From Combat to Creativity: Yousif Nash's Experiences with the Veterans Writing Project and the Writers' Access Support Staff Training Program
Photo courtesy of Yousif Nash.
Yousif Nash is a Las Vegas native, former United States Air Force officer, and science fiction writer, who is an alumnus of both the Veterans Writing Project and the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program. After his time in the programs, Nash worked as the script coordinator for a 20th Television show and as the writers’ assistant for an Amazon show.
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your journey as a writer?
I’m from Las Vegas. My parents came from Iraq around ’97 or ’98. I’ve always been interested in storytelling. Growing up, my parents always talked about what life was like in Iraq before and after Saddam Hussein. Before, it was this huge oasis that was now unreachable and unattainable. I think that that’s where it really started.
Eventually, I got really into books and video games. That evolved into a love for TV and movies. I wanted to write more and more. I loved stories and was really drawn to storytelling, but I was also drawn to the military. So I joined the Air Force right after I graduated college and became a lieutenant with the United States Air Force.
Do you think your time in the military affects your writing?
Obviously, being what I am, it wasn’t easy being in the military. I was putting a lot of feelings into my writing after I got out because of everything I dealt with. I’m also a huge nerd, so I write about a lot of my experiences through the sci-fi and fantasy genres. That’s what I gravitate more towards, and people to seem to really like those genres when they’re used for analogy, symbolism, and reflections of real life.
How does your career in the entertainment industry look different before and after participating in the program?
After the Air Force, I was teaching part-time at a community college. Then I discovered the Veterans Writing Project, and it changed my life. I met a lot of great people and realized television was a route I wanted to take. Writing wise, it’s something that I gravitate towards as a person, as a writer, and with my work ethic. Through the Veterans Writing Project, I met Ken LaZebnik who had just opened up an M.F.A. program. I used my G.I. bill to pursue that. I met even more people there which led to internships, my first PA job, and then my script coordinator and writers’ assistant positions. If I had never done the Veterans Writing Project, I would not be where I am right now. I would still be a miserable community college teacher in Las Vegas.
How did the Veterans Writing Project and the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program prepare you for those positions?
The Veterans Writing Project definitely helped me understand my voice and what I want to write for. I was able to sell myself better as a writer. The Writers' Access Support Staff Training Program, I can't speak highly enough of it. I definitely would not know how to be a script coordinator if it wasn't for that.
Being a script coordinator is a very hard skill to learn. You really have to learn how to do everything in Scenechronize. Being a writers' assistant involves more soft learning skills. I'm not saying it's easier than being a script coordinator. It's still a hard job, but anyone can learn it. The [Writers' Access] Support Staff Training Program gave us a lot of practice in both. Instructors Debbie [Ezer] and Clay [Lapari] would look at our notes and say, "Oh, here's what you didn't do. This doesn't make sense. Try organizing things this way". Plus, they provided their experience from their previous shows about how to be a good writers' assistant. That helped us learn how to take notes, when to contribute to the room, and when is the right time to do research. I can’t speak highly enough about the [Writers' Access] Support Staff Training program. I learned a lot about how to be a proper support staffer for a writers' room.
In my first job as a script coordinator, I was trying to get a list. My first day on the job, I had to send out two story areas out. I did all my proofreading, but I still needed everyone's contact info and their emails to send it out via Scenechronize. I couldn't get a hold of that information. One thing Debbie and Clay taught us is to not be afraid to talk to showrunners and really get out of your shell to meet your goals or to let them know what your problems are. I had to talk to two [executive producers] and a showrunner. I don't know what they did behind the scenes, but within two hours of talking to them, I had all the information I needed. I wouldn't have even known who I needed to contact unless I had gone through the program. [Debbie and Clay] told us everything we needed to do on the first day. I did all of that on the first day, no problem. It kind of made the rest of the first week boring, but, that said, a month later I was working every single weekend.
What surprised you most about being in a writers’ room?
What surprised me most in my first writers’ room was how nice everyone was. There was a moment that I was frightened like, "Oh my God, everyone is way too nice. This is impossible". That really is what surprised me the most. The people I worked with were so nice to me. I can't speak highly enough about my experience with everyone.
What advice would you offer to emerging writers seeking support staff positions?
You‘ve got to use your previous experience to sell yourself. If you worked on something that involved taking a lot of notes, that's a good way to sell yourself. If you're a person who is very detail oriented or you know how to schedule, that would make you a good showrunner's assistant. Say if your previous jobs involved you doing a lot of errands, that's a writer's P.A. For you to sell yourself as a support staffer, look at what your previous jobs were and sell yourself as someone who can help the room be better. Let them know that you want to lend whatever knowledge or skills you have to the writers’ room and that, hopefully, you can help make the show a better place.
Are you still in touch with a lot of people that you went through these programs with?
Oh yeah, I definitely am. I talk to so many people and try to keep in touch with everybody. I published three short stories for this website called Distant Reaches. One of the editors and founders, Robert Franco, also graduated from Veterans Writing Project. He brought me on board to write some short stories for them. He was a great collaborator to work with. I don't think I would have had as much fun with the short stories unless he was involved. He provided great feedback. I can't speak highly enough of him and his editorial skills.
If you could be in the room and work on any TV show, past or present, what would it be?
Oh gosh, I would love to be in the room for The Incredible Hulk TV series. The one showran by Kenneth Johnson in the 70s. One of my mentors, Karen Harris, worked on that series. It seemed like a great place to work. Presently, I would love to work on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I just love Strange New Worlds. Poker Face, that's another modern one. I gravitate way more towards episodic stories than the more serialized ones. Oh, and Miss Marvel. I would love to be on Miss Marvel.
So you prefer writing for episodic shows over serialized stories?
Everything I'm writing about right now is very serialized, but the great thing about episodic is that it really shows what television can be. You're telling multiple different stories that involve the same group of characters. It's like watching ten movies instead of one long one. So that's what I think is the great thing about episodic. You can pick and choose like, "Oh, I really like this episode because it's about this," instead of, "I like the whole series because it's all about this". Instead of sitting down for ten hours, you can skip around to watch the one episode you really want to. There's no stress when you watch episodic television. You can sit back, relax and just enjoy what it is. Compared to serialized TV, you have to watch the previous episode to remember what the last thing was.
Last question: when working in entertainment there’s always talk of “getting your foot in the door” and breaking in. Do you think you’ve broken in yet?
Oh yeah. Yeah, I've definitely broken in. I've been working almost consistently. I'm one of the few people who's been getting a job every two months. A show ends, but two months later I get a job on another show. That ends and two months later I get another job. I've been very lucky. That wouldn't happen unless I talked to the people I've worked with. I'd say I've broken in and now the goal is to get that first writing credit on television. That's the next step.