Why I Write The First Draft Before I Outline — Tony DuShane [FULL INTERVIEW]

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Film Courage: We want to start in a fun place today, Tony.

We’re hoping you can answer this question as many times as you’d like finishing the sentence:

“You know you’re a writer if…”

Tony DuShane, Writer/Podcaster/Teacher: Oh,

“You know you’re a writer if you’re scared of writing.”

Also if

You have Impostor Syndrome.

I feel like that’s part of the game.

Any writer who says that they don’t have Impostor Syndrome, I’m like, Oh, okay.

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And then usually I read their work and I’m like, Oh, yeah. It’s not so good.

There’s almost a formula to having that fear and then pushing through it.

I kind of feel what being a writer is.

And then just putting it on paper, which is vulnerable.

It’s vulnerable to put an idea on paper.

It’s vulnerable to rework it.

It’s vulnerable and insane and delusional sometimes to continue to do it for a year, two years, four years.

But then you do have something at the end and you can go,

Oh, okay. I think that worked.

Film Courage: So, writers, if they don’t have Impostor Syndrome, then they’re an impostor writer?

Tony: Maybe. I’m being very hard on people who don’t have Impostor Syndrome, probably because I have Impostor Syndrome. So, I want everybody to have it.

Film Courage: Sure. What’s the word, schadenfreude?

Tony: Danke.

Film Courage: Thank you. I think it’s the idea of taking pleasure in another person’s downfall, and I don’t mean to say this in this case, but when we see someone and we’re insecure and they say, Oh, no…I don’t have insecurity.

Tony: I’ve talked to writers who are really big and they are always insecure on that blank page.

But we just get to learn it.

It’s just like this feeling doesn’t go away and sometimes this feeling is even worse because now I’ve got to be better than what I did last time.

And so now the pressure is even more to put something together which is I feel like that’s an important part of the process.

I tell my students we have…(**Watch the video interview on YouTube here**).

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About:

Tony DuShane is the author of the semi-autobiographical novel Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk. He adapted the screenplay for director Eric Stoltz, and the film is now available on Amazon Prime.

His journalism and essays have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Mother Jones, Penthouse, The Believer, and other media outlets.

DuShane has hosted the author interview show Drinks with Tony since 2002. He teaches novel and screenwriting at UCLA Extension.

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About Film Courage: Est. in 2009, Film Courage features video interviews/podcasts from screenwriters, filmmakers, authors, and actors on the creative process. New videos daily at 5:00 p.m.