What do you think?
Rate this book
End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood
The only script you can really write in life is your own. What if achieving your professional dreams comes at too high a personal cost? That’s what screenwriter Patty Lin started to ask herself after years in the cutthroat TV industry. One minute she was a tourist, begging her way into the audience of Late Night with David Letterman . Just a few years later, she was an insider who―through relentless hard work and sacrifice―had earned a seat in the writers’ rooms of the hottest TV shows of all time. While writing for Friends , Freaks and Geeks , Desperate Housewives and Breaking Bad , Patty steeled herself against the indignities of a chaotic, abusive, male-dominated work culture, not just as one of the few women in the room, but as the only Asian person. This funny, fresh, eye-opening, and inside-Hollywood story will resonate with anyone trying to please their parents, maintain a love life, and find their way in the world―and will inspire countless dreamers to listen to their inner voices and know when it’s time to get out.
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2023
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
September 7, 2023
"If you run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you're the asshole." - Raylan Givens
There are aspects of this book that were interesting and I learned some things about productions on specific shows but I heavily disliked the author the entire time. She had grievances with every single person in this book, mostly for dumb, inconsequential, or pure conjecture reasons. She was never asked back for any job, and at a certain point, you get to understand why - everything is always everyone else's problem, she is always the only virtuous one in the room, the only one willing to stand up for what's right. There are moments where she is very critical of Hollywood culture but then turns around and lashes out at people who try to help her.
I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt to a degree because Hollywood is a known difficult place and some situations were unambiguously unfair/terrible for her to be in, but I reached my limit of grace with the Breaking Bad stuff. She wrote for the first season and while I obviously do not know Vince Gilligan and he could be totally different than his media portrayal, everyone seems to think highly of him and he is always praising other people. And Patty Lin didn't like him, which, fair enough. I don't know the story. But she doesn't out him for crazy behavior. She tries to paint him as a rude, aloof, selfish person for things like not using a whiteboard, forgetting to tell her about revisions, the irredeemable sin of procrastination, not being sure the direction he wanted the show to go in, and wanting to get some last minute writing in for the show before the Writer's strike. And for having the audacity to fire her, of course.
Maybe she is completely in the right and every person she ever came across in Hollywood was insufferable and she is a writing genius who just was underutilized by everyone. Or maybe not.
There are aspects of this book that were interesting and I learned some things about productions on specific shows but I heavily disliked the author the entire time. She had grievances with every single person in this book, mostly for dumb, inconsequential, or pure conjecture reasons. She was never asked back for any job, and at a certain point, you get to understand why - everything is always everyone else's problem, she is always the only virtuous one in the room, the only one willing to stand up for what's right. There are moments where she is very critical of Hollywood culture but then turns around and lashes out at people who try to help her.
I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt to a degree because Hollywood is a known difficult place and some situations were unambiguously unfair/terrible for her to be in, but I reached my limit of grace with the Breaking Bad stuff. She wrote for the first season and while I obviously do not know Vince Gilligan and he could be totally different than his media portrayal, everyone seems to think highly of him and he is always praising other people. And Patty Lin didn't like him, which, fair enough. I don't know the story. But she doesn't out him for crazy behavior. She tries to paint him as a rude, aloof, selfish person for things like not using a whiteboard, forgetting to tell her about revisions, the irredeemable sin of procrastination, not being sure the direction he wanted the show to go in, and wanting to get some last minute writing in for the show before the Writer's strike. And for having the audacity to fire her, of course.
Maybe she is completely in the right and every person she ever came across in Hollywood was insufferable and she is a writing genius who just was underutilized by everyone. Or maybe not.
September 3, 2023
Hmmm really torn about this one. On the one hand, I applaud Patty Lin's honesty. On the other, her detailing how one Hollywood heavyweight (and plenty of light weights) after another treated her poorly had me thinking, "Perhaps it's you, and not them." She doesn't seem to learn from either her professional OR her personal relationships. Ultimately, her bitterness disguised as catharsis does not serve the reader well.
August 2, 2023
While I have absolutely no experience in show business, this memoir captured my attention and my heart. How do you leave the only true relationships you’ve ever known, even if it isn’t good for you? How do you walk away from a career that never really served you well? These universal questions may have been explored within Patty Lin’s Hollywood frame of reference, but are applicable to all kinds of relationships, family bonds and career paths. Her descriptive language and artful storytelling had me riveted to the page and I felt like she was cheering for the positive changes we could all make for ourselves right alongside her own. This is a fantastic memoir and I’m even more intrigued by what is still to come for Patty.
September 7, 2023
Thank you to the author, publishers, and as always NetGalley for an advance digital copy of ᴇɴᴅ ᴄʀᴇᴅɪᴛs. All opinions are mine
What an excellent read! Both funny and touching-- I've read many Hollywood insider stories, but never one from a series writer. It was so enlightening, and it made me sympathize more with the writers on strike right now!
Three things I loved:
1. I connected so much to Linn's discussion about her childhood, from having no clue about her period when it started, to craving validation from any and all adults because she wasn't getting it at home, to being a creative lost in a family of science minded people.
2. Friends is one of my favorite shows. I've watched all the seasons at least five times. I loved reading Lin's memories about writing some of its greatest jokes. My favorite bit was about Lin jumping in as an extra and working for David Schwimmer, who was directing that day:
David Schwimmer, who was directing the episode, came over to give instructions.... “Patty, can you scooch closer to the door?” I scooched, thrilled that instead of saying, “Hey, you,” Schwimmer addressed me by name. Really, it takes so little for a celebrity to seem like a decent person. That night was the high point of my Friends experience. For once, I felt like I had something to do with the show. Loc. 1976
3. How Lin writes about returning to Manhattan after living in L.A.:
I couldn’t say that I missed the day-to-day stress of living in Manhattan, yet many of my fondest memories of the city were intertwined with this difficulty. The rats and cockroaches, the taxis that nearly ran you over when you crossed the street, the soup vendors yelling at you for not ordering fast enough. Surviving all that stuff builds character and fosters an intense, if perhaps irrational, loyalty. Loc. 2098
It reminds me completely of episodes of Seinfeld, particularly the soup Nazi episode. It makes me realize how real some of that show is! That is another of my favorite shows. Reading this book is wonderfully surreal at moments!
4. I absolutely love how Lin writes about being an adult with childhood trauma. I don't really know what these passages read like to perfectly functional adults who had ideal childhoods with flawless parenting, but to me, with an inner child still crispy from the two decade volcano eruption that was my childhood home, Lin's ability to articulate the challenges of navigating certain aspects of adulting is beyond precious. It's priceless.
The person who felt inadequate at all those jobs—the one who was crushed when she got yelled at or rewritten or fired— was just a kid. Though I had always balked at “inner child” clichés, I now saw that a part of me remained stuck in a kind of arrested development. The thought of that inner third-grader being put through all the pressures and humiliations of my career filled me with compassion. I would never let that happen to her again. Loc. 3969
It's feels so strange to feel normal. Only really good writing could ever give me this gift.
5. The way she writes about moms and trauma.
Three things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. Lin made me tear up twice in this book!🥹🥺
2. She writes as though Burning Man is some small private garden party that no one's ever heard of but, uhm, it's that huge thing in the desert, yeah?
Closing quote: If a person told me, "Your writing sucks and no one wants to read it," would I trust them? Would I think they were looking out for me? No, I would ignore them and keep going. --on negative self-talk and determination
Rating: 📓📓📓📓📓 / 5 screenplays
Recommend? Definitely!
Finished: August 14 2023
What an excellent read! Both funny and touching-- I've read many Hollywood insider stories, but never one from a series writer. It was so enlightening, and it made me sympathize more with the writers on strike right now!
Three things I loved:
1. I connected so much to Linn's discussion about her childhood, from having no clue about her period when it started, to craving validation from any and all adults because she wasn't getting it at home, to being a creative lost in a family of science minded people.
2. Friends is one of my favorite shows. I've watched all the seasons at least five times. I loved reading Lin's memories about writing some of its greatest jokes. My favorite bit was about Lin jumping in as an extra and working for David Schwimmer, who was directing that day:
David Schwimmer, who was directing the episode, came over to give instructions.... “Patty, can you scooch closer to the door?” I scooched, thrilled that instead of saying, “Hey, you,” Schwimmer addressed me by name. Really, it takes so little for a celebrity to seem like a decent person. That night was the high point of my Friends experience. For once, I felt like I had something to do with the show. Loc. 1976
3. How Lin writes about returning to Manhattan after living in L.A.:
I couldn’t say that I missed the day-to-day stress of living in Manhattan, yet many of my fondest memories of the city were intertwined with this difficulty. The rats and cockroaches, the taxis that nearly ran you over when you crossed the street, the soup vendors yelling at you for not ordering fast enough. Surviving all that stuff builds character and fosters an intense, if perhaps irrational, loyalty. Loc. 2098
It reminds me completely of episodes of Seinfeld, particularly the soup Nazi episode. It makes me realize how real some of that show is! That is another of my favorite shows. Reading this book is wonderfully surreal at moments!
4. I absolutely love how Lin writes about being an adult with childhood trauma. I don't really know what these passages read like to perfectly functional adults who had ideal childhoods with flawless parenting, but to me, with an inner child still crispy from the two decade volcano eruption that was my childhood home, Lin's ability to articulate the challenges of navigating certain aspects of adulting is beyond precious. It's priceless.
The person who felt inadequate at all those jobs—the one who was crushed when she got yelled at or rewritten or fired— was just a kid. Though I had always balked at “inner child” clichés, I now saw that a part of me remained stuck in a kind of arrested development. The thought of that inner third-grader being put through all the pressures and humiliations of my career filled me with compassion. I would never let that happen to her again. Loc. 3969
It's feels so strange to feel normal. Only really good writing could ever give me this gift.
5. The way she writes about moms and trauma.
Three things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. Lin made me tear up twice in this book!🥹🥺
2. She writes as though Burning Man is some small private garden party that no one's ever heard of but, uhm, it's that huge thing in the desert, yeah?
Closing quote: If a person told me, "Your writing sucks and no one wants to read it," would I trust them? Would I think they were looking out for me? No, I would ignore them and keep going. --on negative self-talk and determination
Rating: 📓📓📓📓📓 / 5 screenplays
Recommend? Definitely!
Finished: August 14 2023
September 13, 2023
Resentment.
That's the best summary that I can give this book. Did I enjoy learning about the TV writing world? Yes! Is it worth reading for behind the scenes glimpses of TV shows? Maybe, although I increasingly came to realize that I was reading a memoir with an unreliable narrator.
As others have mentioned, the further I got into this book, the more I came to dislike the author and to see her flaws. There were absolutely a lot of messed up things that she experienced during her time as a TV writer. However, reading between the lines, she never bears any responsibility for what happens in her life, while everyone else is a terrible person.
The tone change at the end was jarring, and the amount of self-actualizing therapy talk was too much. It reminds me of Matthew Perry's biography, in that you start out sympathetic and eventually see an author airing gripes and sharing their problems with the world without appearing to see them themselves.
That's the best summary that I can give this book. Did I enjoy learning about the TV writing world? Yes! Is it worth reading for behind the scenes glimpses of TV shows? Maybe, although I increasingly came to realize that I was reading a memoir with an unreliable narrator.
As others have mentioned, the further I got into this book, the more I came to dislike the author and to see her flaws. There were absolutely a lot of messed up things that she experienced during her time as a TV writer. However, reading between the lines, she never bears any responsibility for what happens in her life, while everyone else is a terrible person.
The tone change at the end was jarring, and the amount of self-actualizing therapy talk was too much. It reminds me of Matthew Perry's biography, in that you start out sympathetic and eventually see an author airing gripes and sharing their problems with the world without appearing to see them themselves.
September 3, 2023
Despite the fact that I rarely watch TV, I found myself entirely invested in Patty Lin’s memoir, END CREDITS. Patty Lin recounts her career as a television writer and factors such as racism, sexism, and extreme working conditions that led her to leave the industry. With brutal honesty, Patty shares what it was like to work as a writer on big-name shows such as Friends, Freaks & Geeks, Breaking Bad, and Desperate Housewives.
I knew close to nothing about how TV shows are made, and the lives of the writers behind the shows. Though her career dreams quickly lost their luster, Patty was able to reclaim her passion and reprioritize her life and livelihood. END CREDITS also helped me understand the current Writer’s strike and makes for an especially timely read.
RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: August 29, 2023
Many thanks to Zibby Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I knew close to nothing about how TV shows are made, and the lives of the writers behind the shows. Though her career dreams quickly lost their luster, Patty was able to reclaim her passion and reprioritize her life and livelihood. END CREDITS also helped me understand the current Writer’s strike and makes for an especially timely read.
RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: August 29, 2023
Many thanks to Zibby Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
October 9, 2023I'm torn about this book. I pretty much always want to give women of color the benefit of the doubt when they write or speak about bad experiences in white-dominated, male-dominated spaces, because chances are they are correct. I absolutely buy that Lin's experiences were both par for the course for anyone working in Hollywood because it's notoriously toxic AND that she had some more extreme and egregiously bad experiences because she's neither white nor male. I don't need to know anything about a person beyond the fact that they have a minoritized identity and work in a non-diverse industry to believe that they're going to have a harder time, because I've lived that myself! On the other hand, for all that she's a gReAt writer (according to her), she's not particularly skilled at writing nonfiction about sociocultural issues and is clearly more of a narrative writer--the most competently written parts of this book were the narrative parts, and the most compelling part was when she talked about her sabbatical and experience going through Julia Cameron's book and other writing exercises. Lin is really gifted at talking about craft and process, and I would totally read a book she wrote about writing if she wanted to write one.
But as far as the angle this has clearly been pitched on--a salacious, hard-hitting, insider's view of toxic Hollywood?--this doesn't really deliver. If you go into this wanting juicy stories to share with friends over drinks, you won't really get them here. If you go into this wanting to know how the TV industry works on a basic day to day level, sure, it's actually really illuminating and explains lots of processes and lingo and stuff! But that's not what I was promised from the copy and from the excerpts that were published as part of the publicity push. Lin has a typical Gen X detachment from so-called "woke" issues that she seemed to want to both distance herself from because she didn't actually care all that much and capitalize on because of her identity and the times we're in, which is a flimsy premise that's hard to defend. Because she lacks grounding in activist or liberal arts work, or perhaps because it's too painful to dig in, she doesn't do a particularly good job of conveying actual racist acts, explaining insidious misogyny or racism, or interrogating her own positionality as an Ivy League-educated "model minority" who exclusively dates white men (or at least exclusively talks about her relationships with them and not with anyone else who might have been something other than a white man), whose experiences of prejudice and relationship to white peers and bosses will be different from someone black or Latine or Native or queer or whatever. (tbc I don't buy into model minorities as an actual thing or think it's a fair position to put a person in, and I suspect she also chose not to write about or maybe even not think about gross Asian girl fetishes that might have factored into her personal and professional relationships, but they are certainly an actual fake thing in this society and affect racial hierarchies and politics in America!)
Perhaps it's my masochism or just my more modest socioeconomic background talking, but I just wasn't left with the sense of desperation I could tell she wanted me to take away from reading this. Instead, my never-had-a-prom-date, quit-my-job-but-had-to-live-with-my-parents-and-will-be-paying-student-loans-until-I-die, worked-six-part-time-jobs-while-in-PhD-school, made-minimum-wage-at-age-30, mixed-race-and-never-black-or-white-or-Latin-enough millennial ass felt like "wow, must be soooo hard to be able to live off savings and residuals and be a serial monogamist who has no trouble getting laid and still be unhappy because you deal with some assholes in a notoriously asshole-filled industry, you poor dear." I can't imagine any editor letting such an easy conflict resolution fly if this were fiction, and so the fact that it's nonfiction made me feel annoyed that this is being presented as THE tell-all, exposure of racism in the industry when it's so fucking mild. There's nothing wrong with this being her true experience, but it's also not explosive or eye-opening or paradigm-shifting or all that well told. This is a thoroughly mid memoir and I wanted more.
I am fully aware of the irony of wanting salacious stories and dark, vile, horrifying racism when I actually super duper want more writers of color to be allowed to be about literally anything other than race, to be professionally and successfully mediocre like their white counterparts, to be able to fail upward like all the white men in Hollywood do, to have all of the types of careers and personalities and stories as white people, rather than everything having to be about racial pain, but just...don't tell me I'm getting a hard-hitting sociocultural critique of something and a super racialized memoir and then give me a thing that is very much none of those things! Basically, this is a huge mismatch in pitch/publicity and content, and that makes it so much more disappointing than if it had just given me an accurate promise. I also suspect it would have been much better served had it been edited by a person of color who might have recognized these weaknesses and pushed Lin to go deeper. This feels very much like something edited by a white woman who thinks these extremely surface-level explorations of racism are mindblowing, and that makes me roll my eyes heavily.
But as far as the angle this has clearly been pitched on--a salacious, hard-hitting, insider's view of toxic Hollywood?--this doesn't really deliver. If you go into this wanting juicy stories to share with friends over drinks, you won't really get them here. If you go into this wanting to know how the TV industry works on a basic day to day level, sure, it's actually really illuminating and explains lots of processes and lingo and stuff! But that's not what I was promised from the copy and from the excerpts that were published as part of the publicity push. Lin has a typical Gen X detachment from so-called "woke" issues that she seemed to want to both distance herself from because she didn't actually care all that much and capitalize on because of her identity and the times we're in, which is a flimsy premise that's hard to defend. Because she lacks grounding in activist or liberal arts work, or perhaps because it's too painful to dig in, she doesn't do a particularly good job of conveying actual racist acts, explaining insidious misogyny or racism, or interrogating her own positionality as an Ivy League-educated "model minority" who exclusively dates white men (or at least exclusively talks about her relationships with them and not with anyone else who might have been something other than a white man), whose experiences of prejudice and relationship to white peers and bosses will be different from someone black or Latine or Native or queer or whatever. (tbc I don't buy into model minorities as an actual thing or think it's a fair position to put a person in, and I suspect she also chose not to write about or maybe even not think about gross Asian girl fetishes that might have factored into her personal and professional relationships, but they are certainly an actual fake thing in this society and affect racial hierarchies and politics in America!)
Perhaps it's my masochism or just my more modest socioeconomic background talking, but I just wasn't left with the sense of desperation I could tell she wanted me to take away from reading this. Instead, my never-had-a-prom-date, quit-my-job-but-had-to-live-with-my-parents-and-will-be-paying-student-loans-until-I-die, worked-six-part-time-jobs-while-in-PhD-school, made-minimum-wage-at-age-30, mixed-race-and-never-black-or-white-or-Latin-enough millennial ass felt like "wow, must be soooo hard to be able to live off savings and residuals and be a serial monogamist who has no trouble getting laid and still be unhappy because you deal with some assholes in a notoriously asshole-filled industry, you poor dear." I can't imagine any editor letting such an easy conflict resolution fly if this were fiction, and so the fact that it's nonfiction made me feel annoyed that this is being presented as THE tell-all, exposure of racism in the industry when it's so fucking mild. There's nothing wrong with this being her true experience, but it's also not explosive or eye-opening or paradigm-shifting or all that well told. This is a thoroughly mid memoir and I wanted more.
I am fully aware of the irony of wanting salacious stories and dark, vile, horrifying racism when I actually super duper want more writers of color to be allowed to be about literally anything other than race, to be professionally and successfully mediocre like their white counterparts, to be able to fail upward like all the white men in Hollywood do, to have all of the types of careers and personalities and stories as white people, rather than everything having to be about racial pain, but just...don't tell me I'm getting a hard-hitting sociocultural critique of something and a super racialized memoir and then give me a thing that is very much none of those things! Basically, this is a huge mismatch in pitch/publicity and content, and that makes it so much more disappointing than if it had just given me an accurate promise. I also suspect it would have been much better served had it been edited by a person of color who might have recognized these weaknesses and pushed Lin to go deeper. This feels very much like something edited by a white woman who thinks these extremely surface-level explorations of racism are mindblowing, and that makes me roll my eyes heavily.
August 29, 2023
As one of the few women and the only Asian American in the writers’ rooms, Patti Lin reveals how her relationship with her parents, a decade long boyfriend, and being a writer in Hollywood impacted her life. Patti’s words of wisdom and lessons learned are highlights throughout this memoir. The accurate descriptions of writing rooms with tedious, exhausting schedules certainly makes one wonder how or why she stuck with it so long. The LA partying, name dropping, and TV shows Patti worked on have a People magazine feel. Names like Adam Sandler, David Letterman, and Jerry Seinfeld, along with shows Freaks & Geeks, Friends, and Desperate Housewives will hold anxious readers’ attention while Patti waits for return calls from directors, her agent, and of course, her mom. Writing terms like “page-one rewrite,” “bible,” and “presentation vs. pilot” are scattered throughout. The progress in her parental relationship through hard work and painful conversations is rewarding and offers encouragement to readers. Patti Lin admits that “writing a memoir is like reliving all the worst parts of your life-voluntarily.” Like eyeing the weekly People and feeling the curiosity of “what’s the scoop?” - TV and Hollywood trivia fans will find End Credits-How I Broke up with Hollywood engaging and irresistible.
August 22, 2023
Why would anyone want to leave a successful Hollywood career? Certainly there's no place more exciting to work than in Hollywood, right? After all, it's the entertainment capital of the world—synonymous with glamour, wealth, and a head-spinning amount of celebrities all in one area code (s).
Former TV writer, Patty Lin, chronicles her auspicious career working on various household name television shows (Friends, Desperate Housewives and Breaking Bad, to name a few). Like the industry itself, Lin reveals how the perceived glamour and excitement of a Hollywood career is pure illusion. She both recounts and reflects on her experience, what she endured, and sacrificed, in order to make it in Hollywood with candor and a critical eye. Patty writes intimately, as if she's having a private conversation with you. It was a fascinating read and I recommend it to anyone who works in the entertainment industry, enjoys consuming entertainment (learn how the sausage is made!), and for those questioning their career choice and ready to ask, "Is there something more out there for me?" Through Patty Lin's journey, she demonstrates it's never too late to leave a profession behind that doesn't serve you or your values. End Credits also shows reveals this is just the beginning for this talented writer.
Former TV writer, Patty Lin, chronicles her auspicious career working on various household name television shows (Friends, Desperate Housewives and Breaking Bad, to name a few). Like the industry itself, Lin reveals how the perceived glamour and excitement of a Hollywood career is pure illusion. She both recounts and reflects on her experience, what she endured, and sacrificed, in order to make it in Hollywood with candor and a critical eye. Patty writes intimately, as if she's having a private conversation with you. It was a fascinating read and I recommend it to anyone who works in the entertainment industry, enjoys consuming entertainment (learn how the sausage is made!), and for those questioning their career choice and ready to ask, "Is there something more out there for me?" Through Patty Lin's journey, she demonstrates it's never too late to leave a profession behind that doesn't serve you or your values. End Credits also shows reveals this is just the beginning for this talented writer.
September 26, 2023
This memoir is written by a former tv writer, recounting her career and relationship journey over a 20ish year span, during which time she worked on a number of super famous shows, along with some less famous ones and projects that never came to fruition. She describes many toxic work environments, with racism, sexism, and just all around bullying of everyone, as well as seeking work-life balance while living through an extreme lack thereof. We also see her relationship with her family and boyfriends during this time.
In addition to reading a lot, I also watch a lot of tv, so it was really interesting to see a behind the scenes view of what it’s like to work on these shows, even if she reveals it wasn’t so fun working on shows I enjoyed. But it doesn’t feel like she has an axe to grind, more like she’s a friend spilling these stories to you, or even like she’s writing this book as therapy, which I think it kind of was for her! I’m glad she got out of an environment that made her so unhappy and found more happiness by the time the book ended. And I’m also glad she published this book both because it was an interesting read and because I hope it helped her recapture a joy in writing.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC (out now); all opinions are my own.
In addition to reading a lot, I also watch a lot of tv, so it was really interesting to see a behind the scenes view of what it’s like to work on these shows, even if she reveals it wasn’t so fun working on shows I enjoyed. But it doesn’t feel like she has an axe to grind, more like she’s a friend spilling these stories to you, or even like she’s writing this book as therapy, which I think it kind of was for her! I’m glad she got out of an environment that made her so unhappy and found more happiness by the time the book ended. And I’m also glad she published this book both because it was an interesting read and because I hope it helped her recapture a joy in writing.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC (out now); all opinions are my own.
September 7, 2023
Despite any clickbait headlines you may've seen online, End Credits is not a Hollywood tell-all; it is so much richer and more personal than some ephemeral, gossipy, ghostwritten insider account of the entertainment industry. It is a courageously candid, exquisitely well-written memoir about a screenwriting career. Patty Lin presents an engrossing chronicle about the thrill and agony of pursuing and achieving one's dreams -- about the tyranny of passion, and the sunk-cost mindset that keeps us shackled to careers that provide no appreciable ROI.
This book, a decade in the making by the author's own admission, is not only surprisingly topical given the WGA strike that's crippled Hollywood this summer, but it also speaks to the wider cultural conversation we're having at this moment about work-life balance: what we owe a job and what we owe ourselves. If you've been wrestling with the same tricky personal/professional reconciliation in these post-COVID times, you may find strength and inspiration in Lin's story. I appreciate End Credits and have already enthusiastically recommended it to friends.
This book, a decade in the making by the author's own admission, is not only surprisingly topical given the WGA strike that's crippled Hollywood this summer, but it also speaks to the wider cultural conversation we're having at this moment about work-life balance: what we owe a job and what we owe ourselves. If you've been wrestling with the same tricky personal/professional reconciliation in these post-COVID times, you may find strength and inspiration in Lin's story. I appreciate End Credits and have already enthusiastically recommended it to friends.
October 1, 2023
Cool, easy memoir that holds your attention. Patty Lin is the kind of person you’d meet in passing and think “wow, she seemed interesting, I wish I could ask her questions about her life.” And this memoir is just that. Nothing wild or super memorable, just a woman whose life took many interesting turns and she is so very good at guiding you through her story.
May 6, 2024
I’ve always had a fascination with “Hollywood” and Hollywood adjacent material, so I am definitely part of the target demographic for this. I absolutely inhaled it. Like walking down three flights of stairs with eyes locked on book in hand kind of inhaled it. It’s reflective, interesting, honest and compelling writing about a topic that doesn’t tend to be written about in such ways. I’d love to go for a drink with Patty.
Would recommend for my fellow Hollywood voyeurs and for anyone who has had to reckon with letting go of a life long dream and a long and closely held identity. Oh, and anyone who has PTSD from former toxic workplaces lol.
Would recommend for my fellow Hollywood voyeurs and for anyone who has had to reckon with letting go of a life long dream and a long and closely held identity. Oh, and anyone who has PTSD from former toxic workplaces lol.
September 7, 2024
End Credits is Patty Lin's memoir about her objectively successful career in TV writing, despite having no family connections to the entertainment industry to help her break into the field. She wrote for many blockbuster and critically-acclaimed shows, including Friends, Freaks & Geeks, Desperate Housewives and Breaking Bad.
But it's also the kind of story where the person's fixed mindset and inability to advocate for herself early on in her career are also the point, which makes it a difficult read in places.
Combine that with the entertainment sector, where egos rage, good management is hard to come by, people of colour are statistically minorities in the rooms they enter and rarely in positions of power (especially when Lin first entered the field in the 90s) and proper onboarding is non-existent, and parts of her journey are a real disaster.
She does an excellent job of demonstrating how an unsustainable, unhealthy lifestyle is baked into production roles. Lin herself is insecure, assumes the worst always, and suffers from raging anxiety.
Speaking your truth about a job most people envy is a difficult task. It runs against the narrative, and suggests that our outside view is biased and incorrect. How well are women going to be valued in an industry where a group script review of one writer's draft is quite literally called 'a gangbang'?
Like many people from immigrant families, Lin absorbed the values of capitalist society early in her life--working hard, earning income, being 'tough,' and earning rest. She also falls into a relationship with a fellow script writer who also values work and achievement above rest, balance and family. Let's just say he wasn't a source of perspective on her troubles.
I really enjoyed the last two or three chapters. Lin's journey out of her rigid mindset and her insistence on building a life that actually serves her needs was inspiring. I'm glad I picked it up.
But it's also the kind of story where the person's fixed mindset and inability to advocate for herself early on in her career are also the point, which makes it a difficult read in places.
Combine that with the entertainment sector, where egos rage, good management is hard to come by, people of colour are statistically minorities in the rooms they enter and rarely in positions of power (especially when Lin first entered the field in the 90s) and proper onboarding is non-existent, and parts of her journey are a real disaster.
She does an excellent job of demonstrating how an unsustainable, unhealthy lifestyle is baked into production roles. Lin herself is insecure, assumes the worst always, and suffers from raging anxiety.
Speaking your truth about a job most people envy is a difficult task. It runs against the narrative, and suggests that our outside view is biased and incorrect. How well are women going to be valued in an industry where a group script review of one writer's draft is quite literally called 'a gangbang'?
Like many people from immigrant families, Lin absorbed the values of capitalist society early in her life--working hard, earning income, being 'tough,' and earning rest. She also falls into a relationship with a fellow script writer who also values work and achievement above rest, balance and family. Let's just say he wasn't a source of perspective on her troubles.
I really enjoyed the last two or three chapters. Lin's journey out of her rigid mindset and her insistence on building a life that actually serves her needs was inspiring. I'm glad I picked it up.
January 9, 2024
For the TV and Hollywood trivia fans.
I've read a lot of memoirs by people in show business, and this truly felt honest, fresh and captured my full attention.
I do not agree with some of her behavior, and if I am honest, I didn't even like her that much.
However, this was still honest, entertaining and very insightful.
It was interesting seeing her perspective for a creative in a family with high expectations for her career, as an Asian American woman in writers’ rooms and how her Hollywood career shaped her life and relationships, until she didn't let it define her anymore.
As one of the few women and the only , Patti Lin reveals how her relationship with her parents, a decade long boyfriend, and being a writer in Hollywood impacted her life. Patti’s words of wisdom and lessons learned are highlights throughout this memoir. The accurate descriptions of writing rooms with tedious, exhausting schedules certainly makes one wonder how or why she stuck with it so long. The LA partying, name dropping, and TV shows Patti worked on have a People magazine feel. Names like Adam Sandler, David Letterman, and Jerry Seinfeld, along with shows Freaks & Geeks, Friends, and Desperate Housewives will hold anxious readers’ attention while Patti waits for return calls from directors, her agent, and of course, her mom. Writing terms like “page-one rewrite,” “bible,” and “presentation vs. pilot” are scattered throughout. The progress in her parental relationship through hard work and painful conversations is rewarding and offers encouragement to readers. Patti Lin admits that “writing a memoir is like reliving all the worst parts of your life-voluntarily.” Like eyeing the weekly People and feeling the curiosity of “what’s the scoop?”
I've read a lot of memoirs by people in show business, and this truly felt honest, fresh and captured my full attention.
I do not agree with some of her behavior, and if I am honest, I didn't even like her that much.
However, this was still honest, entertaining and very insightful.
It was interesting seeing her perspective for a creative in a family with high expectations for her career, as an Asian American woman in writers’ rooms and how her Hollywood career shaped her life and relationships, until she didn't let it define her anymore.
As one of the few women and the only , Patti Lin reveals how her relationship with her parents, a decade long boyfriend, and being a writer in Hollywood impacted her life. Patti’s words of wisdom and lessons learned are highlights throughout this memoir. The accurate descriptions of writing rooms with tedious, exhausting schedules certainly makes one wonder how or why she stuck with it so long. The LA partying, name dropping, and TV shows Patti worked on have a People magazine feel. Names like Adam Sandler, David Letterman, and Jerry Seinfeld, along with shows Freaks & Geeks, Friends, and Desperate Housewives will hold anxious readers’ attention while Patti waits for return calls from directors, her agent, and of course, her mom. Writing terms like “page-one rewrite,” “bible,” and “presentation vs. pilot” are scattered throughout. The progress in her parental relationship through hard work and painful conversations is rewarding and offers encouragement to readers. Patti Lin admits that “writing a memoir is like reliving all the worst parts of your life-voluntarily.” Like eyeing the weekly People and feeling the curiosity of “what’s the scoop?”
July 21, 2024
3.5 stars
I always appreciate a memoir about a field I don’t know much about but am interested in. In this one, Patty Lin discusses her path to TV writing and her work life in TV writing with a whole lot of her 10 year relationship with “Carl.” Carl almost gets more airtime than her (mostly impressive) TV writing gigs. But at least the author has the self-awareness to realize she needs to be in a relationship.
I’m not sure if most TV writers are this itinerant. I kind of think so, which means it’s more the profession than her as a person. She seems to be a stressed out mess who gets fired from every TV writing gig, yet she kept her job in late show accounting for YEARS with minimal drama.
She did admit that she had a huge crush on Jason Segal when she was writing for Freaks and Geeks. That took a lot of vulnerability. And she seems to back the legend behind Desperate Housewives as well.
I did like this memoir. I do wish I could have some of the other perspectives in the room on some of these situations. I certainly believe the author about the tokenism and the chauvinism, but I wonder how she was as a co-worker.
I always appreciate a memoir about a field I don’t know much about but am interested in. In this one, Patty Lin discusses her path to TV writing and her work life in TV writing with a whole lot of her 10 year relationship with “Carl.” Carl almost gets more airtime than her (mostly impressive) TV writing gigs. But at least the author has the self-awareness to realize she needs to be in a relationship.
I’m not sure if most TV writers are this itinerant. I kind of think so, which means it’s more the profession than her as a person. She seems to be a stressed out mess who gets fired from every TV writing gig, yet she kept her job in late show accounting for YEARS with minimal drama.
She did admit that she had a huge crush on Jason Segal when she was writing for Freaks and Geeks. That took a lot of vulnerability. And she seems to back the legend behind Desperate Housewives as well.
I did like this memoir. I do wish I could have some of the other perspectives in the room on some of these situations. I certainly believe the author about the tokenism and the chauvinism, but I wonder how she was as a co-worker.
January 6, 2024
I love memoirs and this one was good! As someone who started a career in media and left in her 20s to switch gears into a different career pathway I really found this memoir healing and cathartic to read.
It’s hard to leave a “sexy” name brand job. One that glints recognition or maybe even wonder when referenced. It’s even harder to leave those jobs when a part of you starts to identify the job title as part of your identity because people make you feel like “you’ve made it.”
I got lucky bc I left an unhealthy career pathway for myself earlier than Patty and probably saved myself a lot of heartache later on. But to recognize one’s worth and redefine success is so important.
It’s hard to leave a “sexy” name brand job. One that glints recognition or maybe even wonder when referenced. It’s even harder to leave those jobs when a part of you starts to identify the job title as part of your identity because people make you feel like “you’ve made it.”
I got lucky bc I left an unhealthy career pathway for myself earlier than Patty and probably saved myself a lot of heartache later on. But to recognize one’s worth and redefine success is so important.
October 6, 2023
I loved this book
I applaud author Patty Lin and will admit. Not the first time I have heard of her. I first took notice of her when I was obsessed with FREAKS & GEEKS when it first aired in NBC. it had it’s own web page at the time and I zeroed in on her as she was the only female of color on the writing staff and was amazed wondering what is her story and never imagined I would find out this way. Though it also gave me hope as at that time a wanna-be writer of color. That I had a chance and not only on so-called ethnic shows. That I could be a story teller or help tell stories for all.
I applaud author Patty Lin for her bravery and telling her truth. As this is a book of being careful what you wish for. All that glitters isn’t necessarily gold. As she did find success in the field she ultimately desired, but ultimately it’s not fulfilling and too much of a minefield to deal with, so many abusive and dysfunctional personalities. Especially as she is genuine in a business that sells that image but are exactly that, all about image.
How working in the business of constant rejection and writing in others voices, feed her fears and anxieties making herself sick. Thought also leads her road to recovery.
While she had a mostly successful career that she acknowledges many people would envy if not kill for. It wasn’t worth it to her and this is her story.
As I am one of those people it’s a nice introduction and overview to inform about the day to day rigors and rules. Especially from a person of color. Who can help to identify the experience for those of us who are outliers when it seems to come to television writing be writing rooms
While I want to pursue the same career or position she had this is her story. I have
To live mine. As this allows a warning of what to expect. To See if one indeed is made for this life and see it until the end or if like her need to leave it. Once it is literally eating away at you and making you sick
The book offers a kind of overall story of how the business is and seems to feed off of and add to her insecurities. As well as how she finally recognized the problems and made herself well.
Though I am glad she has found her happiness and a way to keep writing. The industries loss of a skilled writer who has originality and a VOICE is ultimately disappointing.
I don’t know if I am explaining this right or describing it clearly. As this book means a lot to me and while it Is her personal story. This book feels so personal to me. Even as she admits she left stuff out as this is only a fraction of her life (which also helps layout the momentum and keep the book on a thorough line and path)
This is actually the second book about television writing. Behind the scenes from insiders and writers this year. This one and the first BURN IT DOWN: POWER, COMPLICITY, AND A CALL FOR CHANGE IN HOLLYWOOD by Maureen Ryan that was a more behind the scenes of television shows focused more on the disenfranchised who worked on these shows the minorities, females and lgbtq. Really focusing on the difficulty sexism and racism that many face when just trying to get by and have a career.
They both offer the good and the bad. Though I still inspired to at least try even at this late stage.
I applaud author Patty Lin and will admit. Not the first time I have heard of her. I first took notice of her when I was obsessed with FREAKS & GEEKS when it first aired in NBC. it had it’s own web page at the time and I zeroed in on her as she was the only female of color on the writing staff and was amazed wondering what is her story and never imagined I would find out this way. Though it also gave me hope as at that time a wanna-be writer of color. That I had a chance and not only on so-called ethnic shows. That I could be a story teller or help tell stories for all.
I applaud author Patty Lin for her bravery and telling her truth. As this is a book of being careful what you wish for. All that glitters isn’t necessarily gold. As she did find success in the field she ultimately desired, but ultimately it’s not fulfilling and too much of a minefield to deal with, so many abusive and dysfunctional personalities. Especially as she is genuine in a business that sells that image but are exactly that, all about image.
How working in the business of constant rejection and writing in others voices, feed her fears and anxieties making herself sick. Thought also leads her road to recovery.
While she had a mostly successful career that she acknowledges many people would envy if not kill for. It wasn’t worth it to her and this is her story.
As I am one of those people it’s a nice introduction and overview to inform about the day to day rigors and rules. Especially from a person of color. Who can help to identify the experience for those of us who are outliers when it seems to come to television writing be writing rooms
While I want to pursue the same career or position she had this is her story. I have
To live mine. As this allows a warning of what to expect. To See if one indeed is made for this life and see it until the end or if like her need to leave it. Once it is literally eating away at you and making you sick
The book offers a kind of overall story of how the business is and seems to feed off of and add to her insecurities. As well as how she finally recognized the problems and made herself well.
Though I am glad she has found her happiness and a way to keep writing. The industries loss of a skilled writer who has originality and a VOICE is ultimately disappointing.
I don’t know if I am explaining this right or describing it clearly. As this book means a lot to me and while it Is her personal story. This book feels so personal to me. Even as she admits she left stuff out as this is only a fraction of her life (which also helps layout the momentum and keep the book on a thorough line and path)
This is actually the second book about television writing. Behind the scenes from insiders and writers this year. This one and the first BURN IT DOWN: POWER, COMPLICITY, AND A CALL FOR CHANGE IN HOLLYWOOD by Maureen Ryan that was a more behind the scenes of television shows focused more on the disenfranchised who worked on these shows the minorities, females and lgbtq. Really focusing on the difficulty sexism and racism that many face when just trying to get by and have a career.
They both offer the good and the bad. Though I still inspired to at least try even at this late stage.
September 17, 2023
Oh boy, this book is what I needed to read. I worked in NYC film productions for several years and quit the industry a year before the current writers and SAG strike. More often than that, I felt like there was a silent caste system that benefitted specific demographics rather than others, like myself, a woman of color.
Unlike Lin, I did not work in the writer's room. Still, I did start working through the film festival circuit, which eventually helped me network into my first production job through a sustainability company, working on the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and later high-profile movies like In the Heights and the upcoming Netflix film Maestro. Whether in a writer's room or on set during a 16-hour workday in the freezing winter near Lido Beach, the perceived injustices she faced were not perceived at all but, in fact, very real in a supposedly socially progressive industry. I empathized when Lin wrote about when her body started to crash throughout her writing gigs because it happened to me and many others (outside of their vices if they developed to cope with the stress).
I was never fired from a film gig like Lin, but I witness frequent rampant racist and sexist acts on set against PAs, union crew members, and crafty/catering staff, and I can assure you how abusive and dysfunctional the whole film machine is. The industry is not sustainable long-term, nor is it meant for writers/union workers to work with integrity without witnessing verbally abusive directors, gaslighting producers, and long hours for months and months at a time. She sacrificed her mind, body, and personal life for entertainment with little acknowledgment nor concern from an industry that easily replaces anyone, even A-list actors.
I'll say that the most engaging aspects of this memoir were related to her work and her work-related traumas for me, as many like Lin have to process and cope with much later. I applaud the writer for her courage to speak about these themes and issues she faced. Of course, I'm acknowledging this may not be everyone's experience in the film industry, but it did ring true for me in NYC productions with LA-based crewmembers. Whether in a writer's room or on set, it is dysfunctional, no matter which coast you work on.
Unlike Lin, I did not work in the writer's room. Still, I did start working through the film festival circuit, which eventually helped me network into my first production job through a sustainability company, working on the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and later high-profile movies like In the Heights and the upcoming Netflix film Maestro. Whether in a writer's room or on set during a 16-hour workday in the freezing winter near Lido Beach, the perceived injustices she faced were not perceived at all but, in fact, very real in a supposedly socially progressive industry. I empathized when Lin wrote about when her body started to crash throughout her writing gigs because it happened to me and many others (outside of their vices if they developed to cope with the stress).
I was never fired from a film gig like Lin, but I witness frequent rampant racist and sexist acts on set against PAs, union crew members, and crafty/catering staff, and I can assure you how abusive and dysfunctional the whole film machine is. The industry is not sustainable long-term, nor is it meant for writers/union workers to work with integrity without witnessing verbally abusive directors, gaslighting producers, and long hours for months and months at a time. She sacrificed her mind, body, and personal life for entertainment with little acknowledgment nor concern from an industry that easily replaces anyone, even A-list actors.
I'll say that the most engaging aspects of this memoir were related to her work and her work-related traumas for me, as many like Lin have to process and cope with much later. I applaud the writer for her courage to speak about these themes and issues she faced. Of course, I'm acknowledging this may not be everyone's experience in the film industry, but it did ring true for me in NYC productions with LA-based crewmembers. Whether in a writer's room or on set, it is dysfunctional, no matter which coast you work on.
August 29, 2023
Happy Pub Day! When I was 9 or 10 I wrote a piece of creative writing and my teacher told me that “humungous” wasn’t a real word. I knew it was though - I had read the word in countless books! Patty Lin recalls a similar experience but with the word aged. Lin spent decades having her writing for television criticized to the point that she learned to question her evident and objective talent for writing comedy and dramedic TV scripts. Basically the business broke her. To say nothing of the racism and sexism she experienced as the only female and Asian in the writing room. If the constant and unfounded criticism didn’t destroy her, the treatment at the hands of decidedly “unwoke” bosses would have. This is the story of how Lin learns to recognize her professional and personal worth; we are lucky she lived to tell the tale and impart her hard earned wisdom in this compelling memoir. You’ll never watch an episode of Friends the same way again once you see how the proverbial sausage got made. Thank you to NetGalley and Zibby books for this terrific ARC.
September 19, 2023
*End Credits* offers a look into behind-the-scenes production and writing for TV— the objective and impersonal details of which are fascinating. The personal narrative was here a net negative for me, though. Lin has all the hallmarks of an unreliable narrator, and as the book continued there were so many signs of that unreliability that it frankly became distracting and detracted from my enjoyment of any behind-the-scenes tales. This is a shame, too; Lin worked on some iconic shows, and I was really excited to read the perspective of a woman who had an impact in these writer’s rooms. The book ultimately began to feel like a list of complaints and questionable facts/perspectives about people that I’ll never meet.
Also: an adult woman in her late twenties getting high with and lusting after a 19 y/o actor when she is in a 6 year relationship with someone else is… not good. Not a flex, not fun to read, and not relayed in a self-aware tone. Yikes on bikes.
Also: an adult woman in her late twenties getting high with and lusting after a 19 y/o actor when she is in a 6 year relationship with someone else is… not good. Not a flex, not fun to read, and not relayed in a self-aware tone. Yikes on bikes.
November 19, 2023
Snoozefest
August 30, 2023
End Credits: How I Broke up with Hollywood
By: Patty Lin
5 📝 📝📝📝📝
Love, love, loved this memoir. So candid! I love how Patty is baring her soul with her journey in Hollywood.
📝
She talks about getting to work on some of the hottest shows of her time as one of the few women writers and the people she worked with. So many writers and actors dream to make it in Hollywood, and only a handful have their dreams come true. One of my favorite shows mentioned was Desperate Housewives. She also talks about David Letterman and her personal relationships throughout the years.
📝
I loved the behind the scenes look into this world and her struggles where she persevered. She definitely had moxie!
📝
Thank you Zibby Books for this fun and fascinating memoir. I also had a Netgalley copy and downloaded the audio, which Patty narrates so that was special. She is fast talking and her humor reminds me of Lauren Grahams audiobooks.
#howtowalkawayfromhmywood, #pattylin, #zibbybooks, #netgalley, #audiobook, #Happypubday, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus, #stamperlady50
By: Patty Lin
5 📝 📝📝📝📝
Love, love, loved this memoir. So candid! I love how Patty is baring her soul with her journey in Hollywood.
📝
She talks about getting to work on some of the hottest shows of her time as one of the few women writers and the people she worked with. So many writers and actors dream to make it in Hollywood, and only a handful have their dreams come true. One of my favorite shows mentioned was Desperate Housewives. She also talks about David Letterman and her personal relationships throughout the years.
📝
I loved the behind the scenes look into this world and her struggles where she persevered. She definitely had moxie!
📝
Thank you Zibby Books for this fun and fascinating memoir. I also had a Netgalley copy and downloaded the audio, which Patty narrates so that was special. She is fast talking and her humor reminds me of Lauren Grahams audiobooks.
#howtowalkawayfromhmywood, #pattylin, #zibbybooks, #netgalley, #audiobook, #Happypubday, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus, #stamperlady50
October 2, 2023
3.5 rounded up. This memoir offers one woman’s recounting of how she got into “the business,” the lack of training and mentoring she encountered, the almost entirely white and male-dominated ego-centric writing rooms, and what it did for her health (nothing good). And this is a woman who had some very lucky breaks, fortuitous opportunities, and parents who were able to provide an initial financial cushion (which she paid back).
If you are interested in how TV shows are put together and the “magic” behind the scenes, this is a good perspective from a young woman of Asian origins. But it is certainly not everyone or even every woman’s experience. Some had it much worse with physical and sexual abuse, and others have an easier time navigating the demands of the job, networking, and forging alliances. It seems from my admittedly outside perspective that success as a Hollywood writer is 50% relationships (who you know), 25% talent and an equal portion of luck. The author worked very hard on her writing and perhaps not enough on her business relationships.
Today, with the WGA strike of 2023 just ended, there may well be more options for creatives to make a career of writing for TV. But as Mo Ryan’s book, Burn it Down, details, the Hollywood system is broken, possibly beyond repair. We’ll see what happens with the SAG-AFTRA strike that is still underway.
If you are interested in how TV shows are put together and the “magic” behind the scenes, this is a good perspective from a young woman of Asian origins. But it is certainly not everyone or even every woman’s experience. Some had it much worse with physical and sexual abuse, and others have an easier time navigating the demands of the job, networking, and forging alliances. It seems from my admittedly outside perspective that success as a Hollywood writer is 50% relationships (who you know), 25% talent and an equal portion of luck. The author worked very hard on her writing and perhaps not enough on her business relationships.
Today, with the WGA strike of 2023 just ended, there may well be more options for creatives to make a career of writing for TV. But as Mo Ryan’s book, Burn it Down, details, the Hollywood system is broken, possibly beyond repair. We’ll see what happens with the SAG-AFTRA strike that is still underway.
August 12, 2023
I absolutely loved loved loved this. It was beautiful and extremely relatable unlike anything I’ve read and it is awesome. Patty Lin is awesome. I already want to read it again. I deliberately waited days to finish the last 10 pages so it didn’t end.
September 2, 2023
This book changed my life.
October 22, 2023
I really enjoyed listening to this one - I found Lin’s experiences and the insights into the world of TV writing fascinating.
December 15, 2023
Let’s all break up with Hollywood!
August 15, 2024
I’m not even sure where I heard about this but I’m thrilled I did because this was riveting, powerful and a strong contender for best non-fiction book of the year. I didn’t know Patty Lin by name but reading this makes me feel like I know her totally. My knowledge of the horrors of TV writing has only been anecdotal but now it’s visceral. Like Burn It Down, this is a scathing example of workplace abuse above the waist. I love that Lin dropped a match and spilled the tea but remained righteous. At least to me. This is a must read for any writer and probably any artist period. Hope she keeps writing because I can’t wait to see what’s next.
August 7, 2023
It’s like someone gave Patty Lin access to my thoughts and feelings.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews