K.T. ROTH
What initially drew you to screenwriting, and what keeps you passionate about the craft?
I grew up as a film and TV baby, but I spent years writing novels before I tried my hand at screenwriting. I’m a lover of narrative in all its forms, but shifting from prose to screenplays injected new excitement in me for storytelling. Also, if ever there were a time the world was in want of escapism, that time is now…and when I say the world, I mean me.
Can you walk us through your creative process when developing a screenplay?
I’ve written two screenplays to date, both of which were adapted from novels I’d previously written, so much of my process was figuring out what to pare down and how to convert prose into visuals and actionable narrative descriptions. For me, storytelling starts with distilling down the essence of my characters, determining how they complement and challenge each other, and deciding what arcs I want them to complete. If I’m writing something with world-building, that element is just another character I need to meet. Once I get to know everyone and figure out the larger trajectory I want them all following, my next step is putting that ugly first draft down on digital paper. After that, it’s editing editing editing. Determining what to delete is huge–I try not to be too precious with any of my story, because sometimes a section I adore just blocks up the narrative flow. Given that I often (attempt to) employ comedy, much of my final polishing is also trying to make sure the humor flows well, so I read dialogue out loud to make sure it sounds right to my brain ear.
Where do you find inspiration for your stories, and how do you decide which ideas to pursue?
The narratives I want to tell are always the narratives I want to consume. I often read or see a story and will fixate on one small piece where I thought a different storytelling choice could have been made–it’s common for me to then birth an entirely new tale based around that choice being made the way I want. I think about characters and relationship dynamics and dialogue exchanges as I fall asleep, and the stories often unfold in my dreams. Sometimes concepts mentally peter out or my enthusiam for them wanes, so I only tease out full narratives when the ideas pursue me back. And personally, if I can’t find the thread of humor in a story, I usually lose interest.
What has been the most rewarding project you've worked on so far, and why?
A genderqueer comedic science fiction novel I wrote called Fate Accomplished. I’ve been off-and-on writing this book for almost twenty years, abandoning it, then coming back to it, always feeling like I couldn’t quite get the story out correctly. At some point, I realized the lead character made more sense as non-binary and written in a first-person voice. I’ve never written anything else first-person, and it was through this conversion process that I came to terms with my own genderfluidity. The lead character and narrative feel the most personal of anything I’ve written. Also, the lead character’s sense-of-humor is that of a twelve-year-old, which perfectly mirrors my own inability to hear the word “duty” without giggling. My goal is to publish the book, then hopefully adapt it into a limited run series.
Screenwriting can be a tough industry—how do you handle challenges and setbacks?
Not well? Honestly, I’ve been trying to get my novels published for so long, I think I just got too old and exhausted to be upset too much by rejection. I have a solid following on social media, where people seem to enjoy my humor and sci fi conceptualizations, so I know there’s an audience out there for my content. I figure it’s like dating or starting with a new proctologist: the key is always finding and resonating with the right person. I tend to think of my appeal as more cult classic than mainstream, so I try submitting to folks looking for the offbeat. But also, sometimes I just want to burn down every word I’ve ever written, same as any other author.
In your experience, what makes a screenplay truly stand out to industry professionals?
Beyond the basics of a polished script and well-flowing narrative? I have no friggin’ idea.
Are there any particular themes or messages you always strive to include in your work?
I always end up creating characters who are too weird for most of the world, and my stories are ultimately about them finding and fitting with each other. That and working the word “poop” in somewhere.
How do you see the future of storytelling evolving, and what excites you most about it?
I’m seeing more and more comfort with cross-genre storytelling, which is exciting for me, because it’s what I love to both consume and regurgitate in narrative.
What advice would you give to aspiring screenwriters looking to break into the industry?
Turn back now, Dorothy. If that’s not an option, just write the story you want to see in the world…and I guess try to find a reasonable balance between accepting feedback and trusting your own voice.
What's next for you? Are there any upcoming projects or goals you're excited about?
I’d love for someone to produce and release “Moon Shine.” I also recently finished adapting another screenplay, “Show Runner,” from an older novel of mine, and I’m starting to enter it in competitions. I’m still trying to get my book Fate Accomplished published, and in the next month I’ll finalize a synopsis for another comedic queer sci fi novel I recently completed, Faltered State–I will start submitting the new book to agents and small press publishers this summer. I love all my stories and just want them all to find homes and achieve at least moderate commercial and critical success. Is that so much to ask for?