Rod Serling on Writing

Part 16 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 16 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 discusses the creative process, an excellent post to finish out this series of observations from a great American writer.

“In truth, you will always find it [writing] difficult. The creation of an idea, the following of a story germ, the building up of a plot, the creating of people, of flesh and blood characters, these are not easy things. They’re extremely difficult, but conversely don’t be put off by the fact that this month you can’t do it, and next month is maybe even harder. This is if not a lifetime process, awfully close to it. The writer broadens, becomes deeper, becomes more observant, becomes more tempered, becomes much wiser over a period of time passing. It is not something that is injected into him by a needle. It is not something that comes in a wave of flashing explosive light one night and say, ‘Huzzah! Eureka! I’ve got it!’ And then proceeds to write the great American novel in 11 days. It doesn’t work that way. It’s long, tedious, tough process.”

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.

Part 13, here.

Part 14, here.

Part 15, here.