Younger Writers versus Older - Who Has More to Say?

I have seen my share of message board arguments about whether young writers have anything to say versus older writers. The young types point out that youth rules Hollywood and that older writers are by definition cobwebby and embittered. Older writers point out the average age of a WGA member is 40 and that young writers are all piss and vinegar but have nothing to say.

Rouge Wavers know that the Wave-inatrix reads an awful lot of scripts. By young and old. Male and female. (Oddly, mostly male but that’s another blog). And I have this to say: bullshit.

I believe everybody has something to bring to the table. I won’t even weigh in on the side of older writers because obviously more life experience imbues a writer with perspective that a younger writer just doesn’t have. But I do believe that older writers (and by older I mean over 40) need to get off their dusty high horses and understand that young writers have a whole lot to say too. Yes, they break the rules, yes, they imagine sometimes that which feels foreign or disturbing or totally crazy and I say – bring it. I love it.

The only time I see young writers fail miserably in scripts is when they highly overestimate their talent and grossly underestimate the work that goes into becoming a decent screenwriter. Youth being what it is, this is not an uncommon occurrence. But as far as age and lack of experience, young writers bring a bite, a passion and an imagination to the table that is formidable.

Younger writers have quite a bit to say. They have grown up living with the mistakes of the generation that came before them. Like the groundswell of a wave, younger writers create what is new in this world as a reaction to what came before.

When you are 25 years old, there is nothing you think you can’t do. And that, dear readers, is amazing. Younger writers have the world at their fingertips and their imaginations roam over a landscape of possibility that older writers begin to shut themselves off from.

I say that writers are writers and we need not have silly in-fighting about who has more to say. We have different things to say when we’re 45 versus 22. One does not obviate the other.

Each end of the spectrum has pitfalls and advantages. I encourage young writers to be aware that age 22 is a bit young to write a coming-of-age story; they haven’t quite come of age yet themselves. And I remind older writers to take risks in their writing but moreso – to respect and encourage young writers. You were there once too. So you thought you had the world by the tail and you were wrong. Get over it. Make room for the new.

In my opinion, that Hollywood is a youth culture is exaggerated. Hollywood is a money culture. You write a movie which will make money – you’re in like Flynn. Yes, the clubbers and celebrities are young but we don’t care about them. The only way an older writer can blow it in the room is to be pompous and out-of-touch; to judge today’s culture as somehow inferior to what was going on in “their day”. Yes, that will shut down your meeting rather quickly because what it says to an exec is that you have stopped growing.

Older writers can sometimes feel threatened; why haven’t they made it by now? Everybody has a unique path. You get there when you get there.

Younger writers want to be a sizzling hot, instant success. Newsflash: the instant success is a myth at any age. You get there when you get there.

It’s not a competition. Well, it is, but we should be inspired by our competition, we should draft off of each other and not in fight. Writers need to support other writers.

Young writers – I love you. You rock. But remember, as impatient and passionate and excited as you are, the writing life is a long and circuitous path. Your entire life does not ride on this one script. Slow down, take a deep breath and get out from behind the computer a bit more. Older writers, relax, the young un’s aren’t swiping your work or stealing your opportunities. If they write stories that shock or upset you – ask yourself why that is. You are good enough, smart enough and gosh darn it, people like you. Screw ‘em. You haven’t lived the life you’ve lived to get sidelined by some brilliant 25 year old. That kid might just inspire your next idea. Or marry your daughter but that’s another blog.

Nothing wrong with being young and needing to grow – but there is everything wrong with being older and having stopped. Stop worrying about age and get back to work.

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