Meet Paul Zeidman

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Paul Zeidman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Paul, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I couldn’t say specifically from where I got it, but I can say with absolute certainty that it’s taken me a long time to build it up to what it is today.

The expression “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger” plays a big factor. For me, I’ve been pursuing success in the extremely challenging field of screenwriting. I’ve been at it for a long time, and while fame and riches have eluded me as of yet, I’ve made some good progress and can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t stuck with it.

There have been many days of disappointment, frustration and heartbreak, but the drive and willingness to take the hits and keep pushing forward have been constant.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m an award-winning screenwriter who loves to create tales of thrilling adventure that take the audience on a rollercoaster ride of high-octane fun and excitement they can’t wait to get back in line for as soon as it’s over.

I also host The Creative Writing Life Podcast, where I talk to writers from all mediums and genres about themselves, their work, and advice they have for writers.

I’ve been running the screenwriting blog Maximum Z since 2009, and released the 3-volume Go Ahead And Ask! books about screenwriting (and pie) in 2022.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

First, you need the drive to keep trying, no matter what. It’s very easy to give up, and harder to keep putting yourself back into the game.

Second, the ability to develop not just a thick skin, but to be bulletproof. You’re going to hear “No” a lot more than “Yes”, so put the losses behind you and focus on the next one. Additionally, any win – even something that might feel small and insignificant – is a win, so allow yourself a moment to enjoy it.

Third, do this because this is something you are almost compelled to do because not only do you enjoy it, but can’t imagine doing anything else. It may be work, but it’s the kind of work you love doing.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

I’m the youngest of five, so despite being a little more coddled than my siblings while growing up, the one thing everybody was taught was responsibility and self-dependence. They’d help to a point, then expect you to take it from there.

By my mid-teens, I was the only one left at home. Both of my parents had busy schedules, so it was up to me to handle the things that were my responsibility – both for school and around the house.

Instilling that kind of work ethic has really paid off. Many times the only way I can ensure something’s going to get done is to take care of it myself, or if necessary assign it to somebody I can count on to do the same.

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all photos are mine

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