Screenwriting : Screenwriters as feature protagonists by Brian Gill

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I've heard of the unwritten rule to avoid scripts about screenwriter/writer. I think it's fine to have a screenwriter/writer as the protagonist. When I write a script where the protagonist is a screenwriter/writer, I tie their career into the story.

There are no rules to anything if it’s good, sincere, real, and morally balanced in interpretation. Leaving the contest left on the back of who you really are when projecting.

Hey Brian Gill it's a perennial question in the industry! The "no screenwriter protagonists" concern isn't quite an unwritten rule, but there are legitimate reasons why it raises eyebrows.

Why executives are often wary:

-- Inside Baseball Problem: Scripts about screenwriters can feel too "inside Hollywood" and alienate general audiences who don't relate to the industry

-- Navel-Gazing Perception: Executives worry these stories become self-indulgent writer therapy rather than universally compelling narratives

-- Market Reality: Most audiences can't relate to the screenwriting experience as readily as other professions

However, successful exceptions exist:

Adaptation (Charlie Kaufman as screenwriter protagonist)

Sunset Boulevard (though the writer is struggling/desperate)

Barton Fink (playwright, but similar creative struggles)

Key factors that make screenwriter protagonists work:

1) Universal themes beyond just "trying to make it in Hollywood"

2 ) External plot that doesn't revolve around pitching/selling scripts

3) Relatable human struggles that happen to involve a screenwriter, not because of it

Questions to consider:

Does your story work only because he's a screenwriter, or could it work with any creative profession?

Are you exploring universal themes through the screenwriting lens?

Is the screenwriting aspect essential to your story's emotional core?

If changing to novelist doesn't harm your story's heart, it might open more doors. If it fundamentally changes what you're trying to say, stick with your vision.

Great question - I think it's all about how good the story is and how well you construct it. It's all in the writing and not just the concept. If you believe in your concept, and you are passionate about the story, then I say do your best and see how it turns out.

This is excellent food for thought! I appreciate the framework - it definitely helps me to chart the creative direction for my project.

Stephen King wrote Misery. So, I suppose it's not so taboo. As Pat Alexander outlined, above, several key factors for your story. Robert Altman did a satire of the movie business with The Player, so it depends on how your story will evolve.

Glad you are getting the support you need here. But yes, it absolutely can be done. Trust your instincts and your talent.

I think reconceptualizing the lead as a novelist (or another creative profession) could help sidestep that stigma while keeping the core themes intact. Novelists, journalists, or even playwrights often feel more relatable to general viewers, it's why so many rom-coms have writers, authors, and journalists, but can also explain why the screenwriter is often portrayed or believed to be this elusive type! But if the screenwriter's angle is essential to your story, I suggest putting your best foot forward when crafting this character.