Writers Group Therapy
Writers Group Therapy is a podcast by writers for writers. We cover timeless topics for writers on the craft, important issues related to the business of writing, and interviews with up-and-coming and established writers, agents, and other people who will appear in a writer's life at some point in their journey.
Episodes
In this session, we get in the game with David Stassen, Showrunner of Netflix’s hit sports themed comedy “Running Point” that stars Kate Hudson as the President of the LA Waves basketball team. David brings a history of sports television producing to the show, having worked as a producer on ESPN’s “Around the Horn” and “Rome is Burning”. David expanded his narrative experience joining “The Mindy Project” where he wrote, produced an...
We talk with award-winning playwright, screenwriter and author David Scott Hay about writing experimental speculative fiction and horror. From futuristic ("NSFW") to literally biblical (the upcoming "The Butcher of Nazareth"), David has a unique perspective on the genre and writing. As a screenwriter, David wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film “Hard Scrambled” that won Best Drama Feature at the Garden State Fi...
We talk with prolific Fantasy Romance author Nicolette Andrews about her writer’s journey, her inspirations, self publishing, marketing and live events. Nicolette is best known for twisty-turny romantic fantasy and angsty plots. When she’s not torturing her creations, she enjoys cooking, camping, and cozy videos games.
SHOW NOTES
- Nicolette on Goodreads
- Nicolette’s website: nicoletteandrews.com (<- Free book here!)
- Instagram: ht...
In this session, we talk about what we’re working on, and how we got those writing gigs, and what to look out for when looking for and taking gigs.
SHOW NOTES:
- Screen Writing Staffing: https://www.screenwritingstaffing.com
- InkTip: https://www.inktip.com
- ISA – International Screenwriters Association
- Get It Made – download the app and use PROMO CODE: WGT50 for 50% off the 30-day Trial
On this session, we have Randee Dawn, an author whose books and stories reflect her work as a journalist covering the music and entertainment industries. Her first novel was a pop-culture fantasy titled “Tune in Tomorrow” published in 2022 called a “wild ride” and “funny as hell” as it takes readers into a world of alternate reality TV. Her latest book “The Only Song Worth Singing” comes out in April and looks backstage at the musi...
Hollywood has always had gatekeepers, the people who say what films and shows get made. They have traditionally been the agents, talent/lit agencies and managers. Today, the go-it-alone filmmakers, streaming networks and social media content creator world have changed that dynamic. How do these changes manifested and what do they mean for writers?
SHOW NOTES: None this episode
We look at the latest trends in the industry and what we think 2025 holds for writers.
SHOW NOTES
This episode was recorded prior to the Los Angeles fires breaking out. We will address this disaster in a future episode when appropriate.
On this session of writers group therapy, we have Summer Shelton, many multi-hyphenate of the new drama film “You & I,” that she wrote, produced, edited and starred in. It is also her directorial debut. Summer has won many awards for her films and shorts and is the recipient of five fellowships including the Cannes Producing Fellowship and the Sundance Institutes Bingham ray Creative Producing Fellowship.
SHOW NOTES:
Ask a dozen writers how to write and you’ll get twelve different takes. Language and style are not set in stone. Words change meaning, conventions get overwritten by conventional wisdom. How do you stay current with proper style and formatting guidelines? We discuss!
SHOW NOTES:
Our 200th Episode! (And we totally forgot to say anything about it!?)
Writing your spec script is usually a solitary task and the notes you get, you can take or leave, but what is it like to write for someone else, with their own vision, style and story requirements? We discuss the ins & outs, pros and cons, and what are some tips to help when writing for someone else.
STORY NOTES:
This session we talk with Cyndi Brec, author of the YA Fantasy/Romance series “The Therans” on the upcoming launch of her first book “Secrets Beneath Scars.”
SHOW NOTES:
Evan Ari Kelman’s latest film, the elevated kidnapping thriller “Barron’s Cove,” premiered recently at the Hampton International Film Festival. The script was a semifinalist for the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowships and appeared on the Black List in 2021. Evan is also the CEO of ScriptGen, an AI company that creates tools for writers, designers, and producers to accelerate production and eliminate inefficiencies.
SHOW NOTES:
On this session of Writers Group Therapy we have with us New Zealand writer/director Christine Jeffs to talk about her new medical drama “A Mistake” starring Elizabeth Banks. Previously Christine directed Amy Adams and Emily Blunt in “Sunshine Cleaning,” and Gwyneth Paltrow in “Sylvia.”
SHOW NOTES:
On Writers Group Therapy, I am joined by the Award-winning author and journalist Alex Temblador to talk about her recently release ground-breaking book “Writing an Identity Not Your Own: A Guide for Creative Writers.” Alex received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Oklahoma and has taught creative writing seminars, workshops and classes with the Women’s Fiction Association, WritingWorkshops.com and the Wri...
This summer, AI-related disruptions left the entertainment industry reeling. From video game devs and VO artists strikes over unregulated AI use to protests at Warner Bros. Studios, it's clear that the rapid advancements in AI technology are causing major waves. In this episode, we explore the relationship between AI innovation and human creativity, and ask the question: can these two forces coexist in the world of storytelling...
In this session of Writers Group Therapy we discuss Netflix’s visually stunning and narratively compelling“Our Living World” with award winning producer and show runner Ben Roy. Ben has worked across many genres and platforms, creating content for Channel 4, the BBC, PBS and Animal Planet. He has produced adventure and wildlife shows for Discovery, National Geographic and Smithsonian channels.
SHOW NOTES:
In this session of Writers Group Therapy, we have with us Lauren Pomerantz, the writer of the new comedy feature “Am I Okay?" that streams on Max starting June 6th. Lauren has previously written for TV on The Ellen DeGenes Show, Saturday Night Live and Community. She brings her comedy chops to “Am I Okay,” which debuted at Sundance in 2022 and stars Dokota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno.
SHOW NOTES:
In this session, our guest this session is screenwriter and screenwriting teacher Tom Vaughn. Tom teaches screenwriting at The University of Houston, his alma mater, and online, he offers tons of free writing advice online through his daily posts on X and his weekly Story and Plot newsletter, which has nearly 5000 subscribers. SHOW NOTES: Storyandplot.com On IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1129343 Follow on Twitter: https://twi...
In this session of Writers Group Therapy, we are talking with Brett Wagner, the writer and director of The Big Bend, a thriller borne out of an experience he had with his own family in the deep desert of west Texas. His award winning shorts “Chief” and “Care” appeared at Sundance, the LA International Short Film Festival and received a BAFTA award of excellence, and qualified for the Academy Awards.
SHOW NOTES;
- Trailer: https...
In this session, horror fans will be excited to hear from The First Omen screenwriting team of Arkasha Stevenson and Tim Smith who also directed and produced the film respectively. We discuss their passion for the original that drove their process in creating a terrifying prequel to the Richard Donner classic.
Arkasha and Tim are a team who have written and produced projects for AMC, Hulu, Netflix, SyFy and Amazon including Channel...
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