Marie Belsten

A former English teacher and youth theatre director, I’m now a freelance copywriter and scriptwriter based in rural Mid Devon. I rediscovered my passion for storytelling at 52, focusing on drama, comedy-drama and sitcom scripts for stage and screen. My work has since won multiple accolades, including the *Enter Stage Write* Grand Champion title in 2024. Inspired by sharp, character-driven shows like *Motherland*, *Last Tango in Halifax*, *Unforgotten*, and *Cold Feet*, I craft stories that blend dry wit and warm humour with gritty themes, existential questions, and a touch of mystery. My goal now is to bring my distinctive voice to television audiences.

I also run a humour blog aimed at Gen Xers (those of us born between 1965 and 1980). This can be found at nevermind.media

Memento, Misery, Vertigo, Rear Window, Falling Down, Phone Booth, The Guilty (Danish version), Buried, Gone Girl, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

The Elephant Man, Schindler's List, Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile.

Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Tony Richardson, Alfred Hitchcock, David Lynch, Charlie Kaufman + many more.

Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Niamh Algar, Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Jodie Foster, Cate Blanchett, Emily Blunt, Julianne Moore, Katharine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Uma Thurman, Tilda Swinton, Helen Mirren, Keira Knightly, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bette Davis, James Norton, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Cary Grant, Robert De Niro, Nicholas Cage, Jack Nicholson, Ian McKellen, James Stewart, Ben Stiller, plus many more.

George Orwell, Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allen Poe, Alice Walker, Ian McEwan, Roddy Doyle, Alan Bennett, Nick Hornby, Margaret Atwood, David Lodge + many, many more.

Irish Blood, English Heart - Morrissey, Sunday Girl - Blondie, Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello, Dream - Everly Brothers, Boys Don't Cry - The Cure, There is a Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths, Imagine - John Lennon, Little Puzzle - Maz Totterdell.

Atomic Habits - James Clear, Catch 22 - Joseph Heller, 1984 and Animal Farm - George Orwell, Hobson's Choice - Harold Brighouse, plus many more I can't remember.

Sunday roast

My Macbook Pro