Who Give's A Damn About the Writer Anyway?

Well, I'll be damned (debatable). I posed the question over on Unk's forum "who is your favorite writer and why?" Wouldn't you know it. Only a couple responses and neither could list a favorite writer. Let this not be condemnation of them at all. I just find it interesting that they couldn't list one. Obviously, I have not debated if they notice the writers of the films they watch or anything else.

I may have mentioned before (certainly to my friends) that who makes a movie is integral to me in my decision to actually watch it. What better criteria for knowing if you might enjoy a film than checking to see who wrote and directed it? They are the major focal points of the work. The writer's original input and the director's interpretation of those words. It doesn't take long to see that directors often have a type or a certain type of story they direct mostly. Is a Gus Van Sant film different than a Michael Bay film? I think you'd be hard pressed to confuse the two. How about Shane Black vs Lawrence Kasden? Quentin Tarrantino vs Ron Bass? I can spot Aaron Sorkin at work a mile away.

I've been playing guitar for years and one of the most frequent things you hear from musicians is the influence of other musicians they either emulated or respected. I thought it was the same in the writing world - lord knows, I respect and admire quite a few writers. Not just any writer. While some are good, some are really good, some just really hit home for me. Either the theme, stories or just the order they choose to put their words on the page. It's all a conscious decision on their part and how can you not be drawn to those very choices if you are trying to do the same thing?

Is screenwriting so ill respected that it's thought of as something a monkey can do? Reading the beginning of Unforgiven is so easy. Reading the final court scene in A Few Good Men is riviting. Are writers not held in high esteem even by fellow writers? I can't believe it.

To those few out there that may be reading - let me know if you have a favorite writer and why?