Speak Easy With Haroon S1:E2

David Young: From Brookside Screenwriter to Young Adult Author

“I think the reason I wrote a book that worked was because I had to fucking sell it.” – David Young, Screenwriter/Author

Imagine paying off your mortgage with a credit card…

Not a good sign. 

But it was the reality that David had to face after being let go from his screenwriter role at the famous TV series, Brookside

Born and bred in Scotland, David Young, now in his fifties, found his love for writing at the age of sixteen. And he’s been writing since then, with the last 22 years of his life actually being paid for it.

He’s been a professional screenwriter/novelist since the age of thirty. 

But his journey was rough. 

In fact, he even mentions in this chat with Haroon that sometimes it’s best not to know what you’re getting into as a creative. Because if you knew the entirety of all the challenges that would come your way, you’ll probably be tempted to choose another path – one that’s safe. 

Needless to say, David’s own story is filled with suspenseful scenes where it seemed that his artistic dream wasn’t pulling him along. 

Until one day it did…

He told his story and shared some helpful lessons for anyone trying to fuel their artistic dream while battling the realities of life. 

And also a thing or two about Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Let’s dive into the highlights…

Show Notes 

  • David’s early life and writing. (1:50)
  • How growing up in Scotland in the 1980s influenced David’s journey as a writer. (4:10)
  • David shares about his deformity and being amputated at seventeen. (6:53)
  • The reality of being a writer. (8:10)
  • What would David have done differently as a writer if he knew then what he knows now? (9:30)
  • Why does it help to be a little bit naive as a creator? (11:10)
  • The importance of filtering feedback. (12:45)
  • The difference between screenwriting in the UK and the US. (16:00)
  • The creative subconscious vs. writing as manual labour. 
  • About the London Writers’ Salon. (26:30)
  • David’s take on the notion of overnight success and the average amount of time it would take for writers to become paid. (30:00)
  • How did the academic system affect how people view art and cultural products, despite the huge economy it produces? (32:30)
  • Bracing yourself for reviews as you find your readership. (38:18)
  • Written content in reviews versus the star ratings. (40:30)
  • David’s thoughts on rejection. (42:12)
  • What does it take for someone to recognize a potentially successful piece of work? (47:09)
  • David’s view on how living below your means can benefit creators. (51:45)
  • David’s approach to writing and not having an alternative. (54:15)
  • David shares why he believes in writing sprints and how he goes about it. (1:00:25)
  • On writing every day. (1:02:30)
  • Why David recommends you should create a writing spreadsheet. (1:05:20)
  • What did David’s experience writing for Brookside teach him? (1:07:42)
  • Why should you brace yourself for being fired as a screenwriter? (1:11:54)
  • David’s thoughts on starting out and money versus legacy. (1:15:35)
  • David’s take on how experiential research made him a better writer. (1:17:55)
  • David’s views on toxic masculinity and where it came from. (1:24:00)
  • David’s journey and lessons from Brazilian jiu-jitsu. (1:28:53)
  • How David spotted the Kindle publishing trend and his next move. (1:39:35)
  • What do most writers need to know when signing with a traditional publisher? (1:42:23)
  • David’s current projects in relation to crime and police presence. (1:43:45)

Final advice to writers, artists, and creatives (1:51:05) 

  • “If you want to be a writer, you have to write… that’s the key to absolutely everything. You have to sit down and you have to find your way of doing that. 
  • “Set yourself a place and a time every day to sit down and do the work. And even if you do half an hour a day, that can take you where you want to go.” 

People mentioned 

Marcus Rashford 

James Baldwin

James Kelman 

Alesdair Gray 

Jeff Goins

Steven Pressfield 

Brian Koppleman 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Irvine Welsh

Conor McGregor 

Anthony Bourdain 

Russell Brand 

Helpful links 

Real Artists Don’t Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age by Jeff Goins

The London Writers’ Salon

Atlanta (TV series)

The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron 

Where can I find David?

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Is there a lesson that stuck out to you the most? Let us know in the comments.

About the host 

Haroon Khan is a tech copywriter by day and poet by night. Among his artistic pursuits is this podcast where he interviews creatives who’ve already done it. Whether that’s writing a book, making a movie, or an album. He’s documenting their challenges, how they overcame them, and helping you discover how you can too.

 Speak Easy With Haroon S1:E1

Overcoming decades of fear and procrastination: Sophia Bennett’s journey to answering her call as an award-winning writer

“My mother let me read whatever I wanted … that’s when I got the first inclination that I wanted to be a writer.” – Sophia Bennett

Did you have the same inclination?

A crystal clear calling into your creative identity, followed by years of procrastination and unrelated fulfillment.

Do you feel like unresolved trauma is holding you back from artistic expression?

Sophia felt the same. Then she made a choice – to start.

That choice led to getting her hands on the manuscript for Harry Potter before the world knew about “The Boy Who Lived.”

Then that pushed her to write her own words instead of studying someone else’s. It led her to finish, write, and write again. Up until today as a professional crime-based novelist.

As the first guest on our podcast, she certainly left a lasting impression, along with truthful doses about the creative journey you shouldn’t miss.

Let’s dive into the highlights …

Who is Sophia Bennett? A little more …

Sophia Bennett is a British, award-winning young adult, and now-turned-crime-based novelist. 

She was previously a librarian, management consultant, and YA author for ten years. Her first book, Threads won the Times/Chicken House children’s fiction competition. It was followed by two further books in the series which were published around the world. 

Sophia’s goal was always to get and keep young people reading. Now embracing artistic re-invention, Sophia is using the foundation of her success to dive into the genre that she’s always loved as a child: crime.

Show Notes

  • Sophia’s formative years as an army child. (1:05)
  • Sophia’s observations on trauma and artistry. (5:02)
  • What stopped Sophia from following through on the inclination she always had as a child to be a writer? (13:20)
  • Sophia on a writer’s necessity. (16:20)
  • How Sophia’s time as a management consultant and traveler enhanced her journey
  • Sophia on reading the manuscript for Harry Potter before the world knew about “The Boy Who Lived.” (17:20)
  • Making different things. Failing. And making things again. (19:00)
  • The unsexy creator journey. (20:55)
  • Grabbing the good moments and being grateful. (33:43)
  • A habit of all the greats and the best advice Sophia received as a writer. (35:30)
  • Sophia’s take on the question ALL writers have to face: “Have you been published yet?” (40:53)
  • The true definition of a writer. (44:34)
  • About Sophia’s podcast. (46:50)
  • Sophia’s early work as a Young Adult writer. (50:00)
  • The shift into crime-based novels. (53:05)
  • On embracing reinvention. (56:50)
  • Sophia’s advice to her 18-year-old self. (1:04:30)
  • The three movies that Sophia absolutely couldn’t do without. (1:09:25)

Final advice to writers, artists, and creatives (1:06:04)

  • “You’re already doing the right thing because you’re listening to this podcast.”
  • “Writing is a discipline. There will be creative joy, but don’t expect that to happen every day. Bum on seat. Every day.”
  • “Every now and again, try to finish something.”
  • “Keep going.”
  • “Find communities of fellow writers and learn from them. Find people you trust to share your work and keep going from there.”

What was your favourite lesson from the podcast? Let us know!

People mentioned 

Tom Jones

Marty McFly 

Paul McCartney 

David Beckham 

Katharine Hepburn

David Bowie 

Steven Pressfield 

Stephen King 

Neil Gaiman

Bernadine Evaristo 

Helpful links

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield 

Clueless (film)

Crazy Rich Asians (film)

The Martian (film)

The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett 

Where can I find Sophia?

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Podcast 

About the host 

Haroon Khan is a tech copywriter by day and poet by night. Among his artistic pursuits is this podcast where he interviews creatives who’ve already done it. Whether that’s writing a book, making a movie, or an album. He’s documenting their challenges, how they overcame them, and helping you discover how you can too.

Loudspeaker

More poetry.

I wrote this one with my loudspeakers in mind. I’ve had them for 25 years, they’ve traveled with me across 2 continents and over 12 homes in that time.

Loudspeaker

I sit calmly
Ready to receive signals
Analogue
Digital
I don’t discriminate
Frame carved from wood
Interior carefully calibrated electronics
Great engineering never goes out of fashion
Good vibrations run through cables
Causing movement to my cones
Heart song bring lovers in the living room close together 
Cheek to cheek
I am the soundtrack to:
Birthdays
Bar mitzvahs 
Arguments
Make up sex
Break up sex
I’ve lived through it all:
Brit-pop
Hip hop
Trip-hop
Grime
Jazz 
Funk
Great engineering never goes out of fashion
I bend space and time
Connecting time zones, continents and bygone eras
I don’t discriminate

Haroon

As promised, more poetry, this piece is called Haroon and is about my name.

Haroon

Origin story
No spider bites
Dropped in Luton, via Pakistan
East end matriarch named me
Right-hand man of a tongue-tied prophet
Religious narratives are the roots to the branch of this tree
Musa and Haroon
Myth or reality
Don’t know
Don’t care
I’ll turn myth into reality
Took damn near four decades to roll off of my side and learn my true role
Speak up 
Speak loud
Never bear false witness
Here I am
Stuck indoors
Crisis turned opportunity
Clarity points to purpose
What is in a name?
EVERTYHING

7 Bar Loop

This is the first poem I’m sharing on my blog. I will continue to share current drafts of poems I am working on. Feel free to leave feedback or if things were not clear in the comments.

It’s all love. I welcome what you have to say. Here it is:

7 Bar Loop

Loop the loop 
Tie shoe laces
Perfect bunny ears
Can’t afford to trip
Run around the track
Like a needle traveling through grooves
I travel through time and space
Non-linear trajectory
Like shooting stars
Edges frayed
Pray hope don’t fade
Can’t promise myself a better tomorrow
Because tomorrow might have been yesterday and today might be tomorrow
Speed this up
Switch from 33rpm to 45rpm
Suddenly it makes sense
Music playing at the correct pitch

Write the truth
Love is an act of sacrifice
Anonymous
Otherwise it is sullied
Finally, I’m released from the groove that played in a loop
My hand unfurls
Presenting my heart to share with all

The Key to My Creative Process

I’m having a fascinating journey as a writer right now. 

The past several weeks have been interesting. Some days I’ve lacked inspiration and other days I’ve been furiously jotting down ideas that I want to come back to. 

Recently, I was reading a book called “Feck Perfuction” by James Victore and an idea popped into my head. I jotted it down dutifully, as I had 15 other ideas the past couple of weeks. I was tempted to file it away, just like the others. I promised myself I’d return to it when I’m in a better position.

Fortunately, I’ve read “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield. I now recognise “resistance” when I see it.

The reality is, as artists and creatives, inspiration simply isn’t enough. It MAY be the beginning of a process, but it’s not the entire process. 

I decided to expand upon the concept of “Artist’s Sign Their Work”, an idea I stumbled upon when reading “Feck Perfuction”. I had no planned direction when I began writing this piece. I just had one starting point:

“I’m going to change my signature. Going forward I will sign all of my creative work with this new signature”

That’s it. I knew there was something there, but I had to work at it. I wrote a couple of paragraphs and then I scrapped them.

I began writing again, from scratch.

It’s not fun writing and disliking what you’ve committed to the page or screen, but you have you to get past this minor speed bump and often this requires pushing through it. This is the rent you pay to create great work.

Once I get past the initial “resistance” I’ll begin writing and often I end up liking what’s taking shape on the page or screen. Which is progress, but I always give my writing some space. I’ll go off and I’ll read a book or I’ll listen to some music on a walk. I need to develop some objectivity. Later I’ll return to my writing, then as I re-read it, I’ll realise it doesn’t work, not yet. 

I love rap and poetry, and it influences the way I write and assess my work. I like my writing to have a rhythm to it. I want everything I write to roll off the tongue when I read it.

Quite often that rhythm is about re-arranging paragraphs so that a piece flows well. Other times it’s about editing sentences. To write really well though, you need to do both. 

I also love film, so I’m always aiming to create a narrative arc. I want my writing to feel like a story, with a beginning, a middle and an end. I’m a sucker for a good start and a good ending. I want to grab your attention, take you on a ride and then close strong. 

But the process is messy, it’s doesn’t follow a straight line. 

I can alternate without any justified reason between cleaning up sentences where I: 

  • Rid my work of redundant words
  • Change the punctuation
  • Shorten sentences
  • Lengthen sentences

Yes, you read the last one correctly. Sometimes lengthening a sentence can make it and the paragraph it sits in jump to life. 

So, going back to what I was saying before, I will repeatedly alternate between cleaning up sentences and rearranging the order of paragraphs.

It just makes sense in my head and I LOVE the process of doing this. 

Creativity is play, it is tinkering.

However, none of that can happen IF you don’t begin. If you don’t begin to rest your hand on a piece of paper or your keyboard.

It’s by starting, however imperfect, that I was able to write my last blog “My Name Is Haroon and I’m An Artist”.

I started writing this current article the day after I wrote the above article (2 weeks ago), but I kept stopping. It could have died a death like so many other ideas I’ve had, but it’s never too late to start again, to resuscitate an idea, to return to a dream. 

I may stop, but it’s temporary. I promise I’ll never stop starting and seeing through ideas and sharing them with you.

I hope you start something new and see it through, I hope you share it with me and with everyone else.

I can’t wait. 

Potsa Luv xx

The Best Time To Start Writing Is Now

I’ve been putting off writing this blog. The idea for this blog first emerged early in 2017. It was going to be called “Finding Haroon”

Back then seismic shifts were happening in my life. Namely:

1.) I admitted to myself that I had mental health issues and sought professional help.

2.) I ended my 10-year marriage. Not an easy choice, but a necessary one. 

3.) I rediscovered my identity as an artist. Namely as a writer. 

I wanted to document my journey. It didn’t happen. 

The past 3 years were turbulent. I went through numerous mental health breakdowns. I suffered financial hardships. I moved house 8 times, each move added to the already towering pile of trauma I’ve accumulated since I was a young child. 

Also, I procrastinated. I didn’t write because even though I wanted to write, I did not view myself as a writer. 

That wasn’t my identity. So, my actions, or lack thereof, aligned with that lack of self-belief. 

But that changes now. 

I ended my marriage 3 years ago, but the divorce was not finalised until late in January 2020. My divorce weighed on me. 

Thankfully, I’m now free of that mental block.

I want to write. I want to create MY life. The one that I choose. Not a life that others have chosen for me. 

This life involves writing, it involves telling stories. I want to share my joy, pain and everything in between. 


I am Haroon. 

I am a writer. 

I am an artist.

That is my identity.