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TV writer who eats danger for breakfast

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How Much Does Hiring a Memoir Ghostwriter Cost?

December 7, 2020 by Amy Suto Leave a Comment

Since COVID started, I’ve gotten an incredible amount of inquiries for my services as a memoir ghostwriter. I think that’s because, in part, we’ve all been faced with our own mortality in the face of a massive crisis. When we die, what gets left behind? Who will tell our stories? That’s where hiring a ghostwriter for your memoir comes in.

Bleak, pandemic-related realities aside, I think the art of memoir writing is quite beautiful. But it can also be tough to tackle the challenge on your own if you’re not a seasoned writer.

A memoir should be a way for you to leave a legacy, set the record straight, and also give your family a kind of heirloom that will allow future generations to get to know you and how cool you were. (My memoir is just going to be just printouts of my Spotify playlists so my ancestors can see how great and so very obscure my music taste was.)

Enter: a ghost. (And not the scary kind!)

How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Memoir Ghostwriter?

Whenever you’re hiring a freelance writer for something, there’s a few different things that come into play when it comes to cost:

[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Posts, Freelance Writing, Ghostwriting, Most Popular Posts, Remote Work

Quarantine Nomads: How Freelancers Can Live and Work Remotely — and Safely During COVID-19

November 18, 2020 by Amy Suto Leave a Comment

I spent most of this year quarantined in Los Angeles, sitting at the dinner table with my cat and Zooming with friends over cocktails and societal outrage for five whole months. I’ve taken COVID pretty seriously, seeing friends only for the occasional masked hike or social distanced hang. During those five months, I sanitized everything, avoided crowds, performed witchy rituals and offered sacrifices to the gods — y’know, everything the CDC has recommended.

But as a freelance writer who ghostwrites memoirs, I spend a lot of time in front of my computer writing and meeting with clients.

As August dragged on, my friend Kyle Cords and I got to the end of a marathon phone call and were like — what if we found people who wanted to quarantine together somewhere beautiful? And we could live and work somewhere outside of LA while we don’t have to be tied here?

So Kyle gave up his apartment, we roped in a group of friends, and we all got tested and escaped to the mountains, running away from fires and plagues.

Working Remotely in Winter Park, Colorado During COVID-19

the pond down the street from our cabin

Winter park in September was an absolute dream. When we arrived, everything around our cabin was green, and then throughout the month the leaves slowly changed.

Right when we arrived, Los Angeles also was literally on fire: between the protests, the forest fire, the heatwave, and the pandemic, the city was apocalyptic. That made us appreciate Colorado even more — and then it started snowing.

I would sit by this chair by the window, watching the snow softly fall in September as I wrote and worked on my projects and sorted through all the things on my plate.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Posts, Freelance Writing, Ghostwriting, Most Popular Posts, Remote Work, Who is Amy Suto?, Writing

Get Help Becoming a Freelance Writer + Writing Your Novel/Screenplay/Whatever: Consultations + Writing Coaching Sessions Open!

October 27, 2020 by Amy Suto Leave a Comment

In the past decade or so since I started this blog, I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with so many of you wonderful people about all things writing/creativity/the best coffeeshops in LA.

I’ll continue to share free advice and meanderings here, but I’m also adding a new offering, a 60-minute creative consultation at $90/hour where we can break down your goals and help you get there. Whether that goal is to break into freelance writing, TV writing, or to finish the novel you’ve been working on, I’m here to help.

I don’t like the phrase “writing coach” because that’s not really what I am — I’m a working writer and I like sharing what I’ve learned. That’s why I prefer the term “creative consultant,” but feel free to just call me Amy 🙂

Set up a time and let’s chat! Sessions start at $90/hour

Here are some of the things I’ve got experience in that I’ve been helping others with that I’d be happy to dive in with you:

  • Writing Career Advice. I’ve carved out a neat little niche for myself, and I’m able to ghostwrite memoirs for people all over the world and travel and work from home. I’m also a credited TV writer and created my own scripted podcast that got into the top-20 iTunes charts in six different countries. If any of those industries interest you, I’m happy to break down what’s worked for myself, my peers, and those whose careers I’ve studied, and get into the nuts and bolts of what it takes to build writing careers that last.
  • Writing Craft + Creativity Advice. I’ve been writing about the craft of writing since Day 1 on this blog, and I even gave a talk on creativity at USC! If you’re finding that you’re creatively in a rut, I’m here to help you rekindle your love of story and get inspired to do your best writing work.
  • Creative Organization/Company/Startup Advice. I’ve been building and leading creative organizations from scratch for the past six years. Whether that’s my creative media company Kingdom of Pavement, the work I’m doing within Orphanage Collective (which I can’t share as it’s proprietary), the freelancer agency I’m building called Kingdom of Ink, or any of the numerous sets and creative projects I’ve assembled — suffice to say, getting a team united around a common goal is something I’ve done quite a bit. The creative fields in particular require a more thoughtful construction when it comes to organizing a group of people, so I’m happy to lend any help in terms of strategizing how to build or strengthen your organization or creative team.

Anyways, that’s my spiel. Excited to continue to help y’all out on whatever you’re working on!

Filed Under: All Posts, Freelance Writing, Ghostwriting, Screenwriting, Who is Amy Suto?

My Freelance Writing Workflow: Billing, Invoicing, Contracts and More (How to Manage Your Freelance Writing Business)

October 5, 2020 by Amy Suto Leave a Comment

Like most freelance writers and people on the planet earth, I don’t really enjoy things like contracts, billing, invoicing, and all that jazz. If it was up to me, I’d spend my days frolicking through the forest writing poetry on tree bark and learning how to whittle tiny figurines of pandas.

Okay, to be honest I’d probably get tired of whittling and end up finding my way back to society, and starting a whittling business or something. As it turns out, even as I sometimes fantasize about escaping to the woods (as I did on a month long remote work trip to Colorado during these Plague Years) I do enjoy the parts of my job that include working with cool clients with fascinating stories.

Enter: reworking my billing and contracts workflow so as a freelance writer I can focus on what I do best (writing and whittling, obviously.)

The Best Billing and Invoicing Platforms for Freelance Writers

I remember the very first time when, years ago, a client asked me to send them an invoice for my work.

I turned to the good ol’ Google machine: “ummm… what’s an invoice?”

If you are in the same boat I was, dear reader, you’ll learn from said Google adventures that an invoice is simply a request for payment for services rendered, with your payment info on there so your client can mail you cold hard cash. Or a check. Or fax you a buried treasure map, whatever currency you’re working with, I don’t know what’s up in your life Dread Pirate Rodgers. I’m just a woman behind a keyboard, okay?

Anyways, the ways in which you approach billing and invoicing communicates how much of a professional you are. If your client asks you how you prefer to be paid and you just shrug and say, “cash is fine, feel free to use my dead drop location in the abandoned library,” then you might be a drug dealer with a very niche hiding spot.

If you’re not a drug dealer with caches of money all over town, you should probably figure out a more solid strategy for getting paid for your work, unless intrigue is part of your appeal I guess.

Throughout my career, I’ve moved around a bit to try a few different platforms, and each has its own pros and cons.

I started my freelance career on Upwork, which I love because it helps me find clients who might not have otherwise found me. Upwork is nice because it has a built-in billing and invoicing system — but you pay dearly for it (20% of your income, which ain’t monopoly money folks.) There’s also a delay in payments, two weeks for hourly and five days for fixed-rate.

As I started working with clients outside of Upwork, I began using a combination of Docusign and Paypal for my freelancing, but the problem with that is with recurring payments/long-term contracts, I’m not a fan of Paypal since you have to send invoices manually. Paypal also has a limit of money you can withdraw after a certain point, so it’s not great if you’re making a full-time living as a freelance writer and need to be able to process larger payments.

So, I’ve finally landed on my favorite invoicing and contract management software, HoneyBook. I love this platform for a few reasons:

  • I can store contracts and client documents all in one place. I can store client contracts, NDA’s, and other documents all in Honeybook, and my client and I can edit and sign contracts together to land on terms that make sense for us.
  • I can set up recurring payments and automatic billing with my clients. This is one of the things that’s made so much easier with long-term clients, as I can just set up recurring payments without having to remember to invoice every month.
  • It’s easy to use. It’s super intuitive and easy to use, and I feel much more organized rather than having to run around to multiple platforms to get things moving the way they should.
  • It integrates with Quickbooks and Calendly. I use Quickbooks for accounting and Calendly for scheduling meetings, and they all integrate with HoneyBook so I can see everything in one place like I have a very boring superpower, like an all-seeing eye but for my freelance work.

If you’re interested in giving Honebook a whirl, I have a 50% off coupon you can use via my affiliate link. If you do give it a try, I’d love to know what you think!

When Should Freelance Writers Get Accountants and Lawyers?

Since we’re talking money and legal things, I’ll touch on a question I get asked a lot by fellow freelancers: when and in what capacity should I hire an accountant and lawyer?

Answer: generally, as soon as you can.

Once you’re making even a part-time income off of freelancing, you’ve got tax obligations and other business things you’ll need to take care of. You can also write off a lot, and having an accountant to help advise you is critical for tax season at the very least, if not year-round.

Having an accountant handle your bookkeeping helps if you’ve got a lot going on, and I know that my brain melts when I look at spreadsheets so having support there helps a ton. The years I did my own bookkeeping and expenses tracking felt like I was in the Matrix and not in a good way and I probably spent a full month doing my taxes.

Math phobias aside, on the legal side you’ll need to consider getting a lawyer at the very least to help you draw up basic contracts you can use with clients. Generally, my clients ask for a basic agreement and an NDA, so you’ll want something similar depending on your work.

As you keep moving through your professional career as a freelancer, this stuff will start to fall into place, so take it one step at a time. Asking for help from people who do this for a living is worth the cost of avoiding tax pitfalls or legal mistakes.

Other Tips for Managing Your Freelance Writing Business

Since I like blog posts that go on to infinity like the outer reaches of the universe, I’ll drop a few more extra tips I’ve been thinking about in terms of managing the business side of your work as a freelance writer.

Here are some of my top tips:

  • Find ways to organize deadlines and manage clients. Different freelancers have different work setups. Some writers have a lot of short-term clients, others have fewer long-term clients. Figure out the best way to manage your clients and track and hit deadlines, especially if you’re in the former category.
  • Set weekly objectives. Setting weekly objectives can help you stay on-track and know exactly what you need to get done when. I find that my weeks tend to be a blend of administrative work (ugh) and writing work/client interfacing (which I love!) So I find myself needing to figure out which days I’m going to tackle what.
  • Protect your deep work days. I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again here: protect the days in which you do deep, uninterrupted work. The business side of your business can sometimes creep into days you’ve set aside to dig into your freelance writing work, and that’s not good. As a writer, you need full days to focus, and you need to push meetings and admin stuff out of those days and into their own days in order to protect your energy and focus. This is generally why I try and reserve meetings to only Tuesday and Thursday so I can spend Monday/Wednesday/Friday doing deep work for my clients. One of those days usually gets sacrificed to the Admin Gods, but I do my best to keep them completely uninterrupted so that I can do the work I’ve set out to do and deliver high-quality writing.
  • Find ways to reach potential new clients. Every time some marketing guru says “sales funnel” I want to throw up, so I’m not going to use that godforsaken jargon here. Instead, I’ll encourage you gently to find ways to authentically connect with new clients. For example, a lot of my clients found me via this blog (hey guys!) and that’s pretty nifty because you can see all my secrets and wordplay magic tricks and know exactly what kind of writer I am and how I collaborate with clients to deliver high-quality work. So if you’re a freelancer looking to grow your business, try and think about ways in which you can cultivate a presence on the World Wide Web that showcases who you are and what you like to write. For me, I love writing witty blog posts, complex memoirs, and TV/film/podcasts/literally anything in the entertainment space. You’ll find that all here on the good ol’ blog. That’s my “brand” I guess — well, that and artisanal coffee and dreams of becoming an infamous whittler. Yeah, I’m not letting that dream die yet, readers! My Siri is going to hear me typing about whittling and give me hunting knife ads for the rest of eternity, just you wait.

My last tip is one I’m doing right now: getting myself organized on a Sunday night. Before I start my week, I spend my Sunday cleaning, writing out my weekly objectives, saving pictures of Walden pond to a Pinterest board as I gaze longingly out at the Los Angeles smog, and prep for the week ahead.

So that’s it, that’s my spiel. If you’re reading this and are like, “damn that writer is organized, I want to work with her!” you can check out my freelance website at Sutoscience.com where myself and an elite cadre of awesome Avengers-like freelancers hang out and write cool stuff for equally cool people.

If you’re a fellow freelancer and you wanna say hi and shoot the shit, I’m always down to talk about cats on Twitter. Like, anything about cats. Also coffee, or if you’ve tried to go vegan and failed, that’s great let’s talk about it because man not eating cheese sucks and I will never go to that place again unless something goes terribly wrong in my life.

This blog has gone on for way too long and my clothes I put in the dryer are starting to wrinkle, so I’m going to go move them from the dryer to the couch where they will further wrinkle because it’s nearing midnight and I don’t feel like folding laundry. Maybe I’ll write a separate blog post instead about a more efficient laundry folding system, but until then:

Stay safe fam,

-Amy

Filed Under: All Posts, Freelance Writing, Ghostwriting, Most Popular Posts, Remote Work, Writing

How to Be a Freelance Writer During a Pandemic

July 5, 2020 by Amy Suto Leave a Comment

I feel like most of my blog posts these days begin with “hello everyone, remember this horrific world we in the United States are living through right now? Hopefully we can turn this chaos and mass tragedy of COVID-19 and the failings of our nation into something positive!”

And it’s hard, sometimes. I’m writing this on Fourth of July because… what else am I going to do? It feels like we’re in work mode all the time now, and I keep blocking off “rest days” that end up turning into work days anyways because… might as well I guess?

So, there is a method to my madness: if we’re going to be cooped up at home for the next however long, why not make the most of it? Why not save up for travel and exploration and the future? Why not work hard now so we can play later?

I say this as someone who enjoys the work I do (I’m working on writing an essay about how hustle culture can be toxic — more on that later!) and finding purpose in my work grounds me and helps me stay sane.

(I’m also gardening and reading books and watching way too much Shark Tank and Warrior Nun, so I’m not working ALL the time! Also Warrior Nun is a new Netflix series that is surprisingly delightful, go check it out. It’s very reminiscent of Buffy.)

Catholic superhero shows aside, I wanted to write this article to talk a little bit about the landscape of freelancing in the pandemic from my experiences in case you were looking to get started as a freelance writer or were looking for some new strategies in this uncertain time. Let’s go!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Posts, Freelance Writing

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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.

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High-End Freelance Writers’ Collective I Co-Founded

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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!



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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_
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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.
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#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.
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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_
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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.
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#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.
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