Working in Hollywood

A Writers’ Life in 2018: Novel Writing, Freelancing, First Episode of Television

December 3, 2018 by Amy Suto Leave a Comment

It’s December! You know what that means: a lengthy reflection on the year that’s passed, with all the ups and downs and status on my impending carpal tunnel!

Amy’s Best Posts of 2018

Before I dive into the shape of this year and what I’ve been up to, here are some of my top posts of 2018. You can always look in my Most Popular Posts section for an overview of the content I care about.

I didn’t blog a ton this year, because it’s been a crazy year of beginnings, endings, and adapting to new jobs and writing projects.

It was a year of learning new skills (like how to make money as a freelance writer on Upwork) and engaging with my creativity and self-reflection on a deeper level than I’ve done in the past.

Wins and Co-Writing My First Episode of Television

One of the biggest wins of 2018 is getting the opportunity to work in the writers’ rooms of one of my favorite shows, and being able to co-write an episode. (I’m! So! Excited!)

As a policy, I don’t blog about the writers’ rooms I’m a part of in detail because I want to protect the safe space that is that bubble of creativity and its inhabitants. But I will say that everyone who works on CONDOR is a talented writer and truly amazing person. From the top down, it’s a great, supportive environment I wish every writers’ room had. This is the second room I’ve worked in that I feel this way, and I’m very lucky to have had such positive experiences so far.

Other wins this year include:

Being commissioned by an art magazine to write a short story collection (which will be my first set of published prose!)
Learning how to do freelance work when I’m on hiatus in order to pay bills.
Trying new forms of storytelling (like immersive theater and narrative podcasting!) and learning more about these mediums.
Wrote 3 pilots (2 of which were co-written with my writing partner Eric Reese and placed in several competitions and made it into the second round at AFF), a spec episode, several short stories, a small book of poetry, a podcast episode, and am in the home stretch of a novel.
Learning how to be better and mindfulness and de-stressing in a big way.

It’s been a record year of accomplishments, but I think my biggest win was really retooling my mindset and where I’m coming from and being grateful for everything I have and the incredible people in my life.

Oh, and doing Scary Things and having Hard Conversations.

Doing Scary Things in 2018

“A person’s success in life can be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.”
Tim Ferriss

I started 2018 in a low place. I was at the wrong job, in the wrong relationship (with a good person who just wasn’t the right match), and I wasn’t confronting either of those things. It took two months of slow realization of these facts and the decision to make tough changes and have tough conversations to move on to a transformational summer.

In this industry, especially as a woman, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of not wanting to upset people and remain agreeable no matter what. To not cause waves, to just accumulate allies and fear of creating any enemies.

And yes, that ‘quitting my job’ conversation in March went badly. Even though I ended up leaving for something that would benefit my career and was a no-brainer to take, I felt awful about the decision, despite being the right one to make.

I was a nervous wreck before that hard conversation. But both me and the people I was working for were better off because I left — an unhappy employee isn’t going to become happy overnight just because they decide to or are implored to stick it out — and that hard conversation was beneficial for everybody despite being a negative experience.

Same in my personal relationships. I’ve had some hard conversations that have been tough in the moment but ended up better in the long run. Some went better than others. I’m still learning.

That’s the trick, though: it’s these hard or uncomfortable conversations that make us grow. As writers, it’s important that we learn how to be vulnerable, how to communicate, how to be honestly introspective.

Without getting too much in the personal, here, I’ll just say that the rollercoaster from March to now was something that led to adventures, connections, and realizations that have changed me as a person and a writer. It’s because of these hard conversations and decisions that I’m here, and I’m better for it.

There’s a reason why openness to experience is one of the indicators of a creative person: it’s almost impossible to foster creativity if you’re living within the confines of your comfort zone.

If you’re a writer, I challenge you to keep finding ways to have new experiences, meet new people, and explore new ideas.

Onwards to 2019

It’s important for us writers to keep pushing the boundaries of our work in order to write and live authentically.

So, in 2019, I want to continue sharing my stories in new formats (plays! more short stories! narrative podcast!) as well as continuing to write for television so that I can one day run my own show. I’m also going to start sharing some of my short fiction on here more often as well instead of letting it just hang out on my hard drive until I can find a place for it.

Also — I want to thank you all for reading my posts and sending me emails. I love hearing from readers, and it’s nice to know all the yelling I’m doing into the void actually does have an impact on you all. So thank you, and don’t be a stranger!

What about you? What are your writing goals for this year? Share below in the comments, or get at me on Twitter!

What Nobody in Film School Tells You About Getting a Job After You Graduate

March 22, 2018 by Amy Suto 2 Comments

There are a lot of Things They Don’t Tell You in film school about getting a job after you graduate — and mostly that’s because your professors and advisors don’t know what the current conditions of the film and television job market are, and what jobs aspiring writers, directors, etc. should actually pursue.

I loved my experience at USC’s screenwriting program because it helped me hone my craft, but what they don’t really tell you is how to get from student to Real Life Working Writer — something my graduating class and I are still figuring out, but we’re far more aware of what the trenches are like now that we’re in them.

Here’s what I wish someone would have told me when I started film school:

1. Who you know is important, but not as important as finding your voice as a creator.

At USC, the constant career refrain is: get an internship! Literally any internship! Network and learn! Every time I meet with a current student, the first thing they ask me about is what internships should they get/how many/paid vs. unpaid.

What they don’t tell you: yes, networking is important, but there’s plenty of time for that in your senior year and beyond, and what’s more important is that you’re devoting as much time as possible to your craft as you can.

Networking won’t help you if you don’t have solid creative work — and awards to show for it, if possible. You will literally never be in an environment like you are now, encouraged to focus only on your writing and filmmaking.

Spend your first three years cultivating your writing, seeking out interesting experiences, and reading as widely as possible. This will make you a better artist and creator, and now’s the time to give it your full attention.

2. Being a Hollywood assistant is like being an apprentice.

You spend four years in film school being groomed for the job you actually want to do: writing, directing, cinematography, etc. When you graduate, it feels natural to expect that you can do just that. However, there’s still a gap and a learning curve pretty much everyone has to go through at some point in the beginning of their careers, even if you’re able to jump straight to the job you want. There are dues everybody has to pay — in one way or another.

What they don’t tell you: especially if you’re a writer looking to break into TV, you HAVE to go the assistant route — at least at first. Nobody tells you the benefits of working as a writers’ assistant, showrunners’ assistant, writers’ PA — and what these jobs are and how to get them (check out my article detailing just that.)

These jobs are not only stepping stones, but they provide actual connections (unlike temporary internships) and knowledge that will help you be better at the job you want to do down the line. Think of yourself as an apprentice instead of an errand runner, soaking in knowledge when you can and constantly working on your own craft on the side. [Read more…]

How to Work with a Writing Partner (and not murder each other!)

October 31, 2017 by Amy Suto 1 Comment

It’s a Friday and I’m going to meet up with another writer at his office like I do almost every Friday, mainly because I want to steal all of the butterscotch from the reception candy bowl (I’m not twelve, I promise you). I’m carrying a container of the very real, very ridiculous pizza flavored nuts brand Dee’s Nuts — I kid you not — that is integral to our plot. Okay, maybe not integral but like there is a sophisticated, layered inside joke throughout the script about this container of nuts and our main character just happens to be nicknamed Dee (like I said, I’m not twelve.)

We’re working on a pilot that, if you’ve had drinks with me in the past three months, you’ve probably heard me pitch to you in the same breathless tone of voice that I get when I describe why I love Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. (But don’t talk to me about any of the sequels. Just don’t.)

I’ve written some of my favorite projects with others: Jen Enfield-Kane and I wrote and were co-showrunners on CON at USC. Noah Suarez-Sikes and I have had a litany of never-produced yet incredibly lovely writing projects that we’ve worked on together (and hopefully will have another soon!) I’m working with Sandy Valles (an actress known for her role in CON oh and also QUEEN OF THE SOUTH) on a pitch based on an awesome idea her and her brother came up with.

I love television writing in part because of how collaborative it is: you get to play make-believe with other talented creatives. Together, you make something cool that people will hopefully turn into GIFs and needlessly complex Fanfiction for years to come.

However, this doesn’t mean that the writing process is a dream. Writing with a partner or in a television room means there are a lot of different perspectives and approaches to story — which can be great at certain times and a roadblocks at others!

So if you’re starting in a television writers’ room or are about to embark on writing a script with a writing partner, here are some things you should keep in mind so that you get along with other creatives and homicide stays on the page: [Read more…]

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