The Unexpected Benefits of Writing Badly

Every writer knows the feeling.

The draft that’s almost finished. The screenplay that needs one more pass. The project that’s been sitting on your hard drive while you convince yourself it’s not quite ready.

Which is why this Living to Write conversation with screenwriter David J. Rosen feels so relatable.

Before creating Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed for Apple TV+, David spent years working in advertising, writing novels, hearing no from publishers, pitching projects, and finding his way through the unpredictable world of professional writing.

Along the way, David came to a realization that changed how he thinks about success: the writers who build careers aren’t always the most talented. Often, it’s more about finishing the work and putting it out into the world.

In this conversation with Story Summit’s Brian Landwehr and Bailey Patterson, David J. Rosen discusses the unexpected path from advertising to writing, adapting his work for television, building writers’ rooms, creating Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, and why “just write it badly” might be some of the most valuable advice a writer can hear.

For a preview of the full conversation, listen to this short clip where David talks candidly about the messy, imperfect, and often unpredictable process of getting the work done:

Listen to the full interview below:

StorySummit.us: Living to Write Featuring David J. Rosen

Apple Podcast: Living to Write featuring David J. Rosen

Spotify: Living to Write featuring David J. Rosen

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