Screenwriter Inspiration – 5 Ways to Kickstart Your Creativity

Many screenwriters get their ideas from their experiences with friends or family, events they've attended, or places they've been. You might draw inspiration from the observations you've made about others. Many writers enjoy people-watching in public places like cafes or museums, imagining stories about the people they see. Even if thinking about people or places you know doesn't lead to your next screenplay, meditating on those things is great practice for understanding characters and settings.

Books, movies, TV shows, and other types of media are all great sources of inspiration for screenwriters! Sometimes the plot, a character, or the style of another piece of media can ignite a writer's creativity and inspire their work. I have a friend who likes to remind writers who are stuck or don't feel like writing that if they've consumed media that interests them that day, they've done screenwriting work! Interacting with different media types is so important to writers because it may show us things we didn't think were possible or had never considered before! Being hit with a new or different way of creating media can be a great way to get us thinking about our work and inspire our next direction!

Current events, such as political or social issues affecting the world, can often inspire screenwriters. Turning on the news and seeing what issues people face from the local to a global level might hit you with an idea. It's an opportunity and privilege when writers passionate about an issue can create a story that magnifies that issue and makes other people aware of it.

Getting together with other creative people, whether a co-writer, a director, an actor or a producer, can be a surefire way to feel inspired! Try meeting with creative friends, joining a writing group, or attending a workshop! Sometimes getting out of the house and interacting with other creative people can be just what an uninspired writer needs to ignite their creativity.

Is there a subject or historical event that intrigues you? Try researching to learn more about it! For the science-minded or historically buff writers, delving into subjects you're interested in can often drum up inspiration. Through research, you can figure out if you like a topic and would want to pursue writing about it. If you find yourself inspired by research, you can often use facts to help shape and outline your story!

Dedicate some time to just coming up with ideas! Write them on a dry-erase board, or maybe write them on notecards. Write ideas and throw them in a hat to pull out at random! Pursue trains of thought for where potential stories will go. Have fun with a time that's dedicated to daydreaming and imagining!

Try writing whatever comes to you, even if you don't have a specific tale or topic in mind. No matter what it is, keep writing. Timed free writing sessions may help you discover a story for your next screenplay or at least some topics you think could make interesting stories.

Googling "writing prompts" produces more than one writer could ever need! Writing prompts can be a fantastic way to get stuck writers unstuck. Responding to a prompt and conforming to someone else's directions can help you discover a plot or story you might not have otherwise considered.

Get out of the house and engage with nature, art, a sport, or music. It doesn't matter what you do but try doing something unrelated to writing. Explore for a while to see if you can find inspiration in a new activity.

Is there a preexisting work you love and want to adapt for film or television? Well, you can always try to request permission to adapt that book or short story into a screenplay. It might not be easy, but if you love and connect deeply with a story, what's the harm in inquiring about adapting it?