Hi Ágota, we’re looking forward to getting to know you better! Tell us about yourself and your path to becoming a writer.

I work with words. I’m a screenwriter based on my original profession, but I took on the title of author thanks to the unexpected twists and turns of the pandemic. It all started back in early 2020, when things were getting surreal and I was convinced that we were heading towards an apocalypse. I had to get it off my chest, so I started a blog to broadcast my thoughts and feelings daily — it’s crazy to think I’ve written three books since! My blog was a way of entertaining myself and my fellow human beings during trying times when to my greatest surprise, these online musings got picked up and I wrote a book based on them called Rumbarumbamm, published by the largest Hungarian publisher in 2023. To everyone’s surprise, it was a hit with the public.

This was followed by my second book, Állva maszturbálok, (I masturbate standing up) a homage to my anxieties. I classified it as an anxiety diary, and in it, I list my everyday fears, both big and small, wrapped up in sarcastic humor. Meanwhile, the story of an abortion unfolds, and besides this being a poignant issue, at the time of the book’s publication, the Hungarian government had just introduced the ‘fetal heartbeat’ rule, making the already complex and sensitive subject of abortion even more difficult for women.

You’ve since released your third book Then let me go die right now with a new publisher, Leányvállalat. How did that come about?

Are there any future plans you can tell us about?

I’m actually in the middle of a super exciting process. The success of both books led to their film rights being purchased by one of the coolest independent film production companies in Hungary, Proton Cinema. We’ve been developing my series together with them and wiip, a Los Angeles-based studio, which specializes in working as an incubator and supporting materials they think are worthy of being developed for larger platforms, like various streaming entertainment services. The studio is behind the Emmy Award-winning limited series, “Mare of Easttown,” starring Kate Winslet for HBO, or “Dickinson,” starring Hailee Steinfeld for Apple TV+; just to name a few of the projects they’ve worked on. So the last six months have been both very important and rewarding for me, especially as I’ve been working in English and with an international team.

What does your daily routine look like?

As a writer, I'm completely in charge of my own time, and it would be impossible to report on any kind of fixed daily routine, as I don’t have one. The one thing I never miss out on is my morning coffee!

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of ideas don’t spring to life in front of a scriptwriting software or in a word processor, but during all sorts of other, perfectly ordinary or mundane activities, like on the toilet, in the bath, while I’m making the bed, cooking, on a flight, or while I’m walking. I walk a lot both with my dog and alone, and I also listen to a lot of music. The biggest rush in my days occurs between calls and deadlines, otherwise I'm mostly curled up on the couch at home with my laptop, or somewhere else, spending time writing or thinking. I often force myself to step out of my cave to go to a café to write, for example, because although I don't really want to :) it's important to experience the world and to stay stimulated.

I’ve reached the stage in life where I hate socializing. Compared to my twenties things have completely changed, I like being alone or with my close-knit group of friends. I'll probably watch a movie or a show at home in the evenings and maybe (!) I’ll go out for dinner somewhere, with someone. I'm not interested in partying at all, but I’m definitely interested in food. Oh and pilates. Right now reformer pilates is my drug, it’s great from a mental perspective. But on the weekends I like to soak it all in, theater, concerts, and travel. 

So all in all, my days are a combination of freely chosen activities and freely scheduled work, and in between the two I like to travel as much as I can. I’m in a fortunate position, but I also have rough days and periods, and when there’s a deadline for a delivery phase, it means no weekends or no holidays. I've had to do at least a bit of writing at Christmas for the last couple of years. Jingle bells…or not.

Let's see what’s inside your MATRA MINI BLACK backpack!

Kamay Ko Scarf - This piece has saved me from the rain, the sun, and from looking crap. It can be used in many different ways, I simply place it around my neck and voilà, everything’s better.

Hair Band / Scrunchie - It’s pretty, and it holds back my entire crown of hair.

Earphones - I have two pairs. One is for noise canceling, and I’ll confess I'm addicted to wearing it on the street, it’s super dangerous, don’t do it. Somehow, for some reason, I also need to have my normal earphones on me as well. Without earphones, I panic.

Sunglasses - Truth be told, I don't like wearing glasses or sunglasses, but…I'm really scared about the crinkles at the top of my forehead turning permanent with all the grimacing I do. Sunglasses help to keep things smoother for longer, not to mention their protective purpose.

Sunscreen - I wish I'd known about the variety of sunscreens available earlier in life. I’m a big fan of niche sunscreens, and I have a selection of creams for different activities — walking, exercising, sitting by the window in my flat, you name it!

Blush Cream - This is the most versatile piece of make up I own, it was a present from my sister, and she knows what’s the real deal when it comes to beauty products. This can be used on your eyelids, your cheeks, your lips, basically, wherever you want. 

Aesop Products - I’ll be honest, the scent and packaging of this brand is the definition of ultimate luxury. I’m drawn to the tich, unisex, herbal aromas, the high-quality, natural ingredients and of course its refined packaging. 

Perfume - I bought this perfume in the winter but it’s a bit too heavy for summer, I’ll be switching to a fresh scent soon. 

Dog Waste Bag - It’s for my 14-year-old dog. I keep a waste bag with me all the time, you can find one hidden away in the pockets of all my bags and trousers. Yes, I’m a responsible dog owner 

Baseball cap - I'm hyperpigmented, my cap is my shield. Or I could tell you how I became terrified of Sun exposure the moment the news became public that it’s harmful. I used to spend my summers near Nyíregyháza, or by the Sóstó beach, lathering myself in my mom’s orange sun oil which was fashionable at the time. It was the official scent of summer, and I have to try and undo the damage.

Books - I usually don’t carry books around town, they’re heavy, especially the one I’m currently reading. In fact I think I like to read at home the most. The book I do keep on me, is my own book, strictly for promotional purposes.

The New Yorker Magazine - I like to read newspapers, especially on the plane. I have an online subscription too, so I could be reading this online, but printed on paper is the best.

Notebook - I'd be lying if I said that my notebooks are 100% utilized, because in reality, the majority of the time I use my phone instead…and the result is complete chaos. It would be nice to use notebooks more, but more often than not, either I’ll leave my pen at home or somehow I manage to ruin my beautiful bags with the caps falling off. So in the end, it’s just too much effort to put pen to paper.

 photos by Botond Wertán