Writing Style 101: How to Discover YOUR Own Unique Voice

We are able to identify the distinct writing styles of our favorite screenwriters. Styles that make us love their stories. Quentin Tarantino‘s masterful monologues. Aaron Sorkin‘s long sequences of quick-paced dialogue. Sofia Coppola‘s ethereal, stylistic realism. Their style is so distinct on the page that we as viewers can identify it on the screen.

It makes them stand out.

In the film industry, standing out can mean the difference between making it and breaking it. It’s what will make what you offer the industry unique. In such a competitive field, your distinctiveness is vital to not only breaking in but also in maintaining a career. It’s, therefore, crucial to find your style as a writer.

Now, first things first…

What Is the Function of a Screenplay?

A screenplay is, in essence, the blueprint from which the filmmakers draw from in order to determine how the story will translate visually. It lays out the course of the story and outlines the personalities of the characters.

A well-written screenplay is clear and concise in its descriptions. Every line should move the story forward. Filler words, unnecessary greetings, and excessive exposition eat up space on the page and therefore are rarely tolerated. Your screenplay must be as brief as possible while still communicating everything anyone needs to know about the story.

No pressure.

There are character arcs, story structure, proper formatting, and about a dozen other things to consider when piecing the screenplay together. With all these technical boxes to check, it is easy for the inexperienced writer to place their own writing style on the back burner.

As functional as screenplays are, they are also a piece of art in and of themselves. Any piece of art must be executed by an artist, and any artist gains recognition because their delivery is in some way unlike that of anybody else.