"Young and Restless" stars received an early holiday present. No one is gloating that head writer and executive producer Mal Young has been let go, but there have been several social media posts from those who are pleased that John Griffith is returning for a third time. Kristoff St. John (Neil on "Young and Restless") noted that Griffith knows how to write for core characters. Young loved to bring in newbies. The more newbies, the less time for oldies-but-goodies. A soap needs both. St. John is most hopeful that this means Doug Davidson (Paul) will be back. Davidson was taken off contract after nearly 40 years. He let fans know he was not sure what the writing change would bring for him or his character. He wanted fans and castmates to know how much their support fans meant. Their kind words helped him deal with a very difficult time in his life.

Eric Braeden (Victor) was outraged when he learned Davidson and Christian LeBlanc (Michael) were MIA. He said that writing a soap is the hardest job. With that said, he was vocal about his disappointment with the current plots.

He's right about how hard it is to be the writer of a soap, whether as head writer or dialogue writer. I know I tired — not as the head writer, but as dialoguer. When I first started this column, I thought it would be a stepping stone to writing. Just remembering it, all these years later, gives me a migraine. It was like being a gerbil on a wheel. I was turned down. They said it was too artful. Sure. That's like being told "you were our second choice for the job."

Besides the writing, soaps scribes have to deal with actors quitting, getting ill and nagging for a better story line (insisting their character "would never say/do that"), viewers hating a character the writer loves, miscasting of a character. If you really want to be a writer — without dealing with so many layers of folks telling you what to do — write a novel.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: at Pixabay