Write What You Know: Matt Nix at TEDxSonomaCounty

MATT NIX is the creator of the acclaimed one-hour spy drama on the USA network, BURN NOTICE, as well as the cop dramedy The Good Guys, starring Bradley Whitford and Colin Hanks. He is an alumnus of Sonoma Country Day School, is the son of the founding Head of School, Philip Nix, and currently serves on the SCDS Board of Trustees.

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[MB-mkqn]

Well said. My parents owned a weekly newspaper for 20 years and had to meet a lot of deadlines.He had been an artist at Walt Disney studios so he drew a political cartoon very week for the front page. Sometimes he was working on it until 5 minutes before press time! We loved every minute of it but we were sure glad when he sold it!

[goldeneddie]

So refreshing to hear a TED talk that doesn't begin with 'When I was 4 years old' then drone on exclusively about personal stuff, with the vague justification that we might find some parallel. It's much more helpful to have a talk about _us_ and what we want to achieve, other writers and what they have achieved, as well as his own experience. It's great to hear the words 'you' and 'they' in balance, rather than these long monologues just about 'Me-me-me.' Instead, this guy helps us all when he says 'The things that hold us back as creative beings, the things that are stopping you from expressing who you really are in your creative work, can be bludgeoned into submission with an enormous amount of work.' Fantastic! .

[Gtarswordman]

I love the line "Shut up and feed me." I need to remember that every time I'm in a creative slump.

[wildoceanappaloosawomangay]

Write with total honesty, you have to go deep and sometimes it’s painful.
My whole life has been torture, so I just have to express this.
Social media has destroyed most people’s souls as they want so badly to be accepted no matter how vacuous they need to come across.
Be silent daily with yourself and write what you hear in this stillness.
👂 💭🌝

[AnthonyNewen]

I didn't fully understand the meaning of "Express who you are" until you explained it. Thank you and great job! The Good Guys is a GREAT show and the characters you all create are hilarious! Love Burn Notice; favorite show of all time.

[AndrewHeard]

As a writer I am learning this myself, and this was fantastic.

[lysejbeck]

Love this talk!! So inspirational. "Shut up and feed me!" Damn straight. Thanks thanks! Gotta go. I've got work to do...

[ninaurbex]

Can I ask your best advice on getting that appointment with the person you fear?

[nogmo]

Matt, please please please bring back out some BN characters in some form!!!!

[tac]

This is the genius who made burn notice

[davidnewton]

Add Larry David and Jason Alexander :)

[mylestelemaque]

The uncovered aries anaerobically jump because police successfully welcome via a deserted sink. voiceless, stale lily