The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna 264 | Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind, I Am Legend, Star Trek): Turning Writing Into a Job (and a Life)
Sep 25, 2025
Akiva Goldsman, an Academy Award-winning screenwriter known for A Beautiful Mind and I Am Legend, shares invaluable insights on making writing a sustainable career. He emphasizes treating writing like a job with set hours to reduce anxiety. Akiva discusses the importance of knowing your story's ending, crafting first drafts as a form of seduction, and using dialogue that resonates emotionally. He also tackles the myth of writer's block, encouraging writers to keep producing. Plus, he reveals how to embed personal truth into adaptations.
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Took A Derby Rewrite Gig
- Akiva described taking a production rewrite 'derby' gig during a dry spell and committing to it.
- He now writes long days on that job and appreciates the limited emotional drain it requires.
Treat Writing Like A Job
- Treat writing like a job by setting fixed hours and stopping when the shift ends.
- Clocking out protects your life and prevents writing from becoming constant anxiety.
Mid-Draft Panic Is Part Of Process
- The collapse-of-belief moment mid-draft is normal and part of the creative process.
- If you persist through the chaos, the pieces will reform into a coherent story.
