18: Diana Dru Botsford on Writing Character-Driven Stories That Matter

Screenwriter and story consultant Diana Dru Botsford shares her journey from writing her first story at age five to working on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Stargate SG-1 novels. Diana talks about navigating the glass ceiling in Hollywood, producing in South Africa during the end of apartheid, and why honest feedback is an act of respect for fellow writers. If you're a writer, entrepreneur, or anyone trying to tell stories that matter, this conversation offers insight into what it takes to push forward when the industry pushes back. KEY TOPICS: • Character-driven storytelling and deep point-of-view experiences • Overcoming sexism and racism in the entertainment industry • The importance of honest creative feedback • Writing stories that help us understand ourselves • Moving forward after devastating loss • Building a career through networking and persistence ABOUT DIANA DRU BOTSFORD: Diana Dru Botsford is a story consultant and writer/producer whose work includes creating and producing the critically acclaimed sci-fi web series "Epilogue" and serving as consulting producer on the comedy series "A Little Help." She's written for Star Trek: The Next Generation (the episode "Rascals") and authored Stargate SG-1 novels "Four Dragons" and "The Drift." Diana founded the award-winning screenwriting program at Missouri State University, and her pursuit of great stories has taken her from Japan to Africa to Antarctica. CONNECT WITH DIANA: Website: https://dianabotsford.com Workshops: https://beyondthemedium.com FULL EPISODE BLOG POST: https://kandasrodarte.com/18 SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@gratitudegeek Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gratitude-geek/id820738086 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/27dh0T1PbwsWXxfmNWZPy8?si=2303ea26860c436e Website: https://kandasrodarte.com CONNECT WITH KANDAS: Weekly Email: https://kandasrodarte.com/subscribe Instagram: https://instagram.com/gratitudegeek LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/gratitudegeek SUPPORT THE SHOW: After 300 episodes and nearly 10 years, my microphone and headphones need replacing. Every contribution helps keep Gratitude Geek going strong. https://kandasrodarte.com/support ABOUT YOUR HOST: Kandas Rodarte is a growth coach for women solopreneurs over 40. She hosts the Gratitude Geek Podcast and co-hosts Sci-Fi Book Pod. A metastatic breast cancer thriver with 30+ years of marketing expertise, Kandas believes gratitude is a business strategy that helps women build genuine, lasting connections with clients, colleagues, and community. #Screenwriting #Storytelling #WomenInFilm #StarTrek #Stargate #CharacterDriven #CreativeIndustry #SciFiWriting #GratitudeGeek Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices