Sorel Kaire, an independent author whose extensive career in television includes working as a writers’ assistant and script supervisor on productions such as The Golden Girls and Sports Night, shares fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from Hollywood, including a memorable lesson from Aaron Sorkin about the rhythm of dialogue. She also discusses how her television experience shaped her approach to storytelling, character development, and editing.
This conversation goes beyond Hollywood. Sorel opens up about her struggles with self-doubt, her decision to self-publish three books, and the challenges of promoting her work as an indie author.
In This Episode
From the Writers’ Room to the Television Set
Sorel began her entertainment career through a college internship that led to a job working on sitcoms.
She eventually became a writers’ assistant and later a script supervisor, giving her a unique perspective on how television stories move from initial ideas to finished performances.
She explains the often-overlooked responsibilities of a script supervisor, including maintaining continuity, tracking timing, reviewing scripts, and working with directors, actors, and writers to ensure everything comes together.
A Writing Lesson from Aaron Sorkin
One of Sorel’s most memorable Hollywood experiences came while working on Sports Night with acclaimed writer Aaron Sorkin.
When she asked about an actor’s slight change to a line, Sorkin insisted:
“Word for word, comma for comma. It is about the rhythm of the words.”
Sorel explains how this experience changed the way she thinks about dialogue and why the sound, pacing, and rhythm of language matter as much as the words themselves.
She also recalls working with Susan Harris on the pilot of The Golden Girls and learning to appreciate the care great television writers put into every line.
Creating Characters with Distinct Voices
Have you ever read a story where every character sounds suspiciously like the same person?
Sorel discusses why writers need to understand their characters long before they begin writing dialogue.
Drawing on lessons from screenwriting and Robert McKee‘s storytelling seminars, she explains how knowing a character’s dreams, fears, habits, and motivations helps create an authentic, recognizable voice.
Even details that never appear in the finished story influence how a character speaks and behaves.
Plotters, Pantsers & Finding Your Writing Process
Although Sorel learned to create detailed outlines when writing for television, her approach to novels is completely different.
She’s what writers affectionately call a pantser: someone who writes by the seat of their pants.
Sorel generally knows where her story begins and where she wants it to end, but allows her characters to guide much of what happens in between.
Lisa and Sorel discuss the differences between plotting and writing organically, reminding listeners that one perfect writing process for everyone doesn’t exist.
The Importance of Details—and the Big Picture
As a script supervisor, Sorel learned to notice tiny details that other people might overlook.
But she also learned that those details must serve the larger story.
She explains how maintaining continuity, understanding character motivation, and recognizing small storytelling opportunities makes a significant difference in the final result.
Sometimes a seemingly insignificant detail becomes the seed of something much more interesting.
Overcoming Self-Doubt and Learning to Accept Criticism
Despite spending years surrounded by professional writers, Sorel struggled to believe in her own writing abilities.
She shares how she began writing early in the morning before long days working in television and eventually completed a novel.
Attending the Santa Barbara Writers Conference and studying self-editing became turning points.
When her editor gave her tough feedback on an early manuscript, Sorel needed to decide whether to retreat or use the criticism to improve.
She chose to learn.
That experience eventually helped her develop The Landslide Café, a story she later included in one of her published books.
The Journey to Self-Publishing
Sorel independently published three books:
- A children’s book originally written for her father, featuring her own illustrations
- A collection of poetry and drawings that includes The Landslide Café
- A romance novel written during the COVID pandemic
She discusses why she chose self-publishing, the role of self-editing and beta readers, and the importance of knowing when to stop revising and release a book into the world.
Book Marketing: Selling the Author, Not the Book
Like many indie authors, Sorel discovered that writing a book and marketing it require very different skills.
She shares her experience creating Books and Bakes, a local event combining her love of baking with an opportunity to introduce readers to her books.
The conversation also explores advice Sorel received from actress and author entrepreneur Kim Coles: Instead of constantly promoting book covers, help readers connect with you as a person and storyteller.
Lisa reinforces an important book marketing principle:
You are the brand.
They discuss how Instagram, author websites, personal storytelling, and authentic engagement helps writers build relationships with potential readers.
Don’t Let Fear Stop You from Writing
Sorel closes the conversation with encouragement for writers who struggle with perfectionism, self-doubt, or fear of criticism.
Inspired by advice from Isabel Allende, she reminds listeners that sometimes the most important thing is simply to finish the manuscript, even if the first version isn’t very good.
Writing should feel like something we nurture, enjoy, and continue pursuing, rather than a dream we abandon because we’re afraid of getting it wrong.
Key Takeaways
- Listen to your dialogue. The rhythm of words transforms how a scene works.
- Know your characters. Distinct personalities create distinct voices.
- Balance details with the big picture. Small observations should strengthen the overall story.
- Find your own writing process. Plotting and writing organically both produce compelling stories.
- Accept constructive criticism. Learning to revise is an essential part of becoming a stronger writer.
- Know when to let go. Endless rewriting prevents a finished manuscript from reaching readers.
- Build your author brand. Readers connect with storytellers, not book covers.
- Don’t let fear make your decisions. Confidence often grows through the act of writing, revising, and sharing your work.
Memorable Quote
“Don’t let anybody kill your dream.” — Sorel Kaire
It’s a fitting conclusion to a conversation about creativity, courage, and the joy of storytelling.
About Sorel Kaire
Sorel Kaire is an independent author and longtime entertainment industry professional whose career includes working as a writers’ assistant and script supervisor on television productions. Her experiences working with writers, directors, and actors gave her a distinctive perspective on dialogue, character development, and storytelling. She independently published three books spanning children’s literature, poetry, and romance, and continues to develop new writing projects.
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