The Right To Be A Creative Content Writer

“THE RIGHT TO BE A CREATIVE CONTENT WRITER”

                               (And how to “writefully” protect your words)

Words are everywhere. Unspoken thoughts running around in your head when you go to bed. They’re still there when you get up. You don’t “hear “ them with your ears but you do, with whatever that sense is in your brain that makes you “think” you can hear them. Thoughts. Subjective. Can’t be legislated or controlled by others when they’re still unspoken or unwritten. But as soon as you open your mouth and speak, pick up a writing or drawing tool and place those hieroglyphics known as letters and symbols on whatever surface you choose, here come the critics. If they see them. Or hear them. Wait…those are my words and my letters and symbols. What right do you have to censor my subjectives? Or pay me less than what I’m worth because you didn’t like my story, even though I followed the criteria? Hey, you just plain out and out stole my ideas and words because you’re too stupid to come up with something original yourself. Well guess what.

I am a member of a Writer’s labor union in the United States so organized that in 2007- 

2008, we shut down television. (Image http://wgawest.com/). Some economists put the loss at $2.1 billion. The Writer’s Guild of America represents writers from television and film as well as other content-based media. On August 24, 2011, 6:17 pm, the Los Angeles Times reported the following news: “CBS Web writer-producers get first guild contract.” “The Writers Guild of America, West has signed its first contract covering news writing and promotions for the Internet. This week about 15 Web writer-producers working in television and radio news and promotions at CBS studios in the Los Angeles area ratified their first-ever contract with CBS, the guild said in a statement. The three-year agreement includes increases in minimum wages and establishes grievance procedures and paid vacations as well as health and pension benefits.” (http://www.latimes.com/). The political and legislative departments of the WGA (West and East branches) actively advocate government policy issues that affect writers who are members. Concerns such as Health and pension benefits, new media content and web rights, were in the forefront of the 2007-2008 strikes. As new avenues of expression open up on the worldwide web, the WGA has shown that a democratic support system (Guild Council members are voted in) can protect a writer and influence the government and established entertainment industry conglomerations. The WGA maintains a “strike list” of companies and entertainment corporations with unfair practices on their website. WGA offers a large range of member services .To get a full view of how to protect your writing and your career as a writer, visit the Writer’s Guild of America West or Writer’s Guild of America East websites. WGA also maintains The Writer’s Foundation East that offers fellowships and charitable grants to writers. (http://www.writersfoundationeast.com/).