Find Your Screenwriter Super Power! Hint: It’s Your Unique Voice

If you’re trying to break in as a screenwriter, chances are you’ve heard the same advice ad nauseam from Industry gatekeepers: the most important quality for an emerging writer is a “Unique Voice.” That indescribable special something that makes your writing different from thousands of others.

Great, but what does that actually mean, and if you’re new to writing, how do you develop it?

Below I break down what this mysterious “Screenwriter’s Voice” is, why it’s important, and 5 tips on discovering your own, one-of-a-kind, version of it:

What is a Writer’s Voice?

You would never mistake one famous screenwriter’s script pages for another’s. In the same way you would never mistake a Mariah Carey song for Beyonce or vice versa. For example, Michaela Coel and Phoebe Waller-Bridge are both young, British, female screenwriters who both write vibrant and provocative scripts. But you would never confuse I May Destroy You with Fleabag. A Writer’s Voice is as unique as you are: it’s the result of combining all the qualities that make you, YOU. Like, your background, identity, perspective, worldview, approach, style, skill, even your age can influence your Writer’s Voice.

Why is a unique voice so important?

Your Writer’s Voice is what makes your script feel individualistic. It’s your “brand”. It’s what makes your script cut through the giant pile of other scripts because the reader has, “Never read anything quite like this before”. Your unique voice is a big part of how you get reps eager to work with you, get executives excited to buy your feature or pilot and, of course, your Writer’s Voice is one of the main reasons you might get staffed on a TV series. Showrunners want writers who have a voice that compliments their show and expands on their tone, not a voice that mimics their own. Ultimately your Writer’s Voice shows you are a dynamic storyteller that is in command of a unique “flavor” of writing that no one else can do quite like you.

So how do I discover my Writer’s Voice? 

Everyone’s process is different. But answering the questions below should give you a good start on discovering/developing your voice:

1. What do you NEED to write about?

One key to finding your Writer’s Voice is discovering what stories you need to tell. So take the time to ask yourself, is there an opinion about the world that you’re aching to write about? Is there a cause you feel driven to explore in your writing like: racial issues, culture, identity, people with disabilities, feminism, social justice, etc? Or are you more interested in creating entertaining stories that make your audience laugh out loud? (and maybe your jam is combining serious themes with comedy – my favorite!). What recurring themes come up in your work, regardless of genre? What experiences, places, or people can you write about with real understanding and authenticity? Understanding your intentions and values as a writer will help you develop a strong voice you can stand behind.

2. What’s your style?

Think about your sentence structure, scene descriptions, and word choice. When writing a script do you usually use grammatically perfect English? Or do you favor pop culture references and slang? How do you write action, dialogue, and punctuation? Do you use metaphor, break the fourth wall, or use magical realism? The style and structure you tend to gravitate towards can give you a ton of clues toward your unique Writer’s Voice. Even something as simple as short sentences vs. long sentences in action description and dialogue can completely change the tone and feel of a script.

3. What do you love to watch?

Your favorite TV shows and movies can give you great insight into your personal taste. Do you love snappy, quick comedies with whip smart dialogue? Or do you prefer slow moving, suspenseful dramas with poetic monologues? Or thrillers with grand visuals? Sometimes the style of what you love to watch on the screen can inform the style you love to write on the page. 

4. Listen to yourself. 

Doing an intuitive writing exercise can be a great way to tune into your authentic Writer’s Voice. Sit down and write intuitively for ten minutes (use a writing prompt if that helps you get going). Try not to sensor yourself. The goal isn’t to please or impress anyone, it’s to let your intuition take the wheel and see what comes out. Maybe after ten minutes you discover you wrote a scene about a lizard discussing climate change with the President - fantastic! There is no wrong. Sometimes, letting your mind wander and writing for writing’s sake can be a powerful tool to unearth an almost unconscious writing style and the themes that really matter to you.

5. Write, write, and be patient.

Finding your voice takes time. So keep writing! Malcolm Gladwell’s quote about taking 10,000 hours to master a skill is definitely true. It can take years and thousands of pages for a clear Writer’s Voice to emerge, so be patient with yourself. Once you find your voice, you’ll get to the point where anyone reading your script, regardless of genre or format, will know it’s your work.

What helped you find your unique Writer’s Voice? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!