The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

Latest Episodes:

82 | Lorien McKenna On Trusting Her Inner Voice As A Creative & Writer Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

Actress, playwright, professor, intern, story manager, showrunner. Despite Lorien's multifaceted career, one theme has unified every role she's taken on: storytelling. What did Lorien do when her MFA professor she didn't have what it takes? She doubled down. More on that in the show...

Follow Quincey's Diabetes Journey Here!: https://www.youtube.com/c/Diabetes101

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81 | Why Character "Wants" Matter More Than Almost Anything Else Mar 24, 2022

Show notes

What is the most common note writers get? It almost ALWAYS relates to character "wants." Today, Meg and Lorien breakdown why character wants matter more than almost anything, how to incorporate them into your work, and why they'll help propel your story all to fade out.

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80 | How To Take Care Of Your “Writer Self” When You're Overwhelmed Mar 20, 2022

Show notes

Hey TSL Family! Lorien is BACK, and as you can imagine, our team had a lot to catch up on. As our conversation evolved, it seems the writing Gods were all pointing us toward the same thing: how to take care our writer selves when we're feeling overwhelmed. I (and so many in the Facebook group) feel grateful that Lorien has let us into the struggles of a brand new chapter in her life - more on that in the show - but truthfully, all three of us have been dealing with some serious lava lately. But within those discussions, we already realized that we have been discovering ways to work through it. Those methods have been helpful for us, and we hope they're helpful for you too.

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79 | Meg LeFauve's Nine Lives In Hollywood (Featuring A Special Guest!) Mar 05, 2022

Show notes

In today's very special episode, we interview one of Hollywood's most interesting, dynamic, and all around WONDERFUL industry veterans...Meg LeFauve!! And a VERY special guest joins in the fun...

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78 | Character Poles: A Simple but POWERFUL Way To Shape Your Characters Feb 17, 2022

Show notes

We've mentioned it many times on the show, so it's time we finally dive in; what exactly are character poles? Today is a masterclass from Meg, who dives into what she means when she says "character poles," how we can identify the concept using classics examples in staple films, and how we can apply it to our own work.

Also, Jeff went on an unhealthy tear about his Olympics obsession. To see the photos he referenced:

Nick Baumgartner and Omar Visintin:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u4YJjZlRplIObHub1dTysmWqEzWQNQHU/view?usp=sharing

Beijing's Big Air Hill: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hsK1vxqOsHYvlUDMndRlA_w9PxUVLorb/view?usp=sharing

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77 | Finding, Acquiring, and Keeping A Literary Manager w/ Charlie Gogolak Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

Writers always have tons of questions when it comes to representation - and who better to answer them than...Meg's manager! Charlie Gogolak has thrived in this business for decades, both as a manager and producer, and today, we ask the questions that both emerging and professional writers are dying to know.

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76 | How To GIVE Great Notes On Writing Feb 03, 2022

Show notes

Being a successful creative is all about give and take, and ANYONE who’s gotten feedback knows that paying it forward is an essential part of finding success in this business. But HOW do we give great notes? We dive into it today!

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75 | Finding Your Brand as a Writer w/ Manager Alison Mann Jan 31, 2022

Show notes

Whether or not we want to admit it, being seen and getting staffed is easier if we can tell others WHO we are as writers. Industry powerhouse Alison Mann believes this so strongly that she has her clients create "brand decks" when she pitches them for jobs. And for Alison, it's just as much for their potential partners as it is for her clients themselves.

After a long and impressive career working as a studio executive in animation, Alison Mann now works as the Talent Manager and Co-President of Fourth Wall Animation at Fourth Wall Management

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74 | Finding Self-Compassion For Your Writing...And YOURSELF w/ Dr. Kristin Neff Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

There are few jobs more mentally strenuous than that of a writer. Rejection. Writers block. Notes. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

But today, bestselling author and thought leader Dr. Kristin Neff - renowned for her decades of research - is here to teach us about the beauty and the POWER of self-compassion. It will fundamentally shift the way you see you execute your creative life!

PURCHASE KRISTIN'S BOOKS: https://self-compassion.org/store/

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73 | 6 Essential Tips for TV Writers Jan 16, 2022

Show notes

Hi All! We're BACK with another greatest hits episode featuring some of our industry's best television writers. Today, you'll hear from:

TSL TV Writers - best of

Javier Grillo-Marxuach (ep 46)

Sam Bain (ep 62)

Marti Noxon (ep 40)

Shantira Jackson and Dewayne Perkins (ep 69)

Sean Presant (ep 61)

Stacy Rukeyser (ep 60)