Aaron Sorkin breaks down his approach to writing
When the subject of modern screenwriting comes up, it is impossible to avoid the influence of Aaron Sorkin. Ranging from The West Wing to Moneyball, Sorkin has produced numerous modern gems, which is why many fans are completely convinced that he is one of the greatest writers of our time.
During a conversation with The Talks, Sorkin opened up about his writing process. While readers and cinephiles love to imagine the mysterious journeys of their favourite artists, Sorkin maintains that his personal life greatly impacts his output. The writer even claimed that he is incapable of writing when he is in a bad mood.
While discussing the details of his mental preparation before writing, Sorkin said: “I am actually only able to write when I am in a good mood. I have a teenage daughter, and if anything is going wrong with her — something wrong at school, any of the teenage things that happen — I am done for the day. I am not going to be able to write.”
He added: “When I was writing The West Wing, if my then-wife and I had any sort of argument in the morning, if there was any friction or tension or something was not right, by the time I would drive to work, I would always call her and say, ‘Listen, I know you are mad at me, but can you do me a favour? Can we make up right now because I have to write next week’s episode?'”
According to the writer, his ex-wife Julia Bingham always understood his creative process, which is why she would agree to put a pause on their arguments. Sorkin maintains that being in the right headspace is an essential step for any kind of writing, especially when it is a demanding project.
When asked about his approach to painful and tragic scenes, Sorkin insisted that the writer didn’t need to be in such a position too. While providing insights into his process, the acclaimed writer revealed: “If I am writing a scene that is full of pain, I can get myself there pretty quickly! But I am happy when I am done doing that.”
Sorkin also points out that young writers need to learn how to deal with failure. He opened up about his own failures, claiming that a failed TV episode or a movie haunts him and makes him feel worthless. However, Sorkin weaponises that feeling for moving on to new projects: “I think that is something that’s not going to change, so I try to use it as motivation.”
