Interview (Part 6): Jennifer Archer

My interview with the 2022 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jennifer Archer wrote the original screenplay “Into the Deep Blue” which won a 2022 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Jennifer about her creative background, her award-winning script, the craft of screenwriting, and what winning the Nicholl Award has meant to her.

Today in the final installment in this 6-part series, Jennifer shares some tips on the craft of screenwriting and gives advice to aspiring writers.

Scott: What about prep writing? If you’re going to be moving into screenwriting, certainly if you’re moving into TV writing, you’d have to adjust your pattern a little bit more in terms of breaking story. What do you do in the way of character development? You had a scene where Nick’s riding his bike over in the rain over to Fiona’s. How did you get in touch with those characters and how did the story evolve for you?

Jennifer: It’s almost like journaling, being in their headspace. I love a voice-y first-person narrative in books. Writing really does feel like an extension of journaling — writing from their POV. I feel I really need to embody a character to develop them. Sometimes when you just assign traits to character it can ring a little hollow.

Scott: That’s what I do with my students. You sit down. Literally what I say, get into their headspace. Almost a meditative type of experience.

Jennifer: Yeah. It’s like you have another person living in your head. You can’t stop hearing their voice. They’re talking to you all the time. [laughs]

Scott: You’re journaling. Exactly. That’s great. The dialogue in your script, it just feels authentic. Obviously, I’m not a young, but it’s also really smart. The dialogue is what? Just them talking and you’re shaping it into a form that works on the page?

Jennifer: I just imagine them talking, and actually hear the conversation play out. Sometimes I have the conversation with myself out loud. I write it from that.

Scott: I’m reminded of that August Wilson, the great playwright was asked once, “How do you write such great dialogue?” He said, “I don’t, they do.”

Jennifer: That’s so good. So true.

Scott: How about themes? Do you think about them at all? Or if you do, is it something it’s up front of the process? Or did you discover it stuff like that along the way?

Jennifer: Usually themes come into focus during revision, I think. I feel like first I get the framework onto the page, and then as I’m revising, I’ll start to pick up on the different threads of themes. Then you dive back in and you reinforce those threads.

Once you notice themes that start appearing, then you can find places in the story to build them up a little bit more.

Scott: That sounds like you have a framework again, like what I tell my students. I say, “Sometimes you’re inside that story universe, and you’re trying to receive from them, but then there are times you step outside particularly when you’re revising,” some executive thinking where you’re noticing things like themes. Is that a fair assessment of how you approach the process?

Jennifer: It is. Absolutely, yeah. You have to do that. I don’t love revising. [laughs] I don’t like the stepping out part. I love being in the immersive drafting free writing phase.

But it can be the most rewarding part because that’s where you start to see these connections and threads that you can pull on and where the story really grows.

Scott: Well, hopefully, you’ll write such great material that people on the other side putting the money up to make movies will say, “Let’s shoot it as it is as opposed to getting script notes.” If that’s the part that you don’t like then you may have to develop a bit of an embrace of that process.

Jennifer: For sure.

Scott: Let’s talk about your writing process. Do you have a specific thing like your work regimen, or do you have a more organic load of the writing process? Do you have a schedule? Where do you write, at home? Do you go someplace? Do you listen to music? You don’t listen to music?

Jennifer: I do listen to music usually when drafting not so much when revising. I write at home, I could never write in a cafe or public space. I love to write in my bedroom, on my bed [laughs] in my little cocoon. It’s like a cozy safe space. I don’t really have a set schedule. I used to prefer writing at night, but I’m slowly embracing mornings.

Scott: What do you love most about writing?

Jennifer: The euphoric feeling when a story comes together. It’s fleeting, but there’s nothing quite like it. Mental healthwise, it does so much for my headspace, being able to create, and the problem solving. It’s so gratifying. I find that when I don’t write, I feel a void, and I really miss it.

Scott: Are you going to continue to write both novels and screenplays?

Jennifer: I would like to. Yeah.

Scott: Have you thought about 10 years from now, perfect world, what would Jennifer be doing?

Jennifer: Oh, gosh. I would love to be producing as well. There’s a lot of young adult material out there from other writers that I know would be great in the film space. I’d love to bring some of their work to light too. That would be interesting.

Scott: Now, here you are. You won the Nicholl. If you ever show up around Toronto or you’re in LA or whatnot, you’ll probably be with friends, people you meet will ask, “What advice do you have? I’m interested in writing. What advice do you have for me?”

There you go. That’s the big question for you to wind this thing up. What advice do you have for someone who wants to develop a craft as a screenwriter and a writer?

Jennifer: Everybody says, keep reading and writing. Those are big ones, but don’t just read — read critically. Spend ten minutes writing down what you like or dislike about a project after reading, for your eyes only. What did you love/hate about the characters and story? It helps!

And find some trusted critique partners. Finding good ones can be like finding a needle in a haystack, but they are invaluable. Mine have motivated me, pushed me to my limits, and have become my dearest friends. Writing, while rewarding, can be a lonely, difficult journey. Find that support, it makes a world of difference.

For Part 1 of the interview, go here.

For Part 2, go here.

For Part 3, go here.

For Part 4, go here.

For Part 5, go here.

For my interviews with every Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner since 2012, go here.

For my interviews with Black List writers, go here.