The screenwriting voice you should listen to
By
Screenwriter Marti Noxon
One passage of an interview screenwriter Marti Noxon (“Buffy,” “Mad Men,” “I Am Number Four”) did for Film School Rejects caught my eye:
Something works the best for me…first and foremost, if I have a gut level reaction that tells me that I understand emotionally what the core of the story is, then I’ve already started off in a better place than when I’m coming from my head and thinking, “Commercially, this would be a good idea” or “I should take this project because it’ll make a lot of money or because I like these people.”
That’s wisdom coming from experience and it really rings a bell. I’ve mentioned in some other posts the few times that I accepted an assignment despite having a gut feeling that it wasn’t right for me. Of course you have to eat, and sometimes you just show up, do the best job you can, and collect the pay check.
However, especially if you’re doing something on spec, before you start, check with your gut (or wherever you store your intuition).
Here’s how it might work. Your loud voice says, “I bet this would sell! Vampires, that’s what everybody wants!” Your smaller voice says, “I’m tired of vampires. I have nothing to say about vampires.” Your louder voice says, “Who are you, Ingmar Bergman! I’m telling you, vampire babies, it’s never been done! It’s hot!”
It will be hard, but listen to the small voice. Keep coming up with new ideas until you find one that both of your voices can agree on. That will be the winner.
(For more friendly guidance on writing a screenplay, novel or short story, get my book, “Your Writing Coach,” published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other online and offline book sellers.)
