and offered advice on how to obtain similar jobs.

Thomson, resident film critic for the Washington Post, got his start answering phones for the publication. Luckily, he landed an internship "just in time before [being] fired," he quipped, and covered celebrity events. Putting his degree in Film Criticism to good use, he was eventually staffed as critic for the Weekend Section of the Post where he has remained for almost 20 years.

"I review everything that moves," said Thomson. As enticing as that seems, a film critic shares many of the same plights as a freelance journalist, with a frantic race to complete a pile of assignments all within deadline. "You do have to survive the industrialism of seeing so much and reviewing it, [while still] trying to be

fresh," said Thomson. But it's a job Thomson loves, watching the world of cinema and observing how it affects generations. "It is a wonderful subject because it consumes everyone," he said.

What Meyer works with also consumes millions, but as a television writer and screenwriter, he doesn't review the obsession, he creates it. Meyer has written for such channels as FOX, Lifetime and Discovery, and is the writer and director of the independent film Fireflies. Yet his dream career wasn't a dream at all. "I didn't expect to be a T.V. writer. I wanted to be a novelist, but my parents instilled into me the idea that novelists don't make [much money]," said Meyer. An internship for the show America's Most Wanted while in college showed another, more lucrative path. "It just seemed like a job with a lot of variety, with writing at its core," said Meyer. Writing for the small screen soon became Meyer's day job.

Television writing is a job he enjoys, and with the country's infatuation with the tube, it is job that ensures longevity. "There is so much programming [out there that] you can never starve if you have even the slightest inkling of what you're doing," said Meyer. "There is an endless appetite for shows."

As with a journalist's job, a television writer also assumes the role of researcher and co-editor, while having to collaborate with others to produce a segment that's both eye-catching and informative. "[My job] is a combination of watching, writing and shaping something. Everyday [is] a little bit different," says Meyer.

Meyer did not forget about novel writing. His debut novel, The Last Domino, was published in 2005. He is gearing up for his second work, When She's Gone, due to be released next summer.

Matheson is USA Today's pop culture blogger. A college graduate during the Internet boom, the e-journalism canvas was blank when she hopped on board. After initially writing for the news section of the USA Today Web site, she moved to entertainment and found new territory to explore. "I [essentially] created my own job," she said. That job is now a "combination of looking [for new information] on the Web, coming up with ideas, fielding reader comments and trying to build a community with [them]," all while constantly posting entries to her increasingly popular site. Blogging brings a hip, younger audience USA Today, allowing her freedom to veer off its mainstream road. "I can write about what I'm interested and passionate about," said Matheson.

So how can an independent writer become a film critic, a television writer or popular pop culture blogger? With today's technology, it isn't that difficult. Calling it "the big teat of society," Thomson recommended capitalizing on the current fixation on all things online and the many careers it has spawned. "You don't have to punch a time clock [anymore]. You can get just get on the Internet... and find a place," he said. With the younger generation more dependent on "the teat" than ever, finding a place in the online community is steadily becoming a necessity for today's writer. "The Internet has democratized things, where anybody can... have a Web site and put themselves out there," said Meyer. Get computer savvy and discover the free marketing potential on the Web.

Another way to secure your ideal position is with connections. The age-old mantra of "it's not what you know, it's who you know" rings true for an independent writer. "If you know somebody who knows somebody, [don't hesitate to use them]," said Matheson. "Socializing is as big [of an aspect in my job] as the work," said Meyer. Cash in on the networking opportunities as a member of WIW, or contact other organizations like the International Television Association, and Women in Film and Video, to become acquainted with people who share your interest or have their foot in the door you want to enter.

Although Los Angeles. and New York are the hotbeds for the entertainment industry, there are many opportunities for networking in the Washington, D.C., area, home to the Discovery Channel, USA Today, National Geographic, Primedia and a host of other media outlets. Still, keeping contacts or having an agent in the pop-culture epicenters is important. "You can live anywhere...but you want someone who is plugged into [those] scenes," said Meyer. And remember that agents and showbiz execs are scouting for fresh, new talent just as feverishly as you are willing to give it. "Find what the void is now. What's not being done?" said Meyer.

Washington D.C. is also a great place to land an internship in the field of your dreams, giving you an insider's view and experience too. "People are much more likely to give you an internship than a job," said Meyer. You can get inside somewhere and see if it's really the job you want."

In the meantime, don't forget to write. Work on your craft daily to ensure that you are prepared for the job when it arrives.

Sign up for the next Workshop online.