Interview with Sally B. Merlin
Interview by Jenna Glatzer

Sally Merlin is a writer, producer, editor, and script consultant.  Currently East Coast Editor for Scr(i)pt Magazine, and CEO for The Complete Screenplay & More and Prometheus Production, Inc.  Merlin has dedicated her life to helping writers achieve the respect, visibility and compensation they so richly deserve.

Merlin began a decade of teaching writers at UCLA in Los Angeles, where she co-founded The Diane Thomas Award.  After moving east, she continues to teach, and has been involved as a consultant on several films, novels and television series.

Currently she is working on two feature films for New Line Cinema, a series for ABC, a novel (Finding Civil) and the soon-to-be-published collection of her internationally-recognized “Merlin’s Musings.”

Both of your parents were involved in film and television; did they encourage your love of screenwriting?

Growing up in a home with two screenwriters was a challenge.  Living inside drama all the time made it difficult to distinguish between what was real and what was drama.  I don’t think they encouraged me to take this path – I think the path chose me.

Now you're teaching the craft of screenwriting.  How did you learn it yourself?

So much of what I know and what I teach comes from being a vigilant observer.  Sitting around the dinner table was always centered around talking out structure, dialogue, or a story my parents were working on.  I like to say that what I know is part of the fabric of who I am.  I love life, and all that comes with living it.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  Being a risk-taker has its down side, but I’ve always learned something new from the painful part of living, and sometimes there’s joy in just not knowing.

Let's say I'm a new screenwriter.  At what stage would it be most beneficial to hire a consultant like you?  While I'm working on my first script?  After I've finished a few?

I like to work with all screenwriters.  The newcomer always teaches me something fresh about the process of writing.  I am so humbled by anyone who can actually finish a script, I could never say ‘no’ to anyone.   I work with newcomers, mid-lifers... however, my client list is made up of mostly professionals, and people who’ve been doing it for a while.

What can a screenwriter expect from an evaluation from you?  Do you write notes within the manuscript, or is there a certain format to your written evaluation?

Because I started out as a screenwriter, I find being specific helps the writers find their way to a solution.  I always do page-by-page notes.  I have found that giving writers specific examples helps them to process each problem until they find a comfortable solution.  I don’t believe it’s my job to ever tell a writer what they should or shouldn’t be writing about, only to help them find answers and help them articulate their stories.

On your site, you say, "I support each artist in their quest to discover their authentic voice."  Can you explain to me how that works?

I believe each one of us carries a vast working knowledge of human behavior.  We are the sum of all our life experience.  I believe that if a writer can write from that wealth of knowledge, they will find a space that is comfortable and truly theirs and theirs alone.  To be authentic in our own skin requires courage – to write authentically means we’re willing to share that courage with others.

What are the most common mistakes you see new screenwriters make?

That’s simple – any writer who thinks this is easy.  I believe screenwriting takes true grit.  You have to be willing to work with other people in a process that is completely collaborative.  Most writers throw themselves into this thinking anyone can do it.  Writing for the screen insists on the writers ability to work with others; to be flexible, to be able to know what’s worth fighting for; and to know when to give an inch.  You’ve got to be an armadillo to make it, and to keep making it.

One of your clients wrote, "Sally teaches structure organically as derived from character."  What does this mean?

I believe story comes from character.  Therefore, to know your characters intimately is the work required to discover your story.  I find that the more work you do on your characters, the story will change and evolve based on what you’re willing to realize.  I absolutely believe that stories come from characters, not the other way around.  I have never seen a movie about a story – movies, for me, are about people.

You don't think screenwriters should move to Hollywood.  Why not?

I get a lot of flack about this subject.  Here’s my argument – you don’t need to live in LA to write anything.  You can live in Bali and someone will buy a great script.  However, once you do make it  - AND are working CONSISTENTLY, then I’d consider a move.  But, here’s the deal.  If they want you bad enough (and they will if your material captures their attention), they’ll fly you out to LA.  It’s a choice, but I’m convinced you don’t have to live there to be successful.

You've also mentioned that LA writers tend to write from a studio perspective, whereas who don't live in film hotbeds can ignore the trends of what's hot and what's not.  But is it wise to ignore what Hollywood is buying when setting out to write a new script?  Screenwriting is enough of an uphill battle as it is; I wonder if it's unnecessarily handicapping yourself if you choose to write a western, a period drama, a disease-of-the week television script, an "abused woman" script, etc., when these types of scripts rarely sell to Hollywood anymore.

I believe the writer has to pay attention to all the information that’s available.  A writer with knowledge is a powerful tool.  I’m speaking directly to being your own best advocate as a writer.  It pays to know who’s doing what, when and how.  I don’t believe in writing to the current trends, because they’ve already been thrown into the trash compactor.  Whatever’s in the theater’s now that’s eating up the box office is probably two years old or more.  So you have to develop a sort of foresight for what may be coming next.  Here’s an example.  I would suspect many writers are considering a musical based on the success of “Chicago,” etc.  Big mistake.  Musicals are cyclical – they come and go, BUT I would always encourage a writer to tackle a thriller, or a drama, or comedy, or even horror – they’ll always be looking for those genres.

You suggest that screenwriters write a 70 to 90-page bible of their scripts.  70 to 90 pages?  How does this bible differ from the script itself, and why is it necessary?

This 'bible' is a part of My Process.  It’s basically the first draft of the script, but written out of format.  We lay out each scene and its purpose (who, what happens, where, and what the purpose is).  What this is is simply an extension of the scene cards, which I find constraining.  When the writer completes the Scene Sheets (bible) they have written the first draft (structurally).  This allows them to actually enjoy writing the first draft, and I’m told it saves at least 1-2 rewrites at the back end. 

If you could give new screenwriters one piece of advice, what would it be?

I believe screenwriters are so hard on themselves.  Their expectations are huge, and I would suggest that they be gentle as they approach the medium.  Find little ways to build in a reward system – the road is long, and hard.  If they can go out with a script and tell themselves “the best news I can get from this experience is having someone enjoy the writing and ask to see more, then I’ve succeeded.”  That to me is the best news (realistically) a writer can get at any given time in their career – first timer or old pro.  That's the truth.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Only this – I encourage writers to write.  I would hate to wake up one morning and look over all my thoughts, dreams, and scrapes of ideas, and say, “if only...” So, write!  Write boldly, write often, and be patient, it takes time to make it all come together, just so...

Visit Sally's website at www.completescreenplay.com.

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