Here’s a riddle: What do you often forget, maybe even belittle, but will wreak nationwide havoc when rubbed the wrong way?

The answer is writers. The members of The Writers Guild of America went on strike Monday morning in a battle over residuals – money for work that is used again after its original showing.

These people write movie scripts, sitcom scripts, Conan O’Brien’s scripts – any kind of entertainment script you can think of. They’re constantly behind the scenes, but they never get much attention. They are, however, the legs of Hollywood entertainment.

The writers want money for their work that is shown on the Internet, and they want more profit from DVD sales.

Sounds fair to me. If were a writer for “House,” I would want to get my share of money from the episodes they post on Fox’s Web site and the seasons available to rent at your local Family Video.

More and more shows are making their episodes available online. If you go to almost any major network’s Web site, you’ll be able to watch their shows for free, straight from your computer. Of course, you’ll have to wade through a few commercials first.

And somebody’s getting paid for the jewelry and insurance ads I have to see before I watch “Kid Nation” on my computer. Why not the writers? It’s their work, too.

You may say they get paid a lot, but look at where they live. It costs a lot to live there. In Los Angeles, an average two bedroom apartment is expected to cost $1,500 per month soon, according to ABC Local. In Iowa, it’s half that, according to ApartmentFinder.com.

The writers know they will probably get what they want. They know what will eventually happen to television with them on strike. Late-night talk shows like “The Colbert Report” need writers every day in order for their shows to run. That’s why they’ve already been forced to show reruns all this week.

Other shows, like sitcoms, may have scripts stockpiled, but they will run out eventually. And then what choice is there?

You see, without writers, the only real choice is reality television. Yes, reality shows have writers, too, but production could continue without them. I like reality shows as much as the next person, but in moderation.

Between Facebook and Bravo, I think I get enough of other people’s “unscripted” lives, without seeing it every time I turn the channel. Most of the United States probably feels the same way, or will once they can’t find anything but reality shows to watch.

But at least television has the option of reality programming. Movies don’t. Or, at least, let’s hope they don’t. A reality movie would be sad news. “Survivor China: The Movie.” I just gave myself the shivers.

Anyway, if the writers stay on strike, things could get even more disappointing at the box office than they are now. Obviously, movies with original plotlines would be gone. And movies adapted from books, usually the best kind, would also be gone because there would be no writer to adapt them to the screen.

I don’t know if you’ve realized this, but you can bet the writers have. The strike will also hurt small businesses in California and elsewhere. When Hollywood can’t make movies, Hollywood has no reason to dry-clean outfits or order trained dogs or bouquets of flowers or caviar and seedless watermelons for actors.

For example, when “Bridges of Madison County” was shot in Winterset, Warner Bros. stopped by a nearby flea market and bought the owner out of old-fashioned kitchen supplies. No more of that. And it will be all the studios’ fault for shorting the writers on their money.

The power these writers have over Hollywood is great. And they know it. Whether or not people recognize it, Hollywood doesn’t really run without writers. In fact, the world doesn’t really run without writers. That’s right, you need me.

If you think television and movies are disappointing now, wait until people like Jay Leno have to come up with their own material. They can’t show reruns forever.

According to MSNBC, Letterman said, “It might be fun.to tune in and see what I can come up with on my own.” Oh, dear.

Hollywood should admit that it needs its legs to stand and give its writers the pay they deserve for their work.

– Bailey Lewis is a sophomore in English from Indianola.