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My Writing Life: Jesse Armstrong

Jesse Armstrong is a British author, screenwriter, and producer. With Sam Bain he co-created and co-wrote 9 seasons of Channel 4’s BAFTA-winning comedy Peep Show. He also co-wrote The Thick of It and Fresh Meat for TV and In the Loop and Four Lions for theatrical release. He was the creator and show-runner of the HBO TV show Succession, and the writer and director of the recent television movie, Mountainhead.

1. What book should every writer read?

The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford.

2. What is your typical writing day like?

Frustrating. In to my office by 9.30. Why does no writing happen till 11.45, even with no internet?

3. Who has been an influential figure in your writing career?

Sam Bain, my friend and long-time writing partner.

4. What is the one thing you wish someone had told you before you started your career as a professional writer?

I don’t think there are really many words which have much significance compared to the power of experience. But if some figure with a badge saying ‘Certain Possessor of Objective Truth’ had told me anything useful it might have been, there is a bit more time than you think ahead.

5. What is the best advice you’ve ever received about your writing?

For screenplay, I like Richard Curtis’ freeing tip of opening eight or ten documents to give yourself a sense of possibility, that you’re not tied to the errors you’re going to make in your first draft, and you can go other ways with the scene in subsequent attempts.

6. What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?

Hmm. I think getting a second series of Peep Show commissioned felt very significant. It had been in the balance and I think Sam and I felt it was probably about as good as we could do in the sitcom form. We would have been sad to only do one series.

7. What are you reading right now?

A DH Lawrence short story called ‘The Prussian Officer’.

8. Bookmarker or page-folder?

Folder.

This article originally appeared on our Substack.

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