NYWIFT Blog

By Guneet K. Singh

Let’s put our pens to paper and craft the perfect welcome for our new NYWIFT member, Sheila Robinson!

Sheila is a playwright, screenwriter and social worker who has been pursuing writing for the last 16 years. Her career as a social worker has inspired her work. Her writing has brought her to many different film festivals and she continues to hone her craft.

Read our full interview with Sheila to learn more about how she balances her writing with her career as a social worker and her advice for screenwriters.

NYWIFT Member Sheila Robinson (photo courtesy of Sheila Robinson)

Tell us about yourself! Give us some insight into your creative journey, your career aspirations and what drives you. 

In 2006, I got into the acting business and then I took a playwriting course a couple of years later. I loved it! Since then, I’ve been writing and it’s been very cathartic for me. I’ve written dramedy, drama and period pieces. My go-to is dramedy. I’ve been to some film festivals and have won some awards for Best Feature Screenplay. I did a short that won Best Cinematography. I did a three act play at a repertory theater in Manhattan and we made it to the finals. I do playwriting and screenwriting. It’s been fun doing this and I love it.

Sheila Robinson at the International New York Film Festival (photo courtesy of Sheila Robinson)

What brought you to NYWIFT?

My friend told me about it and encouraged me to join. I went to different events over the years and was on the email list. Last year at the Hamptons International Film Festival, NYWIFT had an event and that was fun. I just became an official member this year!

Has your time as a social worker inspired how you approach your writing?

Most definitely. I meet so many new people and have talked to lots of interesting folks throughout my career. So many of my characters are loosely based on people I’ve met in the field. I use all this information I have and put it on paper and then put it in a play or on screen.

Sheila Robinson in the midst of writing (photo courtesy of Sheila Robinson)

You love writing family stories and dramedies. What draws you to these types of stories?

Life is full of so much stress and people need to laugh, even if you’re writing something that has some truth to it. Laughter is really important. In New York, everything goes so fast. I try to pull from things that have happened to me and I’m like, “That was funny. That needs to be on paper.” Some of my dramas are personal to me and others are things I’ve heard or encountered as a social worker.

One of my acting instructors had us listen to people’s conversations as we were walking or taking the subway. It was quite interesting because most of the time we’re on our phones and aren’t paying attention. That exercise really helped me pay attention to folks and develop some characters from that and then a play.

What advice do you have for those interested in pursuing screenwriting?

Take a course. Know the format. Go to workshops. I’ve taken a ton of courses. Understand the business of screenwriting because it can be quite different, even from the business of playwriting. Intern where you can. I’ve done background work for a lot of films and that helps you know the ins and outs and be on set so you can learn what happens during a production. Overall, I think you should do your research and spend time behind-the-scenes.

Sheila Robinson being interviewed at a film festival (photo courtesy of Sheila Robinson)

What has been the most fulfilling writing project of your career so far? What made it so impactful for you?

My first playwriting course was impactful for me because I really got the sense that I could write. I was learning the craft and I’d hear it read out loud and then hear the audience reacting. It was so fulfilling.

Since then, my most impactful project was a German film loosely based on a true story of a family member called Fräulein. It’s about an African American woman who left the states when she was 18 and went to Germany. She was one of the first African American people in that area where she moved. She had a lot of stories of how people identified her and how enamored they were with her. My family member is now in her 80s.

Sheila Robinson at the Beverly Hills Film Festival (photo courtesy of Sheila Robinson)

How do you balance your career as a social worker and your writing projects?

It’s not easy. It takes a lot of quiet time and dedication to really think. You have to be in the space where your mind is clear and all you’re focused on is writing. 

When I was first getting started, taking courses helped me stay focused. When work is busy, I don’t get as much time to focus on my craft so I’ve been finding new ways to hold myself accountable. I took an accountability writing class once where I woke up and would write from 7am-9am. 

You also have to save the money and have the resources to put your work out there. I’m hoping to put more of my work back on stage (hopefully by the fall!) but I need to build up the funds to do it.

NYWIFT Member Sheila Robinson (photo courtesy of Sheila Robinson)

What is the most inspiring piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The most inspiring piece of advice I’ve ever received was from an animation instructor at SVA. He was a social worker at one point as well. I did a script with a concept that was kind of unbelievable and hard to pitch. He said to me “You can pitch to anybody, any day, anything.” I try to remember that. There’s something there in my writing and I can do it, even when I doubt myself.