In this episode, I interview Jon Emm, a writer from the United States currently living in Chicago who has been writing short stories for years and has recently transitioned to screenwriting, including screenplays and TV pilots.
Jon describes his creative process as being ‘all over the place’ – sometimes starting with an idea he wants to explore, sometimes with a perspective or characters he can think of, or relationships that intrigue him. He shares insights from his current screenplay project about a relationship between two men, explaining how he’s discovered that the two main characters are actually different aspects of himself – an unlikely pairing that represents his internal contradictions. I was fortunate to be at a reading during our residency and it is rollicky fun.
Throughout our conversation, Jon talks about about the challenges of the creative journey, including dealing with constant rejection, self-doubt and the overwhelming desire to quit when things get difficult. He emphasises the importance of persistence – that you have to keep going even when you’re rejected, even when you doubt yourself. His advice centres on just starting, accepting the messy nature of creativity, being persistent despite setbacks, and recognising that the characters and stories we create often reflect different parts of ourselves.
I shared Esther’s Bath’ the Writers’ Salon at Chateau d’Orquevaux (the room in the image) with Jon and it was a pleasure to work alongside him over the three-week residency. He was there with his partner Diane Rakocy, who I interviewed in an earlier episode. Together they created a beautiful picture book True Colors. I hope you enjoy this episode.
Connect with Jon Emm
Buy his picture book True Colors created together with his partner Diane Rakocy
