359: Trust, Threat, and Truth: A Journey Through the Craft of Writing - Interview with Jeff Arch

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Arch.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jeff grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he spent two of his high school years at a boarding school much like the one depicted in his debut novel</span> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Attachments</span></em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">, which we’ll be discussing today.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the ’70s, he studied film/tv/theater production at Emerson College in Boston and then moved to LA, where he worked as a concert lighting designer and toured the country with national rock and reggae acts while teaching himself to write screenplays on the side.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Years later, he was teaching high school English and running a martial arts school when heard the call to write again. In 1989, he sold the school he’d built, rented a small office, and gave himself one year to write three screenplays. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The second of those―a quirky romantic comedy where the two lovers don’t even meet until the very last page―sold almost immediately, and</span> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Sleepless in Seattle</span></em> <span style= "font-weight: 400;">became a surprise megahit worldwide. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For his screenplay, Jeff was nominated for an Oscar, as well as for Writers Guild and BAFTA awards, among others. His other credits include the Disney adventure film</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Iron Will</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, New Line’s romantic comedy</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sealed With a Kiss</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and the independent comedy</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys</span></em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">. His script for</span> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Saving Milly</span></em><span style= "font-weig