#40: Melinda Hsu Taylor on Transforming Hollywood One Character at a Time

In this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews award-winning American television writer and producer, Melinda Hsu Taylor. Melinda is currently Executive Producer and show-runner of Nancy Drew and Tom Swift on the CW Network. She is well known for her work on the ABC series Lostwhere she was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for best drama series for her work on the fifth season of Lost, as well as a Primetime Emmy for the series' sixth and final season. She’s also worked as a writer on The Vampire Diaries, Vanished, Women's Murder Club, Falling Skies,  Touch, and The Gifted.

Melinda recommends reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and we highly recommend it. Get your copy here to get inspired, and start the new year off right: https://amzn.to/3qzaCtp

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In the episode:

– Melinda begins the episode by describing how the "mean genius" trope is overrated and why she believes it is possible to be kind and to do excellent work.

– Melinda then describes her childhood living as a Chinese immigrant in Maine and how sci-fi literature helped her feel cool about being “different.”

– She then shares how she runs a writer’s room and the ways her philosophy allows her writing team to hone in on the ideas they want to put out into the world.

– Melinda describes her early years as a film screenwriter and how she suffered in obscurity before becoming a television writer.

– Melinda then provides advice to upcoming writers on how to achieve longevity in the industry.

– She tells us how her audacious vision for her legacy is to change the culture of Hollywood from the inside.

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