3. WE'RE NOT FAMILY
Don't for a minute think that a dog and a cat living under the same roof are friends. They are not. If Fido had his way, Trixie the Whore, that's what Fido calls her, Trixie the Whore, would get hit by a hearse in a funeral procession and then over and over and over again, as each successive car in the convey attempts to keep up. Conversely, if The Slobbering Sociopath, that's what Trixie calls Fido, if the Slobbering Sociopath were dead, she would be in reality what she believes she already is: God. The point is, neither The Whore or The Sociopath does anything to upset the fragile detente that exists in their family because without it, who would rub their bellies? The same delicate detente exists in the world of TV writing. Writers get hired on shows, are paid different salaries and are given different responsibilities, with some writers getting more responsibility and some getting less. And how do bosses get workers who do the same job, that is, writing, how do they get the ones who are paid less and whose material is used less, how do they get them to keep showing up and contributing to the show? By telling them "we are family." The implication is that although some of the staff is treated differently -- favored -- we love everyone equally. After-all, that's really what writer's want. I once worked for a guy who said that on the last page of a script, the writer shouldn't write "the end," he should write "Love me." Because that's what writers want. To have their work loved... and by extension, they are loved. And show-biz prays on this desperate need writers have to be loved. But, here's the truth: the colleagues at your office, your bosses, their bosses,
YOU ARE NOT FAMILY. Although what you are engaged in -- writing and making TV -- seems like the most fun ever, there's a reason why it's called "show business." Writing is "show." The rest? All business. If your writing suddenly seems stale? You're fired. If the people running the show decide you are no longer a good fit. You're fired. If the stars of the show think you have a bad mojo, you're fired. If it's Friday, you're fired. You get the idea.
You're fired.