The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

What does it take to bring one of television’s most beloved shows back to life while making it resonate with an entirely new generation?

This week on The Screenwriting Life, Lorien McKenna sits down with acclaimed writer, director, producer, and author Felicia Pride, the creative force behind Netflix’s Sequel of A Different World.

Felicia takes us inside the creative process of reimagining an iconic series, from developing the original pitch and selling it to Netflix to tackling the enormous challenge of writing a pilot that honors the past while establishing something entirely new...

You know what your story is about. You know why it matters to you. You might even have a deeply personal, emotionally powerful idea at its center. But here's the question: Do you actually have a plot?

This week on The Screenwriting Life, Meg LeFauve, Lorien McKenna, and Joe Forte dig into one of the most essential distinctions in storytelling: the difference between your lava, the emotional truth burning underneath your story, and your plot, the choices, actions, and obstacles that bring that truth to life.

Too often, writers mistake one for the...

Jessica Sharzer joins Meg and Lorien to give an in depth look into pitching. Not only does she get incredibly specific. Her generosity with her time and her ability to convey so succinctly and with such clarity throughout the episode is what makes her one of the best at pitching in the business.

Everything from loglines to decks to television vs. film and even answering your questions. This episode is one to replay again and again.

Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Today Joe Forte is join by fitness coach, Khatchig Chouljia for a very different way of attacking the writing process.

Coach Khatcho is s the founder and head coach of MindBodyFit, a private fitness and health coaching studio based in Glendale, California.

With his understanding of cognitive science, he brings a less is more approach to fitness. Joe and he dive into the 70 percent approach, and they dive into how Coach Khatcho's approach to fitness really is so similar to the writing process and all tips can easily apply to the page.

He...

Meg LeFauve is joined by fellow story junkie and world-leading expert in narrative and a winner of multiple awards, including BAFTAs and a Golden Globe, John Yorke. John's first book, Into the Woods: How Stories Work and Why We Tell Them

His newest release and follow up - Trip To The Moon: Understanding The True Power of Story shifts the focus from how fictional screenplays work to how storytelling shapes the real world.

This episode covers a wide range of topics from structure to theory and more.

Story Structure and...

Lorien McKenna is joined by TSL producer Alex Alcheh for a really exciting exercise.

Get out your pen and paper, make 4 quadrants and follow along.

Lorien asks specific questions about YOUR LIFE to unlock the depth a character should have. They discuss character introductions and how most have such little specificity.

Lorien highlights the import to ask questions of your own life so you can ask those questions about your characters.

And, she gives one additional exercise within the exercise - The Trader Joe's Test. <...

Meg LeFauve is joined by Simran Baidwan, former power house lawyer turned brilliant writer and executive producer of HBO's hit show, THE PITT. Simran's thorough and eloquent advice for emerging writers mixed with her raw and real honesty about why The Pitt's writers room is so special is such a gift. Simran speaks on how they build a season for The Pitt. What happens when an idea shifts the plot lines for the season, and how she attempts to see it as a writing opportunity rather than an "OH S*IT" moment. And so much more!

Betsy Beers is a stallwart producer of film and television having been the creative partner of Shonda Rhimes at Shondaland since its inception, shepherding every project the company has ever produced from Grey's Anatomy to Bridgerton.

Lorien, Meg and Betsy dive deep into what it really means to produce at a high level and even more importantly Betsy's specific style of producing which in her words means - doing whatever is needed to make the thing go and to make the writer feel most comfortable to do their best work.

<...

Act two is every emerging AND professional writers white whale. It is consistently the most challenging part of writing a screenplay and yet the most critical.

Lorien and Meg dive deep into how to approach Act Two, offering a piece by piece breakdown and expectation of what should occur in Act Two. Providing clear examples from some of the best films.

They also answer YOUR specific questions as well.

Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Jennifer L. Armentrout, the phenomenal New York Times Bestselling author of the Flesh and Fire Series, The Blood and Ash Series and so much more, dives deep with Lorien McKenna.

They discuss Jennifer's process and how she keeps such high concept sci/fi romance with so many worlds, timelines and characters afloat and fresh. They also talk through the challenges of the publishing world.

Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The Screenwriting Life is produced and edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Alcheh.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meg, Joe and Lorien have another round of The ULTIMATE Adventures In Screenwriting. Diving into their weeks which always leads to deep thoughts and important realizations.

The thesis for today's episode how to live in the mess. Not fear it, not try to rush through it but truly welcome it.

But, there is a time and place for that mess and that is on the page. They talk about the importance of clearing their email inbox, taking care of the "annoying" life things before sitting down to write and how that can...

Meg LeFauve is joined by co-showrunner of the hit Apple series, Margo's Got Money Troubles, Eva Anderson, to talk all things crafting one of the best series of the year.

She gives keen insight into her time on Your The Worst, where she really learned how to break a season. As well as what she learned from being a playwright and working in reality television.

Meg and Eva deep dive into what it's like to work with television giant, David E. Kelly, and how going against character expectation can be a major blessing.

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Lorien McKenna is joined by Co-Creator and showrunner of the hit Netflix Series Nemesis. Courtney talks about seeing her protagonists in ACTION, how she created worthy adversaries, and how the pilot really is the show. Courtney adores Shakespeare and highlights how season 6 of her first smash hit, Power is as she says "Richard The Third". A fabulous episode filled with incredible inspiration for new and emerging writers.

Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The Screenwriting Life is produced and edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Alcheh.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lorien McKenna and Joe Forte hop into the shop to get specific and about their work. Answering the question of multiple projects. How many projects are too many? How do they keep track of ideas and projects?

Does multiple projects mean writing only or can another art form feed your writing?

A beautifully insightful episode.

Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The Screenwriting Life is produced and edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Alcheh.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe sits down with Writer/Director/Producer Andrew Jay Cohen who is in the thick of post production on his latest directorial offering, Soapbox written by Max Barbakow and David Duchovny.

Before diving into the weeds with his directorial and post production process, Andrew gives insight on what he took from his time working alongside Judd Apatow for a number of years on films like Anchorman, 40 Year Old Virgin and more.

Andrew is incredibly honest about his perfectionist streak and the freedom that Apatow's approach to the script and production gave him.

He...

The Muppets are beyond iconic and have over 50 years of canon to draw from. Meg chats with showrunner of The Muppets Special, Albertina Rizzo & writer on the special, and returning guest, Kelly Younger, on their approach, execution, how they ran the writers room, and so much more.

They also dive into building sketch comedy, variety shows and Meg asks a few questions about the latest season of Jury Duty for Albertina and, Kelly is a fairy tale expert! So, a top 3 fairy tales for writers was needed.

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Mortal Kombat II is out in theaters this weekend!

Joe Forte chats with writer Jeremy Slater about taking on the second installment of an iconic video game turned film franchise.

With so many characters and plot points to navigate, fight sequences to think about and beyond, how does one put that on the page and keep it fresh and exciting for all involved and all who hope to enjoy it?

Jeremy provides a plethora of gems on the business and the craft in this thought provoking, action packed episode.

This week we have an old school Meg and Lorien dive deep into the life and world of screenwriting.

The day to day life stuff.

The bucket of S*it stuff.

The things that swirl in your head stuff.

And the, "I still have to write" stuff.

If you want to feel seen, heard, understood and connected to others and have a good laugh... this is the episode for you!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

Lorien and Meg have asked numerous guests the same important questions, What are the elements of a good scene?

You will hear different ideas from the industries best including:

Melissa Rosenberg (Dexter)

Derek Kolstad (John Wick)

Maggie Lane & Eric Jarboe (Hotel For The Holidays/Christmas Switch)

Dana Fox (Wicked)

Alex Woo & Erik Benson (In Your Dreams)

Chandler Baker (Oh.What.Fun.)

Jesse Andrews (Hoppers)

Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Epis...

TSL Workshops are one of the two tent poles of The Screenwriting life. Folks a part of the TSL Workshops community participate in two live zooms with Meg and Lorien per month.

One, a Q & A about anything and everything writing and the business and the other, a select few get picked each month to "pitch" their stories/scripts to Meg and Lorien. The two then dive deep with the writer, asking questions, pushing to get answers and give constructive feedback to bring the writers to the next level of their stories.

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With the industry in a contraction, writers are trying to figure out how to find steady work.

ENTER - VERTICALS!

Lorien is joined by writer and creator Shelby Farrell who has developed numerous features and verticals. She offers a premium program, Flipping The Screen, teaching writers to write for the new medium.

Shelby walks through the pros and cons of the space as well as the keys to writing a successful version of one.

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Lorien is joined by Maggie Gottlieb, Sean Presant & David F.M. Vaughn, colleagues and friends from the writers room of the Tabitha Brown led Youtube show, Tab Time.

They get real about the realities of networking in this business and what we should be focusing on: real, genuine connection. Making friends. Supporting each other. Lifting each other up.

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Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The Screenwriting Life is produced and edited b

On this edition of TSL, Meg and Lorien giving a wonderful mix of answers to some phenomenal listener questions, from detailed craft questions, to the business piece and everything in between.

What do you do with your script after you've written it?

How do you approach producers?

Animated vs. Live Action - How to decide?

How to get into the business if you don't live in a major market?

Mindset of a writer.

And so much more!

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Lorien is joined by founder of Parallax Audio, writer of audio fiction and television, Aaron Tracy.

Aaron is incredibly well spoken and clear on his process with both television and audio. They talk a bit about the differences and the similarities when it comes to putting both on the page.

Aaron debunks a lot of do's and don'ts when it comes to writing for the medium and he gives sage advice throughout.

Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Pixar's Hoppers writer, Jesse Andrews, joins Meg to dive into all things Pixar process.

They start with Jesse's intriguing journey into writing, from Art History in college to novels to adapting his novel (Me And Earl And The Dying Girl), to animation with his first film, Luca.

Then, they talk shop and craft through the lens of the recent fantastically hilarious, high concept, Hoppers.

Jesse's collaborative spirit is on full display throughout and really instills the reasoning behind why leaving ego at the door...

*BRIDGERTON SEASON 4 SPOILER WARNING*

Lorien is joined by the fabulous and uber talented showrunner/writer Jess Brownell. Jess has been showrunning Bridgerton for Shondaland/Netflix since season 3, but it took her quite a while to get a shot in a writers room.

Jess walks us through her journey to one of the most popular shows in television history. She then dives into the mechanics and nuances of how she and her team crafts a season, specifically for season 4 and Benedict falling in love with Sophie, the upstairs/downstairs piece, the homages to iconic love stories...

Joe Forte dives DEEP this week with the singular and brilliant Oscar nominated duo behind Sentimental Value, Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt.

The two discuss their unique partnership which started with a tremendous appreciation and equal love of film in their late teens.

Joachim and Eskil are so eager and gracious to give such insight into their process and what they believe to be the importance of craft and how they shape a script that leads to Joachim's direction; starting with character and themes instead of plot. Not painting...

An incredibly fun episode today! Lorien is in the host driver seat, chatting with Meg and her husband and writing partner Joe Forte about the art of collaboration and the process of writing with a partner.

They both share with great vulnerability their challenges with it, and their absolute love of working together. What did they learn from another couple who does the same? What tools have they picked up along the way during their 30 years of marriage? Could they have done this when they were younger? And so much more. A delightful exploration...

The fabulous duo behind Sing Sing and this years Oscar nominee, Train Dreams, Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley join TSL to talk about their inspiring partnership and the process of Train Dreams.

Greg and Clint give us a sense of their unique partnership; Who is the glass half full, how they decide who writes and directs and the intricacies of their writing process.

Joe Forte joins Meg on this episode to talk with Greg and Clint about the special film, Train Dreams, and all that went into the challenges...

Chandler Baker joins us to talk about her hilarious and heartfelt Christmas adventure, "Oh. What. Fun."

Chandler has worn many hats in her life. She walks us through her journey of being a lawyer turned New York Times Bestselling novelist, and now an acclaimed screenwriter.

To finish off the episode, Chandler reveals to Lorien her devout listenership to TSL!

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Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The Screenwriting Life is produced and edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Alcheh and audio engineered and mixed by ⁠⁠Urban Olsson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast

In this special craft supercut, we gather wisdom from recent guests on one essential question: how do you introduce a character?

From subtle entrances to defining first actions, writers including Sharon Horgan, George Saunders, Dana Fox, and Akiva Goldsman share how they think about character, voice, and point of view from the very first moment.

Featured writers:

IN YOUR DREAMS writer/directors Alex Woo and Erik Benson join us to talk about writing animated features - from storyboarding as a form of rewriting to building emotional stakes in fantastical worlds.

Alex and Erik break down collaboration in animation, adapting personal experiences for family storytelling, and why animated characters must be treated as real, complex people.

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Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠- use code HOLIDAY25 for 50% off your first month.

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Rian Johnson (KNIVES OUT, LOOPER, STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI) joins Meg for a deep craft conversation about balancing bold, high-concept ideas with intimate emotional storytelling.

Rian breaks down how character - not plot mechanics - is the engine behind mystery, world-building, and genre, from crafting unforgettable character introductions to using theme as a dramatic misdirection tool. They also explore how emotion drives high-concept rules, how to write suspects with clarity, and why outlining is essential when juggling complex narratives.

A masterclass in marrying big ideas with human stakes from one of today’s most di...

Noah Baumbach (MARRIAGE STORY, FRANCES HA) and Emily Mortimer (THE PURSUIT OF LOVE, DOLL & EM) join Lorien to talk about co-writing their new Netflix film JAY KELLY, from long conversations and false starts to discovering the emotional core of the story together.

They talk about writing without outlines, why not knowing is part of the job, how acting informs writing, and the surprising gift of having permission to be “whimsical, wrong, and brave” before locking a script into shape.

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Dana Fox (WICKED, WICKED: FOR GOOD) returns to talk about high-concept movie ideas and why the premise matters more than ever.

Dana breaks down what makes an idea market-ready, how to tell if a concept has real gas in the tank, and why emerging writers should focus on selling the idea before perfecting the execution.

She also reflects on writing WICKED as two films, crafting emotional payoff over time, and why - even at the highest level - writing never gets easier.

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As we close out 2025, we’re sharing a special supercut of our 2025 guests answering the Big Questions we ask every writer: What brings you the most joy when it comes to writing? What frustrates you about your writing? What advice would you give your younger self? And, new this year - What’s your proudest career moment to date?

An honest and inspiring supercut featuring voices from across film and TV, reflecting on why we write, what makes it hard, and what makes it all worth it.

Featured Guests:

00:00:24 - Clint Bentley (Episode 230)
00...

John August and Craig Mazin - hosts of the legendary Scriptnotes podcast - join us for a wide-ranging conversation inspired by their new book, Scriptnotes: A Book About Screenwriting and Things That Are Interesting to Screenwriters. 

We talk about why rigid structure can miss the point, how theme emerges from character, what fear and denial really look like on the page, and how writers can survive rejection without letting it define them. 

A candid, funny, and deeply reassuring conversation for writers at every stage.

A special thanks to Scriptnotes producer Drew Marquardt and edi...

In this episode, THE NAKED GUN writers Doug Mand and Dan Gregor take us inside the making of one of the boldest studio comedies in years. They break down how they approached structure in a spoof film, why emotional arcs matter just as much as jokes, and how committing fully to the stupidest ideas can sometimes be the smartest choice.

Doug and Dan talk candidly about fearlessness, rejection, impostor syndrome, and why every movie is a miracle. It’s ultimately a funny, honest, and deeply encouraging conversation about sustaining a creative life in comedy.

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This week we’re celebrating one of our favorite genres: holiday movies! 

Screenwriter Maggie Lane (HOTEL FOR THE HOLIDAYS) and producer Eric Jarboe (FALLING FOR CHRISTMAS, THE PRINCESS SWITCH) join us to pull back the curtain on how Christmas films are conceived, pitched, developed, budgeted, and shot - sometimes in as little as 13 days.

We dig into what networks actually want, how to craft a great rom-com holiday premise, what makes a title irresistible, how to build producible scripts, and why collaboration (and quick rewrites!) are everything. It’s a warm, funny, highly practical episode full of in...

In this episode, JOHN WICK creator Derek Kolstad joins us to break down how he crafts character-driven action on the page. Derek shares how he thinks about tone, rhythm, and world-building, why action is an extension of the hero’s journey, and the psychological tricks he uses to survive rewrites.

We also dig into his collaborations with actors like Keanu Reeves and Bob Odenkirk, his approach to adapting IP, and the creative habits that keep him excited to write "fade in."

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Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lo...