# The Creative Mind

It was an act of opening my heart in rebellion against total social isolation. It began as a personal exercise, an uncensored lovefest only I would see.

I had to pause and think critically about how I’d gotten here, and where I wanted to go moving forward.

I took a pickaxe to the wall of the well and climbed out, slowly, to find the voice I always had but never listened to.

The only thing that “proved” I was an artist was my desire to make art—but was that enough?

It’s probably too much to ask for Hollywood to ever be a real meritocracy. Nowhere in society does there exist a “real” meritocracy. All we can do is try to make things better for ourselves and for each other ...

Without me even realizing, Emma Thompson had been guiding my ship the moment I put pen to paper. I couldn’t ask for a better teacher.

I look at myself, where I'm at in my career, what I've achieved (or not achieved) so far, and I groan.

So much of what you adore when you read or watch is the result of an author, screenwriter, actor, director, stepping out onto a limb and offering you more.

When you write something and present it to the world, it’s exciting. It might feel like a dream come true. But what they don’t tell you is that it’s also terrifying.

Life isn't promised to anyone.

Be careful to avoid binding your identity too closely to your pursuits.

If we get too attached to the goal—get an agent, sell this project—and forget that writing is allowed to be fun.

It’s true that some people are born with a natural loathing for screenwriting. But that doesn’t mean it’s unattainable for the rest of us.

It was time to grow. I could see it coming miles away, and I knew it wouldn’t be pleasant.

Unless you’re writing only for you, you need to keep the audience in mind. Especially if that audience is the gatekeeper to all your hopes and dreams.