The First Time I Got Paid for It.. Writers Tales from the Hollywood Trenches Hardcover book. A collection of short stories by 14 writers, including Laura J. Shapiro and Michael Frayn. A one-of-a-kind collection of essays by more than fifty leading film and television writers, with a foreword by screenwriting legend William Goldman. Linked by the theme of a writer's "first time" — usually the first time he got paid for his work, but sometimes veering off into other, more unconventional, "first times" — these always entertaining (and sometimes hilarious) pieces share what it takes to succeed, what it takes to write well, and other aspects of maintaining creativity and integrity while striving for a career in Hollywood. First Edition Hardcover Book #shortstories #literarycollection #Hollywood #Hollywoodstories #humor