The cheesy, cliche answer to this would be "I write because I have to." But the real answer is, I write because I want to. I want to tell stories that impact people, make them think and feel things that surprise them, entertain them, and make them think. Writing has brought me some of the most fun and meaningful experiences I have ever had. It has given me friends, it has taught me life lessons- okay, this is turning out to be just as cheesy. Ah, whatever. I write because I have to.

The thing I like best about both of these fields is that the progress is tangible. The creative process always starts with an idea. Then, a team develops the idea further, and it becomes something greater. Whether it be a script or a concept sketch, the idea starts to take on a physical form. It can be edited, tweaked and redone. Next, the idea comes to life. A scene is filmed, an attraction starts construction. A team of talented people give their all every day to assemble something from nothing. Finally, the project is passed on to the people. It becomes theirs, and they are free to enjoy or critique it as much as they'd like. Then, a new idea comes along and the process starts over, with the added benefit of lessons learned from the previous project.

Ultimately, I want to be able to say I contributed to the industries that gave so much to me. The reason I love writing is because I like to feel as though I am giving something to people, and I love seeing people's responses to things I have written. If I can create something that entertains people or makes them feel as though they can forget about their problems for a while, I'll consider it a success. Being on the creative team for a film or an attraction is the ultimate form of this sentiment, so that's what I'm striving for.

Typically, my writing process begins when I get an idea that I can't help but write down, the kind of idea that will be bouncing around in my head for a whole afternoon until I can get home and put it into writing. Then, I like revisiting it the next day and exploring it further to see if it's still as captivating as I thought it was. If I'm working in a team, my favorite part of the writing process is throwing out ideas in a group and building off of each other. That moment when you can all feel the idea click into place when the team gives the perfect piece of feedback is electric.

On the attractions side, I think the most influential attractions for me are The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Islands of Adventure, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios, and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Universal Studios Orlando. The first two are rides where immersive storytelling meets incredible engineering, and Gringotts is a ride I think that will be seen as a turning point in the industry a decade from now. For me, Gringotts marked the first step into a true storytelling roller coaster, with moving track pieces and elements that enhance the ride into a thrilling dark ride hybrid.

For film and television, Arrested Development has remained a staple of my inspiration and, with its constant interweaving storylines and brilliantly executed callback humor. My favorite film is Christopher Nolan's Interstellar, and Jurassic Park is the movie that started it all for me, proving that a great script and perfectly put-together set pieces can enthrall audiences for years to come and become instantly iconic.