Circumstances robbed Wright of her typical catharsis for Eat Me. Not normally known for starring in her own works, Wright explains “The only reason I did the role on stage is I couldn’t find an actress willing to do the role.” Of course, once she started, she “really loved the role and didn’t want anybody else to do it.” After carrying this story for over a decade, she described how “it was a very healing experience” to finally step back and see her story performed.

“Especially this particular movie, at the end I totally understood why I wrote it and was so grateful to have the experience. It was a very healing experience for me and I clearly understood it, finally. So that alone was the hugest gift.” Wright readily admits that she carried this story longer than most and couldn’t let it go. However, it’s entirely possible that Wright would have found her catharsis much earlier had she not starred in her own play, and the movie might never had existed.

“I usually never understand why I’ve written something until I’m able to see it”

Pleasantries out of the way, I decide it’s time to really dive in get to the heart of what drives writers and creators. I ask whether she would prefer to write something polarizing, that people either loved or hated, or write something that was universally considered “just ok.”

“I haven’t gotten paid enough to write something that everyone thought was ok,” she begins. “I really love writing. I love the feeling, chasing the story down. I love that whole experience. I obviously don’t think too much about whether anybody else is going to like it.” For Wright, the relevant question is whether the story is engaging her long enough to get to the end. “If I get bored,” she explains, “then I’m not going to keep writing.”

Ultimately, she writes what the “little person inside” wants her to write, “trusting that, even if it’s just one person, there’s somebody who connects with it. That’s why we create or even why we go see movies is for some kind of communal connection.” Admitting that writing can be lonely, ” the next part is always so exciting just to share something with somebody other than yourself.”