Screenwriting : What kind of women do you write? by Damilola Jabita

Damilola Jabita

What kind of women do you write?

Let me tell you about the kind of women I write.

They are not waiting to be saved. They are not defined by the men who want them or the trauma that shaped them. Nor are they are not soft in the places stories usually make women soft.

Learn with me.

See, my women are complicated. They are difficult. They make choices that are hard to defend and make them anyway.

They carry their damage without performing it. They want things — real things, specific things — and they pursue those things even when it costs them.

Writing women like this is a deliberate choice. Every time.

Because I grew up reading stories where women existed in relation to someone else.

Where their strength was always made weak somehow. Softened at the edges so it didn’t make anyone too uncomfortable.

I’m not interested in that.

I want to write women on screen the way I experience women in real life.

Messy. Contradictory. Capable of darkness and tenderness in the same breath.

I think that’s the most honest thing I can do as a storyteller.

What about you? What kind of women do you write?

Dragan Lambic

I write a woman who isn’t just a person—she’s a force, so inevitable she feels like gravity. The central female figure in my story is an alien entity powerful enough to bend time, memory, and reality itself—creating entire worlds. And despite all that scale, she’s rooted in a real personality—someone I know, translated into something cosmic. Although the story is written from the perspective of a male character, I feel that she is the main protagonist of my story.

Raisa Tavares

I write women who were torn away from their own lives, yet rise again as force, strategy and sharpened silence.

Women who do not ask for permission.

Women who do not wait for salvation.

Women who become what the world fears:

power born from pain.

Evan Phoenix

I write about a woman who saves the girl she loves. There are female heroes. We just need to see more of them.

Justin Groats

I write women like how I write men, or like I how I write characters in the first place.

there’s no way to write women vs men. you just write characters.

Michael Alan Elliott

I write women with whom I'm involved romantically and hope my wife doesn't find out.

Phil Parker

My mother raised my sister and me after her divorce. She struggled for years with the emotional toll it took on her. My sister was a problem child, too. And yet, mom persevered for the sake of her children, as moms do. The emotions, the decisions, the actions - the highs and lows I witnessed and experienced - that is the wellspring from which I draw my female characters.

Desiree Middleton

The women I write about depends on their character. I let them tell the story and hold no judgement against them.

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh

I write mine complicated, often suffering a lot on account of their actions or simple misfortune. Usually having at least one trad, idealistic, and/or romantic trait. There are of course exceptions, like I have at least one who can be called a femme fatale, and another who wishes she was. Basically I like writing more classical female characters rather than modern ones lol

Marie Hatten

My female protagonist is inspired by a very dear friend and informed by ongoing research. I’m crafting naturalistic dialogue and what’s hopefully a very relatable and authentic character .

Damilola Jabita

Marie Hatten goodluck!

Damilola Jabita

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh one cannot go wrong with classic!

Damilola Jabita

Desiree Middleton sometimes, we have to let the characters decide for themselves who they wanna be

Damilola Jabita

Phil Parker I'm really sorry to hear that. I know your mom is proud of how strong y'all turned out to be

Damilola Jabita

Michael Alan Elliott now, that's naughty.

Damilola Jabita

Justin Groats i value your opinion

Damilola Jabita

Evan Phoenix yessss. we need more bl/gl in the industry

Damilola Jabita

Raisa Tavares my kind of women

Damilola Jabita

Dragan Lambic ugh. i love strong fls

Jim Boston

Damilola, most of the scripts I've written have women as the lead characters...characters who show strength, independence, determination, and perseverance.

They're characters who won't let anyone else tell them: "You oughta be this...you oughta be that!"

Thanks so very much for posing the question!

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