Today is my birthday.
I have also been doing these interviews for the last 6 months and I thought this week I would introduce myself and talk about my writing process!
Tell us about yourself and your most current project/s?
I am a filmmaker and writer living in Los Angeles, CA and currently I am working on four separate things. I am writing my first novel actually. A psychological thriller called AXE and then a drama titled YOU CAN CALL ME EVE, which is an adaptation of a play I had produced back in 2011.
Also, I am writing a series of short horror films for my friend’s YouTube channel. We are creating a whole series based on 30 shorts. I am writing them and my friend is directing them. It is called Massacre Minds.
And then I am also in the process of having my first children’s book TIPPY THE MOUSE illustrated
Where did the inspiration/idea come for this for this project?
Well the inspiration for both AXE and YOU CAN CALL ME EVE came from previous projects. Axe started off as a short film I wrote and directed. Then I developed it into a feature length script. Then in 2025 as the film industry was slowing down, I decided to develop the novel instead. I needed to continue being creative.
YOU CAN CALL ME EVE was a play I wrote that was produced back in November of 2011. I also adapted that into a feature length script. It’s a period piece that covers 5 different decades in a Latin woman’s life and would be a difficult move to get made [although I think it’s a great script.] So I decided instead to adapt into a novel because I really do think it’s a great story that needs to be told.
My children’s book TIPPY THE MOUSE came from a goal I gave myself of writing something I would read to my nephew’s when they were younger. Since I normally write horror or drama, it was definitely something out of my wheelhouse.
What does the writing process look like for you?
Well, presently, it involves me, a cup of coffee, and an awesome curated playlist of music I have listen too - mostly film scores - to help put me in a creative mood.
How do you handle writer’s block?
To be honest, I am not sure that I handle it that well. I have the worst ADHD. I am so easily distracted. But for me, I handle it like other writers I know: I read, I watch movies - especially in the genre I am currently writing. I listen to music. Or I’ll stretch my legs and go outside. Fresh air and nature can do wonders for the brain and soul.
When I’m blocked I just find a way to reset my mind so I can approach it again differently. Sometimes that could be to read, watch a movie, throw on a television show, or even pour a glass of wine and just relax, which allows my wind to wonder.
How do you feed your creativity when feeling drained?
Sometimes I change where I write. Instead of writing from my desk at home I'll move outside or I’ll go to the park, or sometimes I’ll go to a coffee shop or a restaurant. It helps me feel less stagnant. I have bad ADHD and sometimes a different location can help me feel less stifled with my creativity.
I do also write with music and sometimes instead of using my curated playlist I’ll listen to a different genre of music. That seems to help!
What advice would you give writers’ who feel stuck or uninspired?
Feeling stuck or uninspired is normal and it will eventually pass. You either need to ride it out, which sometimes works for me or find the best way to push through it - like the suggestions I have given before, ie walking, reading, watching a movie. Truly, you need to find what works for you. But I do feel strongly that it will always pass.
Have you ever thought about giving up writing? If so, what pulled you back?
Truthfully, yeah. I have to be honest when I say that I gave up for a while. I got focused on directing more and writing seemed like something I was going to do as a hobby, which of course, I was fine with. But this was coming from someone who wrote ALL the Time as a kid.
But then there was just a time where I was less focused on writing. Even my writing partner had mentioned that. But since the pandemic and the writer/actor strike and the fires in Los Angeles at the beginning of 2025, the film industry seems to be changing. Not in Los Angeles specifically but in the US as a whole.
So when I turned 50 last year I decided to focus more on writing since it has always been my first love. I started jotting down ideas and even pulled out old stories to see if I could do something with them.
And because of that I wrote my first novel AXE in 2025.
How do you keep your voice or ideas fresh over time?
I read…A LOT. I listen to podcasts, I peruse YouTube and I even watch Tiktok. I try to pay attention to trends and if something inspires me I try to do my own take on it. But it does also help to give a fresh perspective.
I also keep a note on my phone and every time I hear a funny saying or I see something that resonates with me I jot it down so I can pull from it when I need ideas.
What do you wish more people understood about the creative process?
In some way it is very lonely and it takes an enormous amount of time and energy and complete focus. Also, not having a good support system could be detrimental. Everyone has an opinion on the art we create and you need to surround yourself with people whose positive voices can drown out the negative ones.
What is the most honest thing you’ve ever written - and did it scare you?
The original story of YOU CAN CALL ME EVE is the most honest thing I have ever written. It was my play I had produced back in 2011 and even though the story follows an older Latina woman, it is the sub plot of the young gay nephew that mirrors a lot of my life and beliefs. It is the most vulnerable thing I have ever written so far.
When the play was being workshopped and then ultimately produced, my mother attended. Having her sit in the audience while it was being performed was both scary and exciting for me. Until her death, my play was her most favorite thing I ever wrote. She was so excited for me when Academy Award winning actress Olympia Dukakis gave me feedback on the first initial draft of the play.
This is why I am dedicating the book to my mother…
Michael Coulombe website
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Happy Birthday, Michael!