Oscar-nominated screenwriter turned novelist, Iris Yamashita, returns to chat with me about the difference between writing for the ear and the screen, fusing plotting and pantsing, and her anticipated follow-up thriller Village in the Dark.
Iris Yamashita has been working in Hollywood for over 15 years and was nominated for a “Best Original Screenplay” Oscar for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima (directed by Clint Eastwood).
The sequel to her debut novel City Under One Roof is Village in the Dark, described as a riveting mystery perfect for fans of Twin Peaks, Mare of Easttown, and True Detective.
An Amazon Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense – New and continuing series. Kirkus Reviews called the book, “A sharp and gritty mystery with a compelling sociopolitical undercurrent.”
Iris continues to work in Hollywood, developing for both film and streaming media. She has taught screenwriting at UCLA and the American Film Institute.
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In this file Iris Yamashita and I discussed:
- Why you need to have a beginning, middle, and end in mind no matter what you’re writing
- What it’s like to be both the writer and the director as a novelist
- How to write for audio drama
- Why filmmakers don’t like to read
- Learning the rules so you can break them
- How to keep your dreams alive
- And a lot more!
Show Notes:
- Village in the Dark by Iris Yamashita (Amazon)
- Amazon Author Page for Iris Yamashita
- www.irisyamashita.com
- Iris Yamashita on Facebook
- Iris Yamashita on Instagram
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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