Missouri Stories Spotlight with Meg Phillips Crespy
By Grace Smith | April 26, 2023
Meg Phillips Crespy is a Missouri-based playwright, composer, and author who was selected as a 2017 Missouri Stories Fellow for her pilot script “Flyover.” It tells the story of a buttoned-up Manhattanite whose life spins out of control, so she retreats to her childhood home in Missouri – only to discover that her family’s world is unraveling faster than her own.
We caught up with Meg to talk about her writing process, inspiration, and more.
![Photo of Meg Phillips Crespy](https://mofilm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Untitled-Facebook-Post-Landscape.jpg)
Where do you get inspiration for your work?
MPC: Inspiration can strike any time, but I seem to get ideas in the shower or while swimming. Occasionally, something comes through dreams. Sometimes inspiration doesn’t strike at all, and that’s frustrating! When that happens, I focus my energies on other creative endeavors such as theatre, music or interior design while I await the muse’s return.
Tell us about a screenwriter who inspires you and why.
MPC: Greta Gerwig is an inspiration. She tells character-driven stories and isn’t afraid to buck trends and do things the way she wants to.
Please tell us a little about your writing process.
MPC: Sometimes I’m so caught by an idea that I simply sit down to write and a finished draft pours out. Other times I use what I would call etudes, or “practice scenes” to flesh out the characters/situation. Sometime these make it into the finished work, but not always; either way, they’re helpful. I also use elements from dreams, written down on pieces of paper and then drawn at random from a bag. It’s a great way to generate ideas and avoid cliche.
How do you connect with other writers?
MPC: I’m not in a writers’ group, but I connect every few weeks with a writerly girlfriend and we talk about our work in progress. I also connect regularly with a second friend who’s an avid reader, and we talk about the stories that have captured our minds and hearts.
How has being a Missouri Stories Fellow affected you?
MPC: In addition to what I learned during the wonderful fellowship itself, I gained a level of confidence in myself. Additionally, we serve as judges for the competition; scoring the submissions and providing feedback has helped me articulate what makes for good, tight, visual storytelling. Plus, I was fortunate to have my short film chosen for the production lab. Seeing it go from the page to a finished product was an education like no other. I really can’t say enough good things about Missouri Stories.
Finally, what are you up to now?
MPC: Currently I’m a freelance writer, and I’m creating some instructional, yet entertaining video scripts for a small nonprofit. I also write both scripts and music for live theatre; most recently I completed a new humorous number for a song cycle to be performed by a local theatre company in 2024.