Funny and True

I've been writing at Solar on Cahuenga a lot this week, trying to finish a spec. When I happened across this article today, I had to laugh.

Here's a taste:

In Hollywood, the prime afternoon writing hours set off a gridlock of screenwriters who converge on coffee shops to scribble and type. The cafes are de facto offices for those who aspire to be the next Charlie Kaufman, the renowned screenwriter (''Adaptation,'' ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'') who cut his own teeth in a coffee shop, House of Pies.

Any Los Angeles screenwriter, struggling or successful, will say that the perfect writing place is the holy grail of the craft. ''It's always a search,'' said Todd E. Kessler, a writer for the NBC drama ''Crossing Jordan.'' ''Let's face it,'' he went on, ''Writing is a solitary art. Sometimes it becomes too solitary -- you live inside your head and it becomes destructive. It's nice to be in a cafe where you're alone but not alone.''

You have to read the whole thing. You won't know whether to laugh or cry.


Link: For Screenwriters, Inspiration Smells Like French Roast - New York Times