Desk of Amy Suto

TV writer who eats danger for breakfast

  • About
    • Kingdom of Pavement
  • Popular
  • Writing
    • Working in Hollywood
    • Writing
    • Creative Screenwriting
    • Writing for TV
    • How to Create A Web Series
  • Blog
  • Press
  • Book

Day in the Life of a Freelance Writer

July 27, 2018 by Amy Suto 7 Comments

san francisco cliffs
cliffs outside of San Fran

Hello friends! I’m back from doing some travel (San Fran for work, Tahoe for play) and also just moved into a new apartment with my best friend who also happens to cook the best Italian food you’ve ever tasted.

I thought I’d share a little bit about what my days are like as I’m in a weird hiatus period for the TV show I work on, which is more and more the norm for those of us who work on shows with short orders that don’t fit into the traditional, 22-episode broadcast television season.

When I’m not working in a writers’ room, I work on my own projects and moonlight as a ghostwriter. My bread and butter is ghostwriting people’s memoirs and helping them find the right words to tell their stories. I work for fascinating clients I can’t really talk about here, but they include accomplished lawyers, former professional athletes, and people dealing with great loss and tragedy and finding strength through their experiences.

Oh, and I also write blog posts and short stories and op-eds for various companies and publications, so I keep busy. What’s nice is that I only take on work I believe in, and every writing project I’m working on I love. I also get to make my own schedule, which is so important.

Here’s a day-in-the-life of what it’s like being a freelance writer/ghostwriter: 

//7am: coffee & planning the day

I have a Google home, so as soon as I wake up I tell it “good morning” and it turns on all my lights, my coffeemaker in the kitchen, and starts playing the news. (Creepy or efficient? Probably both but the faster I can get caffeinated the better my morning is.) It takes about 30 seconds of hearing about how much of a mess the world is in to get me to get out of bed and stumbling toward the coffee that’s waiting for me in the kitchen.

Coffee in hand, I immediately get to work plotting out my day. I use a BestSelf journal to track habits, record what I’m grateful for, and set my intentions and goals for the day. I’ve been using these for the past six months and love the pen-and-paper organization. I always have a mess of projects, to-do list items, habits, and other responsibilities I need to hold myself accountable to get done. It’s important to me to get everything I have to do on paper and out of my head so I can clear up brainspace for the work I have to do.

Since I freelance for my main source of income, I track my hours to make sure I’m reaching my income goals in this book, too. I color code using green for freelance work, blue for writing projects, purple for personal things, and black for other things I’m up to.

After I plan my day, I get to work on the most important task I need to accomplish first. Today, that’s submitting a story proposal to a magazine I’m writing short stories for, followed by putting together an outline for a memoir I’m ghostwriting.

//10am: breakfast on the patio & emails

We have a little garden on our patio with different herbs, so I make an egg sandwich with avocado, spinach, salsa, and fresh basil from our basil plant, all on a whole wheat English muffin. I try and sit out on our patio each morning before the summer heat hits to get some fresh air. My roommate usually joins me, and our neighbors say hi to us (we live in a complex with some really amazing, friendly people!) Occasionally, the nice people who live next to us will bring us fresh fruit. We’re making baked goods this week to give to them, also. (Trying to pay it forward!)

After breakfast, I check emails, get in a quick workout, and then hop on a call with a client about a kickstarter campaign I’m working on for her new product.

//12pm: Upwork Top Rated Freelancers Lunch

I freelance on Upwork, this great platform that connects freelancers and those looking to hire us. As a Top Rated Freelancer, I get invited to special seminars and workshops. At noon, I head to the free luncheon at Home Cafe in Silverlake. We all daydrink and talk about our war stories in the freelance world, and I meet some truly lovely people (several of whom work in the industry — it IS Los Angeles, after all) and swap business cards.

I prefer luncheons like this to mixers because you can actually have conversations with people, and don’t feel pressured to move on and meet somebody new every few minutes. I also love meeting other freelancers and hearing about their different approaches to this weird little lifestyle we’ve all created for ourselves.

//3pm: writing blog posts & playing guitar

I get home from the lunch meeting at 3pm, and after spending a few minutes basking in the air conditioning, make myself some iced tea and sit down at my desk. Feeling energized after the workshop, I work on a set of blog posts for a former professional athlete I do writing work for.

I also hop on the phone with a new potential client. I’m *almost* at capacity for my client list (I have about 8 regular clients who give me steady work, plus a few more that come and go with assignments every so often) but this project caught my eye, so I couldn’t help but take the interview. I always meet deadlines and manage to pick clients pretty well, but it still is a bit of a balancing act to hit my income goals while also carving out enough time to work on my own creative projects. It’s still a bit trial-and-error, but having a weekly writers’ group with other really inspiring writers helps me stay focused on why I’m here in LA.

My billable hours vary per day — I try and shoot for 4-6 hours/day so that I can preserve my weekends, but what usually ends up happening is that I’ll skip a weekday to go on meetings or do something fun, and need to make up those hours on the weekend. Outside of my billable hours, I also spend time doing work-related things like applying for new assignments on Upwork, or doing research for an assignment that I don’t have to do for a client but want to spend my own time doing so that I can be a better writer.

For example, I’ve been learning more about finance and investing for a new client I have. I’m doing that research outside of my billable hours because it interests me, and doing that research also helps me do better work for him. What’s nice about having such a diverse group of clients is that I’m constantly trying to learn more about them and their world, which leads to some interesting research. I charge $60/hour for my services, so I also want to make sure I’m as knowledgeable as possible on the subject I’m writing about so I can deliver my clients the highest quality work that I can, even if it means some extra work outside of billable hours for my own edification. So far, so good!

During my breaks between writing, I practice guitar. I used to play as a kid, and recently picked it back up again. I can’t play Wonderwall yet (yes, I’m going to be that person), but I’ve at least moved beyond Smoke on the Water. I’m learning how to play Riptide by Vance Joy right now.

//6pm: quick dinner & getting ready

My cat emerges from the nap she’s been taking under my bed all day and I play with her as I heat up the shrimp taco bowl I meal-prepped earlier in the week. She’s nocturnal (like I can be sometimes) and she’s just waking up for her day.

I have a mixer tonight so I throw on whatever clothes I have in reach that won’t make me melt in the heatwave. I’m fashionable I guess? I don’t really care a whole lot about make-up or clothes and have staples I just wear over and over again. My roommate and I went thrift shopping at the beginning of the summer and I’ve just been wearing those clothes on loop (thank the lord for Buffalo Exchange.)

I’m also wearing a scarf that a customer gave to my roommate. He had asked the customer where she got the scarf since he thought it would look good on me, and the customer just gave the scarf to him to give to me which was so sweet.

//7pm: Television Academy Summer Soiree

Back at USC, we were nominated twice for the College Television Emmy at the Television Academy for a show I co-created and was an Executive Producer on. The TV Academy has mixers with program alumni and former nominees every few months, and I always try to go. I love meeting other creatives (and the fancy hors d’oeuvre and open bar doesn’t hurt, either.)

This mixer is at the Liason in Hollywood. I take an Uber there because anyone who tries parking off of Hollywood Boulevard severely underestimates a) how bad tourists are at crossing streets, and b) how overpriced the parking garages are.

I meet a French set designer, some friendly writers, and a few other nice people. Mixers in loud nightclubs are not the greatest place for a conversation, but it’s still a good time.

//9pm: writing & winding down

I get home and shed my heels and mixer clothes. My roommate’s cooking some sort of meat dish he’s trying to get me to admit smells good (I’m a pescatarian, so it doesn’t) and we talk about important life things like what vegetable combinations will make a good juice.

I make some tea and get settled in front of my computer again to do some writing. I feel most creative at night, so I do most of my fun, non-freelance writing after dinners. I’m working on a novella, a pilot, and an immersive theater experience right now, so each night I pick one of the three to focus on. Even if I’m only doing some freewriting or journaling, I write every day with few exceptions. It helps to keep me sharp and keep all the balls in the air — otherwise I feel guilty and feel massively behind and frustrated when I don’t carve out time for what I care about.

Before bed, I also do some yoga with my cat and then read a bit of whatever book I’m on. I try and read every day also, whether that’s an audiobook while I’m stuck in traffic or right before I go to sleep. My recent favorite reads include The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris for encouraging people to break out of the 9-to-5 mentality, and Paulo Coehlo’s The Spy, a great novelization of Mata Hari’s life.

Then, as I feel myself drifting off, I turn on a Headspace meditation (my favorite meditation app) and tell my Google home to turn off all the lights, and then do it all over again.

//the ideal day in and day out

What’s so lovely about being able to set my own schedule is that every day is a bit different. The rest of this week I’m going to my usual salsa dancing class, a street art exhibit, throwing a game night, and doing my weekly things like meeting with my writing partner at our favorite coffeeshop and also going to my writing group. I’m going on a few dates and networking drinks, and I’ve got some travel plans I’m trying to solidify, too. I live a very full life, but it’s also filled with everything and everyone I care about.

I’m so very lucky I found what I was good at and that I’m able to do it full-time in between working in writers’ rooms. I’m also passionate about helping others do the same, too. If you’re interested in getting into freelance writing, I offer coaching services. Reach out to me on my contact page if you’re interested!

Filed Under: All Posts, Freelance Writing, Ghostwriting, Most Popular Posts, Musings, Who is Amy Suto?, Writing Tagged With: day in the life, freelancing, ghostwriting

Looking for writing help? I gotchu!

Let’s work together! Tell me about your project and what you’re looking for from a writer or writing coach and let’s talk.

 

Comments

  1. Lauren says

    July 28, 2018 at 10:34 PM

    This is the dream and I may steal your schedule. I am so proud of you and how far you’ve come!

  2. Amy Suto says

    July 29, 2018 at 10:15 PM

    Thanks, Lauren!!

Trackbacks

  1. How I Made My First $10k as a Freelance Writer on Upwork says:
    August 13, 2018 at 5:08 AM

    […] I mentioned in my previous post (Day in the Life of a Freelance Writer) I do freelance writing full-time when I’m in-between writers’ rooms. It’s a […]

  2. Method Writing: Exercises to Experience the Stories You’re Writing says:
    September 6, 2018 at 5:58 PM

    […] I have a wacky combination of freelance jobs right now since I’m in-between writers’ rooms. (Which I’ve written about before in my ‘Day in the Life’). […]

  3. A Year of Writing: What I’ve Learned from Traveling, Writing for TV, Freelancing, & Ghostwriting Memoirs for People All Over the World says:
    September 3, 2019 at 12:26 PM

    […] written articles in the past about a day in the life of the freelance writer and how I made my first $10,000 using […]

  4. How to Ghostwrite a Memoir (Ghostwriting 101) says:
    October 4, 2019 at 1:29 AM

    […] Cool, huh? I’ve written before about lessons I’ve learned as a freelancer, how I made my first $10,000 on Upwork, and my not-so-typical day-to-day as a freelance writer. […]

  5. Remote Work Survival Guide: How to Work from Home and Not Lose Your Goddamn Mind says:
    March 24, 2020 at 8:49 PM

    […] Day in the Life of a Freelance Writer […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

About Amy Suto

I’m Amy, I write thrillers for TV and ghostwrite memoirs for people all over the world. I also write personal essays, short stories, and things for the internet. Check out my portfolio page, sign-up for my writing tips newsletter below, and don’t hesitate to get in touch and share your favorite coffeeshop recommendations! Want to work together? Tell me about you and your project here.

My Freelance Writing Services

High-End Freelance Writers’ Collective I Co-Founded

Amy’s Newsletter

Join now to get exclusive content and downloadable writing guides and workbooks!


The Last Station Scripted Podcast: Listen Now!

Amy Suto

It’s here! Visit TheLastStationPodcast.com to listen to the scripted podcast I wrote and produced about the last radio host at the end of the world who gets her first caller and realizes she’s not alone. It’s a sci-fi mystery series and I can’t wait for you to experience it.

If you want to support the show, listen, subscribe, and review on Apple podcasts and consider supporting us on Patreon for cool perks!

Find Freedom in Freelancing

Hi friends! Not sure if you heard, but I wrote a book about how freelancing allowed me to travel the world and focus on my writing full-time in-between writers’ rooms. If you’d like to read about how I made my first $50,000 on the freelance platform Upwork while I was still an assistant and how I’ve grown my freelance business since then, check it out on Amazon!

Recent Posts

  • So You Wanna Be a Great Writer/Artist/Musician: How to “Honor the Work” as a Creative
  • How Much Does Hiring a Memoir Ghostwriter Cost?
  • Quarantine Nomads: How Freelancers Can Live and Work Remotely — and Safely During COVID-19
  • Nobody is Going to Make Your Thing: The Cavalry Isn’t Coming and Other Hollywood Pep Talks
  • Get Help Becoming a Freelance Writer + Writing Your Novel/Screenplay/Whatever: Consultations + Writing Coaching Sessions Open!



Ask Jeeves

Because I’m a Millennial

sutoscience

Amy Suto
Snippet from our shoot in the desert last year wit Snippet from our shoot in the desert last year with the badass @idaliavalles_ and @medwardsphx, can’t wait to eventually get back to filming projects again!

#Repost @idaliavalles_
・・・
A casual stroll in the desert 🏜 excerpt from @sutoscience projects 🎥 @medwardsphx
Happy NYE to all the people who saw my hair in var Happy NYE to all the people who saw my hair in various stages of disarray on Zoom this year!!! In 2020 I spent a lot of time running @kingdomofpavement, writing/producing @thelaststationpodcast, prepping @kingdomofink_writers for launch with the help of our incredible team, and I got to write some cool books with my amazing clients you’ll be able to read soon. Work aside, I also struggled a ton and worked a lot and dealt with all the existential dread we all went through. I would not be smiling and continuing to avoid my hairbrush without the love and support of the people around me, and I’m grateful to pieces. Here’s to another year of virtual meetings, moving our remote office to gorgeous new places, and pretending “windswept” is an accurate description of my bedhead.
In 2020, we were constantly faced with our own mor In 2020, we were constantly faced with our own mortality. If your life was taken away from you tomorrow, what would you do differently today? What would you change in yourself and the world around you? In reading this book about how different cultures around the world treat death so much differently than us, I also think our fear of death harms us. In thinking that we’re going to live forever, America pretends very real viruses don’t exist, and we don’t make the changes today that would lead to a better tomorrow. The fact that death is an inevitability is both freeing and a call to make the most of the time that we do have. Here’s to 2021 and the way in which we can make the most of it ✨
I'm doing a blog series heading into the new year I'm doing a blog series heading into the new year about building better habits and mental frameworks around our work as writers and creatives, and this first installment is about how to "honor the work" it takes to make great art. Check it out at AmySuto.com and I will one day also be updating my email newsletter before the end of this godforsaken year so if that's your jam feel free to sign-up!
Taking a yoga break in-between working on a key wr Taking a yoga break in-between working on a key writing project today— I’ve loved playing with standing balance flows lately because they help with focus. If you’re trying not to fall over it’s hard to have wandering thoughts 🙂 warrior 2 > triangle > half moon > crescent 🌙 lunge > warrior 3 > half chair > eagle > warrior 3 was one of my favorite challenge sequences I taught in my yoga classes pre-pandemic, and is a great way to quiet your mind even if you fall out of it like I did 🙃 one of my favorite yoga teachers used to tell me falling is just proof that we’re challenging ourselves. If we’re doing everything perfectly, we’re too far within our comfort zone.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#yoga #writing #movement #yogapractice #yogaflow #yogadaily #writing #scriptchat #nature wearing @alo #aloyoga
I’ve spent most of 2020 in cozy spaces reading w I’ve spent most of 2020 in cozy spaces reading with my cat, and there’s something satisfying in the simplicity of sifting through all these good books. My current read is “Women Who Run With Wolves,” a book analyzing mythology and feminine nature that’s deeply fascinating and a life-changing read. We don’t think about the wisdom we need to protect our creative nature and inner worlds, and this book goes into how to find restoration and strength even in our chaotic environment. A full list of all my favorite books from this year coming to my blog soon!
This is been a year of climbing mountains. Whether This is been a year of climbing mountains. Whether we’re forming a fictional folk band and need to get our album cover or creating new systems and structures from scratch, I couldn’t be more grateful for the people beside me as we build a kingdom that can pave a new road into Hollywood and storytelling. Every day I get to wake up and work on projects I love, help fascinating folks tell their stories, and try to make my corner of this world a little brighter. In 2021 I’m planning to keep upholding the standards and values I want in our work, and to bring some really special art to life. Even as things are burning, we can find a way to use the flames to show us the way to what’s next.
Enjoying the last few days of working remotely in Enjoying the last few days of working remotely in Palm Springs. It’s been a lovely month soaking up the last of the summer (fall?) sun while writing by the pool and transitioning to fire pit days. Working in inspiring places has helped me focus on the top-secret writing work I’m doing for really inspiring people, and think deeply about the right way to tell a story from all angles. Soon, back to LA, home for the holidays, and onto the next adventure as we try to make the most of our quarantine world with really exceptional people.
Lots of late nights writing, working, and drinking Lots of late nights writing, working, and drinking whiskey lately 🥃 it’s been a busy year, but I’m lucky to be working on projects I love.
Spent all of the past month living and working rem Spent all of the past month living and working remotely in the Colorado Rockies, and here’s what I learned:

1) Fresh air and long hikes can fix a lot
2) What can’t be fixed by 1 can be remedied with good friends and long conversations 
3) What can’t be fixed by 1 and 2 can be solved by renouncing all material possessions and just moving to the woods permanently and taking up whittling 
4) While I’m not quite at 3 just yet, I’m working on trying to carve out a place in the world that feels full of life and heart and community. It’s going to take a long time to build everything we’re working on, with a lot of hard decisions along the road. But I’m excited to keep making progress and creating stories I care about with talented folks.

Stay safe and here’s to hoping we’ll get our blue skies back in LA sometime soon 💙
The trees are changing like we all are; the season The trees are changing like we all are; the seasons of life we go through can either cultivate personal growth or personal fear and I’m hoping to always have the courage to choose the former.
Spent the past four days off-the-grid, driving to Spent the past four days off-the-grid, driving to Colorado and spending a night in a yurt in the middle of the Utah desert 🌵 now we’re in the woods and back in semi-civilization to write, quarantine together, and work on all the things.
This is easily one of the most influential books I This is easily one of the most influential books I’ve read this year: even if you haven’t dealt with trauma personally (and there’s different levels of trauma), you interact with people in your world who have — even if you don’t know it. Understanding how trauma affects the core of us on a cellular level is critical to understanding how the mental affects the physical. This book is also an important glimpse into why people behave badly: usually, there’s unresolved trauma at the heart of someone acting out. If everyone was more trauma-informed, we’d be able to make strides to solving the public health crisis at the heart of these traumatic incidents, and be in a better place to help provide healing modalities like yoga, therapy, and EMDR.
Going to the woods for a bit to work remotely and Going to the woods for a bit to work remotely and write and maybe take up an obscure hobby like whittling. Maybe I’ll build a cabin with my bare hands and just work on the land. Maybe I’ll finally finish my Next Great American Novel. I don’t know. All I know is that pine trees are cool and we have to be well-rested for the revolution 🌹
In episode 103, Holden is trapped in an abandoned In episode 103, Holden is trapped in an abandoned mine with no way out — with a monster that steals time and distorts the airwaves. Catch up on @thelaststationpodcast now! // THELASTSTATIONPODCAST.COM // trailer edited by @lizzskywalker ✨
So I'm not ~saying~ you should go illegally downlo So I'm not ~saying~ you should go illegally download CONDOR season 2 just to watch episode 206 that I co-wrote.... but if you do, I hope you enjoy :) This season isn't available in the US yet, but can't wait to share it legally once it is!
My co-producer and I at this morning’s awesome r My co-producer and I at this morning’s awesome recording session for @thelaststationpodcast episode 104, what a joyful few hours! Lots of talented folks in this ep, lots of chicken puns written by yours truly, and you’re not going to see the twist coming :) get your ears ready for some more sci-fi post-apocalyptic storytelling and sweet tunes ✨
Hey guys, the newest episode of @thelaststationpod Hey guys, the newest episode of @thelaststationpodcast is out, written by the amazing @bentelejack, and I’m just so fucking proud of our team on this one. If you ever wanted to hear what the inside of a nightmare sounds like — be our guest! 🚨 @sid_phoenix who plays Holden delivers an incredible performance — this episode is a breathless, tense experience and a one-man show at times as Holden is pursued by a monster that steals time and we experience flashbacks through a tape recorder. The incomparable @portiajamas brings her energy and charisma as Marina, trying to help Holden escape from her side of the airwaves. @linabean113 and @the_other_keanu are our amazing guest stars and bring the intrigue ✨ @mr_dejas and @it_groovy absolutely crushed it when it came to the sound design, editing, and mix/mastering of the episode and have heard from several friends already that they felt like the SFX was in the same room. Stephen Ptacek and Anthony Al-Rifi kill it with the original compositions and atmospheric music. If you like what we’re doing and want to support us, leave a review and subscribe on Apple podcasts, share our show, and consider becoming a patron! All the links and more at: TheLastStationPodcast.com 🎙
the only secret of the universe that I discovered the only secret of the universe that I discovered at the top of that mountain is that the universe is only a secret if you believe it is hiding something from you. otherwise, it’s just a new frontier waiting to be explored
When I started writing @thelaststationpodcast thre When I started writing @thelaststationpodcast three months ago, I wasn’t just writing a post-apocalyptic sci-fi radio drama about an indie music radio host and a cowboy braving the end of the world. I was — and still am! — using this scripted podcast as a way to explore the themes we’re all experiencing in quarantine: loss, missed connections, grieving the way the world once was, facing evils that feel so much greater than ourselves — and trying to find great music to carry us through. Not only do I get to play in this sandbox of finding hope at the end of the world, but I get to do it with the best people. The caliber of incredible talent on this project from our actors to our writing team to our guest musicians to our stellar editors and composers — it’s unreal. And it’s the beginning of an incredible journey: we’ve got 8 more episodes for you, and I can’t wait for you to experience each one. We’ll get through this together, and I can’t wait to introduce you to your new favorite creatives every step of the way through this story.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Contact Me

Email Me

Categories

  • 31 Days of Spy Films and Shows
  • Adventures
  • Agency Life
  • All Posts
  • Behind the Scenes of CON
  • Book Recommendations
  • Completed Films
  • Creative Screenwriting
  • Eaten Alive by the LA Millennial Underground Story Series
  • Essays
  • Freelance Writing
  • Ghostwriting
  • Good Books
  • How to Create A Web Series
  • How to Pre-Write
  • L.A. Creatives
  • Living in Los Angeles
  • Most Popular Posts
  • Musings
  • Portfolio
  • Remote Work
  • Screenwriting
  • Screenwriting Lessons
  • Script Breakdown
  • Scripted Podcasts
  • Site News
  • Spy Films and TV Shows
  • TV Show Reviews
  • Uncategorized
  • Weekend Read
  • Who is Amy Suto?
  • Working in Hollywood
  • Writing
  • Writing for TV
  • Yoga for Writers

Tweeting into the Void

Tweets by AmyMSuto

Pages

  • About Amy Suto
  • Contact Me
  • EATEN ALIVE BY THE LOS ANGELES MILLENNIAL UNDERGROUND // A Multimedia Serialized Story by Amy Suto
  • Join My Newsletter
  • Most Popular Posts
  • Portfolio
  • Press, News Appearances, Talks

Tweeting Into the Void

Tweets by AmyMSuto

Recent Posts

  • So You Wanna Be a Great Writer/Artist/Musician: How to “Honor the Work” as a Creative
  • How Much Does Hiring a Memoir Ghostwriter Cost?
  • Quarantine Nomads: How Freelancers Can Live and Work Remotely — and Safely During COVID-19
  • Nobody is Going to Make Your Thing: The Cavalry Isn’t Coming and Other Hollywood Pep Talks
  • Get Help Becoming a Freelance Writer + Writing Your Novel/Screenplay/Whatever: Consultations + Writing Coaching Sessions Open!

Because I’m a Millennial

sutoscience

Amy Suto
Snippet from our shoot in the desert last year wit Snippet from our shoot in the desert last year with the badass @idaliavalles_ and @medwardsphx, can’t wait to eventually get back to filming projects again!

#Repost @idaliavalles_
・・・
A casual stroll in the desert 🏜 excerpt from @sutoscience projects 🎥 @medwardsphx
Happy NYE to all the people who saw my hair in var Happy NYE to all the people who saw my hair in various stages of disarray on Zoom this year!!! In 2020 I spent a lot of time running @kingdomofpavement, writing/producing @thelaststationpodcast, prepping @kingdomofink_writers for launch with the help of our incredible team, and I got to write some cool books with my amazing clients you’ll be able to read soon. Work aside, I also struggled a ton and worked a lot and dealt with all the existential dread we all went through. I would not be smiling and continuing to avoid my hairbrush without the love and support of the people around me, and I’m grateful to pieces. Here’s to another year of virtual meetings, moving our remote office to gorgeous new places, and pretending “windswept” is an accurate description of my bedhead.
In 2020, we were constantly faced with our own mor In 2020, we were constantly faced with our own mortality. If your life was taken away from you tomorrow, what would you do differently today? What would you change in yourself and the world around you? In reading this book about how different cultures around the world treat death so much differently than us, I also think our fear of death harms us. In thinking that we’re going to live forever, America pretends very real viruses don’t exist, and we don’t make the changes today that would lead to a better tomorrow. The fact that death is an inevitability is both freeing and a call to make the most of the time that we do have. Here’s to 2021 and the way in which we can make the most of it ✨
I'm doing a blog series heading into the new year I'm doing a blog series heading into the new year about building better habits and mental frameworks around our work as writers and creatives, and this first installment is about how to "honor the work" it takes to make great art. Check it out at AmySuto.com and I will one day also be updating my email newsletter before the end of this godforsaken year so if that's your jam feel free to sign-up!
Taking a yoga break in-between working on a key wr Taking a yoga break in-between working on a key writing project today— I’ve loved playing with standing balance flows lately because they help with focus. If you’re trying not to fall over it’s hard to have wandering thoughts 🙂 warrior 2 > triangle > half moon > crescent 🌙 lunge > warrior 3 > half chair > eagle > warrior 3 was one of my favorite challenge sequences I taught in my yoga classes pre-pandemic, and is a great way to quiet your mind even if you fall out of it like I did 🙃 one of my favorite yoga teachers used to tell me falling is just proof that we’re challenging ourselves. If we’re doing everything perfectly, we’re too far within our comfort zone.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#yoga #writing #movement #yogapractice #yogaflow #yogadaily #writing #scriptchat #nature wearing @alo #aloyoga
I’ve spent most of 2020 in cozy spaces reading w I’ve spent most of 2020 in cozy spaces reading with my cat, and there’s something satisfying in the simplicity of sifting through all these good books. My current read is “Women Who Run With Wolves,” a book analyzing mythology and feminine nature that’s deeply fascinating and a life-changing read. We don’t think about the wisdom we need to protect our creative nature and inner worlds, and this book goes into how to find restoration and strength even in our chaotic environment. A full list of all my favorite books from this year coming to my blog soon!
This is been a year of climbing mountains. Whether This is been a year of climbing mountains. Whether we’re forming a fictional folk band and need to get our album cover or creating new systems and structures from scratch, I couldn’t be more grateful for the people beside me as we build a kingdom that can pave a new road into Hollywood and storytelling. Every day I get to wake up and work on projects I love, help fascinating folks tell their stories, and try to make my corner of this world a little brighter. In 2021 I’m planning to keep upholding the standards and values I want in our work, and to bring some really special art to life. Even as things are burning, we can find a way to use the flames to show us the way to what’s next.
Enjoying the last few days of working remotely in Enjoying the last few days of working remotely in Palm Springs. It’s been a lovely month soaking up the last of the summer (fall?) sun while writing by the pool and transitioning to fire pit days. Working in inspiring places has helped me focus on the top-secret writing work I’m doing for really inspiring people, and think deeply about the right way to tell a story from all angles. Soon, back to LA, home for the holidays, and onto the next adventure as we try to make the most of our quarantine world with really exceptional people.
Lots of late nights writing, working, and drinking Lots of late nights writing, working, and drinking whiskey lately 🥃 it’s been a busy year, but I’m lucky to be working on projects I love.
Spent all of the past month living and working rem Spent all of the past month living and working remotely in the Colorado Rockies, and here’s what I learned:

1) Fresh air and long hikes can fix a lot
2) What can’t be fixed by 1 can be remedied with good friends and long conversations 
3) What can’t be fixed by 1 and 2 can be solved by renouncing all material possessions and just moving to the woods permanently and taking up whittling 
4) While I’m not quite at 3 just yet, I’m working on trying to carve out a place in the world that feels full of life and heart and community. It’s going to take a long time to build everything we’re working on, with a lot of hard decisions along the road. But I’m excited to keep making progress and creating stories I care about with talented folks.

Stay safe and here’s to hoping we’ll get our blue skies back in LA sometime soon 💙
The trees are changing like we all are; the season The trees are changing like we all are; the seasons of life we go through can either cultivate personal growth or personal fear and I’m hoping to always have the courage to choose the former.
Spent the past four days off-the-grid, driving to Spent the past four days off-the-grid, driving to Colorado and spending a night in a yurt in the middle of the Utah desert 🌵 now we’re in the woods and back in semi-civilization to write, quarantine together, and work on all the things.
This is easily one of the most influential books I This is easily one of the most influential books I’ve read this year: even if you haven’t dealt with trauma personally (and there’s different levels of trauma), you interact with people in your world who have — even if you don’t know it. Understanding how trauma affects the core of us on a cellular level is critical to understanding how the mental affects the physical. This book is also an important glimpse into why people behave badly: usually, there’s unresolved trauma at the heart of someone acting out. If everyone was more trauma-informed, we’d be able to make strides to solving the public health crisis at the heart of these traumatic incidents, and be in a better place to help provide healing modalities like yoga, therapy, and EMDR.
Going to the woods for a bit to work remotely and Going to the woods for a bit to work remotely and write and maybe take up an obscure hobby like whittling. Maybe I’ll build a cabin with my bare hands and just work on the land. Maybe I’ll finally finish my Next Great American Novel. I don’t know. All I know is that pine trees are cool and we have to be well-rested for the revolution 🌹
In episode 103, Holden is trapped in an abandoned In episode 103, Holden is trapped in an abandoned mine with no way out — with a monster that steals time and distorts the airwaves. Catch up on @thelaststationpodcast now! // THELASTSTATIONPODCAST.COM // trailer edited by @lizzskywalker ✨
So I'm not ~saying~ you should go illegally downlo So I'm not ~saying~ you should go illegally download CONDOR season 2 just to watch episode 206 that I co-wrote.... but if you do, I hope you enjoy :) This season isn't available in the US yet, but can't wait to share it legally once it is!
My co-producer and I at this morning’s awesome r My co-producer and I at this morning’s awesome recording session for @thelaststationpodcast episode 104, what a joyful few hours! Lots of talented folks in this ep, lots of chicken puns written by yours truly, and you’re not going to see the twist coming :) get your ears ready for some more sci-fi post-apocalyptic storytelling and sweet tunes ✨
Hey guys, the newest episode of @thelaststationpod Hey guys, the newest episode of @thelaststationpodcast is out, written by the amazing @bentelejack, and I’m just so fucking proud of our team on this one. If you ever wanted to hear what the inside of a nightmare sounds like — be our guest! 🚨 @sid_phoenix who plays Holden delivers an incredible performance — this episode is a breathless, tense experience and a one-man show at times as Holden is pursued by a monster that steals time and we experience flashbacks through a tape recorder. The incomparable @portiajamas brings her energy and charisma as Marina, trying to help Holden escape from her side of the airwaves. @linabean113 and @the_other_keanu are our amazing guest stars and bring the intrigue ✨ @mr_dejas and @it_groovy absolutely crushed it when it came to the sound design, editing, and mix/mastering of the episode and have heard from several friends already that they felt like the SFX was in the same room. Stephen Ptacek and Anthony Al-Rifi kill it with the original compositions and atmospheric music. If you like what we’re doing and want to support us, leave a review and subscribe on Apple podcasts, share our show, and consider becoming a patron! All the links and more at: TheLastStationPodcast.com 🎙
the only secret of the universe that I discovered the only secret of the universe that I discovered at the top of that mountain is that the universe is only a secret if you believe it is hiding something from you. otherwise, it’s just a new frontier waiting to be explored
When I started writing @thelaststationpodcast thre When I started writing @thelaststationpodcast three months ago, I wasn’t just writing a post-apocalyptic sci-fi radio drama about an indie music radio host and a cowboy braving the end of the world. I was — and still am! — using this scripted podcast as a way to explore the themes we’re all experiencing in quarantine: loss, missed connections, grieving the way the world once was, facing evils that feel so much greater than ourselves — and trying to find great music to carry us through. Not only do I get to play in this sandbox of finding hope at the end of the world, but I get to do it with the best people. The caliber of incredible talent on this project from our actors to our writing team to our guest musicians to our stellar editors and composers — it’s unreal. And it’s the beginning of an incredible journey: we’ve got 8 more episodes for you, and I can’t wait for you to experience each one. We’ll get through this together, and I can’t wait to introduce you to your new favorite creatives every step of the way through this story.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 AmySuto.com · All Rights Reserved.