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Change is always available

Change is always available

You might be more free than you're willing to believe

Enda Mac Nally
October 02, 2024 • Read it in: 4 minutes

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Change is always available

"Everything changes. You can make a fresh start with your final breath,"

- Bertolt Brecht

Writing alone mirrors depression

I’ve been rewatching Succession (about to start into Season 3), and revisiting interviews and profiles on the writers.

This insight came from an interview with playright Lucy Prebble, who had glowing things to say about her experience in the writers’ room- but her insight on the plight writing by yourself really stuck out to me:

“I had only ever written on my own before, which is a remarkably unstructured and depressing way of working.

You’re spending all your time on your own.

You’re ruminating heavily.

You’re criticising yourself.

Those three things are the major building blocks of depression and those things – whether you’re writing or you’re depressed – can be quite hard to tell apart.”

- Lucy Prebble

Boots are made for writing

Third screenwriting-related idea this week…

3 He was giving general writing advice, and said his top recommendation was to “get a really solid pair of walking boots…”

That might sound strange to anyone who’s never written a script before, but the small group in the workshop got it.

Much of the writing process doesn’t look like ‘writing’.

Feeling stuck?

Take a walk.

Things often have a way of working themselves out when you’re not at your desk.

💸 ‘Industry’ - Season 03 [TV SHOW]
This season felt a little uneven at times, but had plenty of highlights.

🚨 ‘First Two Seven Inches’ by Minor Threat [MUSIC]
I’m on a real punk and hardcore tear, and this is a current highlight.

🛶 ‘John Oliver is still working through the rage’ [PODCAST]
I’ve occasionally enjoyed clips of John Oliver’s show, but the irateness grates after a while. That said, this interview with him is fasntastic, and reveals how his team researches, develops and puts together the main segment of their show (a process that takes them 6 weeks…!).