FROM THE DESK OF
Amy Suto
Hello! 👋 I’m Amy Suto, a published author and freelance memoir ghostwriter. Subscribe to my newsletter & writing job board here!
Writing in Hollywood: Should Men Tell Women's Stories?
Back in the day, I wrote a guide for men on how to write female characters.In a nutshell: like human beings. Complex, flawed, whole. Strong -- but also weak. A spectrum, just like male characters have been written about for decades in film and television.
How to Work with a Writing Partner (and not murder each other!)
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:
Working in Hollywood and the Cost of Ambition
In a whirlwind two months, I graduated from USC with a degree in screenwriting, won some shiny things from USC and from the Television Academy for the series I wrote and created, started full-time as an assistant to an awesome TV lit agent at Verve, and made some incredible new friends.
4 Ways to Find the Emotional Core of Your Story
When it comes to selling your scripts, the most powerful weapon you have is being able to make your audience feel something. Emotion will get you where structuring and formatting and perfect grammar alone cannot. That's why today's post is all about finding ways to connect with the emotional core of your story!
For Men: How to Write Female Characters
This post was originally intended to be a satirical comment on the state of female characters in screenplays written by men.But, ironically enough, after talking to a handful of male screenwriters, I realized that there is a legitimate, long-standing issue amongst male writers when it comes to writing female characters.I say this without judgment: some male writers just don’t know how to write female characters. Which is why I’m here to help!How Are Female and Male Characters Different?
7 Essential Habits for Writers
So "caffeine dependency" didn't make this list, but it's an important part of my creative process. Caffeine's great for productivity! Especially in latte form! Or any form, really!
8 Tips for a Successful Writing Marathon
In the novel writing community, word sprints and word wars are common practice, especially during National Novel Writing Month month of November. On forums and Twitter, novelists set word count goals and race other writers to that goal. One word war I participated in had a goal of 7,000 words within 24 hours.
4 Ways to Distance Yourself From Your Story
One rampant problem common amongst amateur writers is that they cannot take criticism. They are so close to their work, they cannot bear hearing anything but praise for what they've written, even if it isn't the truth.This tendency isn't completely their fault. The problem with writing as a career is that everything we write is a reflection of who we are.
