I moved to LA to write comedy (x years ago) and was scared out of doing so.

A fuck-it thread, in case this interests literally anyone... (1/10)

I had no idea what I wanted to do in college, but I found that I was most successful in my comedy writing classes. The first time I got a laugh it felt like flying. The first time a *meaningful* joke got a laugh, I thought I could change the fucking world. (2/10)

I was lucky enough to get a few assistant gigs in tv drama, and was shocked by the cruelty of the writers rooms. (Particular to a couple shows) #notallrooms
I was told MANY times that I needed to grow a thicker skin *especially* if I wanted to write comedy. (3/10)

Noting the popular comedies at the time, I took that advice. I pivoted to drama and I worked on some great shows, got better at writing, and of course, tried to hold back my feelings. (4/10)

Cause, you see (tangent alert) I’m a cryer. Big time. I well up at the slightest bump in the mood. My family, friends, therapists have all had a hard time with it. I have done a lot of work to tamp it down, toughen up, thicken my skin. (5/10)

But, here it fucking is, folks: I *like* my thin skin. It keeps me honest.

Being “too sensitive” helps me confront pain instead of burying it deep.

And it makes me a better writer. (6/10)

Being affected - deeply affected - helps me create and understand emotional arcs. It also helps me write jokes! If more comedies were open to having emotionally honest writers rooms, it’d inspire a lot more Ted Lassos.

You know what doesn’t inspire anything? Cruelty. (7/10)

Know what cruelty, bullying, abuse, whatever you want to call it, does?

It keeps people out.

(8/10)

Now, I’m just talking from the POV of a too-sensitive person.

That doesn’t even scratch the surface of who gets hurt in writers rooms. Add race, disabilities, sex, gender, class, age, etc. & it’s really easy to see why “you need a thicker skin” is bad fucked up advice. (9/10)

If we’re saying representation matters - and we’re fucking *screaming* it - we have to stop this bullying shit in our writers rooms.

Let’s not lose out on more voices because new writers are staying out for their own self preservation.

We’ve already lost out on too many.

/