Scott Ryan, a multifaceted author, publisher, and television historian, is a pop culture and entertainment industry expert. With a portfolio that spans oral histories, behind-the-scenes stories and critical exploration of film and television, his latest book, The Last Decade of Cinema, explores movies from the nineties, offering an analysis of their impact on pop culture both at the time of their release and their lasting significance today.
Ryan’s previous works include Moonlighting: An Oral History, where he unveils the untold story behind the groundbreaking TV series, and Thirtysomething at Thirty: An Oral History, alongside The Last Days of Letterman, which chronicles the end of an era in late-night television.
In Scott Luck Stories, he ventures into the realm of comic short stories, showcasing his unique blend of wry humor and journalistic acumen. As the managing editor of The Blue Rose Magazine and co-founder of Fayetteville Mafia Press, Ryan has solidified his position as a raw and honest pop culture storyteller. He is the co-host of Tiger Talk on YouTube which follows the Massillon Tigers high school football team. He also co-wrote a book about the Tigers’ state championship win in 2023 called Massillon Against the World.
With all this, it still burns him that he never won Employee of the Month at Video Time where he learned to love film by stealing VHS tapes and movie posters. Discover more about Scott Ryan’s books and his perspective on storytelling and pop culture here.
Why do you write in the genre(s) that you do?
I write non-fiction books because I love finding out where good art comes from and how artists create it. My favorite thing to do is to interview someone, so my interviewing skills just sort of rolled into me becoming an author.
Do you keep a notebook of ideas?
I have never kept a notebook. I really should, and it is one of my biggest life regrets, so thanks for bringing it up. I have let a lot of good ideas slip away because I have forgotten them. But maybe they weren’t as good as I thought.
Do you have a muse?
Music is my muse. I always write to music and am constantly inspired by it. I use a Stephen Sondheim quote for all of my books that matches what my feelings were for the project that I was working on.
Fill in the blank: “People will like your book if they like stories about…”
If they like stories about behind the scenes of the television shows and movies that they love. I don’t write recaps of the shows I cover. I want to know how they made the sausage. I love getting the stories from the actors and directors is always fascinating to me. It has been an honor to speak with the cast of Moonlighting, Twin Peaks, and thirtysomething.
Would you rather own a bookstore or run a library?
I think the library is the single greatest manmade invention. I want all my money left to local libraries. I love thinking about the idea if someone suggested that we give free books to every small town in America today, people would lose their minds. It is such an amazing thing. I love libraries.
What is your favorite website that you use to promote your writing?
I have no favorite. I really treat social media like an enemy. There is no doubt that if I don’t Tweet today, I won’t sell today, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t despise it. If one of my books would actually hit and sell a few copies, I would delete all social media and be so very happy.
If Hollywood bought the rights to your book, would you want it to be turned into a movie or series?
I wrote a book called Massillon Against The World with Becca Moore. We covered a high school football team that won the Ohio state championship, and I think it would make a wonderful TV series. We have been trying to get one made, but it is really hard to do, unless you know someone in the industry.
Who is your dream audiobook narrator?
I read my own audiobooks. My books are very funny because I have a singular sense of humor and I think especially my newest book, The Last Decade of Cinema, is so much better as an audiobook because the jokes and sarcasm come out of nowhere. I am not sure anyone could read my writing better than I could.
How many words or pages do you typically write in one writing session?
I write in such small bursts. I can write a few sentences, get up and work on something else, and come right back to the same sentence. I run a publishing company that takes up a lot of my time, so I don’t have time to be precious with my writing time. I take whatever time I have, and I write as much as I can.
Do you have any writing rituals?
I always write on the computer because my handwriting is so atrocious that I could never read it later. Besides that, I don’t have any rules or ideas about writing. I have never taken it that seriously.
What are your passions/obsessions outside of writing?
Music and collecting vinyl records. I love Fiona Apple, Indigo Girls, Billy Joel, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand. I listen to music all the time. I also play the piano.
Have you made any public appearances to promote your book?
I have been on the radio and podcasts quite a bit for my 90s book, The Last Decade of Cinema. It has been fun to see how much the hosts are getting behind the idea of my book, which is how movies in the 90s were much more grown up and complex. It is fun to write the book, but it is so much more fun to have a debate and discussion about the ideas in my book. It has been very rewarding to talk about the movies that mattered so much to me.
Who would you most want to read your book?
I would love for Quentin Tarantino to read it. He influenced me a lot when I was working at a video store and I was watching his movies from the 90s. I think he would agree with me and would also argue with me a lot. My greatest hope for the book is that it would create debate about why movies matter.
Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of greatest/inspirational authors?
John Irving, Pat Conroy, David Sedaris, and Dr. Seuss.
Is there a book that somebody gave to you that helped you pave the way to becoming a writer, or is there a book on writing that you recommend all writers read?
Joseph Dougherty wrote for thirtysomething and Pretty Little Liars. He has a book called A Screenwriter’s Companion that I think is such a wonderful book about writing. Some books give out a lot of advice, but in Dougherty’s book, he gives actual examples and exercises to teach writers how to plot and dialogue better. It is one of my favorite books ever.
Have you ever mentored another writer with their writing?
I have been able to publish several different authors through my company which I run with David Bushman. We run Fayetteville Mafia Press and Tucker DS Press. I don’t know if I mentor any of them, but I always strive to give them the tools they need to write what they want and to achieve their goals. I would never want to stand in the way of an artist and their dream.
How do you measure the success of your writing career?
Isn’t that just the biggest question of the day? Well, it sure hasn’t been monetarily.
There is very little money in being an author. I guess I find success in the fact that I do get emails from readers who say they enjoyed my books. I am not sure there are other measures than that.
I don’t spend a lot of time looking back on my work. I am always starting the next project. I just feel lucky that I have been able to write about things that matter to me and that someone out there read some of it. That is an amazing feeling, but I try not to focus on it much. I mostly just try to write what I would want to read and then try to make it as entertaining as possible.
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