By: Sarah Chaisson-Warner
One of the first questions an agent, manager, or producer may ask you during a general meeting is: “Why are you the person to write this story?” It’s a fair question – after all, there are thousands of writers out there, all looking to break into the film industry. Who you are as a feature writer is just as important as the scripts you create, and your unique voice serves as your calling card.
But what does it mean to “develop your voice” and why does it matter so much? Your voice shows who you are as a writer – your personality, the way you look at the world and what you have to say about it, and your particular writing style.
Here are five tips that can help you find, develop, and hone your voice as a feature screenwriter, paving the way for your most successful script yet.
TIP #1: FIND YOUR GENRE
So much about developing your voice is tied to the genre in which you write. Of course, many writers can and will write across genres during their career, but most writers have a favorite genre when writing feature films.
Genres often come with a particular writing style – thrillers and action films often prioritize swift, yet descriptive action sequences over lengthy tete-a-tete dialogue. Comedy films require a certain rhythm to the dialogue to land jokes at just the right time. Dramas are often more dialogue-heavy and sci-fis and fantasy require deep investment in world-building.
As you find your primary genre, consider how the typical parameters of that genre influence the way in which you write.
TIP #2: CAPITALIZE ON WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE
So much of finding your voice as a feature writer is about honing in on what makes you particularly unique as a writer. Some writers spend their careers trying to write what they think Hollywood wants to see, only to be met with little luck.
Sam Baron, winner of our Short Film Fund and who has since gone on to write and direct feature films, takes a different tact, telling aspiring writers:
“What would you write if it was just for yourself, and no one was ever going to read it, and it had to be burnt afterwards? Expose yourself against all of the good instincts of polite society. That’s the film everyone’s going to want to see!”
Similarly, he encourages writers to look inward, and consider the unique experiences that shape the way in which they write. “What’s the most personal thing that I can write? What could I write that no one else can write? You know, weirdly, the more specific and personal you get, the more universal it is.”
TIP #3: WRITE THE FILM YOU’D PAY TO SEE
Have you ever spent the evening looking for a great flick to watch, only to come up empty in the end? Sometimes, the film we want simply hasn’t been made yet – so take the opportunity to write the film that you would pay to see.
Creative writing instructor Robert McKee often tells writers, “Write every day, line by line, page by page, hour by hour. Do this despite fear. For above all else, beyond imagination and skill, what the world asks of you is courage, courage to risk rejection, ridicule and failure. As you follow the quest for stories told with meaning and beauty, study thoughtfully but write boldly. Then, like the hero of the fable, your dance will dazzle the world.”
Shore Scripts feature contest finalist Karim Halwagi follows this approach in his own writing, focusing on the stories he wants to see in the world. Early in his career in the 1990s, while working abroad, he read an article about construction workers in the 1920s in New York. This story served as a spark for his developing his voice as a screenwriter. “I started writing with a view of being able to realize great stories I discovered, or created in my mind,” he says.
TIP #4: REFERENCE THE GREATS
Many new writers bury themselves in the scripts of their favorite shows and films. Reading these scripts not only teaches new writers about format and approach, but can also influence your style and voice. What about the script’s writing do you particularly appreciate? Where do you see similarities to your own writing? How might this writer’s style influence your own?
Pay close attention to what you’re most drawn to in particular scenes and analyze what they have in common. Are they full of quirky dialogue and awkward comedic silences? Do they demonstrate a slower pace, one of which is designed to build tension?
Next time you’re watching (or rewatching) a film, you might also consider pulling up the script and reading along with it. We assembled a collection of 100+ of the best scripts out there, including feature films by genre, LGBTQ films, award-winning screenplays, and more.
TIP #5: MAKE YOUR STATEMENT
So much of developing your voice as a feature filmmaker is about the statement you want to make to the world and how you see it. The statement you want to make is often the foundation for the themes you explore in your films, demonstrating your particular point of view.
Consider the work of Sofia Coppola, Wes Anderson and Yorgos Lanthimos, three of the industry’s most prolific writers and directors. These filmmakers often work from a consistent theme across their films, which influences their particular voice and demonstrates their point of view.
Coppola’s voice emerges through themes of isolation and loneliness, while Lanthimos’ unique voice stems from the point of view that society often demonstrates the intersection of absurdism and realism. And Anderson’s voice is reflected in his desire to demonstrate themes of human vulnerability throughout his films.
As you develop and hone your voice as a writer, think about the statement you want to make to the world and the themes that might emerge.
In the end, remember that finding your voice as a feature screenwriter can take time. Kelly Reinhardt, director and screenwriter, reminds writers: “It takes time, by doing, and some of your voice reveals itself to you. Over time, you’ll be like, ‘Oh, that’s the thing I’m interested in’. And it keeps popping up or your work reflects back on you.”
ENTER OUR FEATURE CONTEST
Do you have a feature script that demonstrates your unique voice as a screenwriter? Enter our Feature Contest! Over the past fifteen years, we’ve built an unparalleled network of industry relationships, resulting in millions of dollars in spec sales, hundreds of writers signed and introduced to representation, and multiple films produced, including THE ASSESSMENT, starring Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Olsen, acquired by Amazon for mid-seven figures.
As the only contest with a dedicated Writer Development Manager, we provide ongoing, structured support while connecting our writers to a network of 300+ industry professionals.
