AFF AT HOME: SPARK YOUR STORY Q&A WITH WENDY CALHOUN

 If you could go back and tell yourself one thing when you were starting out, what would you say?

If I could tell my former self one thing, I would say be more patient. I often became frustrated with myself by fearing my writing process was too slow. As I matured, I began to realize that time wasn’t as important as quality. Rushing through scripts made my work less exciting and caused me to grow disappointed. Writing reminds me of a seed. It must be planted, nurtured, and given time to root and sprout. Just because it may take longer than I want to bear fruit doesn’t make it any less fruitful. Learning to be more patient helped me slow down to appreciate the process. Being patient helped me understand the craft, enjoy the practice, and get better results.

I’m an outline guy, typically what is the structure of say an hour-long TV drama? Acts? Blocks? Beats? Thanks!

Outlines are an essential and necessary step for me. Some TV series use outlines to prep production and will distribute them to multiple writers on staff to execute the first draft of a teleplay. Outlines are math equations. Most broadcast shows use a six-act structure. Cable and streaming shows often follow a teaser followed by four acts. Each show is different, but since most hour-long shows have scripts between 45-60 pages, it’s smart not to have more than 50 story beats. Each act is its own play. A character has a problem or challenge: the conflict. The conflict changes — forcing the character to approach dealing with it in a new way, and as a result as an unforeseen twist creates a new challenge – the act out, which promises more story to come.

Wendy Calhoun at Austin Film Festival in 2018

What does your writing schedule/routine look like?

My typical day starts before sunrise. I try to write fresh out of the dream state as the sun rises when the day is still quiet, and I’m alone with my imagination. That’s when the creative muse visits me. I try to take short 10-15 minutes breaks every couple of hours to stretch and rest my brain. Creativity needs break time. By mid-day, I’ve already spent many hours writing. If I’m working in a writer’s room, the bulk of the work happens from 10 AM – 6 PM. If I’m developing or on a lone assignment, I’ll take time mid-day to write emails, make calls, do research (Not just Google searches, take field trips!), and brainstorm on what I’d like to write the next morning. I spend evenings relaxing my family, catching up with friends, or networking. By 10 PM, I’m ready for bed. I meditate before I sleep. I usually do this 6 days a week. Writing isn’t my work. It’s my lifestyle.

What are your go-to ways of getting motivated when you don’t want to work on a project?

I think of unusual emotional moments for the project’s main characters. I jot down ideas about events from my personal life or fascinating stories about real people that could be useful. I love research, so often, I’ll educate myself about things I want to explore, which usually motivates me again. I grow bored with pitches or characters that feel too familiar. There isn’t much time to dive deep into new characters on episodic TV. We often get only one scene to introduce a vital guest role. I like to change the character’s gender or culture or backstory. This forces me to move beyond tropes and stereotypes. I imagine a new personality for that character to get my creative juices flowing again.

NASHVILLE – Episode “Someday You’ll Call My Name” with Hayden Panettiere and Charles Esten

When writing for Nashville, what type of research did you do to create a story?

The entire writing staff took group research trips to Nashville during the first two seasons. We’d spend a week touring the city, meeting songwriters, attending concerts, and behaving like locals. We went to the Bluebird, backstage at the Opry and the Ryman, met with the Mayor, and interviewed record executives and country music radio jockeys. We danced in clubs on Broadway, attended church, explored Music Row, dined in Germantown, and checked out East Nashville. When we returned to Los Angeles, we had contacts we called to ask questions while we developed stories. Many musicians stopped by our room to play music and share real experiences. The spirit of the city became a character in the show. This research encouraged us to be authentic.

Have you ever returned to a project after not working on it for a while, or do you just let it die?

I often recycle ideas. By the time I’ve finished a draft on a project, I’ve invested countless hours of research and rewriting. I let it rest, and then I tackle it again with a new approach. I focus on a different aspect of a lead character. I mine the idea for a different point of entry or point of view. I’m developing a series right now in a world that I’ve written about three times in the past five years. I’m becoming an expert in this world. There’s no way I will let it die. I also recycle by pitching characters or plotlines of dead projects on a show that is being produced. For example, I recently wrote a pilot that didn’t score a green light, but I shared parts of the story I developed with the PRODIGAL SON room. They repurposed my ideas, which became a major plotline for the show. It’s satisfying when an old idea finds newlife.

What’s the part of a script that usually feels the hardest for you? What’s the part that comes the most naturally?

The first act of any script is usually the hardest for me. The story climax comes more naturally. The highest point of action is the heart-pounding beat of the story. I enjoy thinking non-linear and working backward. I like to spend the most time brainstorming on the climax so that crafting the opening scenes are a little less painful.

Are there any creative exercises you utilize before starting a project?

I tackle simple tasks that I can accomplish. I reorganize a closet or drawer. I trash old files on my computer. I declutter my house Marie Kondo-style — which drives my family nuts! I garden. I make a pot of Texas chili. I take a long hike. I always go to a spa or take a hot bathbafter I finish a project. Then I usually spoil myself with a massage. I can’t explain why self-care refreshes my imagination, but it worksbevery time. Eventually, my family forgives me because the house is clean, I smell nice, and there’s Frito pie in the kitchen.

Have a question for a writer? Submit your questions for next week’s Virtual Q&A on Thursday 4/2 for AFF at Home: Character and join the conversation on social media with #AFFatHome.