From Combat to Creativity: Yousif Nash's Experiences with the Veterans Writing Project and the Writers' Access Support Staff Training Program

Photo courtesy of Yousif Nash.

Yousif Nash is a Las Vegas native, former United States Air Force officer, and science fiction writer, who is an alumnus of both the Veterans Writing Project and the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program. After his time in the programs, Nash worked as the script coordinator for a 20th Television show and as the writers’ assistant for an Amazon show.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your journey as a writer?  

I’m from Las Vegas. My parents came from Iraq around ’97 or ’98. I’ve always been interested in storytelling. Growing up, my parents always talked about what life was like in Iraq before and after Saddam Hussein. Before, it was this huge oasis that was now unreachable and unattainable. I think that that’s where it really started.

Eventually, I got really into books and video games. That evolved into a love for TV and movies. I wanted to write more and more. I loved stories and was really drawn to storytelling, but I was also drawn to the military. So I joined the Air Force right after I graduated college and became a lieutenant with the United States Air Force.

Do you think your time in the military affects your writing?

Obviously, being what I am, it wasn’t easy being in the military. I was putting a lot of feelings into my writing after I got out because of everything I dealt with. I’m also a huge nerd, so I write about a lot of my experiences through the sci-fi and fantasy genres. That’s what I gravitate more towards, and people to seem to really like those genres when they’re used for analogy, symbolism, and reflections of real life.  

How does your career in the entertainment industry look different before and after participating in the program? 

After the Air Force, I was teaching part-time at a community college. Then I discovered the Veterans Writing Project, and it changed my life. I met a lot of great people and realized television was a route I wanted to take. Writing wise, it’s something that I gravitate towards as a person, as a writer, and with my work ethic. Through the Veterans Writing Project, I met Ken LaZebnik who had just opened up an M.F.A. program. I used my G.I. bill to pursue that. I met even more people there which led to internships, my first PA job, and then my script coordinator and writers’ assistant positions. If I had never done the Veterans Writing Project, I would not be where I am right now. I would still be a miserable community college teacher in Las Vegas.

How did the Veterans Writing Project  and the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program prepare you for those positions?

The Veterans Writing Project definitely helped me understand my voice and what I want to write for. I was able to sell myself better as a writer. The Writers' Access Support Staff Training Program, I can't speak highly enough of it.  I definitely would not know how to be a script coordinator if it wasn't for that.

Being a script coordinator is a very hard skill to learn. You really have to learn how to do everything in Scenechronize. Being a writers' assistant involves more soft learning skills. I'm not saying it's easier than being a script coordinator. It's still a hard job, but anyone can learn it. The [Writers' Access] Support Staff Training Program gave us a lot of practice in both. Instructors Debbie [Ezer] and Clay [Lapari] would look at our notes and say, "Oh, here's what you didn't do. This doesn't make sense. Try organizing things this way". Plus, they provided their experience from their previous shows about how to be a good writers' assistant. That helped us learn how to take notes, when to contribute to the room, and when is the right time to do research. I can’t speak highly enough about the [Writers' Access] Support Staff Training program. I learned a lot about how to be a proper support staffer for a writers' room.

In my first job as a script coordinator, I was trying to get a list. My first day on the job, I had to send out two story areas out. I did all my proofreading, but I still needed everyone's contact info and their emails to send it out via Scenechronize.  I couldn't get a hold of that information. One thing Debbie and Clay taught us is to not be afraid to talk to showrunners and really get out of your shell to meet your goals or to let them know what your problems are. I had to talk to two [executive producers] and a showrunner. I don't know what they did behind the scenes, but within two hours of talking to them, I had all the information I needed.  I wouldn't have even known who I needed to contact unless I had gone through the program. [Debbie and Clay] told us everything we needed to do on the first day. I did all of that on the first day, no problem. It kind of made the rest of the first week boring, but, that said, a month later I was working every single weekend.

What surprised you most about being in a writers’ room?

What surprised me most in my first writers’ room was how nice everyone was. There was a moment that I was frightened like, "Oh my God, everyone is way too nice. This is impossible". That really is what surprised me the most. The people I worked with were so nice to me. I can't speak highly enough about my experience with everyone. 

What advice would you offer to emerging writers seeking support staff positions?

You‘ve got to use your previous experience to sell yourself. If you worked on something that involved taking a lot of notes, that's a good way to sell yourself. If you're a person who is very detail oriented or you know how to schedule, that would make you a good showrunner's assistant. Say if your previous jobs involved you doing a lot of errands, that's a writer's P.A. For you to sell yourself as a support staffer, look at what your previous jobs were and sell yourself as someone who can help the room be better. Let them know that you want to lend whatever knowledge or skills you have to the writers’ room and that, hopefully, you can help make the show a better place.

Are you still in touch with a lot of people that you went through these programs with?

Oh yeah, I definitely am. I talk to so many people and try to keep in touch with everybody. I published three short stories for this website called Distant Reaches. One of the editors and founders, Robert Franco, also graduated from Veterans Writing Project. He brought me on board to write some short stories for them. He was a great collaborator to work with. I don't think I would have had as much fun with the short stories unless he was involved. He provided great feedback. I can't speak highly enough of him and his editorial skills.

If you could be in the room and work on any TV show, past or present, what would it be? 

Oh gosh, I would love to be in the room for The Incredible Hulk TV series. The one showran by Kenneth Johnson in the 70s. One of my mentors, Karen Harris, worked on that series.  It seemed like a great place to work. Presently, I would love to work on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I just love Strange New Worlds. Poker Face, that's another modern one. I gravitate way more towards episodic stories than the more serialized ones. Oh, and Miss Marvel. I would love to be on Miss Marvel.

So you prefer writing for episodic shows over serialized stories?

Everything I'm writing about right now is very serialized, but the great thing about episodic is that it really shows what television can be. You're telling multiple different stories that involve the same group of characters. It's like watching ten movies instead of one long one. So that's what I think is the great thing about episodic. You can pick and choose like, "Oh, I really like this episode because it's about this," instead of, "I like the whole series because it's all about this". Instead of sitting down for ten hours, you can skip around to watch the one episode you really want to. There's no stress when you watch episodic television. You can sit back, relax and just enjoy what it is. Compared to serialized TV, you have to watch the previous episode to remember what the last thing was.

Last question: when working in entertainment there’s always talk of “getting your foot in the door” and breaking in. Do you think you’ve broken in yet? 

Oh yeah. Yeah, I've definitely broken in. I've been working almost consistently. I'm one of the few people who's been getting a job every two months. A show ends, but two months later I get a job on another show. That ends and two months later I get another job. I've been very lucky. That wouldn't happen unless I talked to the people I've worked with. I'd say I've broken in and now the goal is to get that first writing credit on television. That's the next step.

Crafting Connections: Sohany Singh’s Approach to Industry Relationships

Photo courtesy of Sohany Singh.

Sohany Singh, a New York native and Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program alumna, addresses her career journey and the importance of establishing genuine connections in the industry. After her time in the program, Singh worked as the writers’ assistant on Hulu comedy How I Met Your Father.  

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your journey as a writer?   

I’m from New York. I started writing very young, and then came into screenwriting around sixteen. I went to college for screenwriting at NYU. I concentrated on television, and then moved out to L.A. in 2017. I interned for free because I didn’t have any kind of network out here yet. Then, I got my first full-time desk at a talent management company. I did that for a year and a half, then worked in features development for another year and a half. In the middle of COVID, I became a showrunner’s assistant. After a year of that, I became a writer’s assistant on the second season of How I Met Your Father. It was awesome.  

First, I was their showrunner’s assistant, but while [doing that] I was in the [Writers’ Access Support Staff Training] Program. I had inquired about the promotion after about a year because I figured the timing was right and I was ready. The program was a really big help in preparing me for what that job was, and they knew that I had that training.  

How did the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program prepare you for that position? 

Knowing what to expect in terms of note taking, navigating Final Draft, learning all of the shortcuts, and being given realistic expectations of being in a room was really helpful. What I really loved about the program was that every week we would have a showrunner guest speaker and they’d do a Q&A. Hearing the realities of what their expectations are, and what their journeys have been like, grounds you to what the experience is.   

What advice would you offer to emerging writers seeking support staff positions?   

Be social.  Don’t be annoying about it, but be social. I have had friends who have had adjacent jobs where they’re nagging to get to know the writers better because they’re so hungry for opportunity. Remember that everyone’s a normal person. Try to find the people you get along with and develop organic relationships with them. Finding things you actually have in common is the most helpful way to stay with someone in a positive way. They’ll think of you because they liked working with you.  

If you could be in the room and work on any TV show, past or present, what would it be?   

I really loved Sex Education. That was a great show. I have a list of these. May I Destroy You and Normal People are at the top.  

What do you write about?    

I write slice of life, coming-of-age, and grounded relationship stuff. Whether it’s between people who are in love, family, or friends, I like to write very intimate, introspective stories.  

Is there any TV show or movie that, looking back, made you want to become a writer?   

Little Miss Sunshine — it was one of the first scripts I read when I was sixteen or seventeen. I had seen the movie when it came out, but I was obviously young then. When I read the script, I went back and watched the movie, and remember thinking, “It’s so cool that this exists”. It taught me something specific could be really universal.  

Television-wise, I grew up watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Boy Meets World. Those were shows that made me realize this is a job that I can do, but Little Miss Sunshine was something tangible. It was that moment.  

Are you still in touch with members of your cohort? 

Yeah, I am. I met one of my best friends in the program. We clicked on the first day. That was really awesome. [Another] person was actually one of my producers on a pilot I shot earlier this year.  

Last question: when working in entertainment there’s always talk of “getting your foot in the door” and breaking in. Do you think you’ve broken in yet?   

I would say yes. I think a lot of people label breaking in as being in the WGA or writing all of these things already. But I think I’ve worked, first and foremost, hard to build a community of friends out here where we all like the same stuff. If we weren’t all working in the industry, we would still be friends. That has been the most helpful thing. I haven't had to go out of my way to apply for a job in five years. It’s always been word of mouth. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have that. I feel like that’s sort of what breaking in is— when you’re not on indeed.com looking for a job.  

Is there anything else you’d like to add before I let you go?   

I want to shout out two people, Clay [Lapari] and Debbie [Ezer]. They’re fantastic and they have been so good about keeping in touch with us even after the program. They do all these in-person meet-ups. They’ll still text me asking what I’m up to and how I’m doing. It is so kind. The fact that Clay and Debbie really care about this is what makes it work.  

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Between Reality and Fiction: Catherine Oyster's Journey in the Entertainment Industry

Writer Catherine Oyster discusses her journey from unscripted TV to participating in the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program. As a science fiction writer, Oyster shares her concerns about A.I.'s potential impact on creativity and emphasizes the need to keep humans in decision making. She credits the program for preparing her for her role as the script coordinator on Netflix’s Outer Banks.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your journey as a writer? 

I went to UCLA film school. That’s where I started and after graduating, I went on to work in unscripted. It was growing a lot at the time. I worked mostly of food competition and cooking related programs. I always had an interest [in writing], and when I went to film school I had interests in both narrative and documentary.

What do you write about?

I like to write science fiction and family drama. I like hypothesizing on future technology and how we’ll be impacted by things like artificial intelligence and remote work. I enjoy thinking about how it’s impacting us emotionally and in our family dynamics as well.

Since A.I. has been in the forefront of people’s minds this last year, where do you think society is going with that technology in the future?

There is a cause for concern. I think it’s important to regulate and keep humans at the center of the decision making. My fear for A.I. is that we get to a point of automation that institutions will default to what the computer says. They’ll become resistant to human reasoning. When it comes to creativity, I see it as a tool. Ultimately, the consumer is a human, and you need humans overseeing projects.

What job did you get after the program?

I worked on Outer Banks as a script coordinator for Netflix. It came out of doing the [Writers’ Access Support Staff Training] program. I worked on a full season of it, and it was a great job. I ended up becoming a union script coordinator and joining the Local 871. I love being in a union. I love all the benefits that come with it and the continued learning opportunities.

What did being the script coordinator look like for you?

When I tell people that I’m a script coordinator, I tell them that I am essentially the master of all of the drafts. I keep track of every single draft, and I also distribute every single draft. I read every draft and I make sure that the intended scene structure and spellings of words stays intact. I also kept track of changes and reported changes to the relevant departments that needed to know about them.  

How did the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program prepare you for that position? 

The Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program really did prepare me for script coordinating. I wouldn’t have known anything about script coordinating if I hadn’t taken part in the program. I was able to use all the skills they taught from day one to properly work as a script coordinator.

What advice would you offer to emerging writers seeking support staff positions?  

I think that emerging writers should consider looking at support staff positions because you get to be directly involved with the showrunners and the writers. You start to build relationships. You learn through reading. You’ll learn about the different writing styles of each writer and the showrunners. It’s very interesting to see how that works and how it ultimately becomes one script that has been contributed to by so many different people. That’s really helpful as a writer.

If you’re lucky you’ll be in the writers’ room when they are meeting so you can hear the creative discussions. If there is an opportunity to contribute, do it. You’ll learn so much about crafting the story. On Outer Banks, there was a lot of research because it was about treasure hunting. There were a lot of elements to keep track of in the treasure hunting myth that they created. The further you get along, there’s layers and layers of added details.

How does your career look different before and after participating in the program?  

I’ve got a career working in unscripted, and I’ll continue to access that. I’m fortunate that I’m used to working in a gig-to-gig environment since script coordinating is the same way.

During the strike, I wrote a book. It’s a science fiction novel called The Hostess. The audiobook will be released on Audible and the book will be released on Amazon.  

Last question: when working in entertainment there’s always talk of “getting your foot in the door” and breaking in. Do you think you’ve broken in yet? 

Yes, I do think I have broken into both unscripted and scripted. I have been working in this industry for a long time. I would say a lot of my community of friends is from my network in my career. I feel like I have my foot in the door that way. It doesn’t mean I can jump into whatever job I want, especially since asking for opportunities is hard. It’s challenging for me because in a friendship I don’t want to treat that person as someone that I view for work, but you have to put yourself out there.

This program has been amazing for giving me the skills to work as a script coordinator. I now have access to the scripted world like I’ve always wanted to. I feel very prepared and ready to be a script coordinator. I like being there to content to work on my own writing and to develop my own craft. I can continue to develop relationships and meet other people who do work in scripted. That has been an amazing opportunity, and I hope to continue to grow.

Behind the Scenes with Scout Comm: Making the Jump from Development to the Writers' Room

Photo courtesy of Scout Comm

Scout Comm is a non-binary Pittsburgh native and screenwriter who focuses on telling queer coming-of-age stories with a genre twist. After several years in television development, Comm participated in the Writers Access Support Staff Training Program and pivoted to the world of television writing.  After their time in the program, they worked as the script coordinator for The L Word: Generation Q.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your journey as a writer? 

I’m from Pittsburgh originally. I’ve been studying screenwriting since I went to Emerson College in Boston. I moved out here to L.A. in 2017 and got an internship in TV development. I stayed at that company for about five years. I started to move up the ranks a little bit, but was getting frustrated because what I really want to do is write, not development. I ended up leaving to go be a copywriter for a little bit, but during that in-between time I found [the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training] Program and was able to apply. It was great and set me on the right path. After that, I was able to get a writers’ room job. All of that has led to great things since then. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about the program.

What do you write about?

Everything that I write has a queer bend to it. I usually incorporate some genre elements as well. I’m trying to focus on the queer coming of age space with a genre twist.

I play roller derby, so I wrote a spec about a roller derby team because someone needs to make a show about roller derby. I’ve got another one I’m working on that’s a teen drama with dark mystery vibes. It has almost a Yellowjackets tone to that. I’m really excited about it.

Is there any TV show or movie that, looking back, made you want to become a writer? 

I was a total TV junkie growing up. That’s definitely where my desire came from. It was from watching Nickelodeon or Disney Channel. For me, it was that I loved TV so much. I always wanted to be some sort of writer. I used to write little fiction stuff. Eventually, I decided that this is what I wanted to do. If I had to pick it was probably Avatar :The Last Airbender. It’s absolute perfection.

What job did you get after the program?

I got a job as a script coordinator on the last season of The L Word reboot, [The L Word: Generation Q]. That was amazing for me. I met with the showrunner. The production supervisor has heard of the program and one of the instructors for the program, Debbie [Ezer], was about to pitch me to them. It was really special and I got to really roll up my sleeves. From a writing perspective it was special as well because as script coordinator I was on for production. It was beneficial to me because there were no writers around anymore, but some stuff needed to be rewritten whether there was a room around or not. A lot of that ended up falling on me, and I ended up writing a lot of scenes before they ended up giving me a credit on an episode.

The [Writers Access Support Staff Training] Program set me up really well. From a cultural context background, they went into a lot of stuff about the etiquette of a the writers’ room. They also went in the technical side of things too. Script coordinating is a pretty technical job because you’re responsible for tracking all of the script revisions, publishing them to everyone, and making sure that every i is dotted. It’s an important job. You’re basically the go-between for any other department and the writers’ room.

How does your view of your career look different before and after the program?

It’s hugely different. Before, I didn’t know what my path was going to be to get into the writers’’ room. I was trying to work up through development. I had known people who had made that jump, but it is a jump. It’s a not a natural progression to go up the ranks of development. When you’re there they want you to be a producer. Since the program, it’s just been so much clearer how I can make this happen for myself. I know for a fact that having this program [on my resume] was the reason that I got that job at the L Word. From there on, all the relationships I got are panning out for me. I know that it’s going to set me up well.

Are you still in touch with the people that you did the program with?

Yeah, we are all in a slack together, so we keep in touch. The instructors, Debbie [Ezer] and Clay [Lapari], really set me up for a job. They tried to set us all up for a job. The credit goes to them for a lot of it. They follow through.

Last question: when working in entertainment there’s always talk of “getting your foot in the door” and breaking in. Do you think you’ve broken in yet? 

I would say that half my body is in the door. I’m trying to get the rest. Starting as a script coordinator, you’re still trying to get that next writing job. I’m excited about it. I’d be happy to have another support staff job, but it felt like I was set up really well with this writing credit that I want to try to be known as a writer as quickly as possible.

This interview has been edited and condensed by Kera McKeon.

Bridging Gaps: Spike Morales-Westlake's Contribution to Inclusive Comedy

Photo courtesy of Spike Morales-Westlake.

Spike Morales-Westlake is a dynamic writer with a comedic flair and a unique perspective that is shaped by his upbringing in the small border town of Del Rio, Texas. Spike's journey as a writer began with a realization that his and his community’s perspectives were absent in media. A desire to fill those gaps prompted him to pursue a career in television comedy. After receiving a degree in TV and Film from UT Austin, Spike joined the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program. It served as a pivotal step that provided him with the necessary skills and structure to succeed in the entertainment industry. Through the program, he secured a job as the script coordinator for Goosebumps on Disney+.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your journey as a writer? 

I’m originally from a small town in South Texas called Del Rio. I grew up right on the border so I could walk to Mexico from my house. I didn’t think that my life experience was anything special. Then I left that community and realized, “Oh, okay. I have unique perspective”. I grew up in a more rural area which gave me an understanding of small-town dynamics that I really infuse into my writing now. I tend to write a lot of comedy. I’ll go for the more absurd and the outlandish. I love fast paced stories with an underdog point of view. I also try to incorporate the Latinx and queer experiences.

I went to UT Austin for TV and Film, and then did my last semester of school here in L.A. while interning at NBC. After that, I was able to stay here and a few years later I joined the [Writers’ Access Support Staff Training] Program.

What led you to want to become a writer?

It was realizing that a lot of my identities, and the identities of people that I grew up around, were not represented in media. A lot of people say they have a thing or a person that catapulted them, but for me it was opposite. It was a lack thereof. I had always wanted to write, but that [realization] made it more specific that it was television comedy.

So you don’t have a movie or a TV show that made you want to work in TV?

There were shows that have not necessarily made me want to work in TV, but ones that expanded the possibilities of what TV could be. Shows that made me think, “Oh you can do that? That’s what I want to do”.

Older shows like Will and Grace showed that you can write gay characters on TV that a lot of people will like and appreciate. Then there are shows with fast-paced, ridiculous scenarios like 30 Rock, Arrested Development, and Broad City that expanded on the comedy space.

If you could be in the room and work on any TV show, past or present, what would it be? 

Broad City for sure. It was such a formative show for me in a lot of ways. It came out at a time where I was transitioning into my life in L.A. I had gone to school in Austin, but L.A. is a whole different beast. Being in that bigger city while figuring out my comedy voice, and then seeing these two people come out with this outlandish and crazy show sparked my interest in doing outlandish and crazy things. Also, I will say I’ve been on TikTok recently and I’ve seen a resurgence of Broad City. It’s reignited my affinity for that show. It still has resonance all these years later.

What was your most recent job in entertainment?

Most recently, I was a script coordinator for Goosebumps on Disney+. That was my first script coordinator position. It was a lot to jump into at first. My biggest focus was the scripts—making sure they were edited and formatted correctly, and that there were no glaring errors. Not just in the grammatical sense, but I also had to make sure all the logistics made sense story-wise. Then, I had to distribute materials and be very conscientious of what materials I’m distributing to whom. I also had to work with business affairs. I was handling a lot of paperwork, a lot of WGA and DGA related paperwork. It was a lot of liaising on behalf of the writers room and working with the showrunner closely.

How did the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program prepare you for that position? 

Because this job is so specific, it gave me a structure in terms of what to expect job obligation-wise. Learning and working with the specifics of Final Draft was very helpful because you do have to get very specific in how you work Final Draft for the room. For example, there are very specific ways you keep up with drafts, the changes between drafts, and how to format things correctly. They also taught an awareness of Scenechronize, which I use a lot. They went into the weeds in a way that I would not have gotten if I had done the research completely on my own. It is a job that even sometimes the person hiring doesn’t completely know what it entails. You have to piece things together, and the session really helps prepare you for that.  

How does your view of your career look different before and after the program?

I did the program, and then jumped right into a development position. I did that for about a year and a half. Right after that, because of the program, my resume made it to the Goosebumps production. After that, I’ll say I’ve got a very strong understanding of how to look at this profession. For me, not having been a staff writer or not being in that position that I want to be in yet, it can sometimes feel really abstract. Because it feels abstract, it can feel further away. Going through this program, and then going through the experiences after that, helped cement my view of what the job is. It made it feel more possible. I learned a lot of the ways to function in a room and also how the writers function in respect to the studios and the networks. I learned a lot through the program and after because of it.

Are you still in touch with people that you did the program with?

We have little group chats. During the job, you run into things you don’t expect or something random happens and you wonder if somebody else has done it. If I didn't have that sort of community, it would have been a lot harder. There were definitely times where I had very specific questions that I otherwise would’ve felt crazy asking anybody this because they wouldn't even know the reference point since this job is so specific. It’s so nice to have other people who had script coordinator jobs at the same time I did, because we had that relationship, and we could use each other as resources.

What advice would you give to writers seeking support staff positions?

Don't ever think that anybody is below you or not worth connecting with. Also, don’t take things too personally. Support yourself, don’t get beaten down, but don’t take things too personally. Move forward, focus on your capabilities, and don’t doubt yourself because it doesn’t help.

Last question: when working in entertainment there’s always talk of “getting your foot in the door” and breaking in. Do you think you’ve broken in yet? 

I think I have made a crack. It’s so hard. I don’t know if I will ever be able to definitively say that I’ve broken in. It’s a sentiment I hear a lot of people say, but I can’t ignore how much of a breakthrough I have had by going through the [Writers’ Access Support Staff Training] Program and then getting that script coordinator position. I feel like it propelled me in a lot of ways. I don’t know if I’ve broken in yet, but I definitely made a crack, that’s for sure.

This interview has been edited and condensed by Kera McKeon.