So it's last minute, but if you live in California, you can still sign up for tonight's "Your Life As A Columnist" seminar, taught by Brad Schreiber, the author of What Are You Laughing At?: How to Write Funny Screenplays, Stories and More (Michael Wiese) and the best-selling Guinness Book parody Weird Wonders and Bizarre Blunders (Simon and Schuster). His arts and culture column "Development Hell" has been running in L.A. weekly newspaper Entertainment Today for ten years. Brad shared with us some of the pluses and minuses of having a column:

What are the advantages of writing a column in a magazine or newspaper?

You are paid to sit in your pajamas.

You can promote services or a Web site via a blurb at the end of each column.

You can meet powerful and fascinating people for interviews, people who might be of aid to you later in your career and who would normally not give you the time of day.

You can develop the ability to meet deadlines.

You can develop the ability to write concisely, colorfully and including all pertinent facts.

You can expand your knowledge in a chosen field.

You can brand yourself as an expert in a chosen field.

You can use your standing as a columnist to get a book published.

You can use your standing as a columnist to become a paid consultant.

You can make your printed column an e-newsletter, expanding your contacts and pleasing your friends and family.

You can syndicate your column, in print or online, to generate more income and expand your profile.

You can use your column to gain jobs teaching.

You can use your standing as a columnist to get free travel and accommodations if working as a travel journalist.

You can receive thousands of dollars worth of books, DVDs, CDs, film and theatre tickets, electronics and other consumer products as a bona fide reviewer with a column.

You can pitch other ideas to your editor, once you are already writing a column for a newspaper, magazine or Web site.

You can develop the ability to interview other people, which will improve your communication skills in dealing with agents, publishers, editors, etc.

You can get mail from people whose lives you have positively affected via your column.

What are the disadvantages of writing a column?

You actually have to do the work.

Well, I'm sold! Sign up now for Brad's class if you want to learn more.

Of course, if you are planning ahead, you can also sign up for Brad's next class, Screenwriting & Book Literary Agents: What They Can, Cannot, and Won't Do.