Hello! 👋 I’m Amy Suto, a published author and freelance memoir ghostwriter. Subscribe to my newsletter & writing job board here!
PORTFOLIO
WORKING IN HOLLYWOOD
Hollywood is dead. But that’s a good thing! Welcome to the Creator Economy. In this post I’ll share with you how to make money traveling the world and making your art.
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.
WRITING
Want to write a great memoir or nonfiction book? Everything starts with a great outline! Here are the 3 steps you need to follow to outline your book effectively, and why an outline is a critical part of your book writing process.
Here’s my process for how I ghostwrite memoirs and nonfiction books as a memoir ghostwriter! If you’re looking for a freelance ghostwriter or editor for your book, read on to learn about my story-based approach.
Great writing grows businesses and changes careers. That’s why some of the most successful people invest heavily in blogs, books, email newsletters, and social media feeds. They don’t underestimate how great writing can transform their life and careers and open doors they never knew existed.
CREATIVE SCREENWRITING
If you think I'm writing these blog posts in part so I can spend my mornings browsing aesthetically pleasing photos of coffee and desks and people writing in dramatic lighting, you'd be 100% right. Also, it's January, so I'm on that Self Development Kick that we all get when advertisers are hammering into our minds how we can be better, and our new years' resolutions haven't faded from our minds for the next 11 months.
I work Hollywood hours. Up at 5am or 6am to write (depending on the project I'm working on), out the door by 8am, at my agency by 8:30am, and back home by 8pm if I'm lucky (if I have networking drinks, make that 10pm.)
Welcome to the latest and greatest installment in my Creative Screenwriting article series!As always, this post is about optimizing your creativity through improving your writing process, and you'll find practical tips intermixed with creativity studies when relevant.
WRITING FOR TV
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'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.
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.
HOW TO PRODUCE A PODCAST
In this interview with creator Kyle Cords, read all about the scripted podcast The Horror at Martin’s Beach which is an adaptation of an HP Lovecraft short story by the same name.
We're all about scripted podcasts here on the ol' blog nowadays! If you missed my post about how to write a scripted podcast, I'd recommend starting there. After all, there is no scripted podcast without a script!
We're living in extraordinary times, from the pandemic to the incredible revolution sparked by the Black Lives Matter movement. It's a reminder to all storytellers that we need to support the kinds of stories that reflect the reality we live in: that cop shows have glorified cops for far too long, that we haven't been questioning underlying structures of our world in the way that we need to in order to create dangerously and be good allies.
FREELANCING
Want to grow your freelance writing business? Here are 3 growth tips tied to the idea of kickstarting your “freelancing flywheel.”
How much should you charge as a freelance writer? Learn how to set your hourly rate in this article.
Want to land more great jobs as a freelance writer? Ace your client interviews with my 5 interview tips for freelance writers!
HOW TO CREATE A WEB SERIES
The past seven days have been a whirlwind of press and exciting events to celebrate Antidote 15's season two and all the amazing people who are the lifeblood of the show. On Friday, Antidote 15 screened in the Charlie Chaplin theater at Raleigh Studios, and I was able to talk on a panel about the inspiration for the show, and why ex-boyfriends, deadlines, and drinking things you're not supposed to be are common college struggles.
Today after the 10am staff meeting for Orientation I hibernated in my apartment and attempted to catch up on sleep, but then quickly realized that wasn't going to happen and I was better off catching up on work.For the past few months I've been in pre-production for season two of my web series, Antidote 15, which has (happily) been my life since December 2013.
Here are some major points you need to think about when marketing your web series that I learned from marketing my thriller web series, Antidote 15.
Are you an agency assistant? Do you want to be a writer? Quit your job. Now. Seriously. There’s a better way that will also make you 10x more money so you can make your art instead.