“It’s better for characters if their arc isn’t a straight line. You get to see how far they will go for something. You get to test them.” – Latoya Morgan

LaToya Morgan (@MorganicInk) is screenwriter who currently serves an executive producer on AMC’s Into the Badlands. Previously, she has worked on the shows Shameless and Turn. She is currently developing a drama for AMC based on Wesley Lowery’s best-selling book They Can’t Kill Us All.

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and LaToya talk about her early upbringing and influences (2:30); diversity on television (8:30); her decision to become a writer (15:00); the role of research versus personal experience in writing (28:00); the the experience of working in a writers’ room (34:00); and managing work/life balance (48:00).

Notable Links:

Books mentioned:

Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck
The Art of Dramatic Writing, by Lajos Egri
Save the Cat, by Blake Snyder
The Hero’s Journey, by Joseph Campbell
Story, by Robert McKee
On Writing, by Stephen King
Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell

Writer-producer LaToya Morgan on TV storytelling and creative self-discipline

Deviate

Writer-producer LaToya Morgan on TV storytelling and creative self-discipline