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

Nobody is Going to Make Your Thing: The Cavalry Isn’t Coming and Other Hollywood Pep Talks

November 6, 2020 by Amy Suto Leave a Comment

I get a lot of people who ask me how to get started in the industry, i.e. how to sell a script or something or get somebody to produce your idea or get a studio to buy your screenplay or make your podcast or whatever.

I’ll let you in on a secret:

Nobody is going to make your thing.

Unless you’re famous or get to take advantage of some sweet, sweet nepotism, people aren’t gonna make your film/show/podcast/interpretive dance show about aliens.

The Cavalry Isn’t Coming

Mark Duplass gave this incredible talk about how you need to make your own content, and how no gatekeepers are going to come and save you. We as creators need to find our own way in the world.

“There is no excuse for you to not be shooting $3 short films on your iPhone with your friends on the weekends.”

I really like this talk in part because it’s so universal. No matter if you’re wanting to get into indie filmmaking, TV writing, immersive theater, scripted podcasts, or whatever — you need to start by building, doing, and making.

There is no excuse to not be making things, even if those things are low-budget scripted podcasts or Zoom musicals.

How I Made My Own Stuff on Basically No Money While Working Multiple Jobs and Going to Classes

I’ve been writing, shooting, editing and producing my own work for as long as I can remember.

I made my first short films when I was gifted a tiny little DV Film camcorder thing in something like sixth or seventh grade. I cut together music videos with my brother and I, and was constantly writing scripts and coming up with stories that I would rope my friends into acting in.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Posts, Essays, Living in Los Angeles, Most Popular Posts, Screenwriting, Who is Amy Suto?, Working in Hollywood, Writing, Writing for TV

My Advice to 2020 Film School Graduates: Navigating the Post-COVID Entertainment Industry and Building a New Path

September 26, 2020 by Amy Suto 5 Comments

I’ve written a lot on my blog about traditional entrypoints for the industry, from surviving being an agency assistant to networking authentically to the difference between support staff positions in the writers’ room.

Now, I’m modifying my advice, in part because I don’t think the assistant route is a viable one for writers anymore.

Also, COVID has changed the industry forever, and we’re about to go through a great contraction and a burst of the TV bubble, not to mention all those movie theaters that will have to close.

The industry is changing, and so we as writers need to change our approach as well.

So, here’s my fresh and updated 2020 advice for new grads, homecooked from my experience.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Agency Life, All Posts, Living in Los Angeles, Most Popular Posts, Screenwriting, Working in Hollywood, Writing, Writing for TV

A Year of Writing: What I’ve Learned from Traveling, Writing for TV, Freelancing, & Ghostwriting Memoirs for People All Over the World

September 3, 2019 by Amy Suto 1 Comment

I’m on a rooftop bar in Paris, talking to an American who works in “security” in third world countries (read: definitely CIA) and an allegedly famous actor from Istanbul. The sun is setting, the actor is buying all of us shots, and we’re toasting to meeting new people and getting out of our comfort zones in the golden glow of the evening.

The next night, I find myself in an underground wine cellar in one of the oldest buildings in the city with fellow American tourists and expats along with a variety of other people from around the world.

Our host introduces himself and says, “I’m Belgian — we all can’t be perfect,” and continues to pepper in jokes as he serves us an endless amount of wine and cheese pairings that are perfect and surprising. We enter the cellar as strangers and leave as friends, getting another round of drinks on the sidewalk outside of the bar next door before we call it a night.

As I write this, I’m in Berlin. I’m taking a beat to reflect while waiting for my room to be ready at the next hostel I’m staying at, so I’d thought I’d write up this blog post in the meantime.

Through my traveling, freelancing, and writing, I’ve discovered the perfectly unpredictable lifestyle that I find works best for the journey of a writer. (This is also like a spiritual sequel to my last blog post, how to go on a research trip for your pilot.) Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned:

Writers Are the Original Digital Nomads

For the first two and a half years after I graduated from USC, I pretty much just kept my head down and worked assistant jobs and focused on writing new samples and growing my portfolio. I learned everything I could about the industry and the people in it, and then got my break with my first episode.

In those years, I was so laser-focused on climbing the ladder that I lost sight of everything else. That focus got me to where I am now, but now that I’ve had my first “break” and signed with managers and am getting meetings, I’m able to refocus my time onto living a life worth writing about.

Part of that is what I’m doing right now: traveling, meeting new people, and finding ways to experiment with the world around me each and every day.

The writers’ life has been romanticized since before laptop-toting “digital nomads” were a thing. From expats in Paris to writers hiding out in the woods, writing is an act that seems best done in an environment outside of the status quo.

i do love it when a new generation discovers that thoreau’s mom did his laundry while he lived in that cabin

— rachel syme (@rachsyme) August 29, 2019

Doesn’t help if your mom still does your laundry, either.

Writing Routines are Boring: Be Anti-Routine

Routines in general are overrated. I’ve spent most of my life trying to build routines — only to relish in breaking them.

That’s when I discovered that time management and being effective isn’t about rigid routines: it’s about prioritizing and balancing, sure, but it’s also about saying “fuck it” and booking a plane ticket or running off to the desert to shoot a sizzle reel or even just going for a hike in the middle of your day or getting lost in a used bookstore.

This bias towards action and spontaneity led me to read a book in a day and attend a lovely True Crime Book Club at the Last Bookstore which was delightful — both in the people I met there and the experience itself. It’s what brought me here, when about a week ago I didn’t have solid travel plans and ended up booking everything last minute.

The anti-routine is about setting fire to your calendar and making sure that the things that are important to you get scheduled, and the rest can land where it lands.

This advice won’t work for everyone (obviously.) This anti-routine approach also only works if you can motivate yourself to write in large chunks. I think this full-immersion, marathon-style approach to writing drafts is far better than the slowly-chip-away-at-it approach.

But if you’re type-A and a perfectionist like I am, too often we’re caught up in pleasing other people. This means we’re devoting more time to their priorities, not our own. When this happens, our dreams and projects get lost in the shuffle.

The best way to have your schedule be your own? Freelancing.

Freelancing: The Power of Being Your Own Boss

I’ve written articles in the past about a day in the life of the freelance writer and how I made my first $10,000 using Upwork.

I think both of those articles still hold up in terms of the advice that I would give new freelancers. What’s changed, though, is the aforementioned smoldering pile of routines. For me, I set deadlines on what I need to accomplish each week to serve my clients, I block out time to accomplish said work (with a little wiggle room to account for unexpected delays) and then try and leave the rest of my calendar blank.

Yep. That’s right. Blank. (Yeah, it’s scary for me, too.)

This comes in part from listening to Naval’s podcast (if you haven’t, go listen now.) I don’t feel like giving context for this right now and because I’m my own boss I don’t have to. (See? Being a freelancer is great!) Instead, I’m just going to direct you to listen to this Kingdom of Pavement podcast episode I recorded with my friend Dave Cassidy where we talk about some of the best advice we’ve received and also share the books and experiences that have been the most momentum-shifting for us.

Now that I’ve assigned you listening homework with *seemingly* no context whatsoever, I’m going to transition into the rest of this article. Once you give those podcasts a listen you’ll be like “wow Amy all this advice is great!” and I’ll be like “yeah aren’t you glad you just trusted me and listened to those podcast episodes that loosely but definitely related to that article I typed out whilst jetlagged?”

You know, I’m surprised you guys still read my blog. Aren’t you tired of this? Me, breaking the fourth wall? Barely proofreading my posts? Throwing in a cool picture from the Louvre as if it atones for the sins of my youth?

Louvre Drinking Game: Take a Shot Every Time You See a Painting Featuring a Woman With a Man’s Head On a Platter (there’s more than you think)

Anyways.

Back to that blank calendar. When you work for yourself, you can work intuitively.

That means, when you need to take a day off and it’s a Tuesday, you can take that day off and have a more productive Wednesday that makes up for the time you took off instead of slogging through a workday while burned out, thus burning yourself out even more.

This also means you can jet across the world and write lengthy, semi-coherent blog posts that should probably be multiple posts but whatever it’s fine and you know what you’ve only had four cups of coffee and almost missed your flight this morning because you overslept and your phone died — but all this is on your schedule, not somebody else’s! (Even if planes somehow missed the “your schedule” memo.)

Freelancing, of course, has its risks and pitfalls. That’s for another post, but basically I’m still learning how to be good at freelancing across so many mediums.

I would also count being a writer in Hollywood as freelance writing — because it is. You’re a writer, you’re working as an independent contractor mostly, and with rooms getting shorter orders, I’d even argue that those are more similar to long-term freelance gigs rather than “staff/employee” types of jobs like they used to be.

(If you’re on an overall deal that’s different, I suppose, but if you’re on an overall deal with a major studio and are still reading this… why? I’m not even being sarcastic, I’m genuinely curious. How did you find this blog? Why are you here? Why are any of us here? Hit me up and let’s get coffee and discuss some existential dread and how we can stop climate change through leveraging the power of Hollywood, okay?)

Freelancing for people outside of TV has also helped me get better at working within the business. I can meet deadlines when I’m under pressure, I can work quickly and set aside any self-doubt, and I get a nice ping of endorphins whenever my clients give me bonuses or praise my work.

I also have the confidence of being able to walk into a room and talk about my professional writing experience. This gives me a leg up because I’m not just some rando with dreams of running a show one day. I’m a working writer with interesting experiences and clients.

I think I’m going to put together a “freelance writing starter kit” or something for people wanting to do this thing. What do you think? Get @ me on Twitter (@AmyMSuto) and let me know what kinds of resources you want in it and maybe I’ll whip it up and post it on my blog. Cool? Cool.

Ghostwriting Memoirs and Content for People All Over the World

I’m going to wrap this thing up since it’s cold here in Berlin (why???) and I’m wearing shorts (also: why???) so I have to go get a coat and maybe a purse because I was dumb and thought that my laptop bag would be easy & fun to carry everywhere (I just… I just didn’t think any of this through, you guys)

Aside from learning a lot about traveling from being in airports every week for the last month (LAX is my second home now and the TSA agents are the equivalent of annoyed older people telling me to get off their lawn and put my laptop in its own separate bin), I’ve also learned a lot about my chosen niche.

On my Upwork profile, I break down why I’m the best writer out there for memoirs and narrative-driven ghostwriting work. I’ve gotten pretty good at calibrating my tone to match my client’s voice. I can dial up my saltiness and pop culture references for fun subscription service copy, or I can get sincere for moving memoirs. My storytelling work (and shootin’ the shit with you guys on this blog, I guess) have also given me a unique perspective and ability to generate content that stands out. (How many blogs have you read that continuously interrogate their readers?)

I’ve also gotten to travel a bit for my ghostwriting stuff, attending my clients’ family reunions or being flown out to visit them to commence work on a book.

This is really awesome work that changes day-by-day, and I can do it anywhere: from the airplane or from a mall in Berlin where I finally tracked down working wifi because cell service here sucks (thank you H&M free wifi!!)

Calibrate and Create

I really love the word “calibrate” and am going to keep using it. I especially like it for situations in which I’m rewriting something. I’m not “fixing” an arc, because that implies it was broken, but I’m “calibrating” it which implies a sense of fine-tuning.

Same goes with my lifestyle (and attempts to pack what I need for a trip.) Every season in life requires different things, so you have to calibrate your approach. Routines that worked for me yesterday get gasoline poured on them today because they no longer serve me.

It’s that reinvention that’s so key: we have to shed our limiting beliefs to get to that next level.

So keep calibrating, keep creating, and find more excuses to book a one-way ticket out of your comfort zone.

Filed Under: Adventures, All Posts, Freelance Writing, Ghostwriting, Most Popular Posts, Writing, Writing for TV

THE PRISONER (1967): Day 5 of 31 Days of Spy Films & Television

May 8, 2019 by Amy Suto 1 Comment

Welcome back, spy fans! This is day 5 of my non-consecutive blog series of the best spy shows and movies.

I feel like I’m running a book club over here, except it’s poorly organized, rarely updated, and I get emails from all of you asking if I know the definition of a “month.” (Math isn’t my strong suit. Neither is getting to all the TV I want to. I still haven’t seen the second season of Killing Eve, okay??? Nothing else matters until I catch up.)

I also launched a new arts publication spotlighting up-and-coming writers and artists in Los Angeles, and it’s called Kingdom of Pavement. So, I’ve been doing a thing or two in the meantime while I’m ignoring my calendar reminders to “update my blog.” Go check it out, for my first article I go pole dancing with writer Erika Flynn who’s reinventing the way strippers are portrayed on-screen.

Okay, now back to what I actually came here to write about:

You Haven’t Seen The Best Spy Thriller And You Need To

Chances are, you haven’t seen THE PRISONER, a 1967 surreal paranoid spy thriller that was a major inspiration for LOST. It follows a spy (Patrick McGoohan), who resigns — only to wake up in a weird town where he is given the name “Number Six.”

Everyone in the Village — especially Number Two, a villain who is a new character almost every episode — seem intent on figuring out why he resigned, and to extract his secrets and loyalties.

It’s unclear in the beginning whether or not these people are from his own agency or an enemy agency, but what is clear is that Number Six will do everything to try and escape.

Do yourself a favor and go watch this show (which is streaming on Amazon Prime) not only because it’s an exquisite spy show, but because the nuanced storytelling achieves so much on so many levels.

It’s also SO WEIRD, and even has a clear predecessor to the “smoke monster” from LOST: a gigantic white bouncy-ball/balloon thing that smothers people who try and escape.

RIP
[Read more…]

Filed Under: 31 Days of Spy Films and Shows, All Posts, Most Popular Posts, Spy Films and TV Shows, TV Show Reviews Tagged With: patrick mcgoohan, spy show, spy thrillers, the prisoner

I’m Hosting Writing Workshops in Los Angeles!

March 6, 2019 by Amy Suto Leave a Comment

It’s official — I’m partnering with AirBnb to host writing workshops on select Saturdays in Los Angeles this spring!

This space is this gorgeous coffeeshop in mid-city. We’ll be meeting in the back room, a beautiful light-filled studio known as MiMoDa Studio @ Paper or Plastik that was also used as a ballet studio where Natalie Portman trained for BLACK SWAN.

I’ve been wanting to teach writing workshops in Los Angeles for awhile, but haven’t had the time. At the beginning of this year, one of my resolutions was to create safe spaces and communities for writers out here — and I’m so glad to be able to do it now in one of my favorite places.

I’m limiting each workshop to small groups to keep it small and intimate. Admission includes a free latte or coffee drink, a TV writing workbook I’ve created specifically for this writing workshop, and an hour-long seminar/workshop in the studio space followed by a half-hour of one-on-one discussion and work in the main cafe area.

I wanted to create a workshop that is accessible to everyone and group-oriented. I’ll adjust the subject matter to who’s attending and the level of experience of the group, as well as what people want to learn. Then, I’ll open up the floor to you and your ideas. We’ll move pretty quickly — which is why we’ll then move to the main cafe area to finish up our discussion from 4-4:30pm as to make sure we have time for everybody’s ideas!

More info can be found on the event page — I’d love to see you there! Get at me on Twitter if you have any questions!

I’m also going to be teaching some yoga classes for writers later this spring. Get more info about upcoming yoga classes and more here!

Hope to meet you at one of my events!

Filed Under: All Posts, Screenwriting, Writing, Writing for TV

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »

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.