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)
Related Posts
Maria Miles Previews the 2025 New York Greek Film Expo
As former NYWIFT Board Member Maria C. Miles finishes up her first year as President of the Hellenic Film Society, we sat down with her on the eve of the New York Greek Film Expo to discuss her time with the organization and what we have to look forward to at this year’s fest. Mary is the founder of an entertainment law practice with offices in New York. Maria’s practice focuses on all areas of entertainment law, including film (narrative and documentary), music, literary publishing, and digital media. She has represented award-winning producers, directors, writers, actors, television hosts, multi-platinum recording artists, and corporations in the fashion and sports industries related to their entertainment matters. Maria is the Executive Director of the Hellenic Films Society, USA, and served as Secretary of the board of New York Women in Film & Television. She continues to serve NYWIFT as their legal counsel. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema and the School for Visual Arts, as well as an Adjunct Instructor at NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
READ MOREWhat’s in Your Toolkit: Maeve McGrath
From Limerick, Ireland, Maeve studied Theatre Studies at Trinity College. A Licentiate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she graduated from GMIT where she studied Television Production and Development. Maeve has a Master’s in Media Studies from Mary I/UL and was Joint Winner of the Irish Times Theatre Award Judges’ Special Award in 2015. Currently Director of Programming at the Galway Film Fleadh, Maeve is an arts producer and festival programmer working in all aspects of film, TV, and theatre for over 25 years. Maeve is a professional actress with recent roles including Conveyance, Bad Sisters, Valley of the Squinting Windows, WAVE, and Brooklyn. As one half of award-winning film production company, Dromglen Productions, she co-produces narrative and documentary films, including award-winning PADDY, Medjugorje Man, and Being Put Back Together. The company is currently in development with two feature films. Maeve sat down with me to discuss her advice for creatives and her path in the industry in the latest edition of “What’s in Your Toolkit?”
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Amy Heller
Welcome to NYWIFT, Amy Heller! Amy is the co-founder of Milestone Films, an award-winning film restoration and distribution company dedicated to rediscovering lost and overlooked films. After fleeing academia, Amy found her passion in the independent film world and co-founded Milestone with her partner Dennis Doros in 1990. For 35 years, their mission has been to restore forgotten cinema, particularly films by and about women, people of color, Native Americans, and LGBTQ+ community members. Amy spoke to us about her journey in film distribution, the evolution of the industry over four decades, and her exciting upcoming transition as she passes Milestone to the next generation.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Courtney DeStefano
Welcome to NYWIFT, Courtney DeStefano! Courtney grew up in a small town, where she spent hours devouring old movies and pouring through every indie-film magazine she could get her hands on. She graduated with a BFA in Film & Television from NYU Tisch School of the Arts before embarking on her editing career where she worked with clients like CBS, Bravo, Showtime, BET, NatGeo, Discovery & TLC. She’s spent the last several years dividing her time between chasing after her three young sons and hiding in her home office to write. Her work has been recognized by the Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards, PANO Network, Hollyshorts and the PAGE Awards, among others. In our interview, Courtney discussed her small-town inspirations, how editing informs her writing and directing, and her latest short film.
READ MORE
Comments are closed