Our Friday column asks our members about their favorite tool, software, article of clothing, shoes on set, favorite scriptwriting software, etc.
Caitlin McCarthy – Screenwriter and Educator
By Lisa Stahl
NYWIFT member Caitlin McCarthy is an award-winning screenwriter whose films have screened at film festivals around the world. Caitlin, who earned an MFA from Emerson College, has won competitive grants or prizes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Academy of Motion Pictures, and other prestigious organizations. In addition to writing for television and film, she teaches high school English in Massachusetts.
Caitlin offered us a peek inside her toolkit.
NYWIFT member and screenwriter Caitlin McCarthy (photo credit: Rory Lewis)
What are 3 things you can’t live without when writing a script?
- Caffeine: I’m a “caffeine achiever,” primarily because I get up at 3 AM to write before my survival job as an urban public school teacher starts at 7:10 AM. I drink my coffee black… I have been known to crack open a Diet Coke before the sun rises.
- Goody Ouchless Elastic Hair Ties: It’s one of my rituals, taking a seat at my desk and pulling my hair into a bedhead bun. Remember, this is all happening around 3 AM so there’s zero glamour involved….
- Post-It Notes: Throughout the day, ideas for my work-in-progress pop into my head and I scribble them down before they slip away into the ether. When I return home, I always have a pocketful of “things to remember” for my script.
What’s one piece of advice that continues to inspire you?
The most influential advice…came from former Hollywood manager/producer Beth Colt of the Woods Hole Inn: “Just keep doing it. Write another spec, submit again. Repeat. Each one gets better, the cumulative matters. Don’t give up! The struggle will pay off in the end.”
What item in your toolkit would you pass along to an aspiring screenwriter to motivate them?
There’s an incredible writing community on Twitter – from Academy Award winners to emerging writers who provide advice, answer questions, celebrate victories, offer encouragement, and even exchange scripts for notes. Check out hashtags like #WritingCommunity, #ScriptChat, #WRAC, #ZD30Script, and #AmWriting….
What’s your strategy for burn-out, writer’s block, rejection, or for surviving crises like the current pandemic?
Routine is my savior. I’m not a morning person at all, but I get up at 3 AM during the week to write before the clamor of the classroom gets into my head. This commitment to writing is an act of defiance. A woman hasn’t won an Academy Award for screenwriting in over a decade. Women represented only 20% of writers on the top 100 grossing films of 2019. If I want to see change… I must be the change. I must do the work. I believe work conquers all. And as the saying goes, nothing works unless you do.
What projects are you working on that you can share with NYWIFT members?
I’m delighted to say both Wonder Drug and A Native Land have attracted the attention of incredible producers. I’m finishing a novel. And I’m about to start cowriting a TV pilot with a talented female writer from the UK. I’m always working on something, but I’m never too busy to say “hey” to another NYWIFT member – so reach out if the feeling hits you.
Learn more about Caitlin on her website: www.caitlinmccarthy.com
And reach out on social media:
Twitter: @CaitlinMcWriter
Instagram: @Caitlin_McCarthy_Writer
Facebook: @CaitlinMcCarthyWriter
(photo credit for top image: Pure Style Photography)
Lisa Stahl
Lisa Stahl has followed her own unconventional path, working in and out of the industry, behind and in front of the camera (TV and film), and as a writer, producing e-learning courses on personal style online, doing development research and writing for a UN-based TV show, extensive investigative research in politics and international affairs for a prominent political strategist, and as a lifestyle editor for a chic digital magazine interviewing prominent fascinating people in the entertainment, fashion, health, wellness, and travel industries. She has also worked recently as a technical writer covering the latest anti-terrorism technologies and developments in data science and artificial intelligence.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Hyten Davidson
Welcome to NYWIFT, Hyten Davidson! Hyten Davidson is a SAG-AFTRA actor and award-winning screenwriter, currently serving as one-third of Maternity Leave Films after years of touring the festival circuit with various films. Her short film The West Virginian Starfish, which she wrote and co-directed, won the Long Island Film Expo award for Best Short Film, in addition to a host of other nominations and screenwriting wins. Hyten has additionally been a Featured Female Filmmaker nominee at the Shortcut 100 International Film Festival, PANO grant recipient, and Mary W. Shelley Scholarship winner from the Horror Writers Association. In our interview, Hyten discussed her approach to writing horror, representing motherhood and female-driven stories in film, and her upcoming film Something of a Monster.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Dolores Diaz
Welcome to NYWIFT, Dolores Diaz! Dolores Diaz is a Queens, NY native who grew up in a theater and musical theater world through Once Upon a Time in Richmond Hill. She later attended the American Academy of the Dramatic Arts and joined Angry Jellow Bubbles, an all-female sketch comedy group directed by Eva Minemar. While attending the MA Media and Social Change program at CUNY Queens College, Dolores served as an assistant to media theorist Douglas Rushkoff and co-produced the 1st Annual Queens College Arts Festival. She founded the production company Mulberry Queens Films LLC with Eva Minemar in 2018, and the duo has worked together on features, shorts, music videos, and documentaries. Dolores is now the Chair of the Board for Once Upon a Time Inc. and the Co-League Director for NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association), NY. In our interview, Dolores discussed her production company, transitioning from theater to film, and the project that left the biggest impact on her.
READ MORENYWIFT at Sundance 2026: In Conversation with Jamie Kiernan O’Brien
NYWIFT Member Jamie Kiernan O'Brien is celebrating a remarkable achievement: still a student at NYU, her narrative short film Gender Studies is premiering at 2026 Sundance Film Festival…with screenings at SXSW to follow! In Gender Studies, a trans college student learns the girl she idolizes is sleeping with their teaching assistant and takes drastic steps to emulate her. Jamie was also Production Sound Mixer for Crisis Actor, directed by fellow NYU student Lily Platt. The narrative short follows an impulsive actress – recently fired from her day job – as she crashes a support group and spirals into a chaotic night that forces her to face her addiction to drama. Jamie spoke to us about this exciting milestone in her career.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Louisa Brown
Welcome to NYWIFT, Louisa Brown! Blogger Marchelle Thurman had the pleasure of interviewing Louisa Brown. She is a storyteller, connector, and unapologetic champion of underrepresented voices in film and media. At Urbanworld Film Festival, she builds bridges between artists, audiences, and cultural institutions, creating moments that matter. She’s a founding member of M.A.D.E., where she produces the award-winning MADE Talks series, celebrating Black creativity and bold ideas. Her own films, including Family Time and Mila and Mimi Too, have won Lionsgate recognition and festival accolades. In addition, she has collaborated on various projects, headed initiatives for commercial brands, and serves on the management team for musical artist Laila! Louisa brings heart, humor, and a global perspective to everything she does.
READ MORE
Comments are closed