Writers Supporting Writers, As Strike Continues

“The Horror Writers Association, on behalf of its writer members, stands in support of the Writers Guild of America strike in seeking appropriate compensation for writers when their work is distributed digitally, either via DVD or Internet downloads,” writes HWA president Deborah LeBlanc in a statement sent to me yesterday afternoon. “Although HWA is not a union, it is an organization of writers that advocates for authors’ rights. Writers Guild of America and its demands fall solidly into this category. All writers will be affected by the outcome of this strike, and we stand in solidarity, resisting those who seek to distribute our work on the Internet, DVD, or any format without fair compensation.”

Other book writers are showing solidarity with their screen colleagues as well. Kit Reed passes along word of an online petition that says, simply, “We, the undersigned, fully support the strike of the Writers Guild of America, and agree with the WGA’s stated goals of obtaining just and fair compensation regarding revenues generated through ‘new media.’” In her email, Reed says, “Every body needs to get behind the Writers Guild strike. Download a show and you’ll see… commercials. Somebody’s getting paid, and it isn’t the people—writers, actors, directors—who made the show. Pretty soon we’ll all be watching TV via download, and who’s going to be paid?” The petition is reported to have already amassed 50,000 signatures.

Even fans are getting into the act, at Fans4Writers.com, which discusses ways that fans can support writers for however long the strike lasts. (One of my favorites was the group that sent pizzas to the picket line.)

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