How Do You Stand Out As A Screenwriter?

This simple question torments many screenwriters and causes many sleepless nights. The art of breaking into the business and staying on the industry’s “writers to watch and hire” list for decades.

Let’s begin by asking yourself why you write anyway. It’s a question every screenwriter should ponder. Do you have a burning desire to reckon with your childhood traumas or do you want to be vulnerable and express yourself by sharing your life experiences and concerns with the world? Do you want to be the center of attention and entertain the world or do you want the finished product do the talking for you? Do you seek fame and notoriety or a sizeable pay check (or funds transfer)?

All these are valid questions which you should be periodically asking yourself at various stages of your screenwriting journey. They will inform how you choose to position yourself and stand out from the screenwriting pack. Do you want to be a constantly working writer for hire for others or write your own original stories with relatively longer periods without a paycheck? This point is significant because it highlights the difference between accurately being able to translate someone else’s vision onto the page and giving a reader an extraordinary reading experience that illustrates your unique writing voice. You want to stand out for the right reasons.

Then there’s the stalwart issue of whether you should be focusing on the marketplace or the types of stories you want to tell? All these are valid concerns regarding how to best strategize your screenwriting career to best place you on the industry radar.

Your answer will likely comprise a shifting aggregate of the various factors most relevant to you at a particular time point in your career. It will also inform who you might approach the advancement your career. What is your preferred genre and platform? Do you ultimately want to write big studio movies, smaller independent films, broadcast or niche television? Admittedly, the boundaries between these categories are becoming increasingly blurred.

It’s also essential to equate standing out with availability. Are you staying in the background while you write your next script but still want to maintain industry awareness or are you actively taking a project out to buyers or seeking to land a writing assignment or staff writing position.

Before you ponder the vicissitudes of becoming a working screenwriter ask yourself what makes you stand out from the other screenwriters each with the same goal of getting a project sold and produced. Are you a genre genius or deft at dialogue? What is your writing DNA that appears in almost everything you write? What elements of your screenwriting are so recognizable that a reader will know you wrote something without needing to consult the title page?

These ethereal questions will become more apparent as you fine-tune your writing voice. It’s not enough to say that you write complex characters or broad comedies. Specify at a granular level. Be mindful in defining who you are and who you aren’t – especially in the early stages of your career when you need to be noticed and promoted through a single lens. Be consistent in defining your voice so the industry will think of you when a specific need arises.

All producers are seeking scripts that are sellable and producible. This is a key (but not exclusive) aspect of being the savvy screenwriter that stands out from the hobbyists and dreamers. Consider where there are gaps in the current marketplace. What type of movie haven’t audiences seen in a while? Pirate musical anyone? Think about potential actors, budgets, locations, and audiences to guide (but not dictate) to advance your screenplay into a film. You’ll likely be asked these questions during meetings where you’ll articulate your vision.

Anticipating marketplace trends may not be your superpower. Relax, everyone is (mostly) winging it. In that case, you’ll rely more on your writing style to stand out.

Many producers (those who read entire scripts anyway) are inundated with “functional” scripts – they do the job adequately, but don’t leave an indelible mark on their psyches. They don’t experience an adrenaline rush and immediately pick up the phone to tell their colleagues about it. There isn’t that buzz that lands a script on The Black List. Even if your screenplay isn’t ultimately produced, your unique view of the world and humanity should be memorable.

Add an element of surprise to your writing – an unexpected yet inevitable plot twist. Don’t be too outlandish.

And finally. Even if a reader doesn’t immediately respond to your script, they will notice your passion about your story and your dedication to writing it. They might know someone who could move it forward or move you forward professionally.