Recently I received some email from Marc in Boston. He finds himself obsessed with completing a new play and had a number of questions. What follows is part 1 of my response.
On 4/1/98 11:11 PM you wrote:
>How have you managed to get as far as you have?
Perseverance. Belief that what I'm doing has a point for a large enough group of people for it to be worthwhile to someone else, hopefully someone willing to throw a lot of money at it.
>Are you always working a second job, is there ever stability?
Yes, and it's often the second job that helps get my own work out there. Since I work in the theatre, it's the connections I've made that help me get the attention of the producers and theatres.
I have yet to be able to live off my royalties, and there are very few who ever do -- even some of the greatest names find themselves supplementing their royalty income with additional writing projects, lectures, performances. If not waiting tables, driving a cab, or heading formerly communist countries. The theatre is (no longer) known for its generosity towards writers. (Which explains why most of our successful writers drift out towards Hollywood....)
Also bear in mind that, depending on the contract, when a new project is picked up for some kind of workshop or production it's possible that the producer will not be willing to pay a salary for the writer(s) to be in attendance at rehearsals, even though he'll usually be invited/wanted/required to attend. Taking care of your own expenses while not being able to do whatever it is you usually do for money can rapidly eat away at your royalty/performance fees and savings.
More next week!
C U @ the Theatre!
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