Authors

Why Is It That Some Writers Never Get Writer’s Block? – Billy Van Zandt

Filmcourage

Published

February 24, 2025

[Watch the video interview on YouTube here]

Film Courage: Why don’t you believe in writer’s block?

Billy Van Zandt, Comedy Writer/Playwright/Author: Because I don’t…I’ve never had it. I’ve never had writer’s block. To me you sit down at the thing and you just write. If I can sit there, maybe it’s just me, but I can write for hours at a time whether it’s good or bad. I’ll figure that out tomorrow when I rewrite it.

I think the more you do the better you get so better to just sit there and do it.

In terms of coming up with an idea to write I don’t think that’s a block but you have to talk that out so it doesn’t happen that fast.

But no, a lot of times I’ve heard people say they have writer’s block and I’m thinking you’re…(Watch the video interview on YouTube here).

About:

Billy Van Zandt and his writing partner, the late Jane Milmore, are two of the most often produced playwrights in the world. Billy and Jane met at a high school acting competition in their home state of New Jersey. Together for 46 years, they wrote and starred in 25 plays together. Billy’s solo play “The Property Known as Garland” starring his ex-wife Adrienne Barbeau broke box office records at Off-Broadway’s Actors Playhouse. The plays have been produced in thousands of theaters worldwide, including two productions directed by Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis (“Billy and Jane are funny, outrageous, off-the chart writers/performers”) and one by film legend Burt Reynolds. For television, these award-winning writers have produced over three hundred hours of television comedy, including “Newhart;” “Martin,” which won them a People’s Choice Award; “The Hughley’s,” which won them a Prism Award;” “Suddenly Susan” for Brooke Shields; “Daddy Dearest” for Don Rickles and Richard Lewis; “Anything But Love” for Jamie Lee Curtis and Richard Lewis; “The Wayans Bros.”; and “I Love Lucy: The Very First Show” which won them an Emmy nomination. As an actor, Billy made his film debut in “Jaws 2”; Billy lives in Los Angeles, when he’s not touring the world in the last Van Zandt/Milmore musical, “The Boomer Boys Musical.”