On Trying to Predict John Q. Public

Submitted by Helen Roser

Years ago, I took a course from a wonderful tough New York editor. It was called “Writing for Publication.” On the first day, she roared at the class: “I don’t ever want to hear anyone say this is a class for ‘creative writing.’ It is a course in how to write what gets published. Publishers are not in the business to save the world. They are in business to make money!” At that point, several women students, offended, got up and exited.

She had proven in New York that a woman knew how to get published. Now she has come to California where men in the tough new television business sneered that a woman would never crack their tough new business.

She answered by creating and writing scripts for what became the three most favorite, enduring soap operas on television.

But sometimes creative souls forget that it must be about making money to make production possible.

My friend was a staff writer of scripts for a major movie studio. He had written his masterpiece that was shelved because production would be so high and “the time wasn’t right.” Meanwhile, he was given a little story to adapt for low-budget production. Glancing at the story, he cringed, but did the screen-play and didn’t put his real name on it.

His masterpiece was never produced, but the little screen-play that made him cringe became a cult classis, adored to this day. Its’ name: “The Creature From the Black Lagoon.”

Even with all their scientific studies, publishers’ goofs pile the Clearance tables, as they try to recover a pittance of their loss.

It’s all about trying to predict John Q. Public. You say you know from that great study last week? That is history. This is today! In fact, what time is it?