520: Storytelling & Identity w/Whit Anderson (Part 2 of 3): Beating Writer's Block, Writing RomComs and Space Operas, and Female Representation in Hollywood

The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions

In this three-part series, Ethan sits down with his screenwriter friends to do a deep dive into the creative process, the power of storytelling, and how identity plays a role in both. In Episode 2, Ethan is joined by screenwriter Whit Anderson, known for her work on Daredevil, The Twilight Zone, and Ozark.

Whit and Ethan talk about, among other things:

• How a life-changing illness inspired one of her screenplays
• The cultural role that storytellers and screenwriters play
• Whit’s approach to writing, including the use of visuals and detailed outlines
• The challenges of working in a male-dominated industry
• And more

Content warning: In our conversation we talk briefly about suicidal ideation — both in the context of a movie Whit is working on but also in the context of the illness she experienced.

Whit Anderson has written both original and adapted content for HBO, Showtime, NBC, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Stars, Netflix, and Sky UK. She’s also worked on such shows as Daredevil, The Twilight Zone, and Ozark, as well as on screenplays for her original film Players, and the Netflix hit, Damsel. Most recently for Netflix she wrote a feature script for the epic space opera Empress and she’s currently in development with Paramount Studios, George Clooney’s company Smokehouse, Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap, and Jude Law’s Riff Raff, among others.

And, like Ethan, Whit studied Theater at Northwestern University.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

• 1:47 - When did Whit realize she was a storyteller?
• 3:48 - How has her storytelling shifted over the years?
• 5:56 - How has Whit’s identity and experiences influenced her writing?
• 11:30 - Where does “Whit” show up in her stories?
• 17:47 - How does Whit decide what to write about next?
• 22:00 - What is Whit’s writing process like?
• 23:14 - How does music influence Whit’s writing?
• 28:15 - What does a typical week look like when working on a project?
• 31:30 - How does Whit work through writer’s block or moments of feeling uninspired?
• 35:12 - What is something Whit wants to share about screenwriting?
• 47:58 - What has Whit learned about being a writer since starting?
• 56:00 - What change would Whit like to see in Hollywood?
• 1:05:01 - If Whit could do college again, what might she do differently?
• 1:09:23 - What upcoming projects is Whit excited to work on?
• 1:11:14 - Wrap up and closing thoughts

Resources:

• The Little Porch and a Dog
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub