Creating a story that audiences care about, but does it really matter?

by Ines de los Santos | May 12th 2020

When we have to decide what to write, things might get deeper than you expect. One thing is to know where it’s a good place to start, and another one very different is to write what you feel. This means if you don’t have passion for the story you are writing, nobody will. So generating a story starts with your own interest in the idea, character, or theme. There is no right or wrong answer to where a story begins in the writer’s imagination because anything can become a story these days, from the people that are around you to posts on Facebook and Twitter. However, nothing can be developed without a few sparks of passion.

Creating a story should focus on mastering the art of screenwriting and not about guessing what the marketplace needs right now. Concentrating on what will sell is the main villain of the creative process. And to be honest, nobody really knows what sells these days.

When you are trying to decide what to write, always remember that your story should have a meaning for your audience. The success of your screenplay will not only depend on an idea that can group followers but also that you’re well-suited to write about. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t write about what you don’t know and then grow knowledge on it. Sometimes we are curious about a topic that might not be related to us, and with the research, you become an expert in it. But it is your job to demonstrate your expertise. No great story was ever written by someone who was guessing about the reality of the characters in that story.

But at the end of the day, your goal is to write about what you can feel personal and obsessed with. Some writers think the more general something is the more audiences will connect, but the real trick is writing something and hitting some universal truth that people will be relate to and entertained by. You want to use your writing to express your truth behind every single detail and in doing so create something human. If a story feels researched, lived-in and so specific that it feels as close to real life then it is a story that can work. This is why so many movies can have similar plots and the audience does not feel cheated.

Specificity is the key. Passion is the secret ingredient.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Ines de los Santos

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