Rod Serling on Writing

Part 13 of a 16-part series featuring the master storyteller on video.

Ever since I launched Go Into The Story, I have regularly gone down the Internet’s rabbit hole in search of unique video clips featuring renowned writers. In 2010, I hit the Mother Lode: A series of 15 clips featuring Rod Serling chatting with what appear to be college students circa 1970.

Most well-known for the long-running TV anthology series “The Twilight Zone” (148 episodes, 1959–1964), Serling has over 70 writing credits including the screenplays for movies such as Seven Days in May and the original Planet of the Apes.

Back in 2010, I went through each clip and extracted some key quotes from Serling. Then as is often the case with the Internet, the videos disappeared.

However, they have emerged once again, a big hat tip to Doc Kane for surfacing them. As long as they are up, I will reprise the series.

Today Serling ruminates on how he was inspired by war to become a writer:

“I was traumatized into writing by war events. By going to a war in a combat situation and feeling a desperate sense… a terrible need of some type of therapy, get it out of my gut, and write it down.”

For Part 1 of the series, go here.

Part 2, here.

Part 3, here.

Part 4, here.

Part 5, here.

Part 6, here.

Part 7, here.

Part 8, here.

Part 9, here.

Part 10, here.

Part 11, here.

Part 12, here.

Tomorrow: Another installment in this series featuring Rod Serling.