What is the best genre an aspiring Screenwriter should write in?

Question by V: What is the best genre an aspiring Screenwriter should write in?
I want to write a screenplay but I am quite young and at this point I just want to get into the business. Would horror be a good genre to write in? There are lots of terrible horror movies.

Best answer:

Answer by …
Honesty dude, as a screenwriter myself, I recommend writing what you know. I don’t believe there is a “best” genre to write. If you know horror inside and out then go for it. Don’t write based on your ideas of what else is out there i.e. “there’s lots of crap horror so my script is sure to sell” kind of thing.

That in mind I don’t know if I’d suggest writing in one particular genre. You may write a horror screenplay today because the genre is selling and find out tomorrow no one wants horror anymore (unlikely, but for the sake of argument). You should be as diverse as you possibly can be, write in every genre. I can say to you quite honestly I’ve written in all of the main genres: comedy, romance, action, horror etc. All it can do is make you more marketable and a better writer.

Again, to answer your question directly, if horror is what you want to write then write it. Write a screenplay for a film YOU would want to see. Write what you know. Study your genre, watch films and notice the recurring themes. This is particularly easy with horror because so many horror films have so much in common.

Sit down and free write, free associate. Write out your ideas and let the story take you where it’s supposed to go. When you’ve fleshed out all the details it will be much easier to put them in screenplay format.

Don’t worry about what’s popular on any given day; just write the story you want to tell and tell it the best way you can.

Best of luck.

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