Tamara Said:

How do I get a job with a sheet music publisher?

We Answered:

You'd have to find out the names of the music publishing companies, then visit their Web sites or call or write and see if they're hiring.

Once you've started, where you can go from there will probably become apparent. The secret is to get your foot in the door.

Audrey Said:

Might start a new life in LA soon. Be my guide?

We Answered:

Until you marry your guy and he applies for a marriage visa for you you cannot look for work in the USA. At all. The process takes about 8 months to a year.

To sponsor you for immigration he has to be able to support you without working. Because there are about 1,000,000 unemployed people in the LA area now with skilles equal to or greater than yours. It may take you 1-2 years to find a job.

And here in the USA, unless the emp0loyer can prove a special need for height and weight, it is quite illegal for them to require certain height and weight from an employee. The fire and police departments can require certain height but few private employers can.

Renee Said:

What are the illegal immigrant laws in Los Angeles ?

We Answered:

The law as it stands anywhere in the US, is that the US does not support illegal immigration, for anyone - period. If you are caught you are detained, fined and then have to appear in court for a deportation hearing. The detention can take up to six months, but once the court hearing has passed, it can take another six to nine months just for deportation alone, in some cases. This probably serves as a sentence as well, just so that these detainees will not want to come back, but I'm not really sure of why they hold on to them so long after the hearing. In the instances that you refer to bosses or managers writing to the US government (it is called sponsorship), in most cases it will not happen.

The cost of living in California is extremely expensive, rent alone can cost well over $1,500 per month in some of the most poorest but most dangerous areas. The more luxurious the area the more expensive it is.

There is no health care for illegals either.

Russell Said:

Los Angeles Screenplay or Novel Agent?

We Answered:

Let me echo the first response's surprise at the lack of real-word knowledge your writing education gave you.

Very few agents represent both fiction and screenplays. Don't limit yourself to a small group which reps both. It's okay to have two agents so long as they can work together.

However, you are not ready for either a screenplay agent or a novel agent.

You "are finishing" your first novel. That means you're on a first draft. You will probably need to do extensive editing and/or complete rewrites before you have that novel in the best possible shape, even though your first draft may be damned good. You don't seek literary agents until you have a complete, polished manuscript, so put that on hold for the moment.

Screenplays also need to be complete and polished--and screenplays. TV shows are written in-house in the US, so your pilots (and presumably a bible for each) are not salable. You'd need to get a writing job for a network, do well on whatever show it's for, then maybe they'd listen to your pitch(es) for the new shows.

For screenplays, it's wise to have at least 3 or 4 in different genres before contacting agents (buy the HCD [Hollywood Creative Directory] Representation edition when you're ready), so when an agent says, "Read your thriller, but the market's stagnant. Got a rom-com or a kids' movie?" you'll be able to say "I do, and you're going to love it."

I second the recommendation for AbsoluteWrite, too.

Victoria Said:

I wonder why all my friends are moving out of Los Angeles and back to the south?

We Answered:

Hmm. Interesting. I do know that many African Americans left the South and moved to the big cities of the West and North because of harrassment from racist southern whites and because better job opportunities were there. I think it may be like you stated, the south is an area with a lot of economic growth and many prosperous black people have decided to leave the big cities because they can afford to and want their children to grow up in safe, stable environments while being enrolled in better schools. This also is a big reason why many African Americans are moving into the suburbs of the big Northern and Western cities.