My Life as a writer
When did you first realise you wanted to write for a living?
I grew up in Ancient Olympia, the Greek city where the Olympic Games were born. We had to learn all Greek myths and stories at school and every time we were on a school trip we got to visit archeological sites. And my dad owned the first cinema in Western Greece, cooperating with Spyros Skouras, the famous Greek-American motion picture pioneer and Fox executive. I grew up inside the cinema. Unfortunately, he had to shut it down when television reached even the most remote villages in Greece. My grandma used to be and my dad is a natural storyteller. He will only answer a question with a story, and he will take you through a roller-coaster to answer it. I think growing up with storytelling, history, and cinema, created the person I am now. The only gold I had then is the same gold I have now.
Which writer, past or present, do you most admire?
I used to be an academic writer, writing books and articles, a very technical job. I used to get a bonus and awards for my academic writing so I thought I was happy. One day I was looking for an article for a research proposal. I clicked on an unidentified numbered PDF, you know, you Google your question and links appear. It was downloaded in my files. I opened it. It was Batman: The Dark Knight. I was shocked. Even now I get goosebumps. It was a self-realisation moment about the kind of writer I was and the kind of writer I should be, the one who grew up inside history and cinema. I realised I had lost contact with that kiddo.
What was your first published (or performed) credit as a writer?
My first book was an edited book back in 2007, User centred-Design for Online Learning Communities.
Which piece of writing work are you most proud of?
The one becoming alive in my head toward the next screenplay.
Who or what inspires you to write?
Life. My motto is ‘Make Life Come True’. I feel blessed to exist in this magical world.
How do you switch off when you’re not writing?
Long walks on the beach after one hour’s swim.
Which one piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers?
We don’t need a lot of ideas, just the ideas that linger in our minds. And again, it’s a vicious circle, we need a lot of ideas to find the one that stays with us.
Why are you a member of WGGB?
WGGB is my clan. Not to mention the advice, the seminars, the discounts, the support. We sincerely help each other. I think it’s difficult to find such a collaborative attitude in other professions.
Niki studied screenwriting in Los Angeles and London. After working as a Human Computer Interaction researcher and innovator for 12 years she decided to transfer her skill-set to the entertainment industry, writing action adventure and science fiction.
