Writer and blogger Ken Levine, who has been on strike, was at The Shrine Auditorium at the WGA meeting last night and reports that although things aren’t perfect, writers could be back to work as soon as Wednesday.

The main points of the deal are that it gives writers jurisdiction over new media and a share of distributor’s gross, which is hugely significant since any other formula is just monkey points. By establishing precedents the guild believes it is now in position to share the revenue from emerging marketplaces such as the internet. The deal is hardly perfect. There are a number of holes (which the committee candidly acknowledged) but considering we were negotiating against mega conglomerates who would just as soon break the union, this deal is at least a start and livable.

The Hollywood Reporter adds there appears to be some optimism about the new deal but that today is crucial as well.

The camera crews that also lined the sidewalk were on hand primarily to record color shots of the assembling writers. Nothing will actually be decided at the Shrine, where members simply are being briefed on details of the proposed three-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

On Sunday, several important pieces of activity are expected.

Once the AMPTP itself signs off on the recently-drafted agreement — something that hadn’t yet happened by 7 p.m. Saturday — the WGA negotiating committee is expected to vote on recommending the contract to the WGA West board and WGA East council, which then both will meet Sunday afternoon or evening.

Once the matter is bounced into their court, the board and council have three options:

— Recommend the contract to the membership and end the strike.

— Recommend the pact but let members vote on whether to end the strike.

— Reject the tentative agreement.

If the optimism of the writers is any indication, this strike just might be over.