How People Create: Tara Anaïse

I wanted to find out how other writers approached their work so... I asked.

Below are some questions I asked Indian American writer/director Tara Anaïse about her creative process. Come for the insights on dreams, stay for the hypnotherapy.

What is the first thing you do when you begin a new project?  (i.e. review previous work, revisit inspiration, brainstorm, free write, outline, research, etc.)

I immerse myself in the world I’m going to be inhabiting. That might mean listening to music that vibes with my story, watching films for inspiration, etc. I get really inspired by places, so if I’m kicking around an idea for a story set in a particular place, I’ll go there and explore if it’s feasible. If it’s not, I’ll go down a rabbit hole researching the place, and then start to think about the characters that might inhabit that space. When it comes to my stories, I’ve always been more about character and vibe than plot...  

Do you write on a schedule?  When the spirit moves you?  When you have time?  What determines when you sit down to write?

I do a schedule, but I let my schedule vary. I set aside blocks of time every day and sit down to work whether or not I’m feeling it at the time. I think the most important thing for me is just showing up for myself and my talent every day, regardless of what my mind might be telling me.  

Is there a particular time of day or time of the week/month that you tend to prefer?  Any reason why?

I want to be the kind of person that gets up at 6am and writes first thing in the morning, but I’ve noticed that I tend to be the most creative around sunset. Not sure why, maybe it’s something to do with the quality of light. Or the approaching night, darkness seems better than daylight for diving into the unconscious. 

Where do you write?  At a desk?  Outside?  In bed?  If it varies, list as many as you can and if there is any criteria that is required.

At a desk, a dining table with a view, on a plane, in a coffee shop, poolside with a cocktail nearby…I just need my laptop (or even my phone – once I worked at the beach on the final draft app on my phone, but I don’t recommend this. (Too bright and the app isn’t great.)

Is there anything you do just prior to writing to prepare for your session?  (i.e., select music, light a candle, put phone on airplane mode, make coffee, etc)

If I’m feeling stuck or if I can tell I want to procrastinate instead of write, I have a recorded hypnosis session that I listen to that helps me to clear out any subconscious blocks and get into a good headspace (it’s tailored to me, I’ve done a bunch of sessions with a hypnotherapist.) Then I get a cup of coffee, put on music, light a candle and get to work.

When you begin, do you listen to music?  If so, list a few of the tracks that you've listened to recently.  If not, explain why you prefer not to.

I always put on music, usually something ambient/droney (vocals can be distracting) or if there’s specific music that vibes with the project I’m working on, I’ll listen to that on repeat. Right now I’ve been listening to Barn Owl’s Lost in the Glare album constantly.

Internet.  Leave it on?  Turn it off?  Let yourself check email?  No email?  What is your approach to this and other potential distractions that could arise?

I put my phone away (usually in another room) and turn off notifications on my laptop, but leave the internet on…jury is still out on this. I get distracted really easily so…I actually just checked my email mid-sentence and have no idea how I was planning on wrapping this up. What can you do.

How long are your writing sessions usually?  Any reasoning for their length?  (i.e. until you no longer feel connected, until something else comes up, you work for a set time, etc)

A few hours. I usually do it until I can’t sit still anymore. 

How do you approach revisions once you have a finished piece?  Do you get feedback from others, put it away and come back with new perspective, read through and trust your gut, etc?

I’ll put it away for a day or two, then go back and reread. I’ll make any changes, and then send it to a couple of people whose opinions I trust.

Describe in detail your last writing session - time of day, place, how you constructed your environment, what you chose to work on, what is the first thing you did to start, how long you worked, etc.

I’ve been working on a rewrite of a script that’s for me to direct. Yesterday I listened to my hypnosis session late afternoon, then lit my candle, put on some Barn Owl, and sat down at my desk and worked until 8:30 pm or so. 

Is there anything about your current creative process that you think might not be working for you or something new you might want to try?

Sometimes I force myself to sit at my desk for longer than what’s productive. I want to make sure I’m still enjoying the process. 

Have you always approached writing this way?  When you first started writing seriously, did you do things differently?  If so, how?  And, if so, why do you think it changed?

I used to wait until I felt some kind of inspiration to sit down and write, but I’ve realized that this doesn’t really work for me.  

Not that you asked, but the first thing I do in the morning is write down my dreams from the night before in as much detail as I can remember. I get a lot of inspiration from my dreams and I think they’re a great window into one’s psyche. If I’m trying to work out a problem in a script, I’ll try to make myself dream about possible solutions (sometimes it works.) Writing my dreams is also a great way to just let the words flow without judgment. Other ways I like to work out script problems/get inspiration  — walks in nature, long scenic drives, a little bit of weed :)

---

Tara Anaïse is an Indian American writer/director, a Sundance Feature Film Program Fellow, and an Emmy nominee. Her most recent work includes writing and directing on the season finale of Shudder’s Queer for Fear (from EP Bryan Fuller), a docuseries about the history of horror told through a queer lens, and producing all four episodes of the series. Queer for Fear was nominated for a 2023 Emmy for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary, a 2023 GLAAD Award for Outstanding Documentary, and the winner of two 2023 Dorian Awards for Best TV Documentary and Best LGBTQ Documentary. Anaïse’s début feature, Dark Mountain, was released by Gravitas Ventures and peaked at number 8 in iTunes top horror. Anaïse also wrote and story produced on Dear… for Apple TV+ (nominated for a 2022 IDA doc award) and ran the story department on Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult for STARZ. Her upcoming projects include the features Bombay Blood, which she workshopped at the Sundance Screenwriters Intensive in Los Angeles, and Wildcats, a dark coming-of-age crime drama set in the California desert. She holds an MFA in film production from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives and works in Los Angeles.