YOU, INC
W
hen I first moved to Los Angeles and made the
acquaintance of working screenwriters, I learned
that many had their own corporations. They provided their
writing services not as themselves but as "loan-outs" from
their one-man businesses. Their writing contracts were
f/s/o—"for services of"—themselves. I had never seen this
before. I thought it was pretty cool.
For a writer to incorporate himself has certain tax and
financial advantages. But what I love about it is the metaphor.
I like the idea of being Myself, Inc. That way I can wear two
hats. I can hire myself and fire myself. I can even, as Robin
Williams once remarked of writer-producers, blow smoke up
my own ass.
Making yourself a corporation (or just thinking of
yourself in that way) reinforces the idea of professionalism
because it separates the artist-doing-the-work from the
will-and-consciousness-running-the-show. No matter how
much abuse is heaped on the head of the former, the latter
takes it in stride and keeps on trucking. Conversely with
success: You-the-writer may get a swelled head, but you-the-
boss remember how to take yourself down a peg.
STEVEN PRESSFIELD