How Ricky Gervais learned to write

There are two things I like about this clip of Ricky Gervais talking about the writing advice he received at school.

First, the larking about at the start and suggestion that no one writer’s process is any more interesting or important than any other’s. Second, that there is truth in the everyday – the boring:

“Being honest is what counts. Trying to make the ordinary extraordinary. …It’s your job as a creator or director to make an audience as excited and fascinated about a subject as you are. And real life does that.”

You might also want to take a look at Gervais talking about his approach to comedy.