S3 Ep21: Lucy Prebble, playwright and screenwriter
Jan 29, 2021
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Lucy Prebble, playwright and screenwriter, shares insights on Succession, relationships with actors, and quitting TV success. She highlights her writing process, the importance of dialogue, and the secret of writers' rooms. Lucy reflects on her journey from Secret Diary of a Call Girl, while encouraging support for independent bookshops
Tailoring characters to actors enhances performance by aligning traits with strengths.
Creating a focused workspace improves productivity and separates work from personal life.
Prioritizing emotional depth over cleverness in writing establishes deeper audience connections.
Deep dives
Tailoring Roles to Actors
Writing parts is compared to tailoring roles to actors, where the character's traits and strengths shape the role, similar to fitting a suit. This approach ensures that the character's portrayal aligns with the actor's abilities and enhances the performance.
Creating a Productive Writing Space
Lucy discusses her transition from writing at home to renting a small, focused workspace for increased productivity. The new environment helped combat procrastination and establish a clear boundary between work and personal life, leading to improved efficiency and output.
Reflecting on Writing Strategies
Lucy emphasizes the significance of evolving her writing style to prioritize emotional depth and resonance over mere cleverness. By focusing on creating emotional impact and engaging storytelling, she aims to connect with audiences on a more profound level.
Empowering Writing Choices Through Saying No
Lucy shares the pivotal decision to assertively decline certain projects to pave the way for self-initiated creative pursuits. By embracing risk and authoring projects aligned with her vision, she has achieved deeper satisfaction in her work and a stronger sense of creative direction.
Crafting Compelling Narratives
Through mastering narrative arcs and structural elements, Lucy exemplifies her progression as a writer by refining her storytelling skills. The ability to navigate complex narrative challenges and refine storylines underscores her growth and proficiency in constructing engaging narratives.
Season 3 is here! My first guest is Lucy Prebble, playwright of A Very Expensive Poison and Enron; showrunner of the Sky series I Hate Suzie; and part of Jesse Armstrong's writing team on the HBO drama Succession. Lucy lets us into the secrets of that writers' room, sheds light on the relationship between writers and actors, and reflects on what she learnt from quitting her first TV success, Secret Diary of a Call Girl.
To buy Lucy's plays, or any other books mentioned on In Writing, visit https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing – your purchases support independent booksellers (and this podcast).
This episode is sponsored by Papier. Listen out for a discount code for 15% off your first order.
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