2021 is FINALLY here, meaning it’s time for writers and everyone else with a new year’s resolution to begin the ultimate goal they hope to accomplish. If you’re involved in screenwriting, you more than likely have some sort of goal related to the field that you hope to begin sooner than later.
However, as with every other year, executives tend to look for a specific niche or genre at the beginning of each year that’s different than what was previously done. Considering 2021 was a year like no other, there’s a lot of interesting material writers can use from their own lives to help them begin their topic to write about in 2021.
Nevertheless, are you a writer or screenwriter looking for the most interesting topics to write about in 2021? If you fall under this category, look no further, as we’re going to discuss a few of the best topics writing-wise for 2021. Keep in mind, these aren’t the only topics you should consider writing about in 2021, but it’s an excellent list to jump-start some ideas for you to consider. Let’s get started!
Still from 'Adaptation'. Photo credit: Tyneside Cinema
Pandemic (What’s Your Take)
If there’s anything to be examined from 2020, the obvious answer is the pandemic. As devastating and awful the pandemic and year as a whole has been for so many people, it’s relatively easy to assume there are going to plenty of scripts drafted towards the end of the pandemic regarding it.
However, what’s vital to note about a monumental event like this is that it’ll be overly saturated with material, meaning you’ll need to find your own unique take on it. Whether it’s from a personal story in the pandemic or something totally made up, how will your pandemic take stand-out from the rest?
Anything Concerning Isolation (Trapped on An Island, Loneliness, etc.)
For an ongoing theme that’s derived from the pandemic, but not necessarily about it is the relatable theme of isolation. With people having to self-quarantine and not being able to see the people they see every day; we all have a sense of isolation that can be related to one another.
As a result, people are going to want to read or see stories related to the theme of isolation. Obviously, the theme of isolation is a broad one and can be ranging from someone being trapped on an island to something more personal like loneliness. Get creative with it and start with a character who is isolated and answer how they got there and what they’re doing about it.
Tell a Story Regarding a Personal Scar
Personal stories are always intriguing, no matter how notable of a person you are. If you’ve experienced tragedy in your life, which most people have, tell it in a script. Obviously, if it’s too difficult for you to express right now, don’t worry about it. Still, if you can manage to tell it, it’s worth doing.
Even if it doesn’t turn out to be a decent script, at least expressed the tragedy you experienced in a way that’s allowing you to get it off your chest. Plus, the more personal a story tends to be, the more likely it is for others to find a sense of relatability from it.
Take an Event from Your Life But Make it Fictional
Rather than take a personal scar and tell a chilling story about it, take an event from your life but make it fictional. For example, if you go to the bank to deposit money, imagine how you’d react if someone tried robbing you and the bank. Daydreaming like this may seem like a waste of time, but it can lead you down a rabbit hole of great story ideas.
Another option you can do is to take a moment where you got by okay, but imagine what would’ve happened if that turned out bad. Thinking like this can be negative on someone’s mental health, so only do it if you’re capable of handling the random fictional thoughts you may come across.
Create a Character and Story Based on Someone You know
All of us know a person who seems like a character from a film or television series. We’ve all heard the expression of a walking cartoon character or something similar, but consider making a story based on the person you know who is so interesting.
In fact, many stories and scripts are based on people the writer knew growing up. Now, you don’t have to analyze this person in-depth, but try to develop a story around them and imagine how they’d react in these certain areas.
Start With “What If…”
Beginning with the straightforward phrase of what if can cause you to develop a never-ending list of story ideas. Plus, the phrase can be a wide range of genres, whether it’s a satirical Sci-Fi story about “what if the President got abducted by aliens” or something more serious like “what if my town stopped having electricity forever”.
Some More Specific Topics:
And finally, here are some more specific topics for you that you could also approach in 2021:
Dystopian societies
Protests
New technology
Endangered species
Reunions
Online Gaming