the documentary

·43 min·4 clips

Sophia sees a finger-sized centipede slithering across her rug while making margaritas for her publicist.

Sophia Franklin opens the episode by announcing she is back in the United States after traveling to Italy and Megeve, France. She immediately launches into a personal anecdote about a disturbing encounter in her New York apartment: while making margaritas with her publicist, she spotted a large, slow-moving centipede on her rug. The incident left her feeling unsafe and repulsed, especially after her bug expert friend found it unusual. Sophia later discovered the centipede originated from a live grass pad her mother had ordered to her apartment for a puppy, which contained eggs that hatched. She describes disposing of the grass pad in a hazmat-like operation and having her cleaning lady deep clean the room. Transitioning to her writing process, Sophia discusses working on her memoir 'Daddy Issues' and the challenges of introspection, noting she had to repeatedly break through layers of shame and ego. She writes in a chaotic Google Doc with 33 tabs and uses tips from writers like Mary Carr, though she often ignores them. Sophia praises her editor at Simon & Schuster, revealing he won her over by having edited Lana Del Rey's book, which she admires. She talks about the physical setup of writing, including failed attempts at ergonomic arrangements, and the psychological need to sometimes write in cafes or with a drink for emotional support. Sophia explains that memoir writing relies on scenes to immerse readers, requiring her to recall sensory details like smells and physical sensations. She reflects on the role of external validation in her life, sharing how a college professor's compliment on her thesis boosted her confidence and academic performance. Sophia also mentions being stereotyped as vapid or a 'hot girl' but credits moments like her high school boyfriend calling her smart for shaping her self-perception. She advises against creating content solely for validation and emphasizes having a deeper 'why'. Towards the end, Sophia reveals she filmed a documentary series for the podcast that revisits topics from her book but decided the story needed the depth of a book format. She hints it may still become a visual project in the future.

As heard by us

A candid, textured look at the messy writing life behind a memoir that may still become something for the screen.

The episode sits in the tension between a very personal book and a screen project that may or may not become something else. Its host is most compelling when she talks about writing as a process of getting uncomfortably honest with herself, not just about shame and insecurity,…

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Why you'd press play

Press play for 33 tabs, radical self-editing, and a memoir draft that may not stay a book.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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