"Putting words together in a way that transports you to another world is just so magical, so satisfying," says Brooklyn-based screenwriter Suzanne Griffin, whose writing path started with a poetry competition in the second grade.

"Even then, as a young kid who hadn’t really fallen in love yet, it had that sort of feeling. It’s had that feeling ever since. Every project is that process of falling in love — with your characters, with their world — and that feeling of being in someone else’s shoes and seeing through their eyes; that whole experience of empathy that extends beyond yourself. That’s what really inspires me."

"That, and New York," says Griffin, who’s been there since the '90s and grew up nearby.

"The magic and history of the city has been my muse. Almost all of my screenplays are set in New York in different eras. I just love the atmosphere," she smiles. 

Griffin infuses that atmosphere into her genre of choice: period projects.

"Primarily romantic drama, some adventure drama ... I love a story that takes me into another world where I have to learn the rules to look at issues that are very relevant to me but feel timely. In a period setting, I find it clears away the buzz of contemporary life that gets in the way of looking at the universal aspects of those stories. If you’re a woman, if you’re a marginalized person ... we’re still fighting those same battles, we’re still searching for self-determination; looking for a way to shape our own destinies. And all the issues of patriarchy are very much still relevant to what we’re experiencing now."

With her poetic way of describing just about anything, it’s not hard to understand how that eloquence translates to the page — and people are taking note. Griffin’s screenplays were semifinalists twice in the Nicholl; Austin Film Festival, BlueCat and ScreenCraft finalists, a second-rounder for the Sundance Episodic and Feature Labs, as well as shortlisted for the Black List WIF Feature, among many, many other accolades.

The one that stands out for Griffin in giving her confidence as a storyteller is Stowe Story Labs Fellowship, which she won once through the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards for her drama pilot The Sensualist, and had attended previously on a partial scholarship for her Blood and Dreams feature.

"Learning who I am and what my story is in a way that draws attention ... it was a process of discovery. Plus a community! Stowe people are everywhere," she laughs.

"I think it’s more rewarding not to focus on 'what will this lab get me' in terms of meetings, but to be open to learning and listening, and to focus on elevating your skills, elevating your voice — doing the work on the emotional foundations of your story so that your script secures you opportunities," Griffin advises.

One such opportunity was attending the Rocaberti Writers Retreat, where she met story consultant Jen Grisanti, whom Griffin credits for giving her "incredible strategy" in telling her story; one Griffin was just relearning at a time of great shift in her life.

"I delayed really chasing a career — although I never stopped writing new screenplays and pilots — because my son has a significant learning disability and I needed to not only be there to help him with his studies every day and help him to learn strategies, but also to advocate for him with teachers and learning specialists. And more importantly, to encourage him to advocate for himself. The happy ending is he's now at a great college and loving it," she says proudly.

"A few years ago, as he was becoming more independent, he said to me, 'You can go sell your screenplays now, mom.'"

So that’s what Griffin is on a mission to do.

"There are a lot of great stories out there. You do have to put yourself out there. [Let people get] to know the kind of person you are, not only passionate about your own projects but empathetic; that you believe in the worth of other people's voices and you’re listening to what’s happening in the world. I have found wonderful people through Twitter and Facebook who have advocated for me, put me forward to others in the industry. I grew up in a generation where we didn’t have this connectivity; a lot of the women supporting me are half my age or younger ... they’re so positive — guys too! [When it comes to your story], you will find your audience. Social media has given me a lot of confidence at a time," — she pauses to laugh a little — "when I really needed it."

Especially — to call it out as it is — at a time when ageism is incredulously still a thing.

"I know it’s there," says Griffin.

"Age is a reality. I can completely understand why a manager signs someone who is 25 years old, they have a lot of time ahead of them. The argument for someone like myself is, I have a deep portfolio of experience in the film world, and in life."

Before having the courage to hit pause on her career in order to care for her family, Griffin graduated from NYU Film School and worked in the industry as a film editor. After having spent well over a decade advocating for someone else’s voice in the world, Griffin says, "I’m a much better writer than I was because of my life experience on all spectrums. Humility comes in. My skills are constantly refreshed, upgraded ... age as a number is irrelevant. Artists become richer and more layered. My son has connected me to that generation (they see so many possibilities). I want to change things now. Gradualism doesn’t work."

Her positivity toward establishing herself as a writer in the industry and passion for the world of film and television is inspiring. 

"I would love to create a world that goes on for multiple seasons! But as a filmmaker, I would love to collaborate, brainstorm in a room, work with actors ... I always love the moment when an actor inhabits a role ... all that discovery that comes. But yes, I would love to be in a room and support someone else’s vision. It’d just be really exciting to be with other really creative people every day."

That is the dream, and I’ve no doubt Griffin will achieve it.