🔥 Episode Overview
What happens when Hollywood says no and life strips everything away? In this powerful episode of Give A Heck, Dwight sits down with Kay A. Oliver, an award-winning author and former Hollywood screenwriter, to explore how adversity can become the fuel for creative rebirth.
Kay’s career began behind the scenes at Universal Studios and DreamWorks, where she worked alongside cinematic giants including Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Robert Redford. But when her female-centred screenplays were deemed “unmarketable” and life threw her a curveball with breast cancer and job loss, Kay chose to write her own comeback story, one novel at a time.
With 15 published titles and a fiercely independent spirit, she shares how fiction became her lifeline and legacy.
💡 What You Will Learn in This Episode
🧠 How childhood adversity shaped Kay’s creative independence🎬 The truth behind Hollywood’s glamour and its gatekeeping📚 Why rejection fuelled her rise as a bestselling novelist💪 Practical advice for writers on resilience, craft, and character
✨ From Hollywood Dreams to Literary Reality
Discover how Kay:
🖋️ The Art of Storytelling and Character Development
Kay reveals her unique approach to writing:
📚 Wisdom for Aspiring Authors
Learn Kay’s essential advice for new writers:
🎯 Whether you are a writer, a dreamer, or someone rebuilding after loss, this episode will inspire you to reclaim your story and live with purpose. Kay’s journey reminds us that creativity is not just a skill, it is a survival tool.
🎧 Tune in now and start giving a heck about the stories you carry and the courage it takes to share them with the world.
#HollywoodScreenwriter #ResilientStorytelling #WomenInPublishing #CreativeHealing #GiveAHeckPodcast #KayAOliver #LiveLifeOnPurpose
⏱️ Chapter Summary
00:00:00 – Introduction to Kay A. Oliver: From Hollywood to Award-Winning Author00:03:42 – Origin Story: Childhood Writing and Early Challenges00:09:37 – Hollywood Experience: Universal Studios, DreamWorks, and Rejection00:12:53 – Robert Redford’s Influence on Story-First Filmmaking00:17:35 – Writing Strong Female Characters and Male Perspectives00:22:51 – Historical Fiction as Healing and Education00:28:33 – Craft Evolution: From Telling to Showing00:32:24 – Hollywood versus Writing: Creative Freedom and Authenticity00:36:44 – The Joy of Creative Freedom in Authorship00:40:54 – Adapting Novels to Film: Letting Go with Conditions00:45:44 – Essential Writing Advice for Aspiring Authors00:52:09 – Building Resilience Through Rejection and Persistence00:57:08 – AI in Writing: Tool versus Human Creativity01:02:23 – Life-Affirming Wisdom Through Character Development01:11:25 – Living with Intent of Love: Final Life Philosophy
🔗 Connect with Kay A. Oliver
🌐 Website: https://kayaoliver.com📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkayaoliver🐦 X / Twitter: https://x.com/AmazinglyOliver📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/The_Hollywood_Gal💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayaoliver🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hollywood_gal
🔗 Connect with Dwight Heck
🌐 Website: https://giveaheck.com📘 Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/dwight.heck📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@giveaheck📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/give.a.heck🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@give.a.heck🐦 X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/give_a_heck💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwight-heck-65a90150🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giveaheck