On Writing : The Problem with Writing a Story About... Writers. by Marcel Nault Jr.

Great topic, Marcel Nault Jr. I give my protagonists writing careers sometimes, but I make sure writing is important to the main story or a subplot, and I make sure the scenes when they're writing or doing writer stuff are interesting.

We're narcissists - of course we're going to write about ourselves.

The obvious reason so many writers write about writers is because us writers have so much free time on our hands that we can be unattached to society at large. without a strict professional setting, the character can go anywhere or do anything and get into wild adventures on a whim. same goes for comedians and actors, they make broad storytelling easier. whereas with a lawyer, fireman, or PD, you're stuck within a realm (genre) of stories that are a bit more formulaic. So writers writing writers can be very freeing.

I agree that it should be properly motivated and supported by the story, Maurice Vaughan. I think it's a weak choice when the character who is a writer, could be anything and it wouldn't change the story at all. If they're a writer, then there should be a clear reason why that affects how the story progresses and why they see the world the way that they do.

Totally touches on one of my personal pet peeves in writing...only writing about writers. Glad to see I'm not the only one who sees it as a problem. There can be exceptions where it works, especially if it's a new angle of writing (think Joseph Levitt Gordon's character in "500 Days of Summer" or Joaquin Phoenix's character in "Her").

I’m inspired to write a movie about writers now!

Ashley Renee Smith hit on an important point - motive. There are certain stories that are entertaining albeit unrealistic (I'm thinking of "Funny Farm") but to keep a story interesting there has to be conflict, hurdles, loss, etc. Why would I write a story that only highlights those things and discourages someone on the edge of wanting to become a writer? Or why would I write a story that paints an unrealistic image of writers?

Related to this, have any of you seen Trumbo?

In general, I think a lot of writers are lazy in their character storytelling, because they don't want to deal with jobs. A writer has a job, but they don't usually do regular hours. So the writer can just go wherever they want whenever they want and the story doesn't have to deal with things like how the character pays rent. It's similar to when movies make characters actors that never do any acting during the duration of the movie.

I think of movies like Christmas Vacation where Clark very clearly has a serious job. There are multiple scenes of him in his office interacting with his co-workers and boss. Yet the pacing of the movie still works. That takes effort. A lot of writers today don't want to put it in.

I agree, Terrence Sellers. Christmas Vacation is my favorite holiday film and I watch it every year. The office scenes are brilliant because they don't disrupt the flow of the story and actually manage to help show the passage of time as we get closer and closer to Christmas and the bonus that Clark assumes is coming from his boss. It helps keep the pacing of the story on track and you can feel the tension building.

Ashley Renee Smith I watch it every year too!

Terrence Sellers, It's our Christmas Eve tradition! =)

Tom Kapinos admitted himself that Californication is a "writer's fantasy. There's no reality in which beautiful women are throwing themselves at the feet of middle aged novelists".

The character of Hank as a writer provides him an excuse to be successful but not have his "shit together". Further proving that financial or critical success as a writer does not at all guarantee financial or personal stability. It's as much a harsh critique of the profession as it is a fantasy of its public perception.

A Protagonist with layers of flaws = Writer...end of story.... LOL!

I have four novels traditionally published and I blow my royalty checks at Starbucks. On the last one, I was short and had to come up with 74 cents. Since I'm in there so often, the barista spotted me the four pennies because I didn't have a nickel. I am a professor of English at the community college. Fortunately, I'm retired, so I'm just having fun. I've always loved a couple of old sayings. "Those that can, do it. Those that can't teach. And those that can do neither become critics." Also: "Writers are the only professionals that revel in the failure of their contemporaries." Maybe that means there's a gap in the ranks.