Staying in New York versus Moving to Los Angeles

Comedian Chris Gethard makes his own personal argument for remaining in New York.

I made the decision a number of years ago myself. At several key points in my life, in fact. And have aggressively debated it throughout.

As a writer, it really SHOULDN'T matter. With current technology (hell, even with technology from a decade and a half ago), a writer should technically be able to exist anywhere he wants.

Alas, somehow, it does matter. To different degrees, for different things.

My reasons for staying. Gethard touches on it in his essay. The bottom line is, moving to L.A. does not guarantee you any level of success. You could still be struggling out there, in an environment where you're a lot less happy. In an environment where EVERYONE is in the entertainment business.

At the end of the day, I think you need to take your own path. The dean of my alma mater loved to tell us, regarding a career in the arts, "It's a marathon, not a sprint."

Focus on the work.